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On Par: The Everyday Golfer’s Survival Guide – Practical and Entertaining Golf Instruction with Wisdom and Humor
“No one can completely cover the game of golf like Bill Pennington and no book can comprehensively tell the story of the sport with the same wit, wisdom and knowledge like On Par . "—Jim Nantz, CBS Sports
Bill Pennington, the voice of the everyday golfer, has traveled the globe in search of golf’s essentials—those basic principles, those ultimate truths (and, who are we kidding, any trick or quick fix he can pick up along the way) that will improve anyone’s game. He has consulted elite golf instructors as well as countless caddies, groundskeepers, parking lot attendants, and bartenders. He has played rounds with Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, and Justin Timberlake. He has spoken with psychiatrists, economists, and Zen masters. On a particularly bad outing, he even discoursed on the fickleness of golf with a wise raccoon.
In On Par , Pennington distills this wisdom in an insightful guide to the game. From equipment to the language of golf, from camaraderie to the short-game/long-game debate, Pennington informs and entertains readers as he gets to the essence of the game, including that Holy Grail, the hole in one. Part instruction, part therapy, and shot through with Pennington’s trademark wit and humor, this is a book for everyone who has felt the game’s distinct pull—and slice.
“A phenomenal guide . . . As all golfers know, the sport is about more than being able to hit a good shot and this book takes you through the journey, arming you with everything you need to know.”—Annika Sorenstam
“If you like golf, you’ll like [this book] . . . On Par blends practical advice for beginners . . . golf history . . . trivia . . . and Pennington’s entertaining dispatches from out on the course.”—NPR’s Only a Game
Bill Pennington, the voice of the everyday golfer, has traveled the globe in search of golf’s essentials—those basic principles, those ultimate truths (and, who are we kidding, any trick or quick fix he can pick up along the way) that will improve anyone’s game. He has consulted elite golf instructors as well as countless caddies, groundskeepers, parking lot attendants, and bartenders. He has played rounds with Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, and Justin Timberlake. He has spoken with psychiatrists, economists, and Zen masters. On a particularly bad outing, he even discoursed on the fickleness of golf with a wise raccoon.
In On Par , Pennington distills this wisdom in an insightful guide to the game. From equipment to the language of golf, from camaraderie to the short-game/long-game debate, Pennington informs and entertains readers as he gets to the essence of the game, including that Holy Grail, the hole in one. Part instruction, part therapy, and shot through with Pennington’s trademark wit and humor, this is a book for everyone who has felt the game’s distinct pull—and slice.
“A phenomenal guide . . . As all golfers know, the sport is about more than being able to hit a good shot and this book takes you through the journey, arming you with everything you need to know.”—Annika Sorenstam
“If you like golf, you’ll like [this book] . . . On Par blends practical advice for beginners . . . golf history . . . trivia . . . and Pennington’s entertaining dispatches from out on the course.”—NPR’s Only a Game
- GenresSportsNonfiction
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
62 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
Bill Pennington
17 books4 followersBill Pennington writes the "On Par" column and stars in the related video series on www.nytimes.com. Pennington, who covers a number of sports in addition to golf, joined the New York Times in 1997 from the Bergen Record, where he was a sports columnist. A six-time winner of the Associated Press Sports Editor’s writing award, Pennington has also written for the New York Times Magazine, Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News, and a number of other publications. A longtime golfer himself, Pennington grew up near some of New England’s historic golf courses, but he has not been able to get his handicap below 11. He lives with his wife, Joyce, and three children in Warwick, N.Y.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 20, 2012
In the interests of full disclosure, I must confess that I owe Bill Pennington my life, or at least the use of my limbs. A couple of years ago, after more than forty years playing golf, I suddenly lost my ability to putt. It didn't just have the yips. I had the yaws, the yahoos, and the you've-got-to-be-kidding-mes. I tried a dozen different putters including some that were clearly not legal. I putted cross-handed, one-handed, and would have putted no-handed if I could have figured out how to hold the putter in my teeth, but I still counted as many as 45 putts on some rounds. I was about to give up the game and take up a sane sport like chainsaw juggling when I read Pennington's NY Times column about putting while looking at the hole instead of the ball. That column saved my game, not to mention my fingers.
So is this an unbiased review? Mostly.
In On Par: The Everyday Golfer's Survival Guide, Pennington writes about golf in a way that resonates with the regular golfer. The subtitle notwithstanding, this isn't a golf instruction book. It's more of an extended, rambling conversation about the game like the ones you have with your buddies at the nineteenth hole. The difference is, Pennington knows what he's talking about, whereas your buddies....
