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Be a Player: A Breakthrough Approach to Playing Better ON the Golf Course
The founders of the world-renowned VISION54 training program and the authors of the bestselling Every Shot Must Have a Purpose take golf instruction to the next level in this groundbreaking new approach to mastering the game.
Golf is a beloved yet technical game, so a sound swing and precise technique are essential. Most golfers who want to improve their skills go to the range and work painstakingly on their swings, not realizing it’s often their performance state on the course that needs work, not their technique. Simple things such as awareness of your balance, tension, and tempo, as well as the ability to control mental, emotional, and social variables you encounter while playing can quickly take your game to a new performance level.
Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott, founders of VISION54’s groundbreaking and innovative golf program are here to help. Aimed at both the weekend golfer and the advanced player, each chapter presents a series of “human skills”—including assignments, explorations, and mini-lessons—that strip away the complexity surrounding swing technique and playing consistency—the conditional variations that plague golfers.
Be A Player is the must-have book for any golfer who wants to unite technical skills and on-course performance seamlessly and effectively. With this cutting-edge text by your side, you will become a true student of VISION54 and a better player better on the course…where it matters most!
Golf is a beloved yet technical game, so a sound swing and precise technique are essential. Most golfers who want to improve their skills go to the range and work painstakingly on their swings, not realizing it’s often their performance state on the course that needs work, not their technique. Simple things such as awareness of your balance, tension, and tempo, as well as the ability to control mental, emotional, and social variables you encounter while playing can quickly take your game to a new performance level.
Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott, founders of VISION54’s groundbreaking and innovative golf program are here to help. Aimed at both the weekend golfer and the advanced player, each chapter presents a series of “human skills”—including assignments, explorations, and mini-lessons—that strip away the complexity surrounding swing technique and playing consistency—the conditional variations that plague golfers.
Be A Player is the must-have book for any golfer who wants to unite technical skills and on-course performance seamlessly and effectively. With this cutting-edge text by your side, you will become a true student of VISION54 and a better player better on the course…where it matters most!
256 pages, Hardcover
Published June 6, 2017
402 people are currently reading
367 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
September 6, 2021
Some heady ideas in this book. The first one has to do with the concept that the body has three brains! One in the head, one in the heart and one in the gut. Haven't heard that before. Second, the brain stores bad memories three times more forcefully than good memories. I will read this book again, perhaps once a year. The concepts apply to peak performance and golf is just one implementation. The psychology is super interesting.
June 13, 2021
Phenomenal golf book. I always thought it was tough to read a book and improve at golf but this one takes aim at something totally unique. The preparation of the mind and body to excel at playing golf is awesome to read about. Adds value to every level of golfer. I think it will truly make the game more enjoyable for me as well as lead to achieving my golf goals.
January 7, 2026
This is a very worthwhile book. In Be a Player, Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott of VISION54 describe the mind body connection in Golf, “human skills“. I wanted to practice the 18 on-course explorations—one for each hole—designed to help golfers build awareness, intention, and attention rather than just focusing on technique, so I have copied them here. (Nilsson and Marriott go into much greater detail, than this on course exercise, but this sort of summarizes the concepts described in the book.) These explorations are intended to be practiced during a full round of non-scored golf to improve "human skills".
Hole 1: Soft Focus. Focus on keeping your shoulders soft and relaxed during the entire swing.
Hole 2: Tempo. Make a full swing with a deliberate 50% tempo for the entire swing.
Hole 3: Sensory Awareness. Hum during the entire swing to encourage a sensory (rather than analytical) focus.
Hole 4: Balance. Hit all full shots with your feet together, and putts on one leg (left or right). Finish in balance.
Hole 5: Body Language. Maintain strong, positive body language between all shots, with a strong lower-body feel at setup.
Hole 6: Visualization. See the target or the ball flight in your mind's eye in your favorite color for the entire swing.
Hole 7: Routine. Go through your normal pre-shot routine but close your eyes during the swing.
Hole 8: Target Focus. Focus only on the target, not the ball or technique, during the swing.
Hole 9: Tension Control. Intentionally change your grip pressure (tight, loose) to feel the difference in the swing.
Hole 10: "Be a Player." Pick a specific target and trust your swing, focusing only on the outcome.
