Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-03-21
GOLF GOSSIP


Heres some more wholesome advice
abofit iron play. written by Steven
Armstrong, the golf expert OF the
Christian Science Monitor:
Having spoken OF the cleek and my
general impressions OF the iron play
of the British golfers. LET us turn our
attention for few minutes To the mid
iron
Perhaps there is not a more useful
club in ones bag than this. Or rather
/ should say, one OF use to the greater
number Of players. For one man who
can handle his mashie successfully
there are eight or ten who know what
to do with a mid-iron, Il Is weIl-nam-
ed for it comes in the middle OF our
iron clubs: of medium loft. Truly It
strikes the happy medium, and yet. We
most not deceive ourselves into think
ing that it is therefore an easy club
to use correctly. This Is where so
many people make great mistake.
Because the result from a hah-missed
mid-iron shot may not prove so disas-
trous as one which is not just right
from a driver or a mashie. does not
Justify any one remaining content TO
let his mid-iron look after itself and
trust to the next shot for II coming
off all right
In golf as in the game OF life. per-
lection is the only standard. Every
shot you. miss or half hit with one
club makes it easier TO fail with an
other club. II you are pushing your
hands through before the club shead
while driving. it Is Of little avail. that
for the moment you are putting your
running-up approaches near the hole.
How long will it be before your pitch
shots will fail you, II indeed they
have not already done SO? II is all
very we'll to say driving Is absolutely
different from mashie play. II Is this
which gives such tremendous value to
consistency. What good Is II to be a
wonderful driver If you cannot use
your mashier as you should. or putt
properly? Sooner or later. the flub-
bed mashier shots and the half-hit putt
are going to bring on one Of those dis
tressing periods when even your driv-
ing - your special strength = Is go
ing to forsake you for time. There
fore beware of trifling with poorly
played mid-iron shots whether they
get you into bunkers or not / re-
member lady golfer who topped Q
short mashie approach very badly, but
the ball ran and ran and finally came
to rest two inches from the hole.
Some one said: well Played but
she answered quite Indignantly that
she had topped it disgracefully. But
said the spectator, your ball is dead
to the hole THAT is not the point
was the reply, "such poor shot de-
served to be punished instead Of VIM
ming the hole. 1t is not thing to be
praised for"
This is the right way of looking at
1t. Every one is not so honest about
1T as she was, and we welcome occa-
sionaI chance rubs of the green, which
help US; as no more than our due. and
strive to appear as though we quite
intended to make the ball bounce
sidewise off the bump and run up,
where we know perfectly we'll we tried
to pitch over the obstruction. How
ever, as always, honesty is the best
policy, and il we say to ourselves:
THAT was a very bad shot. l didHt
deserve that bit of luck, for | am MISS
ing with that. club. Then IL We go to
a secluded spot and argue out the
question with that particular tmple-
ment, and never letting 1t rest till you
have ceased to top or sclaf or what
ever you are doing with it. you will
not only be able to use it fearlessly,
but you will know you have prevented
some fault creeping into the swing
with your other clubs. So because
the mistakes with mid-iron may not
prove so disastrous at the moment. do
not ever be careless with It. Watch
it always. A mid-iron which can al
ways be relied on is one OF the stron-
gest assets any golfer can possess. II
will save many match for him and
under unfavorabIe weather conditions