Golfers often make the mistake of thinking golf books can’t actually improve your game.

They think hitting 100 balls at the range would be a better use of time.

You have to have a club in your hand to improve your game right?

Wrong.

Hitting 100 balls at the range with the wrong swing thoughts and bad form will not make you a better golfer.

Read the above sentence again.

…

What will make you a better golfer?

Golf books.

Reading the right golf books will give you insights on how to think about the game, the proper form, and course management.

Knowing “WHY” you do the things you do in your golf swing is just as important as actually swinging the club.

Knowing the science along with the art will give you the confidence you need when standing over the ball.

With that confidence, you will improve your handicap.

The first 4 books of this list helped me take 15 strokes off my handicap.

Read them and you will become a better golfer.

30 Best Golf Books That Will Make You a Better Golfer

1. Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf

An all time classic.  This book will teach you the five fundamentals that lead to a classic and consistent golf swing.  This is one of the integral books that started me on my journey to taking 15 strokes off of my handicap.

2. Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book: Lessons And Teachings From A Lifetime In Golf

The best-selling golf instruction book of all time.  Guaranteed to improve your game.

3. Dave Pelz’s Putting Bible: The Complete Guide to Mastering the Green (Dave Pelz Scoring Game Series)

Another book on the list that played a massive role in dropping 15 strokes off my handicap. Dave Pelz’s is well known in the golfing world for his Scoring Series.  He has ruthlessly studied putting and has put his scientific research to work to improve your game.  Dave’s writing is heavily science based, but will give you the understanding of WHY you are doing what you do on the greens.

4. Dave Pelz’s Short Game Bible: Master the Finesse Swing and Lower Your Score (Dave Pelz Scoring Game Series)

The same concept as Dave’s Putting Bible but focused on your short game.  This will help you score around the green and quickly make you a short game wizard.

5. Golf Is Not A Game Of Perfect by Dr. Bob Rotella

Golf is just as much mental as it is physical, if not more.  Golf Is Not A Game Of Perfect focuses on the psychology of the game.  It will teach you the thoughts that should be going through you head while you golf, and give you the confidence to make the crucial shots that will drastically improve your game.

6. Bunker Play by Gary Player

7. Tiger Woods: How I Play Golf

This book directly improved my game.  No matter how you feel about Tiger, his game is undeniable.  This book not only gives you a look into how he plays, but also the thoughts he has while standing over the ball.  Something we could all use!

8. Golf in the Kingdom by Michael Murphy

9. Zen Golf by Michael Murphy

“Golf is played on a 6 inch course, the space between your ears.” – Bobby Jones

10. The Big Miss: My Years Coaching Tiger Woods by Hank Haney

11. The Match by Mark Frost

12. Practical golf by John Jacobs

13. The Greatest Game Ever Played by Mark Frost

Great golf story.  Has since been made into a movie that is worth a watch as well.

14. Golf My Way by Jack Nicklaus

15. The A Swing: The Alternative Approach to Great Golf by David Leadbetter

16. Secrets of the Short Game by Phil Mickelson

If there’s anybody who has the right to teach short game, it’s Phil.  Known for his creativity around the greens and phenomenal short game, this is a good look into how he is able to get up-and-down so consistently.

17. The Seven Laws of the Golf Swing by Nick Bradley

18. Golf for Dummies by Gary McCord

Better for beginners.  Still worth while for experts.

19. The Search for the Perfect Golf Club by Tom Wishon

20. Your 15th Club by Robert Rotella

21. Fearless Golf: Conquering the Mental Game by Gio Valiante

22. Golf Is a Game of Confidence by Robert Rotella

23. Golf My Own Damn Way: A Real Guy’s Guide to Chopping Ten Strokes Off by John Daly

24. Every Shot Counts: Using the Revolutionary Strokes Gained Approach by Mark Broadie

25. Dream Golf by Stephen Goodwin

26. Ernest Jones’ Swing The Clubhead Method

27. The Putting Prescription: The Putt Doctor’s Proven Method for a Better Stroke

28. A Good Walk Spoiled by John Feinstein

29. Training a Tiger: A Father’s Guide to Raising a Winner in Both Golf and Life by Earl Woods

30. The Bogey Man: A Month on the PGA Tour by George Plimpton

There’s your of 30 golf books that are guaranteed to make you a more complete golfer. 1, 2, 4, and 6 were the four books that set me on the path to completely changing my game.

Each book offers something different, but in the end will bring you closer to playing the golf you’ve always dreamed of.

So the next time you think about going and spending two hours at the range…

Spend the first hour with a golf book instead.

August Noble

August Noble was first introduced to golf at 7 years old. In 2013 he started seriously working on his game and was able to reduce his handicap from 19 to 3.4 in less than two years. He’s been helping other golfers do the same ever since.

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Did you know that it’s impossible to get maximum performance on the golf course without mastering the mental side of golf?

Many beginners may not realize that golf is just as much a mental game as a physical one. That being said, you don’t want to be on information overload while standing on the tee box.

Though there are plenty of golf coaches that teach swing mechanics, there just isn’t much information available regarding golf psychology. To help with this problem, we’ve compiled a list of the ten best golf books that address the mental side of the game.

Pick up a few to start shooting better scores and hitting longer drives!

1. Mastering Golf’s Mental Game: Your Ultimate Guide to Better On-Course Performance and Lower Scores

This masterpiece is written by a sport psychologist named Dr. Michael Lardon, who works with a ton of PGA Tour professionals. Lardon helped Phil Mickelson win the 2012 Open Championship by giving his mental game a much-needed tuneup. You’ll get the same tips that helped Mickelson become one of the best left-handed golfers of all time.

