Book SummaryGolf Is Not a Game of Perfect, by Bob Rotella

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect

Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect, by Bob Rotella, is a book about the psychology of golf. Rotella argues that success in golf depends upon adopting a winning mentality—not on making changes to your swing.

According to Rotella, most serious golfers have enough mechanical skill to achieve their goals, whether they’re weekend players or seasoned pros. Rotella argues that a golfer’s mentality is what determines whether they’ll be able to harness their mechanical skill to reach their goals.

Rotella is a...

Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect Summary Choose the Right Thoughts

According to Rotella, the first step in taking control of your golf game is choosing the right thoughts. He argues that some thoughts help you play to the best of your ability, while others lead you to perform poorly.

(Shortform note: Taking control of your thoughts can help you succeed in all of your pursuits, not just golf. In Soundtracks, Jon Acuff argues that repeating positive thoughts can help you change your behavior to better align with your life goals. Choosing the right thoughts can help you break down bad habits and replace them with positive ones that will help you achieve success.)

Avoid Technical Thoughts

Specifically, Rotella notes that thinking too technically during a round of golf can cause you to hit poor shots. It’s fine to critique and adjust your swing during practice, but you shouldn’t try to do so during a real round. Golf swings are mechanically complicated, and even the most skilled players are unlikely to be able to accurately troubleshoot swing issues during the course of a single round....

Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect Summary Build Confidence to Make the Most of Your Skill

In addition to choosing the right thoughts during a round, develop and maintain confidence in your skill as a golfer. To build confidence, Rotella recommends that you set and commit to lofty goals, work to overcome your fear, and take advantage of selective memory.

(Shortform note: While Rotella advocates for building confidence using mental techniques, focusing on physical skills can also help build confidence. For instance, professional golfer Jordan Spieth notes that his confidence increases when he spends time on the range perfecting his mechanics.)

Once developed, a high level of confidence will enable you to make better decisions and better swings. Confidence helps you avoid second-guessing and fully commit to your choices, thereby improving the quality of your decision-making. Confidence also enables you to think less while swinging and instead rely on the muscle memory and golf skill that you already possess.

(Shortform note: Rotella argues that confidence is a major factor in athletic success. However, there’s still debate on how...

Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect Summary Play Pragmatically

Alongside your efforts to build confidence, Rotella recommends that you take a pragmatic approach to your play. Specifically, to elevate your game, focus on short shots and choose easy shots.

Focus on Approach Shots

Rotella argues that most of your practice time should be dedicated to improving your short game. While it’s tempting to focus on relatively flashy long irons and drives, the shots that will save you the most strokes over the course of the round are the shots you take near the green, from max-range wedge shots to chipping from the edge of the green, and everything in between. Rotella argues that improving your mechanics on these shots will improve your scores faster than any other course of practice.

(Shortform note: In addition to having a relatively small impact on your score, long shots may also be more difficult to perfect in practice. Experts argue that for many golfers, trying to perfect tee shots may be a waste of time, as it takes a lot of time and natural ability that most people don’t possess. By contrast, these experts note that because the short game doesn’t rely on physical...

Shortform Exercise: Commit to Your Golf Goals

According to Rotella, the first step in building confidence is setting ambitious goals. Identify your goals in golf and commit to a program of improvement.

Consider your current golf goals. Maybe they’re ambitious, or maybe they’re more modest—or maybe you haven’t yet set any goals at all. If you don’t have any goals or your goals aren’t quite so ambitious, revise them, setting a loftier, more ambitious goal. Write that goal below. If you’re already chasing an ambitious goal, write that down instead. For example, your goal could be shooting even par on a difficult course or making the cut in an upcoming tournament.