Hole 11: Breathing. Take a deep breath before every shot, focusing on exhaling tension.
Hole 12: Club Feel. Focus on the feel of the clubhead throughout the swing.
Hole 13: Self-Talk. Use only positive, productive, or neutral self-talk before and after the shot.
Hole 14: Commitment. Fully commit to your chosen club and shot shape before you enter the "play box".
Hole 15: "Think Box/Play Box." Explicitly separate your planning (Think Box) from your execution (Play Box).
Hole 16: Setup/Aim. Focus on your aim and alignment, ensuring your body is aligned with the target.
Hole 17: Post-Shot Routine. Perform a positive post-shot routine, regardless of the result, acknowledging one good thing about the shot.
Hole 18: Scoreless Golf. Play the hole without thinking about your score, focusing only on the present, one shot at a time.
Key Takeaways from the 18 Holes:
Purpose: These exercises are meant to be blended into your regular rounds to make them natural and organic.
Assessment: The book recommends rating yourself 1-5 on how well you kept your focus on the intention for each hole.
Goal: To move away from "beating balls" on the range and towards bringing your best game to the course through self-awareness and mental control.
Hole 1: Soft Focus. Focus on keeping your shoulders soft and relaxed during the entire swing.
Hole 2: Tempo. Make a full swing with a deliberate 50% tempo for the entire swing.
Hole 3: Sensory Awareness. Hum during the entire swing to encourage a sensory (rather than analytical) focus.
Hole 4: Balance. Hit all full shots with your feet together, and putts on one leg (left or right). Finish in balance.
Hole 5: Body Language. Maintain strong, positive body language between all shots, with a strong lower-body feel at setup.
Hole 6: Visualization. See the target or the ball flight in your mind's eye in your favorite color for the entire swing.
Hole 7: Routine. Go through your normal pre-shot routine but close your eyes during the swing.
Hole 8: Target Focus. Focus only on the target, not the ball or technique, during the swing.
Hole 9: Tension Control. Intentionally change your grip pressure (tight, loose) to feel the difference in the swing.
Hole 10: "Be a Player." Pick a specific target and trust your swing, focusing only on the outcome.
Hole 11: Breathing. Take a deep breath before every shot, focusing on exhaling tension.
Hole 12: Club Feel. Focus on the feel of the clubhead throughout the swing.
Hole 13: Self-Talk. Use only positive, productive, or neutral self-talk before and after the shot.
Hole 14: Commitment. Fully commit to your chosen club and shot shape before you enter the "play box".
Hole 15: "Think Box/Play Box." Explicitly separate your planning (Think Box) from your execution (Play Box).
Hole 16: Setup/Aim. Focus on your aim and alignment, ensuring your body is aligned with the target.
Hole 17: Post-Shot Routine. Perform a positive post-shot routine, regardless of the result, acknowledging one good thing about the shot.
Hole 18: Scoreless Golf. Play the hole without thinking about your score, focusing only on the present, one shot at a time.
Key Takeaways from the 18 Holes:
Purpose: These exercises are meant to be blended into your regular rounds to make them natural and organic.
Assessment: The book recommends rating yourself 1-5 on how well you kept your focus on the intention for each hole.
Goal: To move away from "beating balls" on the range and towards bringing your best game to the course through self-awareness and mental control.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2022
This is one of the better golf instruction books I've ever read because it offers practical advice on how to play better without giving advice on how to play. There is no swing instruction in this book and there are no promises of quick fixes like so many other books. Rather, this book focuses on the mental side of the game and creating a process golfers can use to improve their performance. It talk a lot about commitment to your decision making and trusting your skills which I think a lot of golfers, regardless of skill level. could benefit from. It contains numerous practical exercises to help develop a better process and have a better approach to the game and players of all skill levels can, I think, benefit from these exercises. I don't necessarily believe some of the science in this book (the stuff about one side of your brain being analytical and the other being emotional is based on some outdated thinking that has since been disproven), but even if the science isn't sound, the concepts in the book still work if you just accept there is a difference between logical analysis and emotional analysis.
June 12, 2023
This book reads like a sales pitch for the authors’ VISION54 program, mixed in with some quack science and some genuinely useful insights.
