We consulted the pros at the interactive Golf Galaxy retail stores for their top picks of must-read manuals guaranteed to elevate your golf game.
1The Golf Book: The Players, The Gear, The Strokes, The Courses, The Championships
edited by David Summers
This volume belongs on your shelf as much as that five-iron belongs in your bag. This isn’t just a history lesson—though you’ll get that, charting golf’s journey from pastime to passion—it’s a backstage pass to the sport’s grand stages, from windswept links to championship greens. Get up close with the legends, dissect their winning strokes, and perhaps, pick up a trick or two.
2The Nature of the Game: Links Golf at Bandon Dunes and Far Beyond
by Mike Keiser
Step off the cart and into the rugged beauty of true links golf with visionary course developer Mike Keiser, whose odyssey from the storied greens of Scotland to Oregon’s wild coastlines has redefined golf as we know it. Through personal anecdotes and historic insights, Keiser invites readers to experience the game in its purest form— immersive, accessible, and deeply connected to the natural world.
3So Help Me Golf: Why We Love The Game
by Rick Reilly
The bestselling author known for Commander in Cheat and Who’s Your Caddy returns with a hilarious exploration of golf’s quirks and traditions. In this journey through the game’s most eccentric moments— from bank-robbing PGA players to alligator- ridden greens to pre-tee bourbon shots at Peyton Manning’s course—Reilly shares the wonderfully maddening, heart-melting, and captivating reasons why golf is so utterly addictive.
4In the Women’s Clubhouse: The Greatest Women Golfers in Their Own Words
edited by Terri Leonard
This anthology presents over a century of women’s golf history, entirely through the voices of its most influential figures. Offering their female-driven perspectives on the sport’s evolution, Glenna Collett reflects on playing in the inaugural national championship, Marion Hollins discusses her pivotal role in course design, and Helen Alfredsson delves into the dynamics of playing alongside men.
5Golf: The Ultimate Guide
edited by Satu Fox
Clad in a unique turf cover, this comprehensive guide is your all-access pass to the world of golf. It features lavish illustrations, historic and modern photographs, clear diagrams for scorecards, distance charts for different irons, and step-by-step swing instructions. From the basics of equipment and rules to in-depth tours of the world’s top courses and major tournaments, this tome has everything a golfer needs to get into the swing of things.
