Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-08-02
GOLF GOSSIP

A very excellent series of articles
entitled Golf Shots and How to Play
Them" was recently contributed to
the World of Golf by j. r. Remer.
Here is one on how To manipulate the
nibliek. club which many Oahu
Country Club golfers will probably
find use for before they become ac-
quainted with the intricacies of the
new 1S-hole course. which Is to be
opened this month:
In an earlier article made the
statement that the complete golfer
should carry two niblicks In his bag.
This may seem very grotesQue. but
/ am quite convinced that il Is neces-
sary. say this in spite Of The fact
that the ex-amateur champion, John
Ball, does not carry one at all In
my opinion the niblick is a most valu-
genius of Mr.. Ball that he does not re-
quire the services of this club. To
see him recovering from heavy lie
in bunker with q straightfaced club
is one of the marvels of golf. but no
writer or coach would recommend
any one to initiate the feat The one
niblick should be very heavy. while
the second niblick should be OF rath-
er lighter description.
+ The reason Is easy to explain. II
you are using a niblick to recover
from q heavy sand lie you must have
a heavy club to cut through the sand.
That is the real use of the nibiick.
For what | may call the abuse of a
niblick when played through the
green. so brilliantly exploited in Il 5
years championship by Edward Ray !.
you must have niblick of tighter
weight.
Bunker Recoveries.
If the heavy niblick Is used for this
shot, steady play Is very difficult, Let
US first consider the legitimate nib
lick shot out of bunker. There is
really lot of play and very inter
.esting play in your bunker work. You
very seldom see any one practising
in a bunker. yet 1t is quite good fun
and you can gain lot of experience
in that way Of very helpful nature:
First Of all when you find your ball
nicely tucked away In a bunker look
carefully at all the surrounding cir
cumstances. Examine your lie care
fully, make quite sure Of the height
of the bunker and look at the nature
of the sand. Then make up your mind
to get out. for you can never afford
to take more than one in bunker:
It is very nice to put your shot near
the hole or to hit q long shot out 0f
"a bunker, but never attempt to do so
III you are at all doubtful that the shot
Is in any way a risky venture When
taking your stance be very careful to
see you have firm footing, and in
order to 40 so dig your heels firmly
into the sand.
Aim Behind Ball.
If you have made up your mind
the lie Is heavy one, do not look at
the ball, look at the sand about three
inches behind the ball, and lift with
all your might. You can learn only
by experience in practise how far
behind the ball your eyes must be
fixed. II the ball is lying clean In a
bunker, you can very often play an
ordinary mashie out of a bunker I
never think 1t Is wise to do so. The
shot can be controlled much more
easily with niblick. / find 1t very
useful to place your right foot oppo-
site your ball for these shots and to
give the ball top from your wrists
of varying force to suit the shot. The
fuse of the niblick out Of bunker is
considerable.
l do not propose 70 deal with a nib
lick pitch. Have you never been faced
with shot where there is about sew
en- or eight yards of rough grass in
front of you and then nine or ten
yards Of green to the hole? It is
the kind of shot you feel you ought
to negotiate in two, but you seldom
do. 1t is too short for an accurate
pitch. and with rup-up approach you
almost always go too far or stop
short. To make my meaning quite
clear, your ball either hits the rough
grass short of the green and stops
short or drops on the green and runs
too far Try the shot with a niblick.
Play an ordinary run-up swing. The
ball should just get sufficient loft to
drop on the green and will not have
sufficient running spin to go too far.