This book lost me when, early on, it used the argument that we only access 10% of our brains — imagine what we could do if we accessed all 100%! Let common sense save you the fact-checking: evolution wouldn’t allow for 20% of your oxygen needs to go towards an organ that does nothing. It’s tough for me to fully buy-in to a book that pushes nonsense like this.
That said, the authors do share a number of genuinely helpful frameworks for how to think about your game and where to focus your improvement efforts. The trick is to filter out the noise — especially while reading what feels like a continuous sales pitch for the authors’ in-person programs (“this player was struggling, but then they started working with us, and bam! They won the US Open”). If you’re willing to overlook some quack science, and to put up with the sales pitches throughout the book, then you might find some useful tools to improve the mental aspect of your golf game.
This book lost me when, early on, it used the argument that we only access 10% of our brains — imagine what we could do if we accessed all 100%! Let common sense save you the fact-checking: evolution wouldn’t allow for 20% of your oxygen needs to go towards an organ that does nothing. It’s tough for me to fully buy-in to a book that pushes nonsense like this.
That said, the authors do share a number of genuinely helpful frameworks for how to think about your game and where to focus your improvement efforts. The trick is to filter out the noise — especially while reading what feels like a continuous sales pitch for the authors’ in-person programs (“this player was struggling, but then they started working with us, and bam! They won the US Open”). If you’re willing to overlook some quack science, and to put up with the sales pitches throughout the book, then you might find some useful tools to improve the mental aspect of your golf game.
July 24, 2017
As a meditation teacher and practitioner I am "all in" on the teachings and philosophy of Pia and Lynn. I am not a great golfer (84-92 for 18) but I know that once I practice some of the human skills suggested in this book that I can break 80 and maybe consistently. Halfway through the book I went out and played 9 with s friend and we talked about football and Fantasy football and everything but golf.
After 3 holes I was -1. After 6 holes I was even and if it wasn't for a 9 on a par four I shot even par- even chipping in for birdie. I attribute part of my finding my "zone" to this wonderful book. Fortunately the guys I play against aren't big readers so I have access to this knowledge and can keep it in my bag of tricks when I play them.
After 3 holes I was -1. After 6 holes I was even and if it wasn't for a 9 on a par four I shot even par- even chipping in for birdie. I attribute part of my finding my "zone" to this wonderful book. Fortunately the guys I play against aren't big readers so I have access to this knowledge and can keep it in my bag of tricks when I play them.
September 9, 2018
Helpful, but not as good as I thought it might be. The essence of the message can be distilled down to the power of positive thinking. The concept of separating one's approach into the "boxes" - the think box, the play box and the memory box, is indeed helpful, but I think it could have been well explained in an essay rather than an entire book. The stories of famous players success in using this approach is interesting. The authors talk at length about how they use this approach in their coaching, and I don't feel that the essence of that coaching is translated through the book. I'd like to have some coaching sessions with these ladies! If you're fanatic about improving your game, this book can't hurt.
October 7, 2022
4/5 Really solid book. Learned a lot, bookmarked many sections for future reading. Covers a wide range of topics and gives good exercises to improve your golf game. Some of the exercises didn’t really connect with me though, it felt like I was signing up for a lot of work and started to disengage towards the end due to hesitancy to commit to the whole improvement plan. I know in my conscious brain that I don’t have to do all the exercises, but had a sneaking feeling in the back that told me it was a big commitment. Likely just my own perception. Regardless, I recommend this book as a whole.
June 19, 2025
If like me, you are an analytical person and trying to get away from technical thoights to simple feel or focus thoughts, then this is for you. I have read the Inner Game of Golf and Unleashing Greatness and this book connects the dots and makes the distinction between the left and right side of the brain thinking both clear, and explains how to manage the important transition to right side before committing to a shot. Already applying the techniques and seeing my handicap fall. Aiming for the senior tour next year. 😁
October 26, 2023
A book that goes beyond equipment and hammering the ideas surrounding angle’s and Elbows. This golf book focuses on the other things that many of us ignore. It looks at our mentality; before, during, and after. Every shot. Every round. It also focuses on our game plan and how we are accomplishing sticking to it.
Positive Self talk - more golf rounds - less time at the range - focus on situational awareness.
Worth a read if you like golf.
