Breaking the Slump

The nearly 37 million people in the United States who play golf probably all have one thing in common: At some point they have contemplated giving up the game because they were frustrated with the way they were playing. When those blissful moments of precise drives and perfect putts disappear, when the ball seems to have a mind of its own, and when well-grooved swings become totally unhinged, we find ourselves in that panicked state known as a "slump."

When Jimmy Roberts, the award-winning reporter and writer, entered his own period of frustration with the game, he decided to ask some of the most famous golfers and successful people in the world for advice. Here, for the first time, are the stories and recollections of eighteen veteran players whose wisdom is both practical and philosophical. Some concentrate on technique (when Phil Mickelson is dissatisfied with the way he's driving the ball, he practices bunker shots to reinforce the most important element of the tee shot--rhythm). Others focus on mental adjustments (Davis Love III remembers his late father's essential advice when he's frustrated: Try less hard).

With stories from greats Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Johnny Miller, Dottie Pepper, Greg Norman, George Herbert Walker Bush, Paul Azinger, and many others, this is an emotional and spiritual first aid kit for anyone who plays the game and even those who don't. As the 41st president says, the way we handle adversities in golf can provide a template for how to handle the challenges in life: Golf lessons can sometimes be life lessons too. There may not be a universal cure-all, but there are many ways to recover from a debilitating slump.