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Harvey Penick's Little Red Book | 
 enlarge | Author: Harvey Penick
Creator: Jack Whitaker
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Category: Book
List Price: $12.00
Buy New: $0.48
You Save: $11.52 (96%)
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Rating:  57 reviews
Sales Rank: 1723958
Format: Abridged, Audiobook
Media: Audio Cassette
Edition: Abridged
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7 x 4.4 x 0.8
ISBN: 0671799614
Dewey Decimal Number: 796
EAN: 9780671799618
ASIN: 0671799614
Publication Date: March 1, 1993
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Before titanium drivers, before oversized heads and bubble shafts, before electronic systems to tell you how far you are from the pin, golf was much the same game it is today. The lessons Harvey Penick taught in the pre-gadget days still stand. The golf swing is basically the same, and Penick could teach it better than anybody. For most of his life, he never intended to publish his Little Red Book, a notebook of golf wisdom and anecdotes that he compiled with the idea that he'd pass it on to his son. But, for the sake of history, it's a good thing that he changed his mind. Contained in its 175 pages is just about all you need to know about golf from a technical standpoint, along with Penick's priceless memories of working with famous pros, teaching absolute nobodies to get the ball in the air, and finding a horde of bat guano and hauling it across town in a pickup truck to fertilize his golf course. This book makes you feel good about playing golf, that you're part of something steeped in ritual and mystery and tradition, and that the game was played perfectly well before perimeter-weighted, graphite-shafted irons came along.
Book Description
Harvey Penick's life in golf began when he was eight years old, caddying at the Austin, Texas, Country Club. Eight decades later, he is still there, dispensing wisdom to pros and beginners alike. His stature in the golf world is reflected in the wide array of champions that he has worked with including those featured on this audio program, and it is not for nothing that the Teacher of the Year Award given by the Golf Teachers Association is called the Harvey Penick Award. Now after sixty years of keeping notes on the things he's seen and learned and on the golfing greats he's taught, Penick is finally letting the secrets in his Little Red Book be heard by the golf world. His simple, direct, practical wisdom pares away all the hypertechnical jargon that's grown up around the game, and lets all golfers play their best---whatever their level. Already a classic in hardcover, the audio adaptation of Harvey Penick's Little Red Book will be a constant source of guidance and inspiration to anyone who has ever stepped up to the first tee.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 52 more reviews...
 Somewhat disappointing read July 22, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
If I could compare this book to a golf swing, I would say the set-up and approach looked good, but the writing fell apart through the impact zone and follow through.
There is a lot of praise out there for Harvey Penick, and based upon the numerous comments in the book's forward by the well-known golfers he mentored, I have no doubts that the praise is well warranted. Unfortunately, while Penick himself in the book's introduction sets up his "Little Red Book" as a lifetime's masterful compilation of golf wisdom and best kept secrets finally made public, the book fails to live up to the author's own advertising and is a bit disappointing.
A fair amount of down-to-earth tips, techniques, and golfing philosophy that Harvey had applied to his students are shared in the book. And if just one of those tips can improve one's golf game, then I would say the book is worth the price. But too often, the "Little Red Book" comes off as an exercise in name-dropping and rambling golf anecdotes, many of which are not all that interesting nor amusing. It pains me to say that, knowing what a revered figure Harvey Penick has been to some in the golfing community, but that is just my honest assessment.
What also disappointed me about this book was that although Harvey Penick gives a couple of concessions to the virtue of humility, there appears to be a somewhat bragadocious quality to the narrative. That would be more excusable if the "Little Red Book" was in fact packed from cover to cover with the invaluable tips Penick promises in this introductory chapter, but that is not the case. Here is a short example of what I am talking about:
In the chapter titled "First Things First," Harvey writes about a man who came to his country club seeking out "this famous teacher, this Penick fellow." The man says if Harvey is "such a great teacher" perhaps he can give some advice on how to get out of sand traps. Harvey 's response - which abruptly ends the brief chapter - is something to the effect that it is better not to get into sand traps to begin with...a response that is not only rather obvious but neither practically helpful nor particularly clever.
That exemplifies too much of the tone of this book, which is unfortunate, because there are some good down-to-earth visualization techniques and other bits of instruction, which, if solely focused upon, would have made this a far better and more useful read.
 Not a "Must Read" but a Very Good Read March 12, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
An interesting mix of story, sayings, memoir and instruction..only the most ardent golfer or golf instructor could get much out of the instruction, but the story, sayings and memoirs are good, many outstandng.
The concept of the Little Red Boook is interesing and alluring to the reader. An interesting mix of information. Well worth the read, but it leaves the reader--at least this reader--wishing it was two books, one of instruction, one on the other interesting and insightful informaton in the book.
A Good Walk Spoiled (Golf Defined) January 27, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book contains many entertaining anecdotes gathered over the course of may decades. Harvey Penick chose to become a teaching golf professional rather than barnstorm the country during those early years of golf tournaments when many professionals were simply glorified hustlers. Eventually Penick became widely respected and many notable players and duffers stopped over to visit him at the practice tee. Over time, the wooden shafted golf clubs gave way to titanium steel.
I certainly enjoyed the historical perspective that the book provided. Although some golf instruction is included in the book, it is more of a nostalgic look backwards to days spent in the Texas sun mowing the lawns and watering the greens. Reading a book like this is not a bad way to spend an afternoon. Harvey Penick had a good life.
If you are searching for a serious golf instruction manual, however, you may want to choose another book.
 The People He Knew November 29, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I am the author of Striking It Rich: Golf in the Kingdom with Generals, Patients and Pros
This book has been reviewed a lot and the golf advice is worthy of mention but the best parts of this book were the stories about the people he met along the way:
1. The story or Morris williams, Jr. dieing in a plane crash before going out on tour. "I had to relate the tragic news to his mother and father. His daddy fainted in my arms."
2. The day they played a money game with Titanic Thompson and the mystery player (Herman Kaiser) whom they recocnized only months later when his picture was in the paper (because he won the Masters).
And best of all...
3. The story of John Bredemus.
There is a lot.... June 13, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
It's a good book, but you have to read it more one time to discover in some cases what Harvey is trying to say you. The book has a lot of pearls.
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