Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-09


a golfer has to face, whether he Is an
expert or not, is the selection of fine
set of clubs. bag of links weapons at
tuned to the player. writes John g.
Anderson in the New York Sun. This
is not due to the fact that there are not
a sufficient quantity of perfect clubs to
go round. 1t is the sense Of feel" of
touch" which communicates itself al
most Immediately when a golf club is
making the selection matter
of something other than the shape or
finished appearance which may please
the eye.
1t is not very difficult to diagnose
what we mean by the feel of a club in
its relation to the player. 1t is that
relation, pleasant or unpleasant. COM
municated through the club head with
it's balance, the shaft and even the grip
on the handle to the fingers and hand
and on to the brain. That feel" un-
like other such intricate sensations, is
often impervious to ones mental state.
If you are in calm state of mind and
at that time have the selection of a
club or two the feel will be the test.
Golfers who have broken clubs on the
links and have hurried to the profess
shop to replenish their set with
anger still in their hearts at their own
to play the shots as they be-
lieve they should seldom take a club
which does not appeal to them in the
discussed way. while on the other hand
the woes of those who would sell many
clubs are enhanced by the deliberate
which the reflective golf
err gives to the selection of a driver
or brassie which he needs.
The length of the club has little to do
with the feel of the head and other
kindred parts. Seven years ago Chick"
Evans played with clubs which were on
the long side, but two years ago at Elk
wanok he had his clubs reduced to
length which was shorter by several
inches. Frank Hoyt. runnerup in two
championships, plays
with a driver which is forty-eight
inches. Frank Hoyt. runner up in two
with one shorter unless he had the feel
of the club attuned to his stance and
arm prolongation. Weight the clubs of
all the contestants at the time of a
round. say, on the day of
qualifying ever so little and you would
find run of scores which would be
higher in almost every instance.
Tighten the clubs half ounce and ex-
cept in those cases where the clubs had
not been properly fitted to the golfer the
result would be the same The sense
that perhaps the thought that the tim
ing would not come in at the right time
and the club head would not be capable
Of giving all there was back of it: that
IS, the determination in the mind of
the player to get the ball a certain dis
lance.
The feel of clubs varies little year
after year: we find ourselves going bacl,
weight and shaft. whip and grip size
are concerned. The difficulty which many
a golfer has is to replace a club ex-
actly; / doubt if this has ever been done
since the game began. Copies of drivers
and braSsleS and irons have been made
time without number, but the same sat
sfaction never has been had. The feel
Of the club is different because it is SO
hard to duplicate with only the length
Of shaft and the spot of whippiness or
stiffness to go by. If the professional
could have the golfer who ordered the
club at his beck and call at all times,
so that the player could try out the club
in the various processes of the making
il might be possible for him to get
The desired copy. but as this is impos-
sible the chances for a perfect redupl-
alton are mighty uncertain. and, | be-
ieve, good for nothing at all.
Where is the feel of club? Well it
s everywhere. as men are different
some are attuned to club which has
he whip near the top of the shaft:
some men cannot get the feel unless
he grip is very thin and the handle
likewise: these men are the ones who
,lay the delicate mashie shots with the
EEL in their finger tips: other golfers
he end Of the shaft, and they seem to
eel the swish and smash when they
rap the ball off the tee.
But it is, to my mind, almost an i'm
possibility for one man to select the
lubs which another would use with
pest success. You ask them what is the
Use In having professional pick out
clubs for beginner or for a golfer
hat. he is the one who. finding out
where the feel of your clubs is-that
s. where the whip may be or the kind !
If lie of the club-he>d and so on-can
ave you the bother of picking out this !
zind from the many. |
A first class professional will give the /
hoice of two or three different kinds |
# each club already selected with the |
POINTS have in mind taken care of and |
he results will be many return trips to |
lis shop. The reason perhaps why this |
s not done more is solely because |
here has been no great demand for it. !
Yet there is need. TO-. hardly a golfer |
will admit that he has set of perfect |
lubS. When you do find one who ap- i
,roaches this ideal, swing the clubs he |
ffers to you and you will find that
whereas they may please you a bit.
hey are not surely and completely just
What you would pick out. Feel is not
here.
Just one more word on this topic.
elect your clubs after you have played
good game. You are well primed
hen. Never attempt alone to pick out
;olf clubs when you have been away
rom the game or are new at it. Then
$ when the professional gives you the
est start. See him.
1t was only last week that one of the
oremost architects of golf links in
Imerica said to me: why don't you
frite about one of the most important
least thought of conditions
which we have to face in the making
f a golf course?"
whats that?" asked
simply this-that the selection of
brennan when q golf course is under