In this book, also available as an audiobook, golfers can learn about Lardon’s Pre-Shot Pyramid and Mental Scorecard. Both of these tools have helped countless amateurs and professionals. This is simply a must-read for any serious golfer.

Rating on Amazon: 4.6 (over 270 reviews)

2. Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game

This book has been around for 20 years and was written by another highly respected golf psychologist named Dr. Joseph Parent. Vijay Singh has credited Dr. Parent with helping him have clear thought on the golf course. Parent is not just another PGA coach but also a Buddhist instructor.

Zen Golf will help golfers deal with frustration, which can be an unwelcome distraction during a round. Many folks are shocked at how much more enjoyment they experience on the course after learning to deal with this one negative emotion. Having more fun and shooting lower scores is every golfer’s dream, and this book will help achieve both.

Rating on Amazon: 4.7 (over 1,500 reviews)

3. Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect

This book from Dr. Bob Rotella gives golfers some fabulous tips to improve their mental game. Learn how obsessing about your swing mechanics can keep you from shooting your best score. Dr. Rotella provides practical info on how to put more joy into your golf game.

PGA Tour fans will especially appreciate the Foreward of this book, written by 2011 Open Championship winner Darren Clarke. Some folks think this is the best golf book on the market for improving their mental habits on the course. We can see why because Dr. Rotella is one of the best sports psychologists in the industry.

Rating on Amazon: 4.7 (over 3,300 reviews)

4. The Mental Game of Golf: Strategies for Improving your Confidence, Focus, Stress Levels, Resilience & More

Here’s a new option for folks that want to improve their mental approach to golf. The Mental Game of Golf was released in January of 2022 and was written by a mental game coach named Jermaine Harris.

Harris teaches golfers how to deal with nagging mental issues such as low confidence, nerves, anger, and fear. The Mental Game of Golf will show you how to shoot low scores even if your swing isn’t quite right. This is a massive advantage on the course!

Rating on Amazon:  4.6 (20 reviews)

5. The Little Black Book on the Mental Side of Golf: 41 Mental Tips From a Golfer Who Regularly Shoots His Age!!!

Are you not much of a reader but still wanting to improve your mental approach to golf? This book is the perfect fit for you! It’s only 67 pages, but it is jam-packed with great information to help you shoot lower scores and gain more confidence.

Dr. Len Fellez authored this short book and has helped players on four tours (PGA, LPGA, Champions, Nationwide). Learn the importance of staying positive in between shots and how writing out goals can improve your game. Golf is a game of confidence, and this quick read will help you pick yourself up mentally after a big miss.

Rating on Amazon:  4.8 (9 reviews)

6. Fearless Golf: Conquering the Mental Game

In Fearless Golf, Dr. Gio Valiante will teach you the same principles that Davis Love III and Justin Leonard used to become world-class PGA players. This book will teach you how to overcome all of your fears on the course. You’ll even get never before seen quotes from PGA legends like Jack Nicklaus and Ernie Els.

Fearless Golf teaches golfers how to reach their full potential by letting go of an obsession with results. This will free up your mind and your swing, resulting in lower scores.

Rating on Amazon: 4.4 (over 350 reviews)

7. Mental Toughness Training for Golf: Start Strong Finish Strong

To play your best golf, you need a certain amount of mental toughness. Dr. Rob Bell will teach you all of the dos and don’t of mental toughness in this book. Learn how to add some pressure to your practice sessions so that you aren’t in shock when it happens during an actual round.

Dr. Bell has worked with PGA Tour pro Scott Stallings and has led a ton of different research studies on “the yips”. This book is only 132 pages, but it’s packed from cover to cover with helpful information. Both amateurs and professionals will benefit from this nice and easy read.

Rating on Amazon: 4.3 (over 110 reviews)

8. Golf: The Ultimate Mind Game

This book will help you block out all distractions and increase your confidence on the golf course. Rick Sessinghaus is an expert in performance psychology and he teaches golfers how to embrace pressure instead of caving under it. By reading this book, golfers will learn how to incorporate pressure into their time on the driving range.

Sessinghaus will help you rediscover why you play golf so that you can get the maximum amount of enjoyment out of it. You’ll also learn how to set goals and properly motivate yourself before your rounds and practice sessions.

Rating on Amazon: 4.5 (over 100 reviews)

9. Fore the Mind – The Mental Program for Golf

Out of all the golf books on our list, this one probably has the catchiest title. Troy Bassham tells a compelling short story about a golfer named Kevin, who mysteriously starts getting golf lessons in his golf bag. It’s kind of neat that Bassham uses this unique story-telling approach!

Bassham’s Mental Management System has helped some of the top PGA Tour pros, including Jerry Kelly and Fred Funk. Fore the Mind is a must-read for golfers who want to improve their mental approach to the game. We can’t say enough good things about this no-fluff page-turner.

Rating on Amazon: 4.6 (over 50 reviews)

10. The Four Foundations of Golf: How to Build a Game That Lasts a Lifetime

This book isn’t exclusively about the mental aspect of golf, but it has several chapters that address various mental techniques that golfers can use to increase their performance. Jon Sherman will teach you how to manage your expectations so that you can shoot lower scores and have more fun. Sherman is a player-coach who knows how important it is to swing without thinking.

If you’re tired of your poor mental approach keeping you from playing your best, this may be the ideal book for you. Sherman will teach you how to remain calm on the course, even during the most pressure-packed situations. Get a much-needed confidence boost by reading this book!

Rating on Amazon: 4.8 (over 460 reviews)

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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