The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-06-11
Vard0n Advises Close
Attention TO Details
Famous Golfer Reviews Many "Trifles" of Game
Which If Thoroughly Learned Will Help Player
to Be Successful on Links
BY HARRY VARDoN.

, normally whippy and the other fairly
stiff. Tho change from the one to the
other will sometimes effect wonders.
I recommend shoes for golf in pref
erence to boots because they give the
ankles the greater measure OF freedom.
A good golfer uses his ankles on the
and more. perhaps. than the .averag.
player realizes. When, as the club goes
up. the left heel and the butter side OF
tho left foot are raised from the ground.
on that ankle, the reason being that
the heel should not turn out Of posi-
ton In the smallest degree, although
the body is screwed round from the
as the pivot. The strain Is met more
easily in shoes than when the ankle Ia
| encased In leather. 20 f. ~
Use Rubber Soled Shoes.
In America, where the courses are
generally dry and hard. II 10 a good
thing to wear rubber-soled shoes. I do
not think they are to be recommended in
| Britain. where on the more velvety
tur:. nails in the shoes give the more
secure !oothold. but I found rubber
soles very satisfactory duriag my last
The worst Of nails In the shoes when
one is playing IN America Is that. on
very dry gcpund. they hurt the feet and
| do not grip thoroughly.
Beware OF changing from boots. or
rhoes which have heels. to fiat shoes.
1t makes a deal Of difference to your
stance.
l do not recommend a long handicap
hall. II calls for wholly accurate hit
ting. otherwise II does not rise. y
hall of medium weight and normal size
| is best for the average golfer. although
the small. heavy article is easier with
which TO putt.
| DO not engage In several practice
swings before hitting the ball A few
years aEo snere waS mIch rS Som = wns
! said that most OF the young American
: players were making II custom 10
swing the club carefully three OF four
/ times at an imaginary object before
bracing themselves for the effort. I
canr OF say that noticed that the prec-
| tice was general. but some American
golfers were certainly addicted to u.
! feel certain that II is much more likely
| TO lead to confusion than to success,
/ because by the time that you come to
play the shot you have several Ideas
| In your head-each born Of a. practice
| swipg-an6 are not quite certain what
you arc trying to do.
Trust to Judgment.
/ Similarly. 1 do not believe In exam
/ hing the line OF u putt both from the
ball and from :he hole. As a rule. II IS
] safest to trust to the judgment which
you form after inspecting the line
from the ball. II you so 10 the other
end, you will generally see another line
Hold tie wooden clubsNparti:aiarly
! the driver-with moderate looseness.
sThat will help you to swing freely. and
the grip will tighten Involuntary as
you hit. Hold the iron clubs decidedly
more firmly; the swing is shorter ard
| more compact, and unless you exercise
secure grip, the sharp-soled character
| of the club will cause II TO turn in the
hand as It touches the ground. There
! club. which. having a broad sole. does
not dig into the turf. When. however,
recommend firm grip do not
mean anything SO desperately tight as
to make the blood run out OF the knuc-
| kles.
With wooden clubs. the rirmest hold
should be exercised with the thumbs
and forefingers. The other fingers will
look after themselves.
A match which is played without the
exchange OF Few words every now
, and again II rather trying to the nerves
but I do not know of any greater nui-
stantly during the rounds. He will not
settle down himself to the task in hand,
and Will not let you do so. Economy in
speech Is prinSiphe TNrth fSlow,ns
| right time In a few words makes a
pleasant break in the proceedings. but
| loquacity Is nothing short of cruel to
a man who wants to pursue the game
| seriously. once heard of a club which
posted notice In the pavilion: The
| following members are so addicted to
talking on the course that they are
requested henceforth to play In respir-
ators" Then followed list Of the
DO not let caution become an obses-
sion. There are many golfers who make
! a practice OF taking no risks. be they
4 l.
counting success, and the satisfaction
| TO be derived from II can never be
great. Certainly there is nothing to ne
gained by attempting foolhardy shots.
| but the golfer should cultivate an ell
ement Of holiness in his manner or
playing the game. For that reason I do
not believe In having bunker too
close In at the back OF a putting green;
1t Is npt to inspire the player with ex-
cessive caution when he executes his
1 approach. -
Concentrate Attention.
Once you have taken up your stance
end made your mind what sort of shot
you are going to play. concentrate the
whole Of your attention on II, and do
not allow yourself to think OF an al
Tentative acheme. must confess that
occasionally I have changed my mind
during the actual swinging Of the club.
The result has usually been unsatis-
factory. J
Do not depend too much upon the
advice OF your caddie. Sometimes Il
eases the situation when the PLAYER Is
between two minds as to what to do,
but In the ordinary way. the golfer is
best served by following his own In
stinct. II he wants 10 do one thing
aDd the caddie recommends another.
he may fail at that which the caddie
advises for no other reason than that
he did not fancy II. And then ht
blames his henchman instead of himself
The player Is really to blame for not
showing greater resolution.
In four-ball match there Is often
one player who Is horelessly out of the
hunt at hole, but who insists on play
ing II out to the hitter end as though
he had a chance OF helping at It. This
circumstance moro than any other
causes four-ball matches to be pro.
tracted affairs and spols their enjoy
imeut. They would cause no delay
| wnrth maintaining and would he 1es,ld.