On Par is full of gentle, self-deprecating humor and dozens if not hundreds of little stories that illustrate the beautiful ironies of golf. Like a conversation he had once with Gary Player about how humiliating it is to hit a ball into the water. Or the time he almost killed the club president's wife with an errant six iron, a club selection that reminded me of the story in Weird Golf that begins "Just ask the guy in the tenth fairway staring at the six iron covered in blood." Pennington also reveals how jealous Annika Sorenstam is of her sister Charlotta, who won only one pro tournament but has three times as many holes in one. In other words, if you're looking for a book to fix your slice, look elsewhere.
There's plenty here to enjoy and learn from without pages full of illustrated swing tips. Pennington writes about nine places every golfer should play (hint: it's not a list of courses), what the pros are like and how they got that way, and one particularly distressing chapter titled "Shanks, Choking, and Other Tales of the Dark Side." Oh, and there's a section about putting while looking at the hole that you don't want to miss.
More than anything, I think, On Par expresses an attitude about golf that more of us should have. As Pennington says, "It is a silly game, somewhat childish....The allure of golf is its simplicity, which leads to a thousand complexities." And more than a few laughs along the way.
So is this an unbiased review? Mostly.
In On Par: The Everyday Golfer's Survival Guide, Pennington writes about golf in a way that resonates with the regular golfer. The subtitle notwithstanding, this isn't a golf instruction book. It's more of an extended, rambling conversation about the game like the ones you have with your buddies at the nineteenth hole. The difference is, Pennington knows what he's talking about, whereas your buddies....
On Par is full of gentle, self-deprecating humor and dozens if not hundreds of little stories that illustrate the beautiful ironies of golf. Like a conversation he had once with Gary Player about how humiliating it is to hit a ball into the water. Or the time he almost killed the club president's wife with an errant six iron, a club selection that reminded me of the story in Weird Golf that begins "Just ask the guy in the tenth fairway staring at the six iron covered in blood." Pennington also reveals how jealous Annika Sorenstam is of her sister Charlotta, who won only one pro tournament but has three times as many holes in one. In other words, if you're looking for a book to fix your slice, look elsewhere.
There's plenty here to enjoy and learn from without pages full of illustrated swing tips. Pennington writes about nine places every golfer should play (hint: it's not a list of courses), what the pros are like and how they got that way, and one particularly distressing chapter titled "Shanks, Choking, and Other Tales of the Dark Side." Oh, and there's a section about putting while looking at the hole that you don't want to miss.
More than anything, I think, On Par expresses an attitude about golf that more of us should have. As Pennington says, "It is a silly game, somewhat childish....The allure of golf is its simplicity, which leads to a thousand complexities." And more than a few laughs along the way.
December 24, 2021
This is a fun book. It really goes through the psychology (and the psychosis) that many of us to try to play this sport (not, game) go through. Written with considerable "tongue in cheek" humor, the author provides a very entertaining narrative -- and even offers some tips that I will no doubt try next time I get out on the course. It's a light read and well worth the time spent.
June 6, 2023
As a golfer for over 10 years, I really enjoyed reading this book. Although the information the author writes about is nothing I didn’t already know, it was enjoyable reading it from someone who is able to put a golfer’s feeling about golf into the right words. This book made me laugh and it made me proud to be part of the golfing community. I’m not the only crazy one!
August 8, 2023
Quite an enjoyable read for new and experienced golfers. I picked up a few tidbits of knowledge, but mostly enjoyed being immersed in the appreciation of the nuances of the game that the author so eloquently expresses.
April 24, 2023
Pretty fun read, started as I was watching the Masters :) lots of fun stories and quips. Probably longer than it needed to be but the last chapter wrapped it up nicely.
January 19, 2024
This was a fun read. It covers the humor, culture and silly trends in golf. The author also highlights some great places to play. Sounds like I need to make a trip up to Nova Scotia!
June 29, 2025
Good read. A little humor, a few stats, a good walk spoiled.
January 10, 2026
A little tedious in parts but overall a fun read.
June 6, 2018
Bill Pennington is an entertaining writer who uses wit and knowledge to promote the sport he loves. The book is an easy, fairly quick read that educates readers on golf lore and basics without being overbearing. It is a great book for the average country club member who enjoys golfing generally and always has his/her clubs in the car looking for an opportunity to try a new course. But for the average hacker, the book comes across as a love note to those who can do better than the local public course. And that's who this review is addressed to - the loveable hacker like...uh...me.
Golf is fun on a beautiful, warm day with bright green vistas against a blue, partly cloudy sky, even at the public course. Yes, a hacker can appreciate that. And why would one be out on a beautiful day like that hitting a little white (or optic orange) ball with any number (only 14) of wood and metal mallets if one did not enjoy that? Good question. But Pennington isn't writing for that golfer. He is writing for the golfer who takes golf holidays to terrific courses in North Carolina or California where the caddies all know the course and where the main handicap isn't hitting a 5 iron about 5 yards.
