The Perfect Gift For A Golfer Is The Little Red Book

Havey Penick’s Little Red Book Is The Perfect Gift For A Golfer

Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book on Amazon.

If you’re looking for a terrific, but not terribly inexpensive gift for a golfer, look no further than Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book.

The Little Red Book is a compilation of the legendary teaching pro’s notes from his long tenure at the Austin Country Club and as coach of the University of Texas Longhorns (1931 – 1963). It is not a swing instruction book, but instead focuses (mostly) on the mental aspects of the game. The advice is simple, straightforward and massively useful. I read it every year at the beginning of the season as a mental refresher.

The book is very well known among serious golfers, but deserves a wider audience. Weekenders in particular would get a lot out of the volume.

“The cup is only one inch wide for a putt that is struck too hard. The cup is four inches wide for a ball that dies at the hole.”

Harvey Penick, The Little Red Book

Penick was an amazing coach and teacher. His Longhorns won 21 Southwest Conference Championships in 33 years. Among his pupils were Tom Kite, Ben Crenshaw, Mickey Wright, Betsy Rawls and Kathy Whitworth. Davis Love, Jr., the father of Davis Love III also played for Penick.

My father taught me golf the way he was taught it by Harvey. Not that he ever called him that. It was always Mr. Penick. Dad must have started 10,000 sentences to me with the words, “As Mr. Penick would say . . . ” Mr. Penick spoke not of the U.S. Open, but of the National Open, and so did my father. I doubt that was a coincidence

Davis Love III, in his Introduction to the Little Red Book

The book’s title is a reference to a red notebook that Penick carried to record his thoughts.

The Little Red Book is a small volume, at 5×7.5 inches and comes to 200 pages. The hardback version is just $15.

I can think of no more perfect gift for a golfer.