"Jon Sherman's book doesn't peddle in any theories. Instead, he approaches golf from a player's perspective, with a singular goal: To help you play better golf the next time you tee it up. And he succeeds." - Luke Kerr-Dineen,xa0xa0Golf.com / GOLF Magazine "If your goal is to shoot lower scores, you should read this wonderful book by Jon Sherman!xa0 His advice is practical, impactful, and presented with clearly reasoned, objective analysis. Highly recommended for every golfer who's serious about improving their game." - Mark Broadie, author of Every Shot Counts "I have been friends with Jon for years and have watched him evolve into one of the top voices in game improvement. The Four Foundations is a wonderful culmination of his philosophy. I am confident a golfer of any level can pick up this book and take their game to the next level with just a few of the many lessons within." - Scott Fawcett, founder of DECADE "Jon offers a genuinely unique perspective as a player-coach. His methods are tried and tested - and proven to help golfers worldwide get better without having to stand on a range all day, tinkering with their swing. The Four Foundations of Golf is an excellent addition to any golf library, explaining a wide range of improvement methods in great depth without being confusing. You'll get so much out of this book, you'd be a fool not to get it!" - Adam Young, author of The Practice Manual "Jon does an amazing job at quantifying the specific areas of your game that you need to improve if you want to start scoring better. This isn't just some random book filled with fluff. It's about understanding how to be more efficient with your time to get the most out of your game on various topics. He leaves no stone unturned. I highly recommend it!" Shauheen Nakhjavani, PGA Tour Coach "The goal of a golf book should be simple—get you to shoot lower scores—but so often they're bogged down by technical jargon and theoretical filler. Jon's book does a fantastic job of always keeping the eye on the prize, which is improving your game." - Dan Rapaport, Golf Digest Jon Sherman is the owner of Practical Golf, a website dedicated to being an honest resource for the everyday golfer looking to enjoy the game more and improve. Since 2015, millions of golfers have read his articles. His latest book, The Four Foundations of Golf, is a complete guide to golf that a player of any level can use to lower their scores and increase their enjoyment of the game.
Features & Highlights
#1 Amazon Golf Book Best-SellerLower Your Scores, Increase Enjoyment
Are you struggling to take your golf game to the next level? Learn the philosophy that has helped thousands of players worldwide lower their scores and improve their relationship with golf.
Swing tips come and go, but foundational golf skills last forever. Whether you are a complete beginner or an advanced player, The Four Foundations of Golf will give you the blueprint to build a stronger, longer-lasting game. This is not your typical, fluffy golf guide that leaves all the important details out.
Since 2015, Practical Golf has been one of the top online game-improvement resources for golfers. Jon Sherman has written hundreds of articles, sharing his perspective as a “player-coach.” You can finally get all of the methods he’s used to become a scratch golfer and coach other golfers in one complete guide.
Every golfer wants to know the secrets to golf. But they are always looking in the wrong places. There are four foundations to building a successful game - expectation management, strategy, practice, and a sharp mental game. In each of these sections, you will receive tangible and actionable advice.
In this book, you will learn how to:
• Become a happier, more fulfilled golfer through expectation management• Understand how scoring truly occurs and use modern data analytics to lower your handicap efficiently• Learn a strategic framework a golfer of any level can quickly adopt - pick smarter targets with every club in your bag and watch your scores drop overnight• How to practice efficiently. Get detailed, step-by-step instructions on methods that will increase your skills and finally transfer your practice range game to the course• Improve your swing without thinking about your technique• The secrets to increasing your distance used by touring pros and elite amateurs• Use statistics to customize your practice sessions and strategy• Learn mental techniques to calm yourself, build routines, and stand over the ball with more confidence• And much, much more
Finally, you will no longer have to feel like you are lost and alone in your golf game. The Four Foundations will teach you how to be your own coach, and not waste time on methods that don’t work. Stop listening to your friend’s questionable tips and learn what all the greats have figured out.
If you like detailed, straightforward information with plenty of examples, you will love this book. It will reshape how you think about golf entirely and give you the tools and strategies to transform your entire game.