To be fair, Pennington does address the guy searching for a lost ball in the woods or the guy who shanks a ball right or left off the tee. The problem is, that golfer is probably dressed in club whites and has a caddy to help him or her look for that sparkling Titleist Pro V1 among the leaves and branches of the woods (woods that are likely as well manicured as the course though in a more "natural" state).
And that's what strikes the reader the most about the book. Not that Pennington isn't talented and skilled at crafting a book about his favorite sport. Not that Pennington hasn't hit a few into the rough or even into a semi crowded patio at the clubhouse bar. Pennington isn't really writing for the average hacker who likely doesn't know the joys of playing a pristine fairway at the local country club. And there's nothing wrong with that certainly. But if you are picking up this book realize that while you will enjoy his knowledge, humor and charm you'll turn the page wondering how a lot of this applies to you - the hacker on the local public 9 or 18 hole course.
Golf is fun on a beautiful, warm day with bright green vistas against a blue, partly cloudy sky, even at the public course. Yes, a hacker can appreciate that. And why would one be out on a beautiful day like that hitting a little white (or optic orange) ball with any number (only 14) of wood and metal mallets if one did not enjoy that? Good question. But Pennington isn't writing for that golfer. He is writing for the golfer who takes golf holidays to terrific courses in North Carolina or California where the caddies all know the course and where the main handicap isn't hitting a 5 iron about 5 yards.
To be fair, Pennington does address the guy searching for a lost ball in the woods or the guy who shanks a ball right or left off the tee. The problem is, that golfer is probably dressed in club whites and has a caddy to help him or her look for that sparkling Titleist Pro V1 among the leaves and branches of the woods (woods that are likely as well manicured as the course though in a more "natural" state).
And that's what strikes the reader the most about the book. Not that Pennington isn't talented and skilled at crafting a book about his favorite sport. Not that Pennington hasn't hit a few into the rough or even into a semi crowded patio at the clubhouse bar. Pennington isn't really writing for the average hacker who likely doesn't know the joys of playing a pristine fairway at the local country club. And there's nothing wrong with that certainly. But if you are picking up this book realize that while you will enjoy his knowledge, humor and charm you'll turn the page wondering how a lot of this applies to you - the hacker on the local public 9 or 18 hole course.
March 27, 2013
Arthur Daley said, "Golf is like a love affair. If you don't take it seriously, it's no fun; if you do take it seriously, it breaks your heart."
I thoroughly enjoyed this book because I thoroughly enjoy golf. This book is witty as well as instructional in many aspects: rules, courtesy, instruction and how to get invited back to an exclusive club. I especially liked the section on recommendations for great golf vacations which I plan to implement this summer! My golf strategy is simple and easy to remember: Swing hard and HOPE.
"Golf combines two favorite American pastimes: taking long walks and hitting things with a stick." ~P.J. O'Rourke
I thoroughly enjoyed this book because I thoroughly enjoy golf. This book is witty as well as instructional in many aspects: rules, courtesy, instruction and how to get invited back to an exclusive club. I especially liked the section on recommendations for great golf vacations which I plan to implement this summer! My golf strategy is simple and easy to remember: Swing hard and HOPE.
"Golf combines two favorite American pastimes: taking long walks and hitting things with a stick." ~P.J. O'Rourke
June 22, 2015
I cannot in good conscience review this book because after reading one half of it, I found I couldn't get through the rest. Too much of the book consisted of things I already knew and thus were not of great interest. Pennington adds very little new material if you are a devotee of golf. Dan Jenkins recent book Unplayable Lies offers more entertaining stuff.
May 13, 2013
I read Pennington's column in the NYT so I expected this to be well written and it is. But also a little disappointing. He goes over so many topics that he seems to not dig in too deeply.
I was expecting a little more tips from some of the famous golfers he had covered and played with.
A quick breezy read.
I was expecting a little more tips from some of the famous golfers he had covered and played with.
A quick breezy read.
June 6, 2014
Hackers unite - this is the perfect golf book. It perfectly describes the love-hate relationship I have with this ridiculous game (I mean sport). Favorite chapter - None Places Every Golfer Should Play.
Enjoy.
Enjoy.
August 20, 2012
Good golf book until the last couple of chapters when it tails off badly. Would have been very good with a little more editing.
October 22, 2013
Great golf writing in the tradition of Bernard Darwin and Herbert Warren Wind
July 17, 2013
fun book about golf. I think any casual golfer would enjoy this read.
July 24, 2013
Great book for any golfer. Easy to understand and follow, great stories and you learn not just about playing golf but everything that goes along with it. Enjoyed it immensely.
August 5, 2013
This book was fun to read. The author brings lots of humor to the topic as well as practical advice.
July 11, 2012
Sort of fun, sort of interesting, sort of a good book. Sort of.
Read
August 17, 2018A bit dry at times, but a good book overall
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews