Review of "Winning Golf"

Normally, I am not one to read books on golf tips as I find them difficult to practice correctly and spend the proper amount of time on them.  Nonetheless, I found this book on the mental aspect of the game intriguing and while it had the same drawbacks as I usually find in most instructional books, this one had some extra parts that made for good reading.  Here is my review of "Winning Golf."

Title/Author: “Winning Golf: The Mental Game” by Dr. Saul Miller

Rating:  3 of 5 stars (good)

Review: Ask just about any golfer at any level and they will say that the mental aspect of the game is just as challenging, if not more so, than the physical and mechanical parts.  To address this, Dr. Saul Miller, who has provided mental coaching to athletes in many sports, wrote this book to help golfers improve their mental game.

Dr. Miller’s tips start with a simple step – proper breathing.  The deep breaths in and out that are often recommended for anyone, athlete or not, to slow down and relax are what are recommended for a golfer here.  The lesson is to do this before every shot.  From there, Dr. Miller expounds on relaxing, lowering anxiety, stopping negative self-talk or thoughts and to always picture the perfect shot.  Goal setting is also an important part of this book and these steps are useful for the player who is committed to spending a great deal of time working on his or her game.  Especially for those in either competitive settings or those whose long-range golf goals include accomplishments such as being awarded a scholarship or making the professional tour. 

While this did not seem to be a good source of lessons for the casual or part-time golfer, this still has some useful tips even if the reader does not have those long-range goals or a lot of time to spend working their game.  The book also is not completely about mental skills or lessons.  While the discussions were about what each golfer was thinking about, my favorite section of the book was when Dr. Miller interviewed each professional golfer who has shot a round of 59 or lower.  What these golfers were thinking during their historic rounds made for great reading. 

I wish to thank ECW Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Link: Amazon.com: Winning Golf: The Mental Game (Creating the Focus, Feeling, and Confidence to Play Consistently Well) eBook : Miller, Saul L.: Kindle Store

Review of "Robotic Golf"

With March turning to April, those of us in northern colder areas are awaiting the opening of golf courses and enjoy the game.  This book was of interest to me as I am one of those anxiously awaiting the start of golf season and like every year, hope to improve my game.  Here is my review of "Robotic Golf"

Title/Author: “Robotic Golf:  How a High Handicap Golfer Can Become a Single Digit Golfer by a Guy Who Did It” by Larry Carpenter

Rating:  4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:  Anyone who likes to play golf but struggles at hitting consistently good shots, like me, is always trying to do so.  This would not only improve a golfer’s handicap but would also make the game more enjoyable.  While many instructional books, videos and lessons from club professionals can help, many golfers become frustrated with them and fall back into old habits.  This instructional book from Larry Carpenter is meant to help golfers like this try something different to help improve their score.

The difference here is that, per Carpenter, many of these other sources will provide their lessons and tips from the viewpoint that a golfer should play the game by feel. In other words, don’t think too much about the mechanics as a golfer already has enough on his or her mind.  Just make that shot by feel. Instead, Carpenter believes that mechanics and repetition will make the high handicappers improve their game.  The reason why is that the “regular” golfer doesn’t have the same hand-eye coordination that professional golfers do, hence the need for other tactics to compensate.

From here, the book is not unlike other golf instruction books – ideas for drills and the tips that will help the golfer.  However, here Carpenter uses a bit of humor and a lot of instruction on mechanics that will help a golfer reduce mistakes such as opening up the club and hitting thin or fat shots.  Like other books, there will be repetition involved as he does tell the reader to practice several of these drills on the range. 

Speaking of repetition, that is another aspect of this golf instruction book that is a little different.  Carpenter makes sure to let the reader know that they won’t have the same skill set as the professional as he likes to say that if you could do ________, you wouldn’t be reading this book.  But it is stated in a way that is not insulting nor condescending.  Some of these tips can even be done in one’s basement or yard, not necessarily on the range or on the course.

All types of shots are covered in the book – from drives (which is actually the shortest section) to chipping to putting.  All club types are discussed as well and there are illustrations throughout the book for help.  However, I would recommend that one buys the paperback version as I had an advance Kindle copy and the pictures were upside down!  Having not seen the final version, I am confident this was noted and fixed before the final version, although I will be picking up the paperback so I can use it and hopefully be one of those high handicap golfers who benefit from this book.

I wish to thank Clovercroft Publishing for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Robotic-Golf-High-Handicap-Golfer-Single-Digit/dp/1954437285/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1648749527&s

Short review of "Pickleball 5.0"

As I have started playing this great game, I wanted to pick up a book that would help with the basics of the game.  This one does that and so much more.  Whether one is a raw beginner like me (have been on the courts twice), an instructor, or a seasoned player, this book has something for everyone.  I have only written a short review of it because I was only skimming the sections on teaching and advanced play, but I still wanted to share my thoughts on a book that for me was just as great to read as pickleball is to play.

Title/Author:

“Pickleball 5.0” by Phil Dunmeyer

Tags:

Pickleball, instructions, rules

Publish date:

November 17, 2017

Length:

282 pages

Rating:

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

When I started reading this book, I thought it was mistitled because it seems very advanced and not a good fit for players like me who are beginners or are social players (the "2.0" players in the title) . However, that really is not the case because it really is a book for any level of player. Everything from shots to court position to proper etiquette is covered. It is also an excellent book for instructors as there are many teaching trips and drills provided. Whether one is new to the game like me or has played in tournaments for many years, this is an excellent book to pick up

                                                                       

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)                                                                                                                                

Buying Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Pickleball-5-0-Journey-black-white/dp/1979755833/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Review of "The Gospel According to Casey"

A fellow blogger who reviews another genre of books sent my contact information recently to a person representing a publisher of baseball e-books. I am very glad that this happened as this site is a wonderful treasure trove of upcoming baseball books to be publishes as well as some others that have recently been published in electronic format.  The woman who received my information was kind enough to send me this book recently published as well as two ARC's for future reviews.  So, for my first review of a book from summergamebooks.com (www.summergamebooks.com) here is one on Casey Stengel. 

Title/Author:

“The Gospel According to Casey: Casey Stengel’s Imitable, Instructional, Historical Baseball Book” by Ira Berkow and Jim Kaplan

Tags:

Baseball, humor, instruction, Yankees, Mets

Published:

March 28, 2015

Length:

205 pages

Stars: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Casey Stengel is one of those men who was successful in every job he had in baseball, whether playing, coaching or managing. He became legendary with his success as the manager of the New York Yankees and just as legendary for some memorable and funny quotes while managing the New York Mets in their early years.  This book captures not only those quotes, but also tells of his vast knowledge of the game and some of his strategies.

Some of these ideas born from Stengel’s sharp mind are common in the game now.  One of these is platooning players depending on the opposing pitcher.  If the opposing team started a left-handed pitcher, Stengel may change one or more of the players in the starting line-up.  The change would be putting a right-handed batter in a position where normally a left-handed batter would play. This is not uncommon in today’s game for a manager to do this, but it wasn’t back when Stengel was managing the Yankees.  He took this strategy and made it into part of his regular work. He also was one of the early pioneers of selecting certain relief pitchers to finish games. This eventually led to the role of closers in the modern game.

The chapters of the book are broken up into specific topics – one just for memorable quotes and stories, one on pitching, one on hitting and so forth. These come from other sources such as former players who played under Stengel, other coaches and managers or sports writers.  I felt this format was very good as it was easy to read and hearing all of these stories from so many sources illustrated just how revered and respected the man by all involved in the game.  This is a solid book that anyone who enjoys baseball will enjoy reading.

I wish to thank Summer Game Books for providing a review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Pace of the book:

Because the book is a series of short stories or quotes from Stengel or his players, teammates or colleagues, this book is a quick read. It can also be stopped and started again at any point

Do I recommend?

Readers who immediately think of Yogi Berra when it comes to a baseball legend who had some memorable quotes should read this book to discover another quotable baseball legend.  Stengel’s thoughts on the strategies of the game make it a good book for hardcore fans as well.

Book Format Read:

Ebook (PDF)

Buying Links:

http://www.summergamebooks.com/gospel-according-casey-ira-berkow-jim-kaplan/

http://www.amazon.com/Gospel-According-Casey-Inimitable-Instructional-ebook/dp/B00VCI9ZQY/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1429482871&sr=1-2&keywords=the+gospel+casey+stengel

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-gospel-according-to-casey-ira-berkow/1003216373?ean=9781938545177

Review of "Baseball Explained"

This question is directed at the hard-core baseball fans like myself.  Have you ever found it difficult to explain the game to someone who have never played or watched the game?  How to explain the three outs, nine innings, double plays, or even why if the batter doesn't swing at the pitch why sometimes it's a strike and sometimes it isn't can be a challenge.  Now, we have a book to help us.  This is an outstanding book that will help explain the game to anyone.  Here is my review of "Baseball Explained." 

Title/Author:

“Baseball Explained” by Phillip Mahony

Tags:

Baseball, instruction, history

Publish date:

July 30, 2014

Length:

224 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

Even though I have been a baseball fan for most of my life, I often find myself struggling to try to explain the game to someone who is not familiar with it. That is a challenge for anyone and frustrating for the person who wants to learn about the sport.  Fortunately, there is now a book that explains the game in such a manner that is easy to follow and understand.  “Baseball Explained” by Phillip Mahony does just that in a through and entertaining manner.

