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The Timeless Swing: Learn at any age from his lessons of a lifetime
Tom Watson's stunning performance in the 2009 British Open was the story of the year in golf - if not in all sports. Nearing his 60th birthday, he led the world's oldest major championship with one hole to play and came within an unlucky bounce of winning his sixth Open championship, losing in a playoff.
Known at the highest levels of the game as a shotmaker's shotmaker, a master of any shot under any conditions, and the finest foul-weather golfer of all time, Watson relied on a swing that has lasted as an unmatched model of good mechanics, rhythm and repeatability. Jack Nicklaus and other peers believe Watson is swinging better today than when he was a dominant player on the regular PGA Tour 30-plus years ago.
In THE TIMELESS SWING, Watson offers a lifetime's worth of wisdom and insight into the game of golf, showing how to become a better player at any age. In Watson's plain-spoken voice, the book will distil the most important lessons for how to improve your swing and score and will be laced with the anecdotal stories and bits of wisdom that have been accumulated by Watson during his forty year professional career.
With a foreword by Jack Nicklaus and 4-color photographs by award-winning Golf Digest photographer Dom Furore illustrating Watson's method throughout.
Known at the highest levels of the game as a shotmaker's shotmaker, a master of any shot under any conditions, and the finest foul-weather golfer of all time, Watson relied on a swing that has lasted as an unmatched model of good mechanics, rhythm and repeatability. Jack Nicklaus and other peers believe Watson is swinging better today than when he was a dominant player on the regular PGA Tour 30-plus years ago.
In THE TIMELESS SWING, Watson offers a lifetime's worth of wisdom and insight into the game of golf, showing how to become a better player at any age. In Watson's plain-spoken voice, the book will distil the most important lessons for how to improve your swing and score and will be laced with the anecdotal stories and bits of wisdom that have been accumulated by Watson during his forty year professional career.
With a foreword by Jack Nicklaus and 4-color photographs by award-winning Golf Digest photographer Dom Furore illustrating Watson's method throughout.
- GenresSportsNonfiction
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 23, 2011
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27 people want to read
About the author
Tom Watson
19 booksThomas Sturges Watson (born September 4, 1949) is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour Champions, formerly on the PGA Tour.
Source: Wikipedia
Source: Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 30, 2011
I’ve played just enough golf to appreciate what a difficult and evil game it is, and while I’ll sometimes watch the last round of a major championship, I don‘t spend a lot of time following it. Thanks to middle-age and sand volleyball leaving me with one good shoulder and one good knee, I think it’s unlikely that I’ll be playing 18 holes again anytime soon. Yet I bought a book about improving your golf swing.
Actually, I wanted the book because Tom Watson is one of the sports gods of Kansas City and buying this got me a ticket to see a Q&A session with Watson hosted by my favorite sports writer, Joe Posnanski. (Check out his book about Buck O’Neil The Soul of Baseball if you’re looking for something inspiring.)
Watson was one of the leading players in the world in the late ‘70s into the ‘80s. He won eight majors and dozens of other tournaments, and he shocked the world by very nearly winning a British Open at the age of 60 a couple of years ago.
Pro golfers fascinate me because it is such a tricky bitch of game and it takes an insane amount of control over one’s body to play at that level. Looking through this book and listening to Watson talk about the game was an interesting experience because it was a chance to watch someone who was once the best in the world at what he did break down his craft, and you don’t get many opportunities to see something like that.
During the Q&A, Watson stood up several times to demonstrate something in a swing he was talking about, and he showed the issues he had with his own swing that ended his dominance of the sport. He could also mimic other golfers and do accurate imitations of their good and bad habits. It was eye opening to realize the level of detail that Watson could see in a swing and how he could tell you exactly how each small change in the mechanics would impact the flight of the ball.
Watson also showed flashes of the competitive nature it takes to rise to the top of a sport. He expressed outright scorn and contempt for ranking lists saying that the only thing that made him respect another golfer was the ability to win consistently. Posnanski told a funny story about Watson’s competitive streak. They both sponsor youth baseball teams in KC for inner city children. Posnanski had stopped by Watson’s office to discuss something else with him, and they had a very pleasant chat. As he was leaving, Posananski casually remarked that their two teams were playing each other that week. Without hesitating a moment and being completely serious, Watson said, “We will DESTROY you!”
And how’s the book? Looks good to me, but I was a shitty golfer so take that with a grain of salt. Every page features large photos with graphics of Watson describing the do’s and don’ts. It’s comprehensive with dozens of pages just about the proper grip alone. It’s also got a nifty feature with tags for smart phones on some pages so that you can download an app to watch videos of Watson’s demonstrations. Watson said it’s focused towards helping break the bad habits of all the hackers he’s seen so I think it’d be helpful to any of us who have regularly watched a ball slice into the woods while using all our best profanity.
Actually, I wanted the book because Tom Watson is one of the sports gods of Kansas City and buying this got me a ticket to see a Q&A session with Watson hosted by my favorite sports writer, Joe Posnanski. (Check out his book about Buck O’Neil The Soul of Baseball if you’re looking for something inspiring.)
Watson was one of the leading players in the world in the late ‘70s into the ‘80s. He won eight majors and dozens of other tournaments, and he shocked the world by very nearly winning a British Open at the age of 60 a couple of years ago.
Pro golfers fascinate me because it is such a tricky bitch of game and it takes an insane amount of control over one’s body to play at that level. Looking through this book and listening to Watson talk about the game was an interesting experience because it was a chance to watch someone who was once the best in the world at what he did break down his craft, and you don’t get many opportunities to see something like that.
