Omaha daily bee., 1911-07-02
HARRY VAUDON EXPERIMENTS
Change Of Style in Putting Noticed by
His Admirers.
NOT MAKING coon SCORES NOW
Ever since he Came Prominently "a
the Front He Has Been a strong
Advocate of OverlappinE
Grip for Strokes.


Grip for Strokes.
NEW YORK, July THE recent an.
nouncement that Harry vardop has
changed his style Of putting has created
some interest among those who take what
may be called scientific views of golf. For
many years Vardon's style was considered
the acme OF elegance. and innumerablc
players adopted him at their model. I,
would seem, however, that grace IN moi
synonymous with accuracy. Beautiful a,
Vardens game was and is. II cannot b,
denied that OF late his work on the put.
ting greens has not been in keeping with
the rest of his game.
II is an open secret that he has indalgsS
In considerable amount Of experimenting
For a long time he used a putting cieek
Then he devoted his attention to the alumni.
mum putter, but Il did not come up to his
expectations, so he went back to his orig.
inal love Even since he came prominently
to the front he has been q strong advocate
of the overlapping grip for all strokes. but
at Stoke and other places It was observed
that he was holding his putter In the old
fashioned way, that he was standing with
his heels close together, and that he was
hitting the bali with more decision and
consequently with a great deal more sue
cess In doing so ne has reversed the
practice OF the average golfer, who over
laps his hands only when putting.
VIII Vardon's admirers follow the ex.
ample of their idolg 1t is hoped not, fol
much of the bad golf we see NOWADAYS
is due largely to injudicious imitation. No
doubt Vardon is doing deadly work on the
al
sweep clean-but he may "go off" with
this method just as he has done with other
styles. The experience of the Jersey ex.
pert confirms the oft-expressed dictum that
there is no absolutely right system OF
putting, Great diversity Of method prevails
among the leading professionals Jack
White, for instance. is admitted to be one
OF the best holers-out in this country.
His style is quite his own, and has no
doubt been evolved after serious study and
strenuous practice. He grips his putter low
down and he has his right foot behind the
ball.
Braid's Method Different.
On the other hand, Brsids method is
widely different. The champion stands
fairly erect, holds hisaputter near the top
and strikes the ball with an easy pendu-
lum movement. Occasionally he has his
off days. but In the main Braid is a con-
sistently good putter. ]. L. Low, who
handles wooden putter with wonderful
precision, also stands well above his ball.
He has most delicate fingers, and the close
observer will learn much from his dainty
manipulation Of the clubs Probably no
prominent amateur has q more ungainIy
style than #. Darwin. Nature has gifted
him with long limbs. but It is due to some
popularity of vision that he has to spread
his legs out like an athlete preparing to
do the splits" before he can despatch the
ball to the hole. Inelegant as his method
Is, however, Mr.. Darwin has time and
again demonstrated that he is a dangerous
man when near the pin.
Every day we see good results accom-
plished by diverse methods. The grip is
not matter of great moment the shape
OF the club Is not of supreme Importance
and the stance is largely a question of
comfort. In the art OF putting every golfer
must work out his own salvation. Fine
putting consists of two thinEs-judging
distance and hitting the ball truly. In
some measure a good eve for distance ia
gift, but with systematic practice the de-
nciencies of nature In this respect can be
improved. The hitting must be laboriously
learned. but there is no mystery about It,
II bad ball is hit properly on a per-
fectly true green no power on earth will
cause 1t to deviate from it's path. Hence
the Importance OF starting the sphere on
the desired line. This can only be done by
taking the club head back in the exact
place that the ball Is meant to run in. II
the head is thrown outwards, a pull win
be the result; II brought inward, the ball
will be showed off the hole The good
putter is the true hitter, and that is why
some men get down more long puts than
others
In a short putt a very slight deviation
from the straight line does not matter
much. but II six yards haS to be covered
a ball with the same degree Of divergence
will finish about yard from the pin. In
playing an approach putt the ball should
be hit with sufficient strength to make it
run about foot past the pot. We all have
at times our inspired moments. but effec.
tive putting can be learned II players go
the right way about it.