There are four main sections to the book. The first, “Preliminaries” explains the basics such as what is hitting and pitching, the field, equipment, the format of the game, and the various players and positions. Next comes “The Game”, where offense and defense are explained.  On offense, this covers everything from stolen bases to bunts. On defense, this also covers the whole gamut from double plays to hitting the cutoff man.  Next is a great chapter on statistics that not only explains the traditional ones but the new sabermetrics used in the game. It also explains how to keep score at a game, something I still do at each game I attend.  Finally, there is a chapter with an overview of the major and minor leagues.

The book flows extremely well for the reader, explaining everything in a logical, easy to understand manner.  The order in which each aspect of the game is logical, and to keep the reader from forgetting key parts, Mahony talks about past topics as how they relate to the a new topic. It almost reads like a textbook – but much more entertaining.

While reading the book, the reader will feel like he or she is in a living room or den listening intently to Mahony explain the game, then he will go off on a tangent talking about aspects of either his life or life experiences that relate to the game.  For example, one of these stories is about how he met his wife and the time his son showed off his physique in such a manner that Derek Jeter noticed and reacted to it. Diversions like this make the book have a conversational tone, which I believe helps the reader enjoy learning about the game even more.  

This is an outstanding book that will be enjoyed by anyone interested in the game, no matter that person’s knowledge level of baseball.  I plan on keeping my copy to help me explain the game to my grandchildren.

I wish to thank Mr. Mahoney and McFarland & Company Publishers for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.  

Did I skim?

No

Pace of the book: 

Excellent – the explanations of each aspect never get too slow, but yet are sufficient to allow the reader to absorb the lessons he or she just read. 

Do I recommend? 

This book is a must read for anyone who wants to learn about the game of baseball. Whether the reader is brand new to the game, a novice who wants to understand the nuances better or a fan who has a hard time explaining the game to others, Mr. Mahoney’s book will be a winner.

Book Format Read:

Paperback

Publisher contact information:

www.mcfarlandpub.com

Order line: 800-253-2187

Other Buying links:

http://www.amazon.com/Baseball-Explained-Phillip-Mahony-ebook/dp/B00MJEGRHA/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414958647&sr=1-1&keywords=baseball+explained

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/baseball-explained-phillip-mahony/1119140683?ean=9780786479641

Review of "How's That! A Layman's Guide to Cricket"

Thought I would try to add a little variety as one goal of this blog is to cover a wide variety of sports and the books written on them.   Here is a review of a book that introduces the reader to cricket.

Title/Author:

“How’s That! A Layman’s Guide to Cricket” by Tony Whelpton.

Genre:

Cricket, instruction, introduction, non-fiction

Published:

December 21, 2012 (second edition).  Originally published 1998

Length:

71 pages

Rating: 

2 ½ of 5 stars (okay)

Review:

Written for those who have little or no knowledge of the game of cricket, “How’s That!” introduces the reader to the terminology, field layout, basic roles for players and an explanation of the scoring in the game.   Cricket is not a game that can be easily explained to the person who has never seen it before, and the author makes an admirable effort to do so here.  

The biggest problem I had reading the book was the complexity of the game itself.  By trying to keep it as simple as possible, there was a lot of information that felt incomplete.  Trying to explain how a team scores its runs was an example.   While reading the concept of the runs, and introducing the second batter into the explanation, I found myself reading certain sections over and over just to be sure I understood the author’s explanation of the game.  Admittedly, I still had some troubles understanding some of the lingo, such as breaking the wicket, even after rereading the appropriate passages. 

As an American, I can appreciate the attempt by the author to do this.  I have similar issues when trying to explain the similar game of baseball to someone who has never seen the game before.  That can be met with frustration on both the part of the person learning the game and the one teaching the game.  I got that same feeling while reading this book.  I know the author was doing his best to keep it simple, but after I finished the book, I don’t believe I understand the game much more than I did before.   The terminology and glossary of the game was covered well and I did learn a lot there.   I was hoping to learn more about the game than I did, and for that, I felt the book fell short of that goal.  

Did I skim?

No

Did I learn something new?

Yes.  Many things, mainly the basic rules and terminology for cricket.   I didn’t get a good feel for the game having not watched it or played it while reading this.  

Pace of the book: 

Good for the most part.  I found that I needed to go back and refer to other terms that were already mentioned because now in the new context, I had to go back and reread that passage.

Positives:

The book is written in simple language, easy to understand and does not delve too deeply into the nuances of the game.  For a beginner or non-fan, this is a good format.

Negatives:

There were numerous typing and grammatical errors throughout the book, even allowing for a “language” barrier with the author British and the reviewer American.   The diagrams of the field, the wickets and the position of the bowler, batter, and fielders were far too small in the ebook edition to be helpful while reading. 

Do I recommend? 

Only for those who just need to gain a basic understanding of the object and terms used in cricket.  If a more detailed book on the strategy and intricacies of the game is wanted, this is not the book to buy.

Book Format Read:

Ebook (Kindle)

Author Media Links:

www.tony-whelpton.co.uk .

Buying Links:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ARYAZPE/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img