Evening star., 1901-11-23
Individual Style Can Be Regulated,
but Mannerisms Are Fatal.
NEED OF INSTRUCFIONFOR BEGINNERS
Applying Force at the Proper Place
the Secret of Long Driving.
ALWAYS PLAY NATURALLY

| DaDleS were teetheC on SOi1 cluO
handle" Thus early begun. they soon set
about initiating their fathers with toy
clubs and that system of mimicry engen-
| ders in them the passion for the game and
the style of playing it. For very few drop
into graceful style who have not been
| trained in their school college days. Sue
| cessful they may be In general play by in
| domitable perseverance and steady nerve:
| but at a crisis, somehow, the defective style
| shows itself, and yields to the early train
| ing.
Mr.. Thomas Hodge of ST. Andrews who
so ably illustrated the volume on golf in
the Badminton Library, was notable in
| stance of mannerism; but his fine eye and
subtle hand had been harmonized for Years
at the billiard table and curling stone and
| cricket field. BY some accident he fell into
the abominable style when commencing
and he was bound to continue. Though he
| carried off the highest honors in medal
| play, he could not be trusted in a hole
| match, when pressed at a critical stroke
| No one initiated him, and fortunately his
style has died out.
Need of Proper Instruction.
There is no redemption for mannerism.
No penances will suffice for escape from
it. ION, on in it," rings terribly in the
| ears of one who has been early caught in
| tAS oc"llcIlNS lutTS Is IO TSlulH
for the sinner of that school. All begin
| ners, therefore, should take heed and get
| proper instruction at the very commence
| ment while watching carefully the driving
| of the best players.
Before writing this, We went a few holes
| with foursome over a quiet seacoast
| course in Fifeshire. 1t was glorious fore
noon, and We were inclined to take favor
| able view of everything. We had been CIV
| ing final instructions in the style of play to
1 hn y1nxr ,for-e he. Of
| Athens, in Greece; and we were in good
| spirits after we saw that she had caught
| the old st. Andrews swing. But when we
saw the varied contortions elaborated by
| the four relocated veterans from Edin-
| burSh, We concluded that their style beat
| the record. Yet they were quite delighted
| with themselves, though they had the very
| limited gallery. LAS shure's DEATH" one
| caddie remarked to another. they hauved
| the first hole in saxteen.' Then" replied
a passing caddie, who picked up the re-
| mark, lat them pay ye be the 'oor;'' for
| he knew the time that would be consumed
| in the eighteen holes. We just wondered
in this case how they hit upon their most
varied and uncourh styles. 1t was a man
nerism with a vengeance.
In golf. above all games, there is an
| individuality Of style which can be reg
| uiated, but which can never be obliterated
| after 1t has been once formed. OF course
there are golfers agile and golfers mon
agile, and the style is determined in each
| case by the natural build constitution and
J temperament of the player Some men are
| active, 1.-the, untrammelled by flesh. while
| others are stout, unwieldy and phlegmatic.
| If man Is active, free in muscular action
| and capable of balancing himself easily,
| he uses shorter and stiffer clubs, though
| not 'pokers." If, however, a man is cor
| pulent, stiff and sluggish in action, he
uses longer and suppler clubs, though not
| 'tangles.''
| Play Naturally.
As a fundamental principle We would say
that the golfer should play as naturally as
| possible. If he has not learned the game
| when young, he cannot have the same easy,
| sweeping style. He must just make the
most Of it. He should use supple clubs,
If he is. stiff in the joints; and stiff clubs
when his frame is elastic, otherwise he will
| come to grief. And he should blend imi-
| tation with his naturalness, If he has not
| gone far on. 1t must ever be remembered
| that, caeteriS paribus, good style will in
the end win the day. Your opponent has
| always to play the ''odds," and you sec
the result of his stroke before you play the
| like"
! Some men have the mistaken idea that
mere animal force is sufficient to drive
| the ball. 1t is amusing to see men of
powerful frame and sledge-hammer style
trying to reach the distance of the easy
player, who introduces his force-apparent-
| ly SO little-at the right place We do not
| however. say that 1t requires no power to
drive well. We only say that it requires
|
| the steam at the proper time 1t requires
| the innate faculty to be controlled until
\ the exact nick of time, a yard from the
ball In striking. 1t requires power, but skill
| must regulate the power. The head has
| to play as well as the arms. Mere swiping,
| for swipings sake, is not the principal ele-
ment in true golf. 1t is accurate straight
| and long (while not with an efforD driving,
| Take it easy" means only, do not press"
| Force Regulated by Judgment.
tx-la hr;r ely; i,,
| trolling power is most serviceable in mar
| row courses. The true, old theory of force
| regulated by judgment is still practically
| carried out on such greens. 1t is only
where it will take a full shot to go off
| the course that full liberty is given for
| an uncontrolled swipe. There is a strong
| temptation, with broad-faced clubs and
| high tee, and with clear, bunkerless,
whinless strip of grass for a hundred yards
or more iE breadth running parallel to
| the ordinary course, to blaze away with
| all ones power. Yet 1t is wonderful to
notice that even with an exact hit-which
| Is not so very often accomplished where a
press is indulged in-the distance gone over
| is not so much more than with good, we'll
directed drive and fine style.
Long Driving.
The longest driver is not generally the
most powerful looking man, though ply
sique when under due control has an un-
uOuDteQ dufdIldSe buts II Is INlS very
controlling in style that brings in the al
most insuperable difficulty to a tall man.
James Braid is the longest driver living,
especially against the wind. He is tall and
1.-THE, but not proportionally broad-shoul-
dered; his success lies IN bringing in the
full force Of his long swing just at the
point of percussion.
Nor are heavy clubs needed for successful
and long driving. Vardon plays with COM
paratively light and short clubs. He has
introduced the lighter style of driver which
was the favorite reaction In Allan Robert
sons day under Hugh Philips guidance
Allan's clubs were toys yet he could do
what he liked with them. He entertained
the fixed idea that he had the ball at his
command, and he rarely failed. He never
said he had bad lie; he could drive it out
of almost any situation. He knew he could
do 1t, and ideas rule in golf. With his ten
der well-tapered driver. which he always
held at the very extremity, the little man
would come ''whisk'' with full swing upon
his small % bail. and of 1t went like a
rocket, or when half-topped against the
wind. it rose SO gradually that at last 1t
seemed to rest In the air before falling
And that fine round swing was initiated by
l,s when bows at SCHOOL and fhe Sf An