Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-09
By CHARLES (CHICK) EVANS

The enthusiastic public reception given
| to golf tournaments played for war pur-
poses during the season now drawing
/ to a close and the golf talk one hears
! on every hand lead me to look forward
| to the greatest increase of players next
season which the game ever has en-
joyed. II one but knew how many
thousands of men, women and young
sters who have set their hearts upon
owning their first set of clubs in the
| spring, the number doubtless would be
| astonishing.
To these prospective golfers as well
| as to players of experience l want to
present the general statement that it is
| the swing that does the business rather
| than the club.
Countless prospective golfers have
watched the work of noted professionals
and amateurs, and. while they have de-
veloped an enthusiasm for the game, I
am sure most of them have a feeling
that golf is comparatively easy.
underrate Golf
The prospective player holds the con-
Vtction that If he will just take hold
| of his club he can hit the ball where
| he will. Most beginners approach golf
with feeling that 1t is comparatively
simple because they are swinging a
| all other games which they have played
heretofore, such as tennis, baseball, etc,
| they have had to strike at a swiftly
| flying sphere So not unnaturally they
| reason striking a stationary ball WIFI
| be easy.
And tho player who approaches his
ball for the first time with the lively
expectation of seeing 1t go speeding off
on long, arrowy flight certainly is
| doomed to some big surprises, as all of
US we'll know. The beginner who is
| going to knock the cover off the bali"
will learn quickly that perfectly driven
ball is the result of understanding and
correctly applied practice.
Beginners Careless
The quickest thing this player will
| learn is that there are comparatively
| few right ways and many wrong ones
| When the beginner starts to ask why
he Is slicing, topping or pulling, he ,s
at the stage where the intricaces of
| golf open up vistas of pleasurable an
| ttcipation. And when he first expert
ences the thrill that follows perfectly
executed shots, golf will have claimed
| irrevoCably a new devotee.
With experience born of some under
standing, our beginner will understand
| that it is not SO much a matter of how
many clubs he uses, and. within certain
limitations, not even which club he uses
80 long IS he uses one that is made prop
erly balanced and suited TO him, and,
| above all, that he knows how to swing
it. The accurate shot is most largely
the result of a true swing.
Learn to Swing
I want to suggest to him or her, who
will make the first visit 10 a golf course
as a player this coming spring, to play
| as frequently as possible at the outset
| under the guidance of a professional or
really competent player, and lay EN-.
| phasis on learning the swing.
Once that is mastered the game will
prove delightful recreation and the
| players progress will be most rapid.
In my articles to come in the near
| future I shall set forth a number of
Ideas which ! believe the person who
contemplates golf will find interesting
and helpful when he actually appears
on the tee for the first time.