Over the past few years, the amount of new courses in America has been dwarfed by the amount of courses that are closing. While the sport isn't close to dying anytime soon, many are starting to see some warning signs that the industry may be struggling. There is a lot of finger pointing, but the majority of it seems to be centered on the manufacturer's of golf equipment. While this may seem a bit odd, many believe that since new clubs that promise better scores come out every year, consumers are hesitant to plunk down a lot of cash on something that may be outdated within a few months.

This raises another big issue in the sport - do these clubs really work and can you buy hope? The answer is usually a no. While these clubs may help improve your game a little bit, you're not really addressing the problem and all too often, the results are nothing by disappointment in more hype. This leaves many players the choice of either becoming better or just quitting the sport. As this title of this book indicates, the author wants consumers to just forget all about this hype and hit the ball.

When it comes down to it, the only thing that can make you a better player is practice. Sure, you can buy that fancy new driver, but if you think it's going to turn you from a 150 yarder to a 400 yarder overnight, you are sadly deceived. We are all limited by our physical make-up and prowess, and no club is going to be able to change that. However, with time and practice, you can become a better player and at the very least, a more consistent one.
This book does a good job at addressing the new kinds of equipment that are being released and their strengths and weaknesses. New materials and designs are discussed as well as how they will affect our games. The author covers the evolution of the new clubs and in some cases, proves that the old stand-bys were actually better for our games. Also on tap is a discussion on the evolution of the golf ball and whether or not this is also a contributing factor in the way we play.

The author's viewpoints, statements, and actions as the former USGA technical director have even resulted in litigation (now resolved) by the golf equipment manufacturers. We recommend this book simply because it offers an interesting viewpoint and some much needed discussion into the phenomenon of golf club evolution. You may not agree with the author, but it is an interesting read. He certainly has a gift for making even complex issues easy to understand and the book is very well written.

If you are interested in golf equipment and finding which materials and clubs really do deliver on their promises, this book is well worth the purchase price.

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