You can expect this series to develop across all sorts of sports and social activities. It has a feel which is simple explanation of lots of detail and the photography, especially that commissioned for the instruction, is crystal clear. There is use of a number of professionals for demonstrations but look out for Charlie Dimmock's sister (a look-a-like) featuring throughout. How she plays so well (and its very obvious that this lady is a golfer) is extraordinary considering her huge amount of hair.

Everything you could ask about (in our opinion) is there, from grips (for full swings and for putting), through to every problem shot you could find on the course. If there is one way that the book takes this a little too far, its on showing mistakes and how they happen and demonstrating some of the drills that any golfer can try away from the course. Some of these are about feel as much as position and some vary (in representation) with physical shape and size. Everything else is really well done.

Not only are different lies covered both on and off the fairway and in bunkers, there is short game, long game, problem shots such as skying the ball are all explained and cured in colour coded chapters and each section has quick reference so that you can move instantly to other areas of interest. The other superb design detail that 'Need to Know? - Golf' has is the way everything id perfectly divided up into little paragraphs with bold title - its eye catching and attentive layout so that you can read and file away for just a few flicks of a page, or for hours through lots of chapters.

If you are beginning golf, or want to improve on how you manage a few rounds a year, this book is excellent, a must buy. This will be a book which is a real help to many golfers enjoying and playing the game to a much better standard.

''need to know - Golf' is available from all good books stores, priced £8.99.

Its ISBN No is 0-00-718037-3

The Collins web site is www.collins.co.uk