GOLF.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17106, 30 March 1921, Page 9

GOLF.

COMMON FAULTS. .. BALANCE THE SECRET OT SUCCESS. • i (special to "the press."i (Bt Abe Mitchrli,.) It is still unfortunately true of golf .that most players do not take to the ! game until, as they tell you, they have ! • finished with cricket and football. Tho result is that, when they go on to tho tee for tho first time they are lacking 'in the daring of youth, and if not stiff their rnuwles have- become fixed. It js'ejthor this, or they suffer from an excessive exuberance of swing, and want to knock tho cover off the ball. tho latter than tho former, for • jfais far easier to restrict a swing than |to create one. But the most common ' 1 fault is stiffness, which is not due to I any inelasticity of the muscles, but to timidity. It seems as if the player is afrrfd to strike in enso lie should • miss tne ball. Tho professional coach has to try all torts of experiments to get rid.of"this stiffness.. One of the'best ways is to insist on the beginner learning to waggle. It may seem wasto of time to swing the club backwards and forwards over tho ball, but I assure you it is not. Every professional does it • becauso be Sceis that it is a help in i bringing tho wrists into play. Besides, it also takes some of the rigidity out of the body. Keen on doing it and you will fincl that a curious lightness comes into the swing, and also that tho shoulders turwof their own accord, and in tho natural way. And tho shotilcrs must turn if the shot is going to bo a good one. Stiffness of the Stance. When a player, takes up a stance for the first time, he usually stands very' upright, with the knees stiff, and the hands held high. In such a case I always toll my pupils to try and ima- » gino that they are just about to sit down. The effect of this is that they ' not only bend tho knees and back, but that they lower tho hands. To stand upright, with tho hands held high ' means that a great deal of power is , lost. On tho other hand if you bend /■down to tho shot you are much less •liablo to loso your balance. And balance, I am sure, is ono of tho great 'secrets of golf. ; : ; The upright stance, too, is often re--5:/ sponsible for that fatal sway of tho . s body. I know that thero aro some ' I first-class golfers who'do sway, but ' b they have- tho knack to correct arty /(faults that rise by a slight pausm at 'the top of tho awing, and unless you to have this knack, tho sway, 'as I have said, is fatal. By bending the knees I think you will find that the ■ ".inclination to take the body back with the club is very largely, removed. An■if other thing-'which will help to correct ... this crror'is to keep the -weight back on - the heels. So far as the handicap V player is concerned most driving faults : -crise through the loss of balance, and |. this, defect is most likely to occur at ftho top, or near the top, of the swing. '#" It is-probably'true,., as Duncan has t paid, that the follow through is not very Cf. important, but I,am sui-o' the ;; . champion would not give any pupil of ' ■■'■ his ihis impression. What, of course, " he meant was that tho behaviour of the ! f club after the ball has been struck properly did not affect the shot one way or the other. I think that is right, but in the case of the beginner it is imperat.Vtive that he should learn to tako tho i club right.through, or there will bo a ' or checking, the ■^ctubbafore reaching the ball: Of course, 'the club'snoulrT "be swinging its fastest f SA&' tHe'laslj ounce of ; power should be i ekorted rfbtheTDbment of impact; In- ! cidehtally this, I suppose, is the time 'J definition of /perfect, timing. ; - % ';' SmothelHtts Cause and Cure. S*," The bflier day- a player i sought my for what he described as a fit of i«fcpping. I 1 took him out on to the Stee and watched him play a few shots, : &£hd'if'ohoe' saw that ho was smotherIpirig the ball rather than.hitting it on i Stacked in this way stop tho club at the top of the swing and note the position Wihe hands. In'all probability you mm find that the left elbow is pushed Siitwarda and that the, left wrist is not Mndeineath the cliib. . ;, „■ n : whatiis the effect,-tfthisP \oa areiio't in a position to see, hut instead « o%he;club at the topWg paraUel I* with'a line drawn across the shoulders, i'lt r iß ? pointing aiay from your back^ At | time the face of the club, u &'."■»KWJ**' You hare probably read a good! >■ deal lately •about the shut and open " ■*• fm. Well, hero you have the club &i«u&-'and in my opinion it is .always a By those who play with-An* ?:'face it i» intended thatthe.club should I be more or less turned over at the imI pact, with: the' object of; securing a low S traiectbryt ami also to impart that Sfipmtb' the ball which will make it Eruii: on, .bouncing. -But there is a very danger of .turning, too -ft much over and smothering tho ball, was actually, what my distressed doing. It was significant #that he at on.ee .began/to get the ball up Si'when: 4io made certain of keeping the $[ left wrist underneath the shaft of the !' club. ••,.■.'. -'' .."; -. '■.■■' • ■.-,,• .-'■ |&: Tho golf stroke ;isnot a blow" with the |;> arms as many make it. ;j Of course the P ? forearms come; largely into play in tha gS;"Bs>';-o£. iJonSj.'but tight '■;through tho Kgames ithetwjists must,be;got to work. mMi vonlyi thefarms are, used, yon get Klittle from ; the mysclea of Ktne back, aid you wifl know that some RL'say that I 'attain my length, from the Kuse of my back. "Whether this-is so I but when lata driving well ipt;can;ilways feel.by back going into ! shot. 'But ''if you make the stroke: Silrfch tho : arms, your are handicapped jn Swinging any other muscles into play, Knd in this way you not only lose power Ifb/ut run. the risk of hitting yourself off Sour balance. • 7 -;:-.- . H&'l thinks/too, that you will note that Wi%e player-who depends- -on his arms finds the, utmost difficulty in getting the , llf&l to rise quickly even, with a masliie. WMn effect, he is pushing >the. ball wita 1 feiith a forearm and struck :n Ptfiaj. way it is.almost impossible for to life come as quickly as is desired. ,In all I Improbability the face of the club is turn- , fled over. It is a, golden ruie to let the « If blub lie on its natural face, and to pftllow it to give the trajectory which it fsjras;.made to give.

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