June 10, 2007 Improve your Golf Game at Your Library

Can The Library Help Your Slice?

There is nothing more annoying when out on the golf course than consistently hitting the ball anywhere but the fairways and greens. Instead of enjoying a beautiful day with friends or family on one of Thunder Bay’s various golf courses, the casual golfer can be driven to the point of insanity when there is more time spent trekking through the bushes looking for an errant ball than actually playing golf. I’m afraid I have to admit that I fall into this category as do numerous other golfers in our fair city. However, there is hope for us fellow duffers, toppers, slicers and hackers: The Thunder Bay Public Library.

Paying for private or group lessons, ordering instructional videos or the many other self help accessories from The Golf Channel can hamper one’s pocketbook, so why not try out the Thunder Bay Public Library and utilize our many resources to help you get your golf swing into shape. The TBPL features numerous, up-to-date books that provide instructional tips and guides to help the user in bettering his/her swing. I would strongly recommend The 7 Laws of the Golf Swing by Nick Bradley. This book provides tremendous insight into the principals of a sound golf swing with easy to understand explanations and instructions which are accompanied by beautiful, intelligent photographs and illustrations. I would also recommend the title Golf Annika’s Way written by LPGA pro Annika Sorenstam. This book is a great learning tool that is written from a woman's perspective; one who just happens to be the greatest golfer in the history of the LPGA.

Conditioning is also extremely important in furthering one’s skill level at the game of golf. Pete Draovitch’s book Complete Conditioning for Golf (also available as an e-book) delves into specific exercises that target muscle groups associated with golf. Draovitch offers 105 simple exercises and drills designed to heighten one’s golf game by improving areas in the body to help create more power, flexibility and coordination. The TBPL Virtual Collection also contains many electronic resources related to golf fitness and conditioning. By accessing the TBPL website, either from home or the library, one can login to our extensive electronic database which features articles and E-books related to enhancing your golf conditioning.

Now, I can honestly say that I don’t exactly know all the rules that apply when one’s out golfing, nor do I abide by them (especially when they don’t result in my favour). I wouldn’t say I cheat, but that I am gleefully ignorant of the exact protocol when certain situations arise in the course of a round. For those of you out there wishing to further your knowledge concerning the rules of golf, the library can certainly assist you in pointing out to your golf mates just how much they do not know. The latest edition of Golf Rules Explained by Peter Dobereiner provides easily understandable explanations and examples that can come in quite handy, provided that the people you play with don’t get fed up and “forget” to contact you for future rounds of golf.

One of my favourite books at the TBPL related to the game of golf has nothing at all to do with correcting my swing or improving my conditioning (but lord knows I need it); it is a book containing 101 short stories that strive to inspire the casual and professional golfer alike. Chicken Soup for the Golfer's Soul (and the sequel, subtitled, The Second Round) are collected stories written by golfers and caddies that focus on lessons for life both on and off the fairway. On occasion, I truly believe that reading these stories will somehow turn me into a great golfer, but after the first swing, reality comes flooding back to me as I go trekking in the bushes for my errant golf ball.

The materials covered throughout this article are only a small fraction of the TBPL’s holdings related to the subject of golf. So, why not come down to one of our four locations throughout Thunder Bay and find out for yourself? You never know, maybe one day you can be as good as yours truly (just kidding, you are almost certainly better).

Derek Gradner, Library Assistant