Golf : How Good Do You Want to Be?

Rating:
Summary: How Good Can You Be?
Review: "GOLF; How Good Do You Want To Be?" by Bill Kroen, Ph.D.

Recently, Bill sent me a copy of his new book. As I first sat down to read it, I was struck by the simplicity and genuine sincerity of it. This is not your typical instructional book. It is so much more. Bill takes us on a journey of how the mind and body work in unison, how to accomplish the steps to success, how to engage in the art of practice (yes, it's an art), how to score well, and how to achieve a balanced wellness of mind and body. Bill's experience as a teacher, psychologist, and professional golfer lend an undeniable validity to what he conveys.

Bill discusses the swing in his inimitable style. You won't find pictures of positions or rhetoric regarding the proper way to swing a club. Instead, his style of describing the swing is so natural and simple, photos and illustrations would only deter from the nature of the book. As good as you think your swing is or isn't, there is something here for the most advanced golfer as well as the very novice beginner. Bill understands the difficulties we all encounter in pursuing this game. He's lived them.

Foremost, Bill is a story-teller. The book is full of personal experiences, anecdotes, humor, and insights. Bill integrates these personal reflections within the framework of the book which makes the reader feel as though you are sitting in Bill's living room or den and just having a conversation. Or you might feel as though you may be just strolling down the fairway chatting with a friend with whom you have played many times previously. There is nothing pretentious with Bill.

The book includes a glossary and a beautifully written Forward by Sandra Palmer, Bill's teacher and 1975 U.S. Women's Open Champion.

I recommend Bill's book without reservation. Take a stroll down the fairway with a friend. Get to know him and yourself within these pages and improve your game.

The book is published by Andrews McMeel Publishing and is available at amazon.com.

Rating:
Summary: Personal experience
Review: Bill and I have played golf over the last winter down in the Treasure Coast of Florida. I was one of those people hung up on mechanics - striving to regain my lost distance and capability as a former 9 handicap. After meeting Bill - and having him look at my swing during one practice session, Bill focused not on what I thought was wrong - but on what he saw. He gave me a drill to use to insure that I made a turn but kept balanced - and lo and behold my handicap started dropping - and now is approaching my former levels. ( I am now 65)

Bill's book reads like the man I know who so easily helped me. Read it and you may get to be as good as you want to be.

Dave Friedman

Rating:
Summary: Personal experience
Review: Bill and I have played golf over the last winter down in the Treasure Coast of Florida. I was one of those people hung up on mechanics - striving to regain my lost distance and capability as a former 9 handicap. After meeting Bill - and having him look at my swing during one practice session, Bill focused not on what I thought was wrong - but on what he saw. He gave me a drill to use to insure that I made a turn but kept balanced - and lo and behold my handicap started dropping - and now is approaching my former levels. ( I am now 65)

Bill's book reads like the man I know who so easily helped me. Read it and you may get to be as good as you want to be.

Dave Friedman

Rating:
Summary: Very good and easy Read
Review: Bill makes reading fun and very informative in this book. The personal stories and reflections make this a book hard to put down except for the fact you want to go out and try his suggestions.

Golf can be very frustrating at times but Bill's book has taken a lot of the frustration out of the game for me. Thanks

Rating:
Summary: Easy to Read, Fascinating Behavioral Observations
Review: I recommend this book for golfers at all levels. Unlike some other "how to" books I've read, it is well written. It makes you think about why you play golf and suggests that improving your mental approach is as important as improving your mechanical skills. I loved the descriptions of behaviors observed at the driving range. I look forward to better scores and to Mr. Kroen's next book.

Rating:
Summary: Easy to Read, Fascinating Behavioral Observations
Review: I recommend this book for golfers at all levels. Unlike some other "how to" books I've read, it is well written. It makes you think about why you play golf and suggests that improving your mental approach is as important as improving your mechanical skills. I loved the descriptions of behaviors observed at the driving range. I look forward to better scores and to Mr. Kroen's next book.