Positive Self talk - more golf rounds - less time at the range - focus on situational awareness.
Worth a read if you like golf.
July 13, 2018
Great book!
The authors have helped me become a better golfer and I can use the skills discussed in the book in other areas of my life. I truly want to thank them for their genuine interest and passion about helping others succeed and accomplish their goals. I feel like I can gather even more enjoyment out of golf with practicing these skills.
The authors have helped me become a better golfer and I can use the skills discussed in the book in other areas of my life. I truly want to thank them for their genuine interest and passion about helping others succeed and accomplish their goals. I feel like I can gather even more enjoyment out of golf with practicing these skills.
October 28, 2022
Not a bad book but not for me. Felt like a weird collection of somewhat vague scientific research applied to golf and put together into a book. I struggled to find a theme. A few takeaways and an overall appreciation of committing to being in the moment on the golf course is my takeaway. And I liked the Think Box, Play Box, Memory Box.
December 20, 2024
I have a read a number of books by Pia and Lynn. All have been very well written and have helped the mental aspect of my golf game. There is no technical swing instruction in this volume. But there is a lot of good information on how to approach many varying situations that one encounters on the golf course. I recommend this to anyone who wants to improve their golf experience.
December 14, 2017
Interesting book
This book goes into considerable depth on the psychological side of playing golf. There are some very good suggestions to control emotions and tension on the golf course
This book goes into considerable depth on the psychological side of playing golf. There are some very good suggestions to control emotions and tension on the golf course
December 27, 2017
Excellent Read
This book was excellent. The more I read the series of books dealing with mental training the more confident I am in my game. I feel this book really opened my eyes to things I can do and need to do.
This book was excellent. The more I read the series of books dealing with mental training the more confident I am in my game. I feel this book really opened my eyes to things I can do and need to do.
February 23, 2018
Enlightening
Full of enlightenment, good and practical tips, and routines to improve your human skills. My golf game has really improved a lot since I started to read Be a Player, and, more important, I am enjoying it a lot more.
Full of enlightenment, good and practical tips, and routines to improve your human skills. My golf game has really improved a lot since I started to read Be a Player, and, more important, I am enjoying it a lot more.
May 28, 2021
This is not a 4 because it is super fun to read, but rather, because it effectively touches upon multiple mental and physical techniques to enhance your game. This is a golf book that you should purchase and keep in your home to reference when needed.
December 10, 2021
Althrough the ideas were good, I found that the author could compress this book into an essay. Most of the text in the book told us about her clients’ story, not the ideas. This is an interesting book but not well-writen.
September 3, 2023
The authors write the book in such a way that you would never know that there is, in fact, mountains of research that supports their philosophies on the mindset of great golfers. Some of the lessons can even be utilized off the golf course.
August 16, 2017
Great ideas. I always thought I was at a point where the mental side was ruling my game. As usual it's all about practicing what the preach...a little harder to do.
October 29, 2017
These two instructors get it and are leading towards a day where more people can enjoy the game and be a player.
June 25, 2018
I listened to this audio book and then shot the lowest round of the season. Unfortunately, it takes a lot more work to incorporate these principles into your game, but it is well worth it.
June 30, 2018
Really helpful. Great to think of these things and apply them. Must read for golfers.
October 9, 2018
Pretty informative... it's all about how you look at the game... as if I could remember any of this stuff when I'm out there!
no errors.
no errors.
March 18, 2019
Game changer!
April 14, 2019
Great book
This book has helped my game tremendously. Anyone willing to make the commitments the authors suggest will be rewarded with a more enjoyable game and lower scores.
This book has helped my game tremendously. Anyone willing to make the commitments the authors suggest will be rewarded with a more enjoyable game and lower scores.
August 21, 2020
Good book on the mental aspects of Golf... I will read through this book again... there are nuggets within that are valuable for anyone's golf game... good reader and well written.
September 3, 2020
Focused on the mental side of golf. Interesting concepts and enjoyed hearing about the professional golfers who used them.
January 26, 2021
Conquering the mental game
Very good book regarding the mental side of golf. Which is almost all of golf. I enjoyed reading this book and will likely read again.
Very good book regarding the mental side of golf. Which is almost all of golf. I enjoyed reading this book and will likely read again.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews