Unconscious Scoring: Dave Stockton's Guide to Saving Shots Around the Green

by Dave Stockton

“The Pro Tours’s hottest coach” (Golf Digest) scores the perfect follow-up to his bestselling golf guide, Unconscious Putting.  Dave Stockton is hotter than ever. The 2011 U.S. Open winner, Rory McIlroy, studied with the renowned instructor and two-time former PGA champion, and credits Stockton’s teachings as the reason behind his own putting success. In Unconscious Putting, Stockton introduced amateur players to the techniques, strategies, and mental processes he uses to help tour players find so much success on the green. Now, Unconscious Scoring completes Stockton’s short-game education by teaching readers how to make the most of shots around the green—the best place to achieve lower scores. Simplicity is the key to Stockton’s remarkable instruction success, and he breaks down the short game into two components—low shots and high shots—explaining both the technique and the context of how and when the shots should be used.Besides McIlroy, Stockton has worked with champions such as Phil Mickelson, Yani Tseng (the number-one ranked woman in the world), and Annika Sorenstam. In Unconscious Scoring, Stockton illustrates his principles with examples from his week-to-week sessions with these and many more of the game’s top players. Including black-and-white and color photos and instructional video tags, Unconscious Scoring reveals the simple processes and transformative insights that every player—whatever his or her handicap—yearns to master.

Genres: Nonfiction

146 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 23, 2012

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got quite a lot from reading Dave Stockton's book, Unconscious Putting, probably because the master's approach very much mirrors mine: see the hole, role the ball into it. Sweet and simple. I consider myself a pretty good putter but not a great one, though, because I still don't have as many one-putts as I need to really get the putt count down. That's where Stockton's latest book, Unconscious Scoring, is helpful.

Why? Because one-putts come mostly from hitting your approach shot closer to the hole in the first place. That's what Unconscious Scoring is all about. Again, I really, really identify with Stockton's KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) philosophy.

Stockton says you only need two basic shots around the green to produce a fabulous short game--a low shot and a high shot. After explaining why this approach will work for players at all handicaps, he shows how to hit each one in two clearly-illustrated chapters.

Next, he carries these principles into various situations where he demonstrates how you don't need to create a whole new swing to get up and down every time you face a tough lie. Stockton covers numerous trouble shots--from a bunker, hardpan, a divot, off a side-hill, etc.--with some elementary modifications of his basic two-shot repertoire. The book is rounded out with chapters on the Mental Game, Practice, Equipment, and Putting.

The material in Unconscious Scoring came from Stockton's excellent five-major-championship career as well as his work with world-class players like Phil Mickelson, Annika Sorenstam, Yani Tseng, and Rory McIlroy, who also wrote the foreword for the book.

[Steve Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Along with Dave Pelz's short game bible I personally don't believe there are any better short game books. I took what worked for me from both books and my game inside 50 yards has never been better. Handicap is dropping like a rock!

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

His book on putting is a must read.
This book takes you off the green and inside the head of a master.
If you don't have much time to practice, read this book.
If you do have time to practice, read this book and work on your short game.

[Bud · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would not recommend this book to a fellow golfer that I like.
Author uses the word simple a lot and I see that to mean vague. Show me some proof. Where are the measurements? The author shows disdain for "a chart with specifics" but that would have improved this book.
There is nothing in here that you can improve and then measure.
The book has a lot of me, me, me stories about his experiences, but those are not really helpful.
This book must have been written for a different golfer.

[Sarah Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource

Loved the simplicity in the high shot and low shot variations.

Worth its weight in gold! A must read for golfers