Pelz has presented us with an instructional masterpiece.

I have long been a fan of Dave Pelz' teachings. Maybe it is the engineer in me. He has applied scientific inquiry and statistics to the scoring games (chipping and putting) for about 40 years. In this very readable textbook, he presents all of his accumulated knowledge and study of the short game. It is both technical and down to earth. Superbly organized, this book can truely offer new insights to a PGA tour pro or teach a novice the basics of one of the most important games in golf. The teaching technique not only tells you what you must do for each type of shot, but explains WHY you must do it that way, and PROVES why this is so. These explanations make a lasting impression which the reader can carry to the practice tee and the golf course.

This is a must read for every player interested in lower scores. I can't wait until the rest of this 4 book series are in print.

Solid, helpful, well-researched, but ....

Pelz's tome on the short game (strokes from 100 yards and in, excluding putting in this case) is thick, thorough, well written, and well illustrated. But ... it lacks something that his earlier book, Putt Like the Pros, had.

Perhaps it's that The Short Game Bible isn't a very dense book. True, it covers full shots, finesse shots, chipping, bunker play, and other topics, but it seems to take too many pages and too many words. Corey Pavin's shotmaking book lacks the quantitative backbone of this book, but on the other hand, it covers significantly more territory in significantly fewer pages.

Another issue is that I suspect not too many players are really going to adopt Pelz's 4 wedge system. On its face it's impractical for a number of reasons--lack of practice facilities for "calibrating" ones swing among the foremost of those reasons.

But ... these aren't major problems. Pelz's basic advice is totally sound. Furthermore, his emphasis on practicing and mastering shots inside 100 yards is right on. Following even a portion of his advice will improve any golfer's game.

Highly recommended, even though I think the book is a bit too well padded at times.

Great for analytical minds

This book is excellent for the more scientific-minded golfer. Dave Pelz is a true scientist and breaks down golf from an entirely different angle. His practice sessions are a little unreasonable for most people, though. Not too many people would have the time or resources to figure our exactly how far each short game shot travels, but the book is worth the price simply for the reviews of the fundamentals of the short game swing. Just by reading the book and changing the way I practiced, I have taken about 5 strokes off of my handicap!