The Elements of Scoring: A Master's Guide to the Art of Scoring Your Best When You're Not Playing Your Best

Floyd's take on the mental side fo the game was especially intriguing to me. Having just finished it last week and only getting two rounds under my belt after the read I can't yet say that it has had a positive effect on my scores but has caused me to slow down and think before making decisions on the course.There are some aspects of what worked for him that are out there a bit. In particular imagining the ball as a "locomotive following a set of tracks into the hole." But the aspect of visualization I am finding is helpful to me though to this point I am only visualing in my mind's eye the actual ball tracking to the hole.I wish he would have gotten into more detail about how it was that he got into "the zone" though it may be one of those subjects that is too hard to really describe how to get there in print.Overall this book is a good read and is broken into sections covering various aspects of the game in such a way that it is easy to pick up and read a few sections at a time.I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to better manage their golf game. Though it says that you can eliminate big numbers from course management I still find that it is entirely possible to be playing mentally "right" or sound and make a physical error that creates a double or worse.

I wish marketers would do-away with outlandish exclamations like "Say Goodbye to Double-Bogeys Forever"! The shallowness of this book's description on Amazon have nothing to do with the depth and style of delivery this book has.Raymond Floyd's book is a throwback -- it is like reading Ben Hogan or Harvey Penick. This book has no diagrams or drawings, rather it has the feel of a long sit-down conversation with a very experienced person who has real gems of wisdom to share. Most of us will never get to sit down for an afternoon of golf talk with Raymond Floyd, so this book is the best we'll get. I think Mr. Floyd took his task seriously and really intended to leave some insight about what it means to play at a very high level. One of my favorite anecdotes in the book is about his thought processes during, what was to him, his greatest shot as a professional -- an "impossible" shot.Make no mistake, this book has remarkable insights and confirms some things about golf that I had started to formulate in my own mind but just hadn't been able to articulate. This book reminds me a bit of talking to my grandfather, or folks of older generations. They often spoke volumes and had a way of using understated euphemisms to convey meaning--in doing so us younger kids would miss the point--then a few decades later the lightbulb goes on . . . and you suddenly understand what they meant all along. There are pearls of wisdom here for those who are ready for them. Highly recommended.If I have any criticisms at all, it's in the few places where a diagram or sketch would've been helpful -- or some photos of the events in question. The book is entirely narrative, and I get that to include photos or other graphics would be to fly in the face of the book's chosen approach. But in golf inevitably one starts to describe motions or stances, the layout of a famous hole, or some other physical detail that can become tedious to describe. Also some golf books become tedious laundry lists -- it should be OK to have a book that talks about putting but leaves out say, driving, or bunker shots, or how many/what type of clubs to carry. A few of these small sections of the book were given short shrift and probably didn't really need to be there. These are small flaws.

Pragmatic, well written, concise and easy to understand

Yes, Ray Floyd is one of the best golfers ever. And yes, Jaime Diaz - co-author, now with Golf Channel - knows as much about the game as anyone.For the rest of us, especially those devoted to golf as a journey, not a destination, this book has wisdom of biblical proportions. Almost every page is a PGA instructor-level lesson, for the cost of a bucket of golf balls. This is the best, most dense collection of golf instruction and wisdom I've seen anywhere.....any book, any TV show, or any online video. I re-read pages 80-81 "Miss on the Thin Side" and "Uphill, Downhill, Sidehill" before every round. Key thoughts - for distance and accuracy - are difficult to keep foremost in mind so often through a round; but they make all the difference. Finally my index is below 10. Will this book help you? YES!!!!

Not much swing instruction going on here. This book is primarily for the player who can hit good shots and has above average skill but is still putting up disappointing numbers. It's not really earth shattering stuff. You know that by trying for eagles on par 5 you end up brining bogey and worse into play. You know that when you are in trouble the correct play is to just get back to the fairway. If you are like me you just need someone like Raymond Floyd to tell you these things before you listen! He will tell you these things and plenty more in this great book. It's not watered down a bunch of boring anecdotes - just the goods from a guy who knows how to go low.

I have collected a lot of golf instruction books over the years but this is by far the best!Mr. Raymond Floyd (PGA Hall of Fame Player) teaches you how to play Consistent Golf by playing within yourself. Just like Mr. Michael Jordan, Mr. Lebron James, Mr. Jack Nicklaus, Mr. Wayne Gretzky...in fact All Great Athletes in history played their particular sports.Mr. Floyd breaks the game of golf down in this 173 page book to it's true essence, SCORING! Things like mainly practicing putting inside 6 ft, chipping using your putting technique, making sure the next shot is a easy one by playing percentage golf.If you are interested in posting consistently lower scores every time out buy this Fantastic little book!

A bit dated, so nothing new here, but a fine book for a new or hoping-to-improve golfer. A good place to start...