'GOLF' HARVEY PENICK'S LITTLE RED BOOK HARVEY PENICK & BUD SHRAKER Review by Author Roy Murry I found this little jewel of lessons and teachings from Mr. Penick's lifetime in golf by accident. I have been playing golf since I was fourteen and never heard of Harvey. If you lived in Texas in the 1970s, '80s, and '90s and heard of Davis Love III, Tom Kite, Byron Nelson, Kathy Whitworth, and many others, you may have known about Harvey, their instructor. I had not because I was living, working, and playing golf in the Caribbean during that time with little access to the USA's TV channels. At the beginning of this book, the above professional golf champions introduce Harvey to the reader. I was surprised that I had not heard of him, and if you're a golfer of that era, you may also have not. Bud Shrake, an American journalist, sportswriter, and novelist, helped Harvey write the rest of this golfing advice book. I had some of Harvey's lessons in my brain because I was on my high school's golf team. Our coach was a part-time professional in the '60s. So I knew how to approach the ball, perform my waggle, and hit the ball straight. If you do not know why a 'waggle' is needed, you need this book. Harvey's advice is extensive; a beginner, a weekend player, or an active golfer should read the book from cover to cover. Two of my playing partners are using Harvey's nuggets of knowledge, and you should use them also.

I meet a guy who had one of the last single memberships at the FedX Cup Course in Atlanta while hiking in NC. He recommended Harvey Penick's book to me. I started playing when I was in my early 60s, and as most golfers do I have good and bad days. I have had lessons by a good golf pro, even bought new irons. I improved, but not as much as I thought. This book helped take what my golf teacher taught me and helped me get my head more in the game. The book goes over the basics like holding the club, hand position, swing. But takes you into unusual areas like in your mind swing a bucket of water (you'll have to read the page or two this is on to get the just), but this has helped me with my new (golf pro) grip and the rithium of the swing. How to take aim and why you should do it with each swing or stroke. Putting, look at the green the slop, grass, three practice swings (I a more comfortable with two) and believe or even see the ball going in the hole before you strike it. Don't try to have the ball go too much past the hole when putting. It is better to have the ball stop just after the hole (this has helped me sink at least 4 or 5 extra putts on 18 holes. Because if your ball is just loosing momentum at the hole, a lipped put will go in (I do it now quite a few times playing 18), where a little faster put will rim out. This takes practice because of ripped greens or sloped greens, I still go for a little speed to take out the ball drift, which I usually pay for in a longer second shot. Another key point which I am just starting to do, and it is paying off. I take a few clubs after play slows down in the evening (I am lucky enough to have my home back up to the course). I take a 6 iron, 9 iron, wedge and a putter. Play one ball all the way to the green. Then I hit it back to the tee box and start back to the green again. This has got me use to and better with my swing, irons and short game. Harvey says only practice this way with one ball. Never any more and go all the way to the green. I hit my first ball with the six iron, just in front of the tee box. I usually hit 4 to 5 irons to get to the green (it is a par 5) depending on my shots, putt out. Put the ball in front of the green and hit back to the tee box. This really has improved my short game and putting. Get and read this book, there is a lot more in it that may help you.

Perfect new edition. Excellent and amusing text. Recommend

Harvey straightened out my swing almost immediately. A colleague recommended his book and I was too snobby at first to look at it because of the title. When I overcame my aesthetic distaste for the title I read a few paragraphs and found I could not put the book down. Harvey has a way of talking that is hypnotic and compelling (no fancy words here and no gimmicks). His words came alive on each page and made sense even to someone who has been golfing for 62 years (often erratically). I found him to be a great teacher whose wisdom and no nonsense approach to teaching gave me the courage to try new things, change my grip and stay with the program..My irons are 100% better and the loft of my short irons has improved dramatically. Harvey has no intention of teaching a one size fits all swing and tailors his observations to each golfer's body and mind and makes simple alignments to one's grip or swing that often leads to unexpected perfection. There is no perfect swing to emulate but there is an imperfect self to overcome in order to hit the golf ball squarely. Harvey provides great golf tools even for the most seasoned golfers and professionals. He is also a wise man whose wisdom rests in its simplicity and respect for playing fairly and honestly. After reading his book I came to the conclusion that I had to add about 1-5 strokes to every round from many of my past scorecards (for conceding short putts). Harvey's comments to excited parents who were proud of their son's first birdie, but admitted that he did not putt out the gimme, was direct as direct can be. He said something like "Your son has still not birdied a hole. He did not putt it in." I recalled those words the other day when I had a four inch putt for a birdie, stood over the ball and putted it in. The "Little Red Book" is a gem. Harvey knows when not to change anything and say very little and cause great change. I was reminded of a saying of Alfred North Whitehead whose words are inscribed on the walls of a library at Columbia University in NY, "Philosophy is the search for the obvious." Harvey must have read Whitehead, I concluded. Two geniuses I thought. The book is a great read. Wish he were alive to play a round with him. LM Lothstein