What do we mean by "full swing, drills or general topic" instructional books? Well, we mean that short game books, putting books, books focused on the mental game, books geared to beginners and women, and "classics" of the genre are specifically covered in other lists. So the recommended titles below are broader in their coverage. If you want a golf instructional book that covers a lot of bases - the full range of shots or a wide range of practice drills - these are great places to start.
1. "The Golf Instruction Manual"
A stystematic, step-by-step guide to all facets of the game, complete with photos, illustrations and diagrams to make understanding the already simple, straightforward text even easier. Each section comes complete with a test to see if you're ready to move on to the next step.
2. "The Golf Handbook: The Complete Guide to the Greatest Game"
This book is No. 1 on our list of best beginner's instructionals, but non-beginners should get much from this tome, too. It starts with the basics, then progresses through a wide variety of shots and topics, all presented in an easy-to-understand format.3. "Harvey Penick's Little Red Book"
The complete title is "Harvey Penick's Little Red Book: Lessons and Teachings from a Lifetime of Golf." Penick spent 60-some years teaching golf. His lessons are exceedingly simple and easy to grasp, helping make this the best-selling golf instruction book of all-time.4. "Practical Golf"
Clear - indeed, practical - golf advice from one of the great teachers, John Jacobs. "Practical Golf" goes into such things as developing a consistent swing, improving the mental approach, playing from rough, curing a slice and adding distance.5. "The Golf School: The Tuition Free Tee-To-Green Curriculum ..."
The full title is "The Golf School: The Tuition Free Tee-To-Green Curriculum from Golf's Finest High End Academy." Jim McLean is the instructor claiming to have golf's finest high-end academy, and there are only a few other instructors of his stature who would argue with that claim. This serves as a textbook for golfers seeking help with their games.6. "The Golf Swing"
The first of two David Leadbetter books on this list, this one focuses on developing the full golf swing. Its 143 pages include more than 250 illustrations.7. "Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf"
Ben Hogan's book is best for golfers with a little more experience, although you certainly don't have to be a great - or even a good - golfer to gain much benefit from reading this one. However, many of the world's greatest golfers treat this tome as a sacred text.8. "Golf Digest's Ultimate Drill Book"
The full title is "Golf Digest's Ultimate Drill Book: Over 120 Drills That Are Guaranteed to Improve Every Aspect of Your Game and Lower Your Handicap." And if it's drills you want, it's drills you'll get. You must be committed to plenty of practice.9. "David Leadbetter's Faults and Fixes: How to Correct ..."
The full title is "David Leadbetter's Faults and Fixes: How to Correct the 80 Most Common Problems in Golf." Leadbetter runs down the most common problems in the swings of most golfers, then provides a plan for fixing each and every one. Find your problem, then find your fix.10. "The Scrambler's Dozen: The 12 Shots Every Golfer Needs to Score Like the Pros"
This is a good book for golfers who feel they have a good grasp of the fundamentals of the golf swing and now want to move on to more specialty shots. Mike McGetrick is the instructor and author, and he goes over 12 basic shots that can be incorporated into your game without overhauling your technique.