Rating:
Summary: Attitude IS Everything!
Review: Just finished reading Bill's new book, "Golf: How Good Do You Want to Be?".

I'm impressed. I gotta level with ya, not very many instructional golf books that I buy end up getting read all the way through. Somewhere in the midst of planes, angles, and differing philosophies, I tend to drastically lose interest. And most all of them fail to address what most of us agree to be the most important area in golf -- the mental aspects of the game. Well, Bill has done a wonderful job of not only providing the reader with an excellent mental foundation to build upon, but also touching on the basic fundamentals and principles of the swing and 'golf wellness.'

I've experienced some quality golf the past few rounds, and it's not just a coincidence that this came after reading some of Bill's insight to something that has been a nagging nuisance in my own game the past few years -- maintaining a mental edge for the entire 18 holes. While some of the consistency may have been lacking in my game, I was able to exercise some of the principles he outlined to keep focused. What normally would be average rounds turned out to be better than average results. Monday saw the resurgance of what used to be a very tidy short game. I had one of the best putting rounds in over a year, and actually tied my 9 hole personal best with only 12 putts on the back nine. Then today, I set a new personal best with only 11 putts on the back, 26 putts total for the round.

And it just hasn't been with the putting.... I'm not known to be a long baller. If I can get 230-240, I'm more than content most days. Monday was undoubtedly the best tee game I've had in years, and hit some of the longest, straightest balls off the tee that I've hit in years. I would estimate that my driving averages the past three rounds have increased in both fairways hit and total driving distance. All of a sudden those 400+ yard par4's aren't that long.

The information that Bill has translated through this book has been digested and applied. I didn't change my swing, just changed my way of thinking, planning, and preparing. Whether you're a twice a month or twice a week player, beginner or seasoned, I would higly recommend you check it out if you're serious about improving in the game.

Thanks, Bill!
Scott

Rating:
Summary: Attitude IS Everything!
Review: Just finished reading Bill's new book, "Golf: How Good Do You Want to Be?".

I'm impressed. I gotta level with ya, not very many instructional golf books that I buy end up getting read all the way through. Somewhere in the midst of planes, angles, and differing philosophies, I tend to drastically lose interest. And most all of them fail to address what most of us agree to be the most important area in golf -- the mental aspects of the game. Well, Bill has done a wonderful job of not only providing the reader with an excellent mental foundation to build upon, but also touching on the basic fundamentals and principles of the swing and 'golf wellness.'

I've experienced some quality golf the past few rounds, and it's not just a coincidence that this came after reading some of Bill's insight to something that has been a nagging nuisance in my own game the past few years -- maintaining a mental edge for the entire 18 holes. While some of the consistency may have been lacking in my game, I was able to exercise some of the principles he outlined to keep focused. What normally would be average rounds turned out to be better than average results. Monday saw the resurgance of what used to be a very tidy short game. I had one of the best putting rounds in over a year, and actually tied my 9 hole personal best with only 12 putts on the back nine. Then today, I set a new personal best with only 11 putts on the back, 26 putts total for the round.

And it just hasn't been with the putting.... I'm not known to be a long baller. If I can get 230-240, I'm more than content most days. Monday was undoubtedly the best tee game I've had in years, and hit some of the longest, straightest balls off the tee that I've hit in years. I would estimate that my driving averages the past three rounds have increased in both fairways hit and total driving distance. All of a sudden those 400+ yard par4's aren't that long.

The information that Bill has translated through this book has been digested and applied. I didn't change my swing, just changed my way of thinking, planning, and preparing. Whether you're a twice a month or twice a week player, beginner or seasoned, I would higly recommend you check it out if you're serious about improving in the game.

Thanks, Bill!
Scott

Rating:
Summary: A Great read!
Review: This book is a must for learning how to take your game to the next level. Easy to read and loaded with great stories and ways to become a really good player without mumbo jumbo. This is the real thing for learning to play great golf!