Newton on the Tee: A Good Walk Through the Science of Golf | 
 enlarge | Author: John Zumerchik
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Category: Book
List Price: $14.00
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Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 205500
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 256
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.8
ISBN: 1416541292
Dewey Decimal Number: 796
EAN: 9781416541295
ASIN: 1416541292
Publication Date: April 15, 2008
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
A lively, accessible discussion of the physics of golf, John Zumerchik's Newton on the Tee is, to players at all levels of ability, at once a beacon of hope and a shoal of despair. It assumes what golfers already know--that it is a damnably difficult game--and proceeds to tell them why. For instance, the allowable angle of lateral error (pushing the ball left or right) of a 160-yard shot "can be measured in the one one-thousandth of a degree range," compared with that of a basketball free throw, which is 1.5 degrees. Zumerchik also explains why dimpled balls (hit equally) will travel two times farther than smooth, nondimpled ones, and casts a cocked eye at the advantage "reading the grain" of greens has long been supposed to bring. He discusses the two schools of thought regarding clubhead acceleration and succinctly explains how and to what degree altitude, latitude, moisture, and air temperature affect ball flight. He includes a chapter on physical conditioning--what might help, what might not, and why--and, dishearteningly, one on the aging process and its attendant decline in playing ability. Newton on the Tee is free of the cant found in most golf books--either instructional or meditative--and dispels many (but not all) claims of equipment makers. This is a delightful and trustworthy book which, if nothing else, will ground golfers' time-honored tradition of excuse making in solid, irreproachable science. --H. O'Billovich
Product Description
Like no other sport, golf obsesses those poor souls who hope to master its subtleties and abundant complexities. One shot is hit like a dream, the next a nightmare. As a result, the game's disciples have embraced any and all techniques endorsed by pros and hackers, poets and philosophers (these days a good walk is often spoiled by tripping over a sandtrap's worth of Zen meditations and mystical tomes). But while so many have journeyed through golf's metaphysics, no one has presented a readable, compelling look at the science of the game -- until now.In Newton on the Tee, accomplished science writer John Zumerchik examines, explores, and explains to us the endless details that make golf such a tantalizing pursuit. Written in language accessible to even the most scientifically disinclined, Zumerchik's book delves into areas of supreme importance to every golfer, including: - The Physics of the Sweet Swing: The universal principles shared by all those rhythmic and well-timed swings you see on TV but not in the mirror
- Mind Over Muscle: How the brain affects and controls the movements of the body (and why confidence is the golfer's most indispensable tool)
- Getting the Ball from Here to There: Decoding the vagaries of launch angles, spin, lift, and gravity that make the difference between walking happily down the fairway and tramping into the bunkers
- Probability and Statistics: Understanding the mathematics of golf, and a by-the-numbers appraisal of golf's greatest legends
With a firm grasp of both his subject and his 7-iron, Zumerchik takes the reader through all these topics and more, in an entertaining and enlightening work that will give every golfer something to chew on besides his or her nails, and make clear and comprehensible the hundred-and-thirty-five things you shouldn't think about during your backswing.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Is the brain mightier than the swing? May 7, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
"Is the brain mightier than the swing? Proven science makes a great golfer according to Zumerchik who uses physics, gravity and universal principles to torment himself and other hackers about getting a golf ball from here to there."
 Dissapointing April 16, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
Watch out! The front cover is misleading. There are no such diagrams or formulas inside the book. Just words, words, like a novel. It makes me fall asleep.
All the research and data on golf. January 18, 2007
Golf is a game of tradition and legend. On the equipment side the marketing is filled with overhype, half truths and black magic. This book will give you the facts and research data that has been done over 400 years of this great game. Amaze your golf buddies with your knowledge after reading this book.
 Great book, bad title April 16, 2005
This is a truely engaging book on the technical aspects of golf. Technical, that is, outside of swing mechanics. Too many people get caught up in what makes for a good swing according to this teacher and that without really knowing the why behind it all. Not just with the swing, though. Ball aerodynamics, physical conditioning, even probability as it relates to scoring are all things we just seem to forget about, even though they can have just as much an effect on our play as anything else.
All of this, plus a bit more, is handled in Newton on the Tee. It is overall pretty layman-friendly, and many of the more technical explanations can be skipped without losing too much of the intent. For someone who has only just had lessons or read books on swing theory, this will probably help give you a broader perspective on what works and why.
One note about the title. When I read the word Newton, I expect plenty of physics. I may not be able to handle all the technical information, but I would love to know why musclebacks perform differently than cavity backs with the science to back it up, not just a general explanation of perimeter weighting. It makes me wish I had run into The Physics of Golf (used as a reference in this book) sooner. I still got pleanty out of Netwon, however.
First-Rate Technical Explanations & How to Avoid Back Injury January 26, 2005
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Zumerchik knows what he is talking about. Clearly he took decades building up this knowledge of the underlying factors that determine performance and healthy practice at golfing. *** "Getting the Ball from Here to There" (Ch. 4) has a section on aerodynamics that clarifies choices for a variety of wind shots. The Bernoulli principle, the Magnus effect, and other more subtle factors are presented with diagrams and in terms that the average technically competent golfer will understand. *** You could see this as a way to get an edge over nontechnical opponents. Same for avoiding serious injuries. *** Eventually you get to "Injuries and Aging." Short chapter. Worth about 5 times the new price of the book. You'll get right up front why sinovial fluid, the prestress action of back muscles prior to impact (preparing for deceleration in follow through), elastic energy, and other factors are important. Includes keys to understand where injuries are risky for becoming serious problems. *** Highly recommended. Overall as good as Harvey Pennick's Little Red Book. Where you might want technical papers and books for more, there's a top level fully technical bibliography.
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