The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-10-03
"Chick" Evans Gives Advice on
Acquiring Golfing Tools.
Great Care Should Be Exer-
cised in Selecting Irons.
BY CHARLES {"CHICK'') EVANS.
National Amateur and Open Golf
ChamDiOn

National Amateur and Open Golf
Champion.
The average boy who begins to play
golf does not select his clubs He
usually begins with one, and that is
discard, and the additions made TO
his collection consist of anything he
can get I began with one club and
think it was a c!eek. A boy, how
ever, has considerable time to burn.
But it is assumed that any man who
reads these articles is anxious to save
time and is able to begin his game
with the proper equipment.
I consider a careful selection of
golf clubs extremely important, altho
I know it is frequently said that not
he club but the NAL behind it makes
the good shot A more exactly truth
full statement is that the good player
with the poor club can probably play
better than the poor player with the
good club, but when the players are
equally matched in skill, any advan-
tage in clubs will tell.
One of the greatest faults of the av-
erage golfer is a constant experiment.
ing in clubs. Assuredly in the matter
of iron clubs it does not pay, for
man must know his tools.
Don't Buy at One Shop.
have a theory that a golfer should
not buy all his irons at one shop but
should go to several and make Sc
lection. 1 think it took me four years
to collect my present set of iron clubs,
and each one bears a different max
er's name. In the selection of iron
clubs l give my chief attention to the
blade, for the length of these CLUBS
makes almost every shaft look alike.
Having selected these clubs, do not
change the blade. If a shaft becomes
crooked. put in new one.
I do not mean by this that a player
should never buy new clubs, for, as
matter of fact, 1 have added two new
lofts to my set in the last two years
But choose carefully and get the best
forgings possible, for you will prob
ably keep your iron heads as long
as you play the game. AS general
rule, exclude the freak club from your
collection.
1 think the bag of the expert golfer
of today should contain the following
iron clubs: A cleek, or any long driv-
ing iron; a heavy midiron and a light
midiron a mashie. a niblick, a run-up
iron and "stopum" mashie. At least
these are the iron clubs 1 own. 1 do
not believe in playing any more clubs
than are actually needed. The length
of my cleek is thirty-nine inches, my
midiron thirty-eight, my mashie and
niblick thirty-six and putter thirty
two. Later on I shall explain why 1
include a "stopum' mashie in my list
of clubs.
Center-Shafted Putter.
Now as to the putter: After having
tried every other imaginable kind, L
advise the center-shafted putter. 1t is
much the easier kind to use. and its
whole construction is best adapted to
the needs of this stroke, which is en-
tirely different from the blow given by
every other club in your bag. For
years l refused to use this club, feel
ing that as long as it was barred by
ST. Andrews it was not golf, but the
man who attempts to play with an
orthodox putter against a man who
uses a center shaft is up against a
pretty stiff proposition.
There is straight-faced putting
cleek that might be found useful for
stymies to play a low shot under
trees or to play away from a fence.
The wooden clubs 1 consider the
least important as far as careful
lection is concerned 1t will probably
surprise many to learn that 1 change
wooden clubs at least once a year. and
I consider wooden club play much the
easier part of the game My wooden
clubs are a driver, a brassie and a
spoon. The driver is forty-two inches
and the brassie forty-one and a half.
To repeat, the complete set of clubs
will consist of a driver, a brassie, a
spoon, a cleek, a heavy midiron, a
light nidiron. a mashie. a niblick,
.'stopum,' a run-up iron and a purter.