Montgomerie has won seven European titles

In his new book, The Thinking Man's Guide to Golf, the seven-time European champion attempts to explain how.

Montgomerie says his experience in countless pro-ams has taught him that many amateurs haemorrhage shots - not by swinging badly but by poor thinking and wrong decision-making.

The Scot's adage is "don't turn one bad shot into two".

In order to get to a stage where the reader can begin to think properly, Montgomerie devotes the first third of the book to a thorough breakdown of swing mechanics, with pictures to illustrate each point.

He then looks at common faults and identifies what goes wrong when you hook or slice, and offers a troubleshooter's guide on how to cure them.

I've lost count of the number of times I've come across amateurs who hit the ball well but don't score well Colin Montgomerie

A focus on the short game follows with an outline of the rudiments of effective pitching, chipping, putting and bunker play.

Montgomerie says that statistics show Tour pros hit fewer than 80% of greens in regulation.

"On the other three or four holes they rely on their short games to scramble par figures," he says.

With the foundations laid, Montgomerie spends the last third of the book on the mental side of golf.

He makes no apology for most of the tips being common sense, but also offers some genuinely insightful advice, such as how to use your strokes smartly.

The Ryder Cup star ends the book with advice on getting the most from practice sessions, choosing the right equipment and fitness for golf.

There are more in-depth guides on each aspect of golf, but Montgomerie's glossy coffee table book offers a broad grounding in all the basics.

And it will provide all but the lowest-handicapped amateurs with something new to think about the next time they are on the course.