On Par: The Everyday Golfer's Survival Guide - Paperback

by Bill Pennington (Author)

"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

Front Jacket

Bill Pennington, author of the beloved and widely read On Par golf column for the New York Times, knows how to interpret the experts and pros for the rest of us. For years, he has traveled the globe in search of golf s essentials those basic principles, those elusive 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 the world s leading 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 sought the advice of psychiatrists, physicists, economists, zen masters. And on a particularly bad golf outing, he has even discussed the fickleness of golf with a quite helpful raccoon.
On Par captures it all: From equipment and instruction, to the rules and language of golf, to camaraderie and psychology, to the short game/long game debate, Pennington informs and entertains as he gets to the essence of this mercurial game, including golf s holy grail, the hole in one.
Part instruction, part education, part therapy, and shot through with Pennington s trademark wit, this is a book for everyone who has ever felt the game s distinct pull and slice.
"

Back Jacket

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 is the award-winning New York Times sportswriter who pens the On Par column and stars in the related video series on nytimes.com. He has also written for the New York Times Magazine, Sports Illustrated, and Sporting News. A longtime golfer, Pennington grew up near some of New England s historic courses, but has not been able to get his handicap below 11.

"