Philip Moses has come up with a terrific idea in his diary/instruction book aimed at the “average” golfer. With some adjustment, the book could potentially fill an almost unexplored niche in golf literature.
The author has gone to several golf schools and taken many private lessons. His book chronicles those experiences, and Moses discusses those adaptations he made to his game that he thinks would be valuable to average golfers. With the vast majority of golf books written either for beginners or aficionados, this one is sure to be welcome among its target audience.
Moses offers much in the way of sound advice that’s easy to apply. At 85 pages, his “diary” is also just about the right length. (Most golf books are far too long.)
Sadly, though, the book also has some problems. Because the entries in the Diary are not dated, it is hard to tell where one entry stops and the next one starts; it’s also difficult to judge where the author is, chronologically, in his progress.
Most golf books are redundant, and this is no exception. The Diary of a 10 to 14 Handicapper tells readers the same “swing thoughts” (such as “bring the club back slowly”) repeatedly, chapter after chapter. The writing also lacks organization. In the middle of one chapter about driving the ball, for example, the author suddenly includes an awkward sentence about putting. In another chapter about hitting the three-wood, Moses writes: “Priority number one with sand shots is to follow through.” Nothing more about sand shots follows.
Finally, an index would have been helpful for golfers seeking specific information, and while the writing is mostly lucid and free of grammatical errors, the author often skips from first to second to third person without warning.
The Diary of a 10 to 14 Handicapper is filled with handy tips. With the help of an editor to better present and organize them, this could be an excellent resource.
Also available as an ebook.
