The Washington herald., 1911-06-11
By Edward w. KiBoey.


In speakInR Of the most common fault |
in the game of golf. George Sargent pro-
fessionaI at the Chevy Chase Club. ana /
one of the best authorities on the royal
and ancient game in this country, has the |
following to say:
'The most common fault in the game OF
golf is undoubtedly that of moving the
head during the swing. This applies not
only to the noble army of Duners' but /
to the most expert as well, and, notwtth- |
standing the fact that moving the head
while swinging is absolutely the worst |
fault a golfer can commit, little or no at |
tention is usually given to this mistake
Probably 70 per cent OF the players are
addicted to this habit and don't know
they are doing 1t for the simple reason
they have never paid any attention to 1t. |
THE first thing a man should take notice
of when he is playing badly is his head.
A player, unless very expert, cannot feel
the head move in any way, and, in fact,
when it is pointed ou. to him. he usually |
finds it next to impossible at first to hold
II steady.
Some players will ask why is It neces-
sary to keep the head still The reason is
this: II you would be accurate at all
you must learn to swing in more or less
a perfect circle and be able to do 1t
every time. You have got to imagine
your shoulders are placed in a hoop, !
which IS, say, one inch larger than
your shoulders In swinging back you |
should be able to turn your shoulders
round until you are looking at the ball
over your left shoulder without touching |
the hoop.
Now a man who is moving his head
would move this hoop anywhere from
six to twelve inches. That means, of |
course, he is that far from perfect
circle. Once in a while the player may |
move back into his original position be-
fore striking the ball, but the chances |
are all against him doing it. The re- |
suit is he hits the ground before the |
ball. or comes down inside the ball and |
catches on the point of the club. and |
frequently the club has started to ascend |
before striking the ball, causing a bad /
stop.
How is a player to find out If he is |
moving his head, ans what Is the rem |
edy? The best way to find out is to
get some one to stand opposite you and
hold a stick pointed at the nose, swing |
the club round the shoulders, then stop |
and see how far you have moved. 1t Is
common for a player to have moved six
inches or more. If no one is available
to hold the stick, put your back to the
sun, notice some fixed object on the
ground, swing back, and then notice re-
suits How can we dispense with this
habit? Only by will power. You. must
concentrate your mind on this one thing
until you can keep your head steady,
having a guide by either some one hold
ing a stick opposite your nose, or stand
with your back to the sun and have
the shadow of the head on some fixed
object, and let me tell. you when you
have mastered this you will be at least
50 per cent more accurate"
George Sargent. professional at the
Chevy Chase Cluba stated recently that
the club will soon install a golf ball
marker. Each member now has a num-
bered brass tag on his golf bag to dis
tinguish II, and his golf balls will bear
the same number. The caddie will be
docked a certain amount for losing
ball, and every one returned will be
cashed for a like amount. Mr.. Sargent
Will then return It to the proper bag,
plus an amount agreed upon by the
greens committee. In this way 1t will
tend to make the boys who carry more
watchful and careful and fewer delays
should occur.
Mr.. Sargent also said new rules for
caddies have been put into force.
The Country Club Of Virginia will in
augurate the opening OF its new course
by giving an open amateur tournament
at Westhampton, Richmond, Va, June
10, 16 and II. A number of Washington
golfers win take part in the tourney.
The following Is President Taft's opin-
ion on the new Chevy Chase Club, from
the American Golfer:
''viscount j. Henri de SIbour. known |
to his friends as Pete is the architect !
of the new home of the Chevy Chase |
NH xxyaa nranad last Wadna9daY. /
Pete with a merry little twinkle in his |
eye, is now telling what the President |
said about the new clubhouse. |
'The President while playing the home
hole recently, was asked by his partner |
what he thought Of the new structure.
The President looked over the new house |
carefully, and said: 'Tt reminds me OF
early penitentiary Colonial"
Just at this time certain professionals |
of various golf clubs are endeavoring to
instruct the general public on essential |
points in golf playing, ostensibly to. per-
feet the average person in the game
OF the rich man. Apparently Miss
Alice B. Sanger president Of the Ban
nockburn Golf Club. Is doing more prac-t
tical work to benefit the game. and In
cidentaIly is affording women-folk OF |
sedentary habits a real means Of relax
tion in Goods out-of-doors."
Regarding this matter Miss Sanger has |
the following to say:(
~sThe women of the club, OF whom i
there are fifty in number, are mostly |
employed In the government Offices here
and make the club a social meeting place Il
and health resort after Office hours. When |
there are tournaments At the club dur
ing the warm months the women never /
participate. although each one may have /
her special champion among the players.