Zen Golf Book Review: 7 Lessons for Lower Scores
This Zen Golf book review will help you play better golf... FAST!
Dr. Parent uses a simple approach to help you hack your mind for lower scores and hopefully, more consistent results.
It seems like every golfer I ask always says they want a more "consistent" score. The key to getting this type of consistency isn't from making more swing changes or buying more equipment. It's learning how to use your mind for more efficient and consistent results.
Zen Golf is a mental golf book that can improve your mindset, have more fun, and hopefully play better than ever. It is one of the best-selling mental game golf books in the world and one of my all-time favorites.
Today, I want to share some of my favorite lessons in this Zen Golf summary so you can use them in your game.
Zen Golf Summary
Use these tips from Dr. Joseph Parent to take your mental game to the next level.
Creating a Great Warm Up Routine
The first tip from Zen Golf happens before you ever even get to the golf course in your warm-up routine. A lot of times golfers just hit a few balls, throw a few balls down on the green and then rush off to the first tee.
But the author, Dr. Joseph Parent, says you should add a different approach. Instead of mindlessly hitting balls or thinking about technique, try to play a few holes on the range. Create imaginary targets and act like you're already on the golf course.
By the time you do get to the first hole, you're going to feel like you're warmed up and you've already gone through your pre-shot routine. This is going to set you up for success and hopefully help you overcome some of those first tee jitters.
This is something that is echoed in the book, GYRA Golf by Dr. Izzy Justice as well.
Putt With Intention Before the Round
As I mentioned in the previous point, it’s way too common to throw a few golf balls down on the putting green without real intention. But this can lead to speed issues and not feeling very comfortable over the golf ball on the greens.
Here’s what the author recommends instead:
- Before putting to any hole, roll a few balls to the fringe that is roughly 20-feet away.
- But there’s a catch - don’t look up yet. Instead, try to guess if it’s short, long, or just the right distance.
- After a few putts, you will quickly learn the green speed without even putting to a hole
- The next thing to do is to set tees at 10, 20 and 30 feet on the practice green. Then you want to putt to those in both directions.
- Do this a few times, usually on a slope to learn how much putts break.
Once you have a good understanding of the speed from different directions and distances, then focus on short putts. See the ball dropping from short range for a few minutes to improve your pre-round confidence. Finally, take one ball and go through your pre-shot routine so you’re ready for the course.
Watch Your Self-Talk
The third tip in this Zen Golf summary is to be very careful about what you say to your mind. As he mentions in the book, a lot of golfers say, hey, this is a right edge putt. What golfers mean by that, of course, is that I need to start this at the right edge because it's going to break a little bit left, and that way it'll go in the middle of the cup.
However, the problem is if we just keep thinking right edge, right edge, right edge, right edge, our mind only thinks about the right edge and not where the putt will actually go in. This can lead to pushing putts toward the right edge (or pulling if it’s a “left edge” putt).
While it’s okay to identify the starting spot, always focus on where the ball is going in the hole. Make this your final image before hitting the putt.
Stop Complaining
Golf is a hard game but we often make it harder by complaining about the course, bad luck, our swing, or other things during the round. As Dr. Parent said, “Don't complain about anything, not even to yourself.”
Here’s why this is such an important concept in golf…
Complaining not only disrupts your focus and mental state and also negatively affects your playing partners. Negative energy is contagious and can ruin a fun day on the links.
Golf is a challenging sport, and every golfer, from beginners to professionals, faces moments of frustration or disappointment. However, these are inherent aspects of the game, and overcoming them with resilience and a positive mindset is crucial.
Complaining often leads to a self-fulfilling cycle of negativity, hampering your ability to make effective shots and manage difficult situations. Instead, you should focus on staying calm, maintaining a positive attitude, and learning from their challenges. This approach not only improves your overall experience on the course but also leads to better performance and personal growth in the sport.
Be grateful you’re out there… if you think about it there is nothing to complain about - even the occasional bad break. Bobby Jones said it best, “Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots - but you have to play the ball where it lies.”
Stay Present
The next tip is to do everything in your mental power to stay present both with your mind and body.
As you know, as golfers we are kind of time travelers out there - sometimes letting our mind drift to the past about a missed putt or poor shot. Or, let our mind wander to the future and a tough 18th hole or scoring better than ever.
As Dr. Joseph Parent said in Zen Golf, “The past is history, the future is a mystery, being alive in this moment is a gift. That’s why they call it the present.
Whether it’s between shots, between holes, or between rounds, don’t forget to smell the flowers along the way. This is the most important transition, because it is only in the present that we can connect with our nature of basic goodness and simply appreciate being alive.”
Stop letting your mind wander during the round and stay present (aka where your feet are) to play your best golf.
Do Your Thinking Behind the Golf Ball
The next tip from Zen Golf is to make sure you walk into the shot ready to go. Too many golfers don’t do their thinking behind the golf ball then start to question the distance, club, or wind over the ball. This leads to a lot of indecision and not very good swings.
Don’t walk into the shot until you’re 100% ready. You want to confirm the distance club, shot shape, and target so you can speed up your routine and execute the shot.
Of course, things are going to happen - sometimes the wind might kick up or you realize the lie was above or below your feet. When that happens, step off, regroup, go through your pre-shot routine and step up to it again.
Have a Post-Shot Routine
Most golfers know about a pre-shot routine but what about after the shot is over? Do you have a routine to help you deal with a bad shot so you’re 100% focused for the next?
This is the importance of a good post shot routine. As Dr. Parent said, “Focus totally on the routine, and thoughts of results are less likely to imperil any of your transitions.”
When you hit good shots you want to reinforce them. Most golfers get super frustrated with bad shots then brush off good shots like it’s no big deal.
But the mind needs positive reinforcement. When you execute a shot and stick to your routine, be proud of that shot. Celebrate it for a second before moving on to the next shot.
A good post-shot routine will also help you forget bad shots quickly. Don't forget your mind is wired for negativity by something called negativity bias. It is a survival mechanism above all else.
So if you're constantly getting mad and emotional (ex. throwing clubs and screaming or belittling yourself) after all these bad shots you're more likely to remember that than a good shot.
A good ritual after the shot will help you forget bad ones quickly and reinforce the good ones.
Top Questions About Zen Golf
Do you have more questions about Zen Golf? If so, keep reading the top questions and answers now.
What is the best Zen Golf quote?
There are so many great ones it’s hard to choose.
One of my personal favorites is, “Golf can’t be taught, it can only be learned.”
Everyone wants to play better immediately but sometimes it does take time as there is so much to learn about this great game. It’s okay to get lessons just know that it’ll be a lifelong journey to learn as much as possible about this great sport.
Who wrote Zen Golf?
Dr. Joseph Parent is the author of Zen Golf who is also the author of Zen Putting.
Closing Thoughts
It’s easy to see why Zen Golf is one of my favorite mental golf books and highly recommend it for all players. The more you master your mindset, the sooner you can play your best golf ever.
I’ll leave you with this final quote from Dr. Parent. “The greatest interference is fear of unwanted results. Yet that is precisely what we get from a lack of commitment."
Don’t let fear hold you back from playing your best golf ever. If you need help understanding your mental game and how to improve, make sure to learn more about mental golf coaching.
Or, listen to the podcast version here.
