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Golf is Not a Game of Perfect by Bob Rotella, Bob Cullen (2004) Paperback
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First published May 9, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 341 reviews
September 2, 2020
Haven’t made the Tour yet so I can’t give it a full 5 stars. Otherwise, I would.
September 10, 2014
A golf buddy loaned me this book by sports psychologist Bob Rotella. I discovered that I'd read it before but had forgotten it's good common sense message. Golf (like life) isn't about being perfect, it's about enjoyment which is a virtuous circle that leads to being looser, freer, and more confident. It was a good reminder to put my mistakes in golf behind me and have more fun playing the game.
July 11, 2024
Really enjoyed this book on the psychology of golf. No fluff - straight to the point - quick read (or listen in my case). Several actionable tips and engaging stories. Would highly recommend to other golfers out there and will definitely be checking out other books by this author.
September 17, 2018
This book was incredibly helpful in my golfing endeavors and helped me re-frame my mindset towards a championship one.
April 1, 2024
*Subject to change based on my golf performance this year*
June 17, 2020
Some aspects of the game of golf have changed since Rotella's book was published in 1995, but many have remained exactly the same. Therefore, the vast majority of the advice in this novel is extremely relevant.
Rotella, a renowned golf psychologist, not only gives solid psychological advice--he also shares intimate stories about encounters with fellow scholars and his more famous clients: Brad Faxon, Fred Couples, Tom Kite, etc.
A terrific guide that I believe will seriously help anyone's game.
I suggest reading the full book, but for those who don't want to (or don't have the time), I'll leave a list of what I've judged (based on the notes I've been taking) to be Rotella's most important advice:
If you want to do a "speed read," then I would focus on the following chapters (I feel these are the most important):
Chapter 7: What the Third Eye Sees
Chapter 21: Practicing to Improve
Rotella, a renowned golf psychologist, not only gives solid psychological advice--he also shares intimate stories about encounters with fellow scholars and his more famous clients: Brad Faxon, Fred Couples, Tom Kite, etc.
A terrific guide that I believe will seriously help anyone's game.
I suggest reading the full book, but for those who don't want to (or don't have the time), I'll leave a list of what I've judged (based on the notes I've been taking) to be Rotella's most important advice:
If you want to do a "speed read," then I would focus on the following chapters (I feel these are the most important):
Chapter 7: What the Third Eye Sees
Chapter 21: Practicing to Improve
Read
February 16, 2021“Golf is a game played by humans. Therefore golf is a game of mistakes.”
I have never played golf, besides the random driving range experience. I started this book as a recommendation from “The champions mind”. My sport of olympic weightlifting is all mental, the experiences and knowledge shared in this book were insightful and relevant to my sport. I cannot wait to put these points into practice!
I highly recommend this book.
I have never played golf, besides the random driving range experience. I started this book as a recommendation from “The champions mind”. My sport of olympic weightlifting is all mental, the experiences and knowledge shared in this book were insightful and relevant to my sport. I cannot wait to put these points into practice!
I highly recommend this book.
December 4, 2021
Pretty informative. Some what dated with golfers who played a long time ago. Including Tom kite who never really impressed me.
Some good stuff and I consider it a worthwhile read to help your mental approach to the game.
Some good stuff and I consider it a worthwhile read to help your mental approach to the game.
October 24, 2024
This game is so stupid.
May 22, 2020
I’m currently in a two week quarantine and am now itching to get on the golf course and put Rotella’s teaching into practice. The book was published in the 90s, so I wasn’t familiar with many of the professionals and examples offered; nevertheless, the lessons are timeless, and I feel I’m walking away ready to take some strokes off my game. I particularly enjoyed the break down of Augusta’s Amen Corner.
January 25, 2021
Vei minua itseäni eteenpäin urallani golfin harrastajana. Arvostan erityisesti kuvailevaa kerrontaa Bob Cullenilta, pystyin näkemään Augusta nationalin viheriöt mielikuvissani. Voin suositella kaikille, jotka haluavat kirjalta kokemuksen joka kehittää sekä urheilijana että ihmisenä.
March 27, 2025
I read this book because I am my own worst enemy. My mental state in any competition has been ingrained from my youth. I think I can win anything and I’m disappointed when I don’t. My disappointment manifests itself in ways that are detrimental to my golf game. Other sports I grew up playing… this wasn’t the case. Golf isn’t conducive to putting myself on this roller coaster for 4 hours. I’ve thrown clubs, snapped clubs and left after 9. I’ve played the first 6 holes at even par, hit one bad shot on #7 and not recovered.
I researched what the most highly recommended book in the area of golf psychology was and this one kept coming up. I’ve taken some notes and will reread them over and over again thru the season and hope that I can repair my behaviour. See? It’s already working! I haven’t mentioned one time herein what a fucking asshole I am!
Damn it. Where did I put those notes…
I researched what the most highly recommended book in the area of golf psychology was and this one kept coming up. I’ve taken some notes and will reread them over and over again thru the season and hope that I can repair my behaviour. See? It’s already working! I haven’t mentioned one time herein what a fucking asshole I am!
Damn it. Where did I put those notes…
July 27, 2021
Not a big golfer, so it seems unfair to read and review a book on golf.
I picked this up after hearing Rotella's lessons were relevant in other aspects of life and I agree that there are useful tips for mind management beyond golf. I suppose I wasn't able to engage as much with the pro stories and excited descriptions of famous holes, but it wouldn't be right to mark down a book about golf for being about golf!
One idea I particularly liked was that you CAN have things both ways, e.g. a golfer on a losing streak should argue their luck is bound to change to meet their average, a golfer on a winning streak should argue that they have levelled up. You can apply this positive thinking to anything and who knows, maybe in a few years I'll return to these ideas as a golfer.
I picked this up after hearing Rotella's lessons were relevant in other aspects of life and I agree that there are useful tips for mind management beyond golf. I suppose I wasn't able to engage as much with the pro stories and excited descriptions of famous holes, but it wouldn't be right to mark down a book about golf for being about golf!
One idea I particularly liked was that you CAN have things both ways, e.g. a golfer on a losing streak should argue their luck is bound to change to meet their average, a golfer on a winning streak should argue that they have levelled up. You can apply this positive thinking to anything and who knows, maybe in a few years I'll return to these ideas as a golfer.
July 26, 2024
Some very interesting points, not all, I would say, applicable to the mid-handicapper, but enough are. Will definitely apply some of the ideas to my game - hopefully to good effect.
July 5, 2025
Este libro guarda una verdad absoluta del golf y el deporte. El ser humano realiza las actividades físicas como el swing de golf mucho mejor si el atleta mira hacia el objetivo y reacciona que sí mira hacia el objetivo, piensa y despues reacciona.
No es posible pegarle bien a una bola de golf de forma consistente pensando en la mecánica del swing mientras juegas (pg. 40, capitulo 4). El golfista debe entrar su swing y llegado el momento, confiar en él.
Antes de tirar, el golfista debe elegir el blanco más pequeño posible (pg.61, capitulo 7). El blanco debe ser lo único que tenga en mente mientras realiza el swing. (pg.58, capitulo 6).
"In the training mentality, a player may just rake the ball after ball into position, working on something mechanical. In the trusting mentality, he goes through his shotmaking routine with every ball he hits" (pg. 197). "You must spend at least 60% of your practice time in the trusting mentality."(pg. 198).
"... no more than one change per lesson and one swing though to help incorporate that change. ... He would spend at least twelve hours on the practice range, working on the new move, before taking the next lesson." (pg. 205).
El golfista debe entrenar su swing y después confiar en el.
2. Antes de efectuar un golpe, el golfista debe elegir el objetivo más pequeño posible.
"Winners learn to accept the win they bring to the golf course on any given day and to score with it. They win tournaments, as often as not, because they manage to use their short game and their mind to avoid a high round on the day or days when their swing is not what they wanted. If they need to work on their mechanics, they do it after the round is over, or they take a week off and go to the practice tee".
"...think only of his target as he swings" (pg. 58, Chapter 6).
No es posible pegarle bien a una bola de golf de forma consistente pensando en la mecánica del swing mientras juegas (pg. 40, capitulo 4). El golfista debe entrar su swing y llegado el momento, confiar en él.
Antes de tirar, el golfista debe elegir el blanco más pequeño posible (pg.61, capitulo 7). El blanco debe ser lo único que tenga en mente mientras realiza el swing. (pg.58, capitulo 6).
"In the training mentality, a player may just rake the ball after ball into position, working on something mechanical. In the trusting mentality, he goes through his shotmaking routine with every ball he hits" (pg. 197). "You must spend at least 60% of your practice time in the trusting mentality."(pg. 198).
"... no more than one change per lesson and one swing though to help incorporate that change. ... He would spend at least twelve hours on the practice range, working on the new move, before taking the next lesson." (pg. 205).
El golfista debe entrenar su swing y después confiar en el.
2. Antes de efectuar un golpe, el golfista debe elegir el objetivo más pequeño posible.
"Winners learn to accept the win they bring to the golf course on any given day and to score with it. They win tournaments, as often as not, because they manage to use their short game and their mind to avoid a high round on the day or days when their swing is not what they wanted. If they need to work on their mechanics, they do it after the round is over, or they take a week off and go to the practice tee".
"...think only of his target as he swings" (pg. 58, Chapter 6).
April 30, 2019
Muy interesante y de gran ayuda la forma en que se trata el lado psicológico del Golf. Creo que realmente me ha ayudado a disfrutar más del juego y sin duda me dejo enseñanzas que van más allá del campo. Muy recomendable para todos los que gustan del juego, sin importar el nivel.
September 12, 2014
3 stars at best.
A few good ideas and a lot of obvious "no sh*t" statements.
A few good ideas and a lot of obvious "no sh*t" statements.
May 5, 2023
A book I try to read every spring. This time, I took notes. I've long held the belief that my limitations on the course are 90% mental as I can hit every shot - I simply don't do it consistently enough to score well. I would guess that almost anyone would shave a few shots off their handicap by reading this book. This year, the proof is in the pudding.
TLDR - Exude confidence. trust the swing you bring to the course each day. Chip and putt well.
25 - Golfing potential depends primarily on attitude, how well he chips and putts, and how well he thinks.
31 - Decide before the round starts how you are going to think and think this way on every shot. Choose to think well.
A golfer can and must decide how to think. Think about the ball going to the target.
34 - Attitude, self perception, and motivation heavilty influence success in life.
People by and large become what they think about themselves.
To be happy, wake up, and think about the wonderful things you will do that day. Go to sleep thinking about the wonderful events of the day and about the wonderful things tomorrow.
40 - You can't hit a golf ball well if you're thinking about mechanics during the swing as you play. The time to worry about swing mechanics must be limited to the practice tee. Train it there and trust it.
43 - if you react to a bad shot by getting careful you will get tenative and play worse.
44 - once learned, don't think about the mechanics of draw or fade. simply execute. your body will produce the swing required.
46 - missing a few putts only increases the chances of you making the next one.
49 - the hot streak represents true capability. It results from trust.
54 - Snead thought the best backswing was one brough back nice and lazy without much thought.
Snead also didn't win championships until he realized on every course there are a few holes that bothered him where he shouldn't hit driver but wood or 2 iron.
Strategy and couse management are most crucial to success.
61 - Before any shot, a golfer must pick the smallest possible target. You can also pick an intermediate target for alignment.
67 - where there is a hazard, focus directly on the target.
70 - to develop a reliable routine, it must be followed and practiced time after time until it is fully ingrained and will show up under any pressure or situation.
76 - The most important part of any routine is: Look at the target, look at the ball, swing.
Nice and slow is a good swing thought. Swing thoughts need to culture smoothness.
81 - trust your decision. this is critial. be decisive in your shot regardless of what you've chosen.
84 - solid short game can turn someone with terrible tee to green play into a high 70s or low 80s player.
88 - Create games in the practive area. Up and down games for small bets. shoot at a towel between some bags. anything to bring competition into play.
89 - hit a whole bucket full of wedges. start at 40, 50, all the way up to 120. then change the distances and practice staggering them each shot.
90 - no swing thoguhts from 120 and in. target only. For you this might be a bit less. But inside this threshold distance don't go for the middle of the green. think about holing it.
99 - you have to play relaxed. Attitude is what makes a good putter. Lots of young players will make everyting and half the time don't even line it up.
It's more important to be decisive than correct.
109 - Look at the target. Look at the ball. Let the putt go.
110 - You like short putts. you like making htem. You trust and are decisive making them.
On long putts, don't fall for the three foot circle. Think about making it instead. Always.
114 - Shrug off the bad shots. Concentrate on the next. Golf is not a game of perfect. Acceptance is the last part and closes your routine.
117 - Hit the ball in a challenging spot? Smile. That's what golf is about. Hard shots are fun.
Why wouldn't you be having fun? Outside, fresh air, clipped grass, soothing habitat.
121 - Hagen expected to make 7 errors per round. Make an error? Just one of the 7.
131 - permit yourself to enjoy the good shots. you'll remember them better this way. Just forget the bad ones.
- dunked 7 iron hole 2 McKidd. 9 iron hole 9 McCall. Ace #3 @ CT. Crushing power fades.
141 - Seve played imaginary holes on the range. didn't "work a groove" with the same club.
148 - Hit the shot you know you can hit.
154 - play every significant round with a game plan. walk or review the holes backward.
157 - flag hunting depends on distance. wedge or less? yes. 120-170? depends on your confidence. 170+? go for middle of green.
165 - groove a long iron or fairway wood that you can always hit to 200 yards.
180 - under pressure:
1. stay in the present and keep mind focused on the shot immediately in front of you
2. avoid mechanical thoughts. become looser, freer, more confident.
3. stick to routine and game plan.
Get your mind off of golf between shots.
186 - pressure often damages your course management more than it does your swing.
187 - don't count scores until the end. write the numbers if you need to. but even if you write them after is fine
196 - the quality of your practice is more important than the quantity. training and trusting mentalities.
Training is essential for swing changes and fundamentals. More for beginning of season when shaking off the rush.
Trusting mentality must be at least 60% of practice time. And all time in warm up before a round.
pros never try to fix the swing before the round. many do after the round.
200 - amateur should hit a few dozen balls 3-4x a week, going through routine on every ball.
spend at least 50% of the time on 120 and in. start onthe fringe and practice until you sink 2 chips.
For putting, use a chalk line. Work hard on putts from 2-4 feet. Make 25 in a row.
204 - if making a swing change, stop playing golf for 1-2 weeks and just work on this on the practice tee in the training mentality.
Commit to a long term plan with your pro.
208 - imagine your goal. My goal is to shoot consistently in the 70s. The number 79 is now in my head. 79. 79.
TLDR - Exude confidence. trust the swing you bring to the course each day. Chip and putt well.
25 - Golfing potential depends primarily on attitude, how well he chips and putts, and how well he thinks.
31 - Decide before the round starts how you are going to think and think this way on every shot. Choose to think well.
A golfer can and must decide how to think. Think about the ball going to the target.
34 - Attitude, self perception, and motivation heavilty influence success in life.
People by and large become what they think about themselves.
To be happy, wake up, and think about the wonderful things you will do that day. Go to sleep thinking about the wonderful events of the day and about the wonderful things tomorrow.
40 - You can't hit a golf ball well if you're thinking about mechanics during the swing as you play. The time to worry about swing mechanics must be limited to the practice tee. Train it there and trust it.
43 - if you react to a bad shot by getting careful you will get tenative and play worse.
44 - once learned, don't think about the mechanics of draw or fade. simply execute. your body will produce the swing required.
46 - missing a few putts only increases the chances of you making the next one.
49 - the hot streak represents true capability. It results from trust.
54 - Snead thought the best backswing was one brough back nice and lazy without much thought.
Snead also didn't win championships until he realized on every course there are a few holes that bothered him where he shouldn't hit driver but wood or 2 iron.
Strategy and couse management are most crucial to success.
61 - Before any shot, a golfer must pick the smallest possible target. You can also pick an intermediate target for alignment.
67 - where there is a hazard, focus directly on the target.
70 - to develop a reliable routine, it must be followed and practiced time after time until it is fully ingrained and will show up under any pressure or situation.
76 - The most important part of any routine is: Look at the target, look at the ball, swing.
Nice and slow is a good swing thought. Swing thoughts need to culture smoothness.
81 - trust your decision. this is critial. be decisive in your shot regardless of what you've chosen.
84 - solid short game can turn someone with terrible tee to green play into a high 70s or low 80s player.
88 - Create games in the practive area. Up and down games for small bets. shoot at a towel between some bags. anything to bring competition into play.
89 - hit a whole bucket full of wedges. start at 40, 50, all the way up to 120. then change the distances and practice staggering them each shot.
90 - no swing thoguhts from 120 and in. target only. For you this might be a bit less. But inside this threshold distance don't go for the middle of the green. think about holing it.
99 - you have to play relaxed. Attitude is what makes a good putter. Lots of young players will make everyting and half the time don't even line it up.
It's more important to be decisive than correct.
109 - Look at the target. Look at the ball. Let the putt go.
110 - You like short putts. you like making htem. You trust and are decisive making them.
On long putts, don't fall for the three foot circle. Think about making it instead. Always.
114 - Shrug off the bad shots. Concentrate on the next. Golf is not a game of perfect. Acceptance is the last part and closes your routine.
117 - Hit the ball in a challenging spot? Smile. That's what golf is about. Hard shots are fun.
Why wouldn't you be having fun? Outside, fresh air, clipped grass, soothing habitat.
121 - Hagen expected to make 7 errors per round. Make an error? Just one of the 7.
131 - permit yourself to enjoy the good shots. you'll remember them better this way. Just forget the bad ones.
- dunked 7 iron hole 2 McKidd. 9 iron hole 9 McCall. Ace #3 @ CT. Crushing power fades.
141 - Seve played imaginary holes on the range. didn't "work a groove" with the same club.
148 - Hit the shot you know you can hit.
154 - play every significant round with a game plan. walk or review the holes backward.
157 - flag hunting depends on distance. wedge or less? yes. 120-170? depends on your confidence. 170+? go for middle of green.
165 - groove a long iron or fairway wood that you can always hit to 200 yards.
180 - under pressure:
1. stay in the present and keep mind focused on the shot immediately in front of you
2. avoid mechanical thoughts. become looser, freer, more confident.
3. stick to routine and game plan.
Get your mind off of golf between shots.
186 - pressure often damages your course management more than it does your swing.
187 - don't count scores until the end. write the numbers if you need to. but even if you write them after is fine
196 - the quality of your practice is more important than the quantity. training and trusting mentalities.
Training is essential for swing changes and fundamentals. More for beginning of season when shaking off the rush.
Trusting mentality must be at least 60% of practice time. And all time in warm up before a round.
pros never try to fix the swing before the round. many do after the round.
200 - amateur should hit a few dozen balls 3-4x a week, going through routine on every ball.
spend at least 50% of the time on 120 and in. start onthe fringe and practice until you sink 2 chips.
For putting, use a chalk line. Work hard on putts from 2-4 feet. Make 25 in a row.
204 - if making a swing change, stop playing golf for 1-2 weeks and just work on this on the practice tee in the training mentality.
Commit to a long term plan with your pro.
208 - imagine your goal. My goal is to shoot consistently in the 70s. The number 79 is now in my head. 79. 79.
July 22, 2025
I'm a disc golfer, started playing with buddies during the pandemic and it was new, it was fun, we all play Ultimate Frisbee together at a competitive level and started playing this new, fun sport.
In February of 2024, I played my first tournament and won. All the people around me told me how much potential I had to be great. I drove it 100-150 feet farther than everyone around me, I had all the makings to be great. Then over the months after my win, my game fell off hard. I started to lose the fun, I couldn't make a putt to save my life.
After reading this book, I get why. I don't have fun. I have this pre-supposed expectation in my head that I have to be great, that greatness comes when you care, not when you have fun.
I wanna say thank you to this authro because it really shifted my whole mindset about even the IDEA of playing the sport, it excites me to go out again. Greatness and winning is won in the mind and in the practice, not on the course.
In February of 2024, I played my first tournament and won. All the people around me told me how much potential I had to be great. I drove it 100-150 feet farther than everyone around me, I had all the makings to be great. Then over the months after my win, my game fell off hard. I started to lose the fun, I couldn't make a putt to save my life.
After reading this book, I get why. I don't have fun. I have this pre-supposed expectation in my head that I have to be great, that greatness comes when you care, not when you have fun.
I wanna say thank you to this authro because it really shifted my whole mindset about even the IDEA of playing the sport, it excites me to go out again. Greatness and winning is won in the mind and in the practice, not on the course.
July 26, 2024
I stumbled across this gem of a book and am so glad I did. I recently took an interest back in golf after a long hiatus. The book does an amazing job of making simple, digestible information to help improve your golf game.
The book discusses the mentality, strategy, and shortcomings to avoid-- and it was discussing everything that I was doing wrong pretty accurately. I'm really looking forward to implementing what I learned out on my next round.
With golf being such a mental game, the book discusses the importance of confidence on your game. While this message might seem obvious, the way in which it is told really resonated with me.
This is a short, quick read I will definitely be rereading in the future.
The book discusses the mentality, strategy, and shortcomings to avoid-- and it was discussing everything that I was doing wrong pretty accurately. I'm really looking forward to implementing what I learned out on my next round.
With golf being such a mental game, the book discusses the importance of confidence on your game. While this message might seem obvious, the way in which it is told really resonated with me.
This is a short, quick read I will definitely be rereading in the future.
March 14, 2025
Har läst boken för att utveckla mindset osv. för discgolf och 90 % av alla tips är direkt överförbara. Väldigt bra! Om jag ska lyfta fram tre tankar jag tar med mig är det främst dessa:
1. Tänk aldrig på teknik under tävling. Fokusera på att vara avslappnad och att lita på svingen.
2. Spela hellre konservativt än vågat under tävling, dvs. vet mina begränsningar.
3. Den bästa inställningen till att putta är att både vara helt övertygad om att jag kommer att sätta den, men samtidigt vara helt obrydd om jag missar den.
Finns mycket mer att ta upp också, och definitivt en bok som kommer läsas om. Åtminstone delar av den.
1. Tänk aldrig på teknik under tävling. Fokusera på att vara avslappnad och att lita på svingen.
2. Spela hellre konservativt än vågat under tävling, dvs. vet mina begränsningar.
3. Den bästa inställningen till att putta är att både vara helt övertygad om att jag kommer att sätta den, men samtidigt vara helt obrydd om jag missar den.
Finns mycket mer att ta upp också, och definitivt en bok som kommer läsas om. Åtminstone delar av den.
August 15, 2018
This is a classic golf bible, but it’s now a bit dated. The book deals with mostly the mental side of the game, and not at all with golf mechanics. Still, there are some great golf stories and a number of useful tips. I was a duffer before and I will likely be a duffer well after reading this.
June 29, 2020
Will bump this up to 5 stars if my next round goes well, but down to 3 if it goes poorly. Stay tuned
But honestly really quick good read about the mental aspect of sports, applicable to any sport not just golf. Worth a read.
But honestly really quick good read about the mental aspect of sports, applicable to any sport not just golf. Worth a read.
September 13, 2022
This contains some very useful advice on the mental side of golf.
For me it was helpful in developing a routine: focus on what you are aiming at, trust your swing, and hit the ball. Really work on your short play and putting. Don't try to play spectacular shots all the time and don't dwell on the ones you mess up, they happen to everyone.
The book could have been a lot shorter.
3.5 from me, more if it brings my scores down!
For me it was helpful in developing a routine: focus on what you are aiming at, trust your swing, and hit the ball. Really work on your short play and putting. Don't try to play spectacular shots all the time and don't dwell on the ones you mess up, they happen to everyone.
The book could have been a lot shorter.
3.5 from me, more if it brings my scores down!
July 8, 2024
A fantastic book for anyone who is getting into golf and feels overwhelmed by the amount of information about the sport. Greatly simplifies the sport by focusing on what’s important- getting the ball in the hole.
April 19, 2025
This wonderful golf book is getting a little long in the tooth. The main fundamentals that are taught by the author Dr. Bob are excellent. A wonderful resource for mastering the mental game of golf.
April 22, 2025
A must read for all golfers trying to improve the mental side of the game. Helped me take 5 strokes off my game in a very short time frame - I haven’t felt calmer and more collected on the course than after absorbing Dr. Bob’s explanations and ideas! Great, great read.
December 29, 2020
Meant for golf but read for frolf
May 16, 2024
A really short and helpful look at the psychological aspects of golf. I already shot a bad round after reading this though so I can't vouch for its effectiveness yet.
March 3, 2025
Great book. Heavily discusses Tom kite and nick price but so many valuable tips that I am looking forward to putting to use this summer on course!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 341 reviews