The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-02-17
THE GOLF CHAMPION,
YARDON'S CLUBS md HOW HE
USES THEM
PecuIiarities of His "Weapons'--
Something About Professional


Something About Professional
Golf.
In England and Scotland the growth
was gradual through many years, until
there was hardly need for more. The
development in America created a great
demand for instructors from abroad,
both good and bad coming. AS the gen
eral golfing public in Great Britain
knows more of the game and the aver
age golfer is more skillful only the
best professionals there can hope for
secure and retain lucrative positions.
In America the golf clubs are often
imposed upon. Mr. Vardon says that
good professional can make consid-
cradle money in Great Britain his ex-
perience in America has been so short
that he can hardly estimate yet the
possibilities here. If he receives $3.50 for
each exhibition that he gives, as haze
been stated, it is not improbable that
he will come to believe that British golf
ers may unearth gold mines in Amer
lea. 1t is Vardon's opinion, quite ma
turally, that the professionals in Great
Britain are superior lot to those here.
In fact, he knows very few of those who
have come over even by reputation. He
will soon make the acquaintance of
some of them, and the result of the
matches between them will be keenly
watched by golfers, many of whom be-
lieve that Americans will soon be able
to compete on even terms with the Brit
ish.
1t was possible to make a careful in
Spection of Vardon's play at Chicopee
Falls. His driver has a small head,
slender neck and shaft about 40
inches long, or four inches shorter than
shaft ordinarily is for man of his
height The head Is set at a smaller
angle to the shaft than is usual, so that
& the plane Of the swing is more vertical,
approaching the swing of cleek. Var
don says that this gives him much
greater accuracy, and all his strength
can be applied without pulling or Sic
ing the ball The face of the club has
a square of leather set in the center.
and through the leather five wooden
pegs extend back into the wood of the
club head THAT leather Is just like
the sight Of gun to me" said Vardon.
cWithout it I hit the ball all over the
club, and never think Of having a
wooden club without leather face. |
think it gives me distance, too, as well
as accuracy. The wooden pegs strike
the ball and give it the send" neces-
sary" The head of the club, though
small, Is apparently about the ordinary
weight, though the shorter shaft makes
1t seem lighter The wrapping Of the
sloft is 80 slender that player might
find it awkward except with Vardon's
peculiar grip. He grips tightly with
both hands, both thumbs extending
down the shaft, with the left hidden UNI
der the ball of the right. The little fin
ger of his right hand laps over upon the
index finger of the left. IF you have
your hands apart" sad he, lone Is
I working against the other, and your
swing is not true. My grip is on one
part Of the club as if I were using but
one hand, and the club is justa continu-
alton of my arms" Vardon soys that
a great many experts abroad have come
around to his method of gripping.
Vardons brassey is duplicate Of hin
1. driver. He rarely uses it, except when
the lie of the ball is bad, preferring to
play his driver through the GREEN. Most
of his iron clubs are not very different
from other clubs He uses a cleek,
driving maehie, mashie iron, mid iron,
light iron, approaching mashie, two
putters and nblick. The mashie iron
is halfway between his driving mashie
and his mid iron; the light iron is be-
tween the mid iron and approaching
maehie. He carries no lofter and no
club with face so far laid back. His
4 ~ foo ,ihIad ritIl6in q l.
ly, which gives a better grip on the
ball and is especially useful in playing
out of long grass Vardon was much
pleased with a new club which was
shown to him at the factory. This is a
brassey devised by James Dalgleish.
The brass covers only about a half OF
the bottom surface of the club and Is
in the form of half cylinder, running
along the center of the club head from
front to back. All the lead is inside
the brass and therefore the weight is
all behind the point of contact with the
ball. The projection on the bottom
cuts through the soil easily, so that the
club will pick out ball that is lying
badly in a hole. Vardon seemed to like
the club at first sight, and he carried
away with him one made to his meas
ure. Dan" Leitch, the Country Club
professional has already used the club
successfully.
A New York Sun" interview with
Warden, recently quoted, gives wrong
idea of what he considers long driving.
At Chicopee Falls he said that $50
yards, counting carry and run, is
good average drive for an expert, and
that 200 yards lie excellent. In placing
a hazard for drive, the hazard should
be about $50 years from the tee. A
good player ought to carry this with his
drive, and poor drive should be penal
ICED An expert driver, says Vardon,
cannot expect to make his ball carry
1870 yeards unless the wind is right, and
if he gets 20 or 30 yards run he is
fortunate Vardon himself gets all
carry and no run, as compared with
other long drivers. In approaching, ne
does not pitch the ball, except for OBJ
staces preferring to run the ball up
to the hole. For instance, If he We're
approaching from so yards, he would
use his mashie and have the ball carry
at a moderate height about 80 yards,
allowing 10 yards run. This method of
approaching requires great command
over the ball and the ability to make
If alight lust where it is desired. Var
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