Customer Reviews
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Most Helpful Reviews
★★★★★
5.0
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Chicken Soup for the Golfer
After following Jon's Twitter account and picking up lots of useful insights from that, I bought a copy of his book. As he mentions throughout, this is not a book with swing instructions or drills. It's more a compilation of the things he's learned and observed that have helped him become a better golfer and what he believes can help others who often get stuck in a never-ending cycle of instruction of swing tips and suggestions from online instructors and golf publications.
I'd describe this book as a sort of "Chicken Soup" for golfers - things that we sometimes already know that are reinforced; often things we didn't know and are eye-opening. In any case he explains them in a way that makes them easier to apply on the golf course or when practicing. Without divulging too much, Jon has a way of illustrating how golfers sabotage themselves with their expectations of their game versus their skill level and their practice habits...and never in a condescending way. He also provides tips and insights that helped me re-frame my practice habits and my mental preparation before and during a round.
This isn't rocket science, which makes it even more effective in my opinion. It's just a basic, "common sense" approach to golf and how to get more fun out of it. And it works. I have found I enjoy the game much more now; because I've reset my expectations of what good golf shots are, especially when compared to "scratch" or tour professionals, I've found I'm less disappointed with my shotmaking, and often am amazed at how well I can play when I just "let it go".
This book appeals to all skill levels and ages. An absolute must have for your bookshelf.
I'm a 55 year old golfer who's played for about 40 years and my handicap index is near the lowest it's ever been (5.5). I believe I still have plenty of opportunities to improve on that.
11 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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Absolute Must Read for All Golfers
Jon Sherman’s Four Foundations of Golf
An absolute must-read for any golfer of any level. I’m in my early 40s and wish a mentor, coach, or my dad had put a book like this in front of me when I was 9 years old (albeit the data Jon references was not available in the 1990s, but you get the point).
I read the book from cover to cover over a few weeks. I made notes in line, tabbed the pages, and transferred many of Jon’s strategy, practice, and mental game notes to my on-course reference book (Jon’s book is slightly too large to carry on course).
My three sons will read this book, specifically Part One: Managing Expectations. While you can reference specific areas of Jon’s book directly without issue, I highly recommend you read Part 1 first. This section, along with the work of many of Jon’s references, showed data and educated or corrected me on defining: what is a good golf shot; what is a good round; and setting realistic performance expectations. Part 1 is applicable beyond golf (as is the Mental Game, Part 4).
Jon accomplishes exactly what he set out to do with his writing, which is to 1) spell things out clearly with little room for interpretation and 2) communicate in a simple and straightforward manner.
Jon does not bog you down with technical aspects of the swing or other technical deep dives. He focuses on developing skill and transferring that skill to the course with Strategy (Part 2), including course management, proximity, shot patterns, course study, pre- and post-shot routines, and mental analysis.
Finally, Jon is approachable and a credible teacher. He provides numerous other resources to build upon the material in his book. Jon also quickly responded with generosity to a personal request. I cannot recommend this book and Jon’s online resources enough.
5 stars.
8 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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Added to the Mount Rushmore of golf books
I own 50+ books on golf instruction from Hogan's Five Lessons to Nicklaus' Golf My Way to Pelz Short Game Bible and everything in between. Jon Sherman has written a golf instruction book that has been needed for forty years. However - there are no swing tips in Four Foundations. No magic secrets to greatness. The author provides us instruction how to 1) manage expectations and get more enjoyment out of the game by realizing how hard a game it is (through statistical analysis) and finding joy in your good shots and evaluating your poor shots and letting them go 2) taking your game to the next level and/or saving strokes through knowing your own skillset and using course management to eliminate big numbers of your scorecard 3) practicing smarter and 4) improving your mindset.
I believe this would be a worthwhile purchase for casual golfers, but a must read for serious players who are looking to knock a few or possibly many shots off their handicap.
The first time I read it I couldn't put it down. The second time, I got even more from it. Over the past three weeks I've implemented many of Sherman's strategies and shot some of my better rounds, but more importantly I've not beat myself up over a couple of poor rounds/holes.
I lent it to one of my golf buddies and after reading it, he said he needed his own copy.
I can't recommend this book enough. It's been a long time coming.
7 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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Hands down, the best book you’ll ever read on how to play the game.
About a month ago, I purchased your Four Foundations book from Amazon. I’m mostly through it at this point. If you are considering buying this book, you need to know that it is hands down, the best publication on how to play the game that I have ever read.
