Harvey Penick's little red book

[drawboy]

I had heard good things about this book on the forum so I ordered it and eagerly awaited it's arrival. It duly turned up and I have now read it all twice. I have to say it for me was a book of two halves, with some of it good and some of it poor.On the instruction side of things there are a few genuine pearls to take onto the course but I didn't think any subject was covered in much detail, most being half to one page long.It's simple approach gets the message across instantly and when reading it you tend to think 'ah that's where I've been going wrong, I'll try that next time out'. Other subjects are dealt with in so little detail as to be next to useless. I am sure Mr Penick is a wonderfull teacher of the game but for me the book doesn't live up to a lesson from the man himself.One example being when a student asked him to teach him how to get out of a bunker. Mr Penicks reply being "I can but first I have to teach you how to avoid them in the first place" end of lesson.No s**t Sherlock springs to mind.
I am sure most people will find some little nugget and a light will come on and it will improve their game.I have a couple to try next time out.
All said though for me it isn't a great book but it is worth a read and if you get a little gem out of it then it's worth the money, 6 out of 10 from me.

 

[RGDave]

I bought it and read it many years ago. Not a bad book to dip into, but agreed, hardly eureka stuff.
Good vote at 6/10.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

My copy arrived this week and I was a little dispaoointed when I skimmed through it. I haven't read it properly but not quite what I was hoping for

 

[JustOne]

One example being when a student asked him to teach him how to get out of a bunker. Mr Penicks reply being "I can but first I have to teach you how to avoid them in the first place" end of lesson.No s**t Sherlock springs to mind.

Reminds me of a story I heard about a mixed foresomes [probably a made up story], the guy hit it in the bunker and the woman only manged to blast it right under the lip with her effort to extract it, the guy could only play backwards into the bunker and promptly did so. So the woman blasted it under the lip again, the guy was clearly miffed... the woman explained that she didn't have any experience as she always played round bunkers

FWIW I read the book and thought it was a total waste of money. 0/10 for me.

 

[HRC99]

Quite a "charming" book with nothing much of actual help more a collection of his quotes, anecdotes and stories.

 

[Tiger]

It depends on how you use it. For me it was a good read after the more technical read of Pelz. I'd class it more as anecdotal than instructional. Stand out bit for me was 'Bucket of Water'. Yesterday trying to play after my lesson I obviously had technical thoughts swimming around in my head. Then I thought "it's just swinging a bucket of water" and Robert's your father's brother - nice clear mind.

It's not like a lesson from the great man, it's not got a great deal of technical info, but that's the point isn't it. If anything it reminds me that golf is a simple game that we make complicated. And when I inevitably tie myself in knots, the Little Red Book is coming of the shelf. A solid 7 for me.

 

[leewestrudd1]

i think thats his technique though,little nuggets,not too much at once,be patient and keep it simple,there is some daft stuff in it which arent worth reading but he ones that are,are gold dust in my opinion,how many times do you pick up the golf mags and theres numerous pros giving instructional advice that sometimes is too much to tackle in an instance. you can only use the swing you have so he's trying to simplify it rather than over complicating it,penick mixed with rotellas books have helped me both mentally and technically, 8/10 for me

 

[RGDave]

....the guy hit it in the bunker and the woman only manged to blast it right under the lip with her effort to extract it, the guy could only play backwards into the bunker and promptly did so. So the woman blasted it under the lip again, the guy was clearly miffed... the woman explained that she didn't have any experience as she always played round bunkers

 

[Swinger]

One example being when a student asked him to teach him how to get out of a bunker. Mr Penicks reply being "I can but first I have to teach you how to avoid them in the first place" end of lesson.No s**t Sherlock springs to mind.

Reminds me of a story I heard about a mixed foresomes [probably a made up story], the guy hit it in the bunker and the woman only manged to blast it right under the lip with her effort to extract it, the guy could only play backwards into the bunker and promptly did so. So the woman blasted it under the lip again, the guy was clearly miffed... the woman explained that she didn't have any experience as she always played round bunkers

I like it.

We had a husband and wife who used to play and when they got to our 18th the husband always told the wife to take an airshot as she could never get over the pit in front of the tee.

 

[Mike_j_golf]

My copy arrived this week and I was a little dispaoointed when I skimmed through it. I haven't read it properly but not quite what I was hoping for

Hi,
Mine arrived friday and I only bought it because u recommended it in another post Homer, and now it appears u haven't even read it.
Mike

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I had read it but not for a few years. I got it again (dirt cheap on Amazon anyway) as it had a bit of a cult following on here but it wasn't as good as I remembered. I was sure it had more instructional pieces in

 

[Simbo]

poor book for me too.

was probably a good book in 1970 or something, before technology got in on the act,everything now scientific.

if im being generous id give it 4/10

 

[leewestrudd1]

its all about keeping it simple,like i said in an earlier post somethings arent relevant but the basic tips and drills and thoughts etc are excellent, did ben hogan,sam snead,and all the other past greats rely on technology? i thought their game was more down to technique and hard work!

 

[slugger]

I have this book... unfortunately i read it once, and it went against most things i was being taught at the time so it totally screwed up my mind as far as the golf swing goes.

fortunately, i've now forgotten everthing i read!

 

[sev112]

NOt wishing to cause a furore ...

Mr Penick has coached some of the best players in the world
He obviously knows something that us double-digit handicappers don't...

Maybe if we thought what he said was good advice we might become single digit golfers ...

 

[drawboy]

I totally agree and said in the OP that IMHO the book does not come up to a lesson with the man himself.Ben Crenshaw was a pupil of his until he died, now that certainly say's something about the teaching ability of the man however I do not think it translated particularly well into print.