The Washington times., 1916-05-14
Harry Vnrdon Tells Golfers HON.
To Play Up to Hole and Get H|
HaIf-Shot With CIeek or Iron Isl
Best for Those Who Can
Work II Out.

right knee and bending the left and
then stiffening the left and bending
the right. The knees control the
whole action of the body us. II fol-
lows the arms and tho club. As the
club goes through. you can raise the
outer side OF the right foot from the
ground so as to be resting on the in
ncr side, but do not lift the heel.
free with both feet and so lose the
stability of the stance which helps IN
accurate hitting. Keep your head
down and still until the ball has been
struck, and do not attempt to work
the ball into the air. The club will
lift II all right CT In shaped for that
purpose) IL you simply aim half an
inch behind the ball and play straight
through II. IL you want lot OF loft,
take the nibliclk. II is pretty
the ball into the air by a turn OF the
wrist iE sure to end in disaster. The
body should not move either back
during the up-swing or forward Mt
the .hnish. II In quite enough for IL
to turn at the hips through the acA
ton Of the knees The club will look
Very many golfers take almost a full
swing with the mashie and then try TO
come down slowly so as to hit at the
requisite strength. That 10 entirely
wrong. II you were knocking a stone
with a stick. you would strike Il smart
ly; you would not deliberate about the
pace of the stick. So. with the mashie.
you must always come down smartly.
There must be no faltering. In a sense.
you hit as firmly as when you are driv-
Ing. The only difference In that II you
do net take the club up far, you have
not time to get the same pace on the
club as when executing full swing.
The tendency to try and scoop the ball
into the air rs strongest when you are
near the hole. Some players then lay
the blade of the club right back or
else poke II under the ball as they hit;
special effort to be sure OF lifting the
object. This fancy work is the cause
OF half the foozling.
To overcome the habit, recommend
my pupils to practice pitching over I,
bush. starting at seventy yards and
gradually reducing the distance to
twenty yards. At seventy yards you are
compelled to hit firmly. without any at
tempt at scooping, In order to obtain the
necessary carry. II you. play three
yards. then three at ATTY yards. and SC
on down to twenty yards. and always
play them In the same way. except that
you shorten the up-swing as you draw
nearer 10 tne Dusn. you ouBht 10 Bet ou'
Of the fatal way OF trying to shovel the
ball into the air by turn of the wrists
The best distance at which to practice
with the mashie is from forty to sixt,
yards. Personally. for an ordinary
,pitch-and-run shot, l generally play f ol
hole. II the ball strikes a piece oil
ground OF average firmness, II will rur
| up to somewhere near the hole. o.
course. IL II pitches on soft turf. II
- /. NAW Aa 81 :
very hard piece It will run past. Tha
| cannot he helped.
II Is upod, occasionally. to practice
pitching with the nibllck. which IL
useful club when you want the ball e
rise aulkly and stop almost where J,
| pitches. Its disadvantage compared
with the mashie r. that the edge OF its
/ sole IL very sharp and is therefore APT
| TO stick ~ the ground and spoil tbs
| stroke unless YOU PLAY II perfectly
Still. Il IL n valuable alternative for the
person who is not proficient at the Gu,
stroke with the mashie. which Is one OF
| the most difficult shots In the game
TpIayed the best stroke OF my life will
| n niblick 1t was I'm a tournament a
Northwood. near London. when my bal
| Law within four feet Of the clubhouse
building thirty feet high which barred
| the way 10 the green about thirty yards
ahead in a straight line. To tell tht
J truth, don't know quite how II wal
done-I only know that l applied more
ba ok spin than ever I got on any othei
shot and hit with all my might; spec
tators will vouch for the fact that IN,
| ball rose almost straight TIL u reached
| the top OF the clubhouse and then sailed
| forward and stopped yard from tn'
min. After which I missed the putt
That brought me to my senses.
/ Copy't, 1916, by wheeler Syndicate, Inc
The Fifth in This Series of Golf Ar