I had hit a plateau in my game. I’m a decent player, but I have not been able to achieve any meaningful improvements over the past several years. I had been introduced to the concept of real strategy and how to apply it, but this book put it in very simple terms that were far easier for me to apply to MY game. That said, I went out recently and shot my best round ever, which included a -1 back nine on a course I’ve never played before. I’ve never shot under par on any 9 in my life, much less one I’ve never even seen that had a 71.5/145 rating!
This book taught me to pay attention to the strike. I worked on that and found a setup position that allowed me to find the center of the face repeatedly. This book helped me pick an approach target that had me considering my shot dispersion in a way I never had before. The results speak for themselves.
This book is absolutely incredible. I walk out on the golf course now and I am playing a completely different game than I was a month ago. This book has given me renewed energy and promise that my handicap can still be pressed lower. I’ve never been more excited to play my next round!
7 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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Putting It All Together
I have been playing golf off and on for over 60 years, taking two ten-year breaks, on in my late twenties, the other in my late 30s. Now that I am retired, I am once again focusing on improving my scores. What most impresses me about this book is that it provides practical, easily grasped ways to improve. While at some times dispelling old myths, it also provides more than a few "Duh" moments, instances where one says, " I should have known that." Regardless, with the concepts provided I am confidently on the way to significantly lowering my handicap.
3 people found this helpful
★★★★★
1.0
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Would love to read it but it is falling apart
I have great hope this book will help me continue to improve my golf game, but it is unreadable in its condition. Although the paperback is new, the pages are falling out of it as you open it to read. With this condition it is not worth the frustration in trying to read this and gain anything as it is so distracting to try and keep the pages in order. Do yourself a favor and if you want to read this book do it in any other format than a paperback, the printer and publisher should be ashamed to put out this quality of book.
2 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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It’s golf, not life and death
This book is not about your swing but it shows you and provides you with birds eye view of the game called golf. Holistic approach I would say. When you need a clutch iron shot to tie a hole or when your playing buddy just put the ball on the green from 250 yards with 3 wood, when your heart beats 130/min for the money you are about to lose, the points from this book will bring calmness and peace to your mind. The first round I played after reading the first few chapters, I asked myself - “am I enjoying? Why am I so frustrated?” I scored the back 9 the half of the stroke I had in the front 9. With what I can do right now, I believe I can lower my average score 50% like +6. This is a completely different mindset from “I need to hit 300 yard driver or a new set of the latest iron set”. After all, it’s golf. Who will remember my scores? Relax and enjoy!
2 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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Great read on looking at the game from a coaching aspect
I have been a follower of Jon's Practical Golf site since getting back into golf in 2018. When the book came out, I was excited to see how he would put it all together. I purchased this in paperback as I have not moved to the Kindle world in terms of books. The book is well written, with concise chapters that conclude with a number of Big Ideas to glean. He follows much of the data presented on other great golf works such as "Every Shot Counts", "Lowest Score Wins", etc. Thankfully Jon's teaching in the book is NOT about how to perfect your slice or duck hook. It is NOT about jumping on the latest swing thought. What is it about? Course management to be concise. He covers key areas like shot dispersion, knowing your true distances, club impact zones, etc. One thing I really enjoyed was the exploration of the mental side of the game and how we can keep the game fun even when the game that day is horribly bad. Get the book, know that it is not about mechanics as it is much more - keeping the game enjoyable for the rest of your life.
2 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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This is for anyone looking to take their golf game to the next level!
Jon has masterfully written the equivalent of “THE Golf Code.” It’s a great book and easy to read. It’s something you can read through but also reference manual that you can continue to go back to to remind yourself just how to get better. It will help get real about the truths of the game.
This book addresses some of them that the average golfer probably doesn’t know and helps keep the game in perspective. If you struggle with anger on the course, you won’t after reading much of this book.
It is not a technical book about the golf swing but rather a manual to help you map out improvement in your decision making, emotions, expectations, and how to practice properly (hint: most golfers don’t!). I’m so glad Jon wrote this book and it’s a book always on my nightstand or end table. I would highly recommend anyone get this book from as it can help out a new golfer or a scratch golfer looking to get to the next level.
1 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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A must for any golfer serious about their game
Probably the BEST book I've read (and re-read) for improving my game.
