The Four Foundations of Golf: How to Build a Game That Lasts a Lifetime (The Foundations of Golf) Paperback – June 17, 2022

Jon has a very unique and insightful perspective on the game of golf. Reading 'The Four Foundations of Golf' has me enjoying golf in a new light and I just finished his second book 'The Foundation of Winning Golf' to set me up for success in competitive settings, both books I highly recommend to all golfers.Jon's ability to explain complicated concepts simply and many of his helpful reframes have improved my game in a very short time and led to me breaking 80 for the first time in my 6 years of playing. Resetting my expectations and focusing on what I can control are things I can thank Jon for which have led to much more enjoyable rounds of golf and the lower scores are nice too :)

Jon Sherman’s Four Foundations of GolfAn absolute must-read for any golfer of any level. I’m in my early 40s and wish a mentor, coach, or my dad had put a book like this in front of me when I was 9 years old (albeit the data Jon references was not available in the 1990s, but you get the point).I read the book from cover to cover over a few weeks. I made notes in line, tabbed the pages, and transferred many of Jon’s strategy, practice, and mental game notes to my on-course reference book (Jon’s book is slightly too large to carry on course).My three sons will read this book, specifically Part One: Managing Expectations. While you can reference specific areas of Jon’s book directly without issue, I highly recommend you read Part 1 first. This section, along with the work of many of Jon’s references, showed data and educated or corrected me on defining: what is a good golf shot; what is a good round; and setting realistic performance expectations. Part 1 is applicable beyond golf (as is the Mental Game, Part 4).Jon accomplishes exactly what he set out to do with his writing, which is to 1) spell things out clearly with little room for interpretation and 2) communicate in a simple and straightforward manner.Jon does not bog you down with technical aspects of the swing or other technical deep dives. He focuses on developing skill and transferring that skill to the course with Strategy (Part 2), including course management, proximity, shot patterns, course study, pre- and post-shot routines, and mental analysis.Finally, Jon is approachable and a credible teacher. He provides numerous other resources to build upon the material in his book. Jon also quickly responded with generosity to a personal request. I cannot recommend this book and Jon’s online resources enough.5 stars.

Great book for golf sickos looking to establish a solid understanding to four key facets of golf. Really like how basic the book is while giving you loads of mental cues for approaching the game differently. 10/10 would recommend.

Loved Jon Sherman’s book on the four fundamentals of golf. The advice is a very helpful treatise on how to get better while staying away from the details of how to swing (see a pro). There is a lot here on how to improve without changing your swing (such as strategy, attitude, practice). A lot of good guidance on where to go for additional resources (books, apps, training tools). Golfer at any level can benefit.

Lots of great info on golf to help improve and get more out of the game. Also gives lots of ideas for direction on where to find other information through book recomendations.

After following Jon's Twitter account and picking up lots of useful insights from that, I bought a copy of his book. As he mentions throughout, this is not a book with swing instructions or drills. It's more a compilation of the things he's learned and observed that have helped him become a better golfer and what he believes can help others who often get stuck in a never-ending cycle of instruction of swing tips and suggestions from online instructors and golf publications.I'd describe this book as a sort of "Chicken Soup" for golfers - things that we sometimes already know that are reinforced; often things we didn't know and are eye-opening. In any case he explains them in a way that makes them easier to apply on the golf course or when practicing. Without divulging too much, Jon has a way of illustrating how golfers sabotage themselves with their expectations of their game versus their skill level and their practice habits...and never in a condescending way. He also provides tips and insights that helped me re-frame my practice habits and my mental preparation before and during a round.This isn't rocket science, which makes it even more effective in my opinion. It's just a basic, "common sense" approach to golf and how to get more fun out of it. And it works. I have found I enjoy the game much more now; because I've reset my expectations of what good golf shots are, especially when compared to "scratch" or tour professionals, I've found I'm less disappointed with my shotmaking, and often am amazed at how well I can play when I just "let it go".This book appeals to all skill levels and ages. An absolute must have for your bookshelf.I'm a 55 year old golfer who's played for about 40 years and my handicap index is near the lowest it's ever been (5.5). I believe I still have plenty of opportunities to improve on that.