Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars | 2,430 ratings

Price: 17.47

Last update: 03-07-2025


About this item

In chapters such as "During Your Swing Is Not the Time to Give Yourself a Lesson", "Isn't Where You Have to Play It From Punishment Enough?" and "How to Enjoy a Bad Round of Golf," the author guides golfers with simple yet powerful techniques to prepare for, execute, and, equally important, respond to the results of any golf shot. The author, Dr. Joseph Parent, is a PGA Tour Instructor who draws on his teaching experience to offer special methods that have led to amazing improvements in the games of professionals and amateurs alike.

Zen Golf offers a fresh perspective for golf and for life. Rather than focus on what's wrong with us (what's broken, flawed, or missing) we can take the attitude that there is something fundamentally, essentially right with us. Through mindful awareness, distractions and negativity can be recognized and cleared away.

Clear, concise, and enlightening, Zen Golf introduces a unique combination of modern psychology, Buddhist wisdom, and professional golf instruction. By applying classic insights and stories to the challenges of golf, Zen Golf shows you how to make your mind an ally instead of an enemy: how to stay calm, clear the interference that leads to poor shots, and eliminate bad habits and mental mistakes. Zen Golf shapes ancient philosophies into new teachings, leading golfers to the effortless focus and unconditional confidence of being in "the zone."


Top reviews from the United States

  • Richard L.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2024
    Amazing book! Not only does it explain golf but it is a great intoduction to Zen! Essential to better golf!
  • james r.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read, very informative.
    Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2024
    The information is presented in very understandable terms. Good examples of how this approached helped people improve their game.
  • SGO
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good Reminders
    Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2024
    Pretty good, easy to read book reminding golfers how to keep there head in the game. This is a good reference to go back to periodically when you lose focus on your game.
  • TB
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful
    Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2013
    I am not done with this book yet. However, I am going to write the review early. While I noticed some people who reviewed this book mentioned that the info is "obvious", the fact is that most truths are obvious once learned. Some of the biggest epiphanies seem extremely clear and obvious once they are had. There is no reason to mention the obviousness, when the value is not in the obscurity, or lack thereof, of the information. I played a round yesterday after reading about a third of this book, and kept a few of the ideas in mind, and I am extremely happy with the results. I had more fun, and was more relaxed. I am still new to the game, but I am making steady progress, and I am really glad I found this book so early in my career. There is no reason for me to sloppily tell you the short version of the ideas here. I am telling you right now that no matter where you are in your game, you will be happy you got this book. It is not magic, it does not tell you how to astrally project the ball into the hole, it is just there to tell you some fundamental ideas that will help your mental game. BUY THIS NOW. You will not regret it for a minute. I can't think of any resource that could have helped my game so dramatically for so cheap.
  • SpikeShot
    5.0 out of 5 stars I have read several great golf books lately but this one really stood out
    Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2016
    I have read several great golf books lately but this one really stood out. Once I opened it I could not put it down. The mental game in golf is the key to take your game to the next level. This book was that X factor that helped me understand why I was acting like such a hormonal teenager on the course and how to stop these bad habits. The methods have really helped me get better, but more importantly it helped me enjoy the game more. In fact, the first 18 holes after reading this was some of my best and most enjoyable golf ever- after 8 years of playing. I still had my outbursts, but I was conscious of them and recorded them. By the 10th hole, I was so in the zone I was really surprising myself with the accuracy, distance and a short game I didn't even know I had. What a feeling. Sure there were the "thats not what I expected" moments but they did not ruin the experience of a great round! Highly recommend this book. I immediately gave it to my best bud who had literally thrown his club 20 feet in the very same game. I said read this it will change your golf life and our playing relationship.
  • Chad McKee
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Right Book at the Right Time
    Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2011
    I ordered this book (along with 2 other golf books) on a Thursday. That Friday, I played a difficult local muni with a score of 99 (I'm a 10 handicap). I wasn't completely irate, but I wasn't happy. Saturday, I played another challenging course with my buddy. On the 9th tee, I threw my hybrid into the woods after hitting 3 consecutive tee shots into the canyon and declared that I'm done with golf for the summer. My friend bought me a 6-pack and convinced me to play it out, but I was mentally done with golf (and figured that my buddy was done playing golf with me!).

    When I got home, my books had arrived. My initial thought was to return them, but I went ahead and opened the box and started reading Zen Golf (and completed it in 2 days). There is a ton of content in this book that I'm not going to cover, but here are the most important nuggets that I got out of it:
    - Take one shot at a time (seriously, flat forget how good or bad you have played so far, look forward to the next challenge, and just hit your best shot!)
    - DO NOT take your mechanics out on the golf course with you...just trust your swing and fix problems on the range
    - Positive self-talk always!!!
    - Keep a tally of the negative things you did on the golf course. Decide before your round what you are trying to improve in your mental game. When you mess up, tick-mark it and forget it!
    - The slow-motion walk to the ball in my pre-shot routine helped me tremendously

    I have played three rounds of golf since then and am back into the mid-80's. That's not great, but I enjoyed those rounds of golf more than I remember enjoying golf in a very long time. There are several books that will help you more with swing mechanics, but I haven't ever read a book (or taken lessons) that has helped my game immediately more than this one.

    Give it a read!!!
  • Robert M.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Must read for serious golfer
    Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2023
    Great book for all levels of play. Forget title, this is a practical and thoughtful way to play golf. Equal emphasis on fun and competitive play. I’ve read Bob Rotella books, also excellent, but Zen Golf adds and maybe better explains insightful way to play.
  • Doug Brown
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
    Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2024
    Has a lot of good information and if you can reach the mind level thats in the book it can really work. Not just for golf but life in general.
    Positive thoughts bring better results if you execute the process and don't think about results

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