During the Q&A, Watson stood up several times to demonstrate something in a swing he was talking about, and he showed the issues he had with his own swing that ended his dominance of the sport. He could also mimic other golfers and do accurate imitations of their good and bad habits. It was eye opening to realize the level of detail that Watson could see in a swing and how he could tell you exactly how each small change in the mechanics would impact the flight of the ball.
Watson also showed flashes of the competitive nature it takes to rise to the top of a sport. He expressed outright scorn and contempt for ranking lists saying that the only thing that made him respect another golfer was the ability to win consistently. Posnanski told a funny story about Watson’s competitive streak. They both sponsor youth baseball teams in KC for inner city children. Posnanski had stopped by Watson’s office to discuss something else with him, and they had a very pleasant chat. As he was leaving, Posananski casually remarked that their two teams were playing each other that week. Without hesitating a moment and being completely serious, Watson said, “We will DESTROY you!”
And how’s the book? Looks good to me, but I was a shitty golfer so take that with a grain of salt. Every page features large photos with graphics of Watson describing the do’s and don’ts. It’s comprehensive with dozens of pages just about the proper grip alone. It’s also got a nifty feature with tags for smart phones on some pages so that you can download an app to watch videos of Watson’s demonstrations. Watson said it’s focused towards helping break the bad habits of all the hackers he’s seen so I think it’d be helpful to any of us who have regularly watched a ball slice into the woods while using all our best profanity.
September 19, 2018
Most helpful book for me
I am an amateur golfer and still wrestling with my swing. I have read many good books for this game and have practiced it regularly. I think that I finally understand swing mechanism for me and I hope that it will improve my swing gradually. I would like to recommend this book to the one who loves to read about and play golf. This book is worth it!!
I am an amateur golfer and still wrestling with my swing. I have read many good books for this game and have practiced it regularly. I think that I finally understand swing mechanism for me and I hope that it will improve my swing gradually. I would like to recommend this book to the one who loves to read about and play golf. This book is worth it!!
April 12, 2011
Tom Watson not only has a timeless swing, he's written a timeless instruction book, too. He and collaborator Nick Seitz (along with photographer Dom Furore) have produced a collection of straightforward, clearly illustrated concepts that will help golfers of all levels. It's all packaged in a clean, clever design that makes it a pleasure to thumb through as well as read.
Watson's style as an instructor mirrors his style of play. There's no double-talk or jargon; no overlap between knowledge and ego. Watson tells you how to play the game in no uncertain terms. He takes his own swing apart for you, explains how it works, and shows you how to make it work for your game.
The first two concepts, how to find the bottom of the swing arc and how to set and maintain your spine angle from address through impact, form the basis for everything from the grip to the follow-through. It's easy to understand--and remember--what you should do when it's related in that way.
Once Watson gets past the basics, he spends the last half of the book explaining how to apply them in different circumstances for maximum effect. Beginning with Chapter 4, "Be A Shotmaker," he shows how to control and maneuver the ball. The illustrations are particularly useful in understanding how to draw or fade the ball on command as well as how to hit it high, low, or with just the right amount of backspin. The player who takes these lessons to heart--and practices them diligently--will distance himself from the competition.
For those of us of a certain age, Watson includes a great chapter titled "Swing Younger." He begins by telling the reader how he hits the ball farther himself, then gives seven simple techniques that will help you bomb it like the big boys, too.
Golfers of all ages and skill levels will find this book useful. I've had it for several weeks and find myself digging into it again and again. Every time I open it, I find a passage or an illustration that enlightens.
Watson's style as an instructor mirrors his style of play. There's no double-talk or jargon; no overlap between knowledge and ego. Watson tells you how to play the game in no uncertain terms. He takes his own swing apart for you, explains how it works, and shows you how to make it work for your game.
The first two concepts, how to find the bottom of the swing arc and how to set and maintain your spine angle from address through impact, form the basis for everything from the grip to the follow-through. It's easy to understand--and remember--what you should do when it's related in that way.
Once Watson gets past the basics, he spends the last half of the book explaining how to apply them in different circumstances for maximum effect. Beginning with Chapter 4, "Be A Shotmaker," he shows how to control and maneuver the ball. The illustrations are particularly useful in understanding how to draw or fade the ball on command as well as how to hit it high, low, or with just the right amount of backspin. The player who takes these lessons to heart--and practices them diligently--will distance himself from the competition.
For those of us of a certain age, Watson includes a great chapter titled "Swing Younger." He begins by telling the reader how he hits the ball farther himself, then gives seven simple techniques that will help you bomb it like the big boys, too.
Golfers of all ages and skill levels will find this book useful. I've had it for several weeks and find myself digging into it again and again. Every time I open it, I find a passage or an illustration that enlightens.
December 6, 2013
The Timeless Swing is a highly useful instructional book, that breaks down the golf swing and why certain elements are necessary as well as how to hone/correct those aspects. The Kindle version also contains videos of the author with examples of these elements.
It is also an entertaining mini-biography looking back at his own golf resume.
It is also an entertaining mini-biography looking back at his own golf resume.
September 20, 2013
Awesome instructional guide with really helpful pictures. Information is just as good as the classics, but updated for the current player. Enhanced eBook is amazing, with video instruction. For every golfer!
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April 28, 2017This is no "Little Red Book" or "Five Lessons", but it was a terrific read. Tips were general enough to work with any swing but specific enough to provide many things to work on at the range. Easy read.
August 25, 2016
Best core concepts: bottom of the swing arc and spine angle. He really drives these points home (and they seem to be heavily overlooked by many swing coaches). Otherwise it's mostly common / beginner fundamentals and some good drills.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews