Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-31
Compares vardon and McDermott.

In making comparisons between Harry
Vardon and Jack ]. McDermott. l refer to
| these two great golfers as models of each
country and two ideal men to comment
upon. Taking the general run of golfers
on the other side, we may take 1t that
! the continued success Of Harry Vardon,
| his method of controlling consistently the
straight ball down the middle Of the
course with wood or iron club, has con-
WINGED us long ago as to the method or
| basis on which to play. The free and
easy upward swing combined into the
downward swing. without jerking or bad
| turning is the ideal stroke, but the most
| important of all. and this is my most
convincing point. is that Harry Vardon' S
clubhead in coming through the ball trav-
els quite 81: to = feet outward along the
| line of fight before it comes away, thus
! proving that he is guiding the ball from
/ the point of impact onward.
| His clubhead is kept parallel to the turf.
He must therefore be nearer to the ball;
the upward swing is more upright the
head Of the club travelling some twelve or
| fourteen inches directly behind the ball
before ii is taken from the line of the ba III
/ from the wrist of the left hand. the fore
arms then come into the swing the left
| armpit is still closed mot openD and from
this point the upward swing is completed
| by turning the left shoulder slightly down
ward: at the same time push upward from
left hand to complete swing until the
| hands are nearly the same height as the
| right ear. left armpit still closed. The
| downward swing becomes part of the up
| ward swing, one movement running into
the other. and the blow is concentrated
more directly on. and through, the ball
| than in any other manner of swing.
| Direction of Greatest Importance.
| After all it is direction which is of the
greatest Importance. and the very fact of
placing the ball far enough away from
| the player as to make him reach out
| ward for il at once makes the swing a
fat one. at least fiat enough to bring
| the head of the club away from or Off
the line of flight Immediately after the
moment of impact; therefore, you, will
agree that if the clubhead travels SO
quickly from the line Of flight after strik-
| ing the object. the player has little or no
| control over the ball during it's flight. The
clubhead is whipped Off the line much too
soon. The only alternative is to stand
| just little close. Sling the clubhead
from left hand during the address: the
| knuckles of first. second and part of third
kunckles should be visible.
The inaugural movement should be to
turn the left wrist inward a little SO
that the knuckle of the fourth or little
finger of left hand comes into view
The main point is to gently sling the
head away with quite flexible left
twist with the top three fingers and the
'feshy part between tho fourth or little
finger and wrist. No Tightening or
tautness anywhere in the wrists in max
/ ing the upward movement. but to in
crease the speed of the down swing the
nip or quickening of the clubhead
descending will be timed more naturally
and at the right time il the upward
swing becomes part of the downward
swing. In fact, try to combine the up
ward into the downward swing. without
so much as break i'm it; keep the club
head travelling all the time.
McDermott Uses "Flat" Swing.
1t must be also taken into considera-
ton that there Is q difference Of build