Ten Reasons to Love Getting Up and Down by Tom Watson with Nick Seitz

Although Tom Watson was winning tournaments in the 1980's, his book of golf tips for your short game are very helpful and easily learned, especially the part about practice, practice, practice. Here's ten reasons why I like it.

#1 Getting Up and Down Provides Terrific Practice Suggestions

Learn a series of practice exercises you can use to improve your golf chipping game on the course, on the practice tees, and at home.

#2 Getting Up and Down Contains Motion Illustrations

The illustrations in Getting Up and Down are really well done and provide a series of line drawings that show ever movement throughout the swing.

#3 Getting Up and Down Teaches How to Perform Exception Chip Shots and Putts

Learn how the different surface conditions on the green can affect your shot and where it stops. Many of the exceptions explained go beyond the average advice and help you learn to read the greens.

#4 Getting Up and Down Provides Mental Tips

Golf is a thinking game and an unthinking game, i.e. sometimes your best game occurs when you let your body do the work. Tom Watson provides tips about how to think about certain situations so that when you take your swing, you're ready to just go with the flow.

#5 Getting Up and Down Explains the Differences in Irons and How to Choke Down

When selecting your approach shot, unless you do something wrong, the proper iron will place you next to the hole or put you off of the green.

#6 Getting Up and Down Compares Grips and Tells You the Pros and Cons

If your hold on your club slips or jars, it may be because your grip isn't working well for you. Tom Watson clarifies where to place your thumb, and fingers and how to get your hands working together.

#7 Getting Up and Down Tells You How to Compensate for Wind

I find wind to be the environmental characteristic that is hardest to deal with because I allow it to distract my attention. Learn tips how to manage wind when taking your chip or putt.

#8 Getting Up and Down Teaches Techniques for Immovable Objects

Have a sprinkler head or tree in the way of your right handed stroke? Find out cool tips for how to manage your way back onto the green without surrendering a penalty stroke.

#9 Getting Up and Down Explains How to Get Set Up Properly for Your Shot

Items included are stance, grip, head, feet width, all items that can help you make your shot or make it fail.

#10 Getting Up and Down Shows the Way to Alter Your Chip for Roll

So you get up and down, but does the ball reach where you want it to go? Loft can affect where the ball rolls to and how accurate you place the ball.

If you're a beginner, I would recommend this book since it is so helpful. If you want to hear a few tales about what it takes to get started golfing, read A Beginner's Guide to Golf.