On the Nature of Champions The most significant common intangible among the truly great is that they enjoy adversity. They want to be put in fear-inducing situations because they know it is the ultimate test. The true prize is not the trophy. Rather, the prize is the knowledge that at precisely the right moment, one is able to exercise absolute self-control and precise judgment. On Fate We who play the game know that sometimes we get pleasant and unexpected surprises, such as a hole-in-one or a ball that skips off the water and onto dry land. We also know we are equally likely to get a bad break-- a wild bounce of the ball, a sudden gust of wind. The game leaves us no choice but to accept the good with the bad and to move on to the next shot. On Competition The game of golf challenges your mind anew every single day and presents you with the ultimate opponent: yourself. I've always been amazed that people can derive so much satisfaction out of beating others when they have never taken the ultimate test of battling themselves. On the Role of Mind The swing is not the thing. The professional tours were and still are loaded with people who can swing the golf club as gracefully as you please. That does not make them great players. The difference between being a good swinger of the club and a great player lies between the ears, in the mind. To keep your mind open to learning new things is to keep progressing forward in life. On Positive Thinking I will say without hesitation that you cannot achieve any goal if you have negative thoughts running through your head. You must have positive and, what might even seem to others, bold thoughts. This is not to say that you should ignore the strengths of an opponent whether on the golf course, on a sales call, or in the boardroom. Acknowledge his strengths? Yes. Dwell on them? No.

Gary Player's Black Book contains fifty questions and detailed responses from eighteen-time major winner Gary Player. The book, divided into three parts, focuses on specific scenarios and problems that arise in golf, life, and business. In the first section on golf, topics include putting, scoring, etiquette, the mental side of the game, and fitness and nutrition. In the section on life, Player, the father of six and grandfather to twenty-two, addresses issues such as parenting, who to turn to when in need of advice, and more. Finally, in the section on business, he details how to deal with competition, among other topics. Player responds to questions such as: • Golf: How do I play a bunker shot from a plugged lie? • Life: I feel like I’ve lost the passion for what I do. How do I get that back? • Business: When people criticize my work I take it very personally. How do you handle criticism? The 2012 recipient of the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award, Player draws from both on and off the course experiences dealing with competitors, businesspeople, and family. In doing so, he offers a unique glimpse into handling adversity with regard to these relationships. The advice that he offers is invaluable to fans of all ages.

Gary Player is one of golf’s greatest champions. As one of the “Big Three” of golf’s golden era (with Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer), he helped launch golf as a major international sport. He sits fourth on the list of most major victories on the PGA Tour and built a reputation of being fearless on the course and steely on the greens. Don’t Choke is his look at what it takes to achieve success when the pressure is on. Player explains how and why he became a champion and what it takes to win in big-time golf, but he also explains how learning to cope in pressure situations can help anyone. He will review the most pressure-packed situations in his eighteen major victories and how he managed to succeed when things were most tense. But this book is not all about golf. Player has had a long successful career in business since his playing days—designing golf courses, marketing golf equipment and sportswear, and more. If you want to do better in a boardroom or in your next job interview, Player’s advice will help. This personal glimpse into the mind of a champion offers lessons to everyone who has to face pressure—and today that is all of us. “Gary is one the greatest competitors who ever played the game.”—Arnold Palmer

Considers the philosophy of fishing, presenting fifteen essays about fly-fishing lore and the sport's challenges and benefits.

Discusses the problems of older golfers, offers advice on diet, exercise, and technique, and suggests practical adjustments for golfers over fifty

Combining stretching exercises, cardiovascular activities, weight training, and nutritional advice, Player's program will help golfers build their strength for greater distance off the tee, maintain flexibility, and consistency throughout a round, and increase their endurance, no matter how often they play. 200 4-color photos.

”Focus not on the commotion around you, but on the opportunity ahead of you.” -- Arnold Palmer. Most people live their lives chained to the oars of a life of their own choosing, whether defined by one’s job, relationships, self-image or even their golf game. More often than not, the biggest obstacles one faces in life are those that we ourselves have placed in our own path. In the words of golf’s great champions, there is undeniable wisdom, focus, passion and depth of purpose that goes well beyond the confines of the golf course. "Golf Wisdom From the Legends" celebrates these universal truths and messages of empowerment that will appeal to golfers and non-golfers alike.