New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-11

Some time ago a certain well known
business man said to me: 81 notice that
most of your pupils want to take lessons
in driving. But want YOU TO show me
how to play the short approach. If l
can handle this part of the game |
won't have to worry about any of the
bunch who are after my scalp every
Saturday afternoon
This man knew what he was talking
about. He had the right idsa for the
right sort of foundation for a good,
sound game, and only a month or SO
later opponents, who had been giving
him two or three strokes, were asking
for two or three in turn before any
further propositions were made.
In these next lessons | am going to
divide the short approach into two sec
tions:
/. The Chip Shot and the Pitch and
Run.
g. The Short and Long Pitch
1t is with the Chip Shot and the
Pitch and Run that this article will
deal.
The Chip Shot
The chip shot should be used from
two or three feet off the green to if
teen or twenty yards back, provided
the course is in normal condition and
not heavy with rain.
The first move is to stand we'll over
the ball, with the ball fairly close in,
on a line nearer the left heel.
| advocate square stance for this
shot, with the weight thrown slightly
4 the left foot. In playing the stroke
the feet should be still and fat upon
the ground, for there is no need here
to move the feet at all in any sort of
shift.
The club you should use is one in
between a mashie and a midiron. |
believe the safest type of club for the
short approaching cleek or mashie
iron. Even a short midiron is all right.
Many fine golfers use a jigger, which
also has the right amount of loft.
But the main point to remember is
the shorter shaft, and, if in doubt, /
don't believe any one can improve upon
the approaching cleek.
The club should be gripped down
near the bottom of the leather to in
surQs steadiness and control, which is
the main feature of the stroke.
All Ready Now
With square stance, feet fairly we'll
together, ball off left heel, shorter club
gripped we'll down-the golfer is now
to lay the ball dead.
The grip now should be firm, but not
rigid. The next move is to start the
club back with the right hand, using
the left merely as steadying guide.
The chip shot is purely a right-hand-
ed effort, and as the right hand brings
the club head back there should be only
a slight turn of the left knee, natural
turn that merely helps to keep balance.
The body must be kept still, for the
body doesn't enter at all in making this
shot. The head also must be kept
immovable. Head and BODY must be
kept still, but not tense or fixed in any
concrete fixture.
The next point to follow is to swing
back steadily and evenly without any
hurry or jerk: No physical effort is re-
CURED beyond firm tap of the right
wrist. If you are lifting your ball. or
rather raising it too much, you are
keeping the face of the club too open.
On the down stroke with the right
hand. the firm left merely guiding or
steadying the club, you pinch the ball
away from the ground. I can think OF
no better way to put it.
You merely take the top of the grass,
but no turf. The stroke must be made in
an unhurried, decided way. You will
find most golfers short on this shot, be-
cause they hit with lack of decision or
hurry the swing and SO look up. 1t is