New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-07-06
THE ART OF GOLF
Why the Inverted Grip Is the Only Secret
to Success in Ii.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: / am glad TO see that the misguided
oracle who has been affirming his duferdom
in your editorial columns on the subject of
"Pioying Golf by Ear" is getting his come
uppance at the hands Of some Of your CORE.
spondents. There is shown in his article just
enough sympathy for the game, just enough
suggestion that he might some day arrive at
an appreciation Of what really constitutes
golf, to make me feel that few burning
words may set him nearer the right path Lot
me, to begin with. explain 70 him the true
meaning of his own remarks. Speaking OF
those Of US who use the inverted grip. he
says: "Of course. they never can play golf
beyond the tiddledy-wink stage Unhappy,
fatuous man! He is so wrong there that you
can hear his intelects creaking. And he's
wrong through missing the whole point.
Golf, as he prattles about it, is a ritual"
a thing OF rules, of form" Of goodness knows
what professional and standardized mechan-
ism. Whereas golf, of course, is an art.
can see that hapless pedagogue driving Off the
first tee depositing his pipe on the turf
yard away, laying out his stance as with the
aid Of a diagram, giving his club seventeen
different wasgles, squealing Fore" and
then making an icily perfect drive of, say.
two hundred yards. He is out obviously. to
win. No doubt he does win. But don't tell
me that he plays golf. For him. every shot
is like the last one, only differing in dis
lance and direction as his machinist's Will
determines He is on the green in three. or
even two Then long putt, Zip she goes
into the hole. and as he straightens up he
cxudes such complacency as would put A
trained seal 20 shame. No excitement. no
gamblers thrill. no sense Of achievement. no
romance only the SNUG satisfaction Of the
besotted motor driver who touches a button,
moves mile or two along the road. and calls
himself sportsman. Now let me tell the
sad old juggins who wants me to be shot at
sunrise how to play golf
You play 1t as an artist and adventurer.
handling your club in an ecstasy of hope and
with confidence born not of Rule Number
Seventy-SiX,' but Of creative inspiration.
You do not worry about your stance and YOU
wouldn't be caught dead wagglng your club
You do not lay your pipe upon the grass
You bite it with a gusto that makes you a,
of the sky and the sunshine You look the
scene over with kindling eye and you shout
Have at you.' Then, being just careful
enough to sec that you have got the club in
properly inverted grip that being the grip
that is amusing and comfy to you-you let g
at the ball. And now what happens. can
hear Sir Oracle ut lands in gully ten
yards TO the left of the tee" OF course II
does, alongside of his, sometimes But there
are other times, let me tell him. times
halcyon and debonair. when the little wretch
goes sailing down the course, ght az the
famous arrow, a hundred yards, hundred
and nifty, a hundred and seventy five close
Oh to two hundred the other day, for your not
by any means humble servant. Humble?
Well, guess not.
For we play the game. We Of the inverted
grip. For Us the bliss Of sheer luck. the I'M
imaginable stroke OF chance the Joke for
you will admit its a joke Of making a hole
IN eleven, and then the paradise Of making
the next one IN par or a stroke below. Pm
not arguing my dear sir. No. as the saying
has II. I'm telling you. | have harpooned
dophins from the bow chains Of a bark in
the Pacific but the shots haven't been NOR,
fun-for they haven't been more of lottery
than the shots I've made with an inverted
grip. And | am asked 20 exchange the ex-
citement, the charm. the variety of a game
like mine for a game shat looks like a time
table and has the individuality of rubber
stamp! For what? For the vulgar ioy Of
winning? For the snobbsh qualification Of
being complimented by some other cold
biooded prig on my form? As well ask a
painter 10 use a stencil
The artist. my friend, sometimes strikes
twelve, and it makes him a very happy man. |