Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-11-23
MotiOnless Head MSures.
Well Timed Golf Drivino
Jesse Cuivord Says Moue.
ment of Head Means
Movement of Eyes, Which
Thro,Us off Euery Other
Motion in Stroke
Rv Jesse p. GUILFORD

,-,,cur Golf Champion OF the United States
THERE are several maxims in golf
| which are very well known. the most
,onular one being Keep your eye on
I ,be ball." Next to that we hear,
"Keen YOUR head down.
4 dubbed drive is usually the result
~ the eye wandering from the ball. y
shadow, n spcck, anything which might
attract the attention at the time of
Sriving. is likely to be fatal IL the
1reatest concentration is not practiCCd.
This might bring the question to the
,ors, as II actually the eye on the ball
~ the concentration which is neededE
I remember distinctly of having read n
GOOD many years ago that Il golfer OF
sC aOte asserted that he could play good
came of golf blindfo.ded.
Probably Didn't Work
TN ORDER to support this contention
| he was one day blindfolded on each
Zoo after making his address. and with
those odds against him he indulged in a
match. Whether he was beaten or not
I in not know. but | have very good
idea that he was.
The point which this professional
wished TO demonstrate through this act
was that il is not necessary to keep th1
syp on the ball provided the swing is il
rood form and the tim ng perfect.
Nv own view of the matter is that
"Keep YOUR head down. is practically
tbe same as Keep your eye on the
ball." and for this reason.
With a movement Of the eye there is Il
movement of the head perhaps only Il
,llrht raising. but it is sufficient tn
throw every other motion in the stroke
on. The head, if t is kept still. in
mres the body against Swaying or jerk
Ing and is guarantee on Il wcIl-timcd
swing.
MY INITIAL attempt at piayimg
WI front Of a gallery wds an
rrert which I ShdN ncrcr forget. for
on that dpSpjciouS occasion I fOppCd
the bell of the first tee.
7 DO NOT know just what caused
L this catastrophe. hut later rca-
sonCd it out as being the result of hit
ting my head. There was undoubtedly
shadow which fickcrcd across my path.
or whisper from one of the gallery.
which took my attention, and the rails
Ing Of my eye for fraction of a Sec
oud, or perhaps ] might say the lifting
Of my head, was sufficient to completely
unbalancG my swing and the topping en-
sued.
Even though the same idea is con-
vcyed by the two expressions. "Keep
your eye on the ball" and "Kccp your
head down. there is no harm in both
being taught the prospective golfer, for
the Importance Of either ono of the
maximS cannot be ovcrcStimatrd.
II the eyes are on tho ball the head
Is bound to be still. and if the head is
still the eyes are undoubtedly on the
ball.
Unaware of Audience
THE power of concentration has
L great deal to do with this subject,
for the lifting of the eyes or moving
the head-whichcvcr you may choose
70 call it's the result of lack of con-
centratiOn.
Golfers who attract gallery will tell
you that they are absolutely unaware
Of their audience, so keen is their power
OF concentration.
For my own part | know that if V
permit myself to be aware OF every
movement behind me. of shadow or
even Il whisper. fear it would take an
adding machine to properly record my
score.
THE question then arises, "\fter
the bail is on its way. shall I
then keep my eyes on the spot where
II was?"
COME professionals teach this doc
~ tru", but why ] cannot understand.
TO keep the eyes on that spot would
mean that the head would be retained
N nm awkward and unnatural position
which would interfere with the follow
fhrough
IN the Eollow- through the body and
Ocad shond d follow along the line of the
nlght ut tho ball. and If the eyes nre on
me spot whore the bail was 1t means
.nat tn" body is moving in advance Of
Tue head.
AS a matter If fact what should be
llHle IN at the moment of the impact
,ne DodE should continue to swing and
ne ne, eyes should pick up the flight of the
'oIl; This would. of course. cause the
t"d 10 move in the same direction as
.uc body, and tho result would be a
'''ulal ana easy follow through.
Head Turns With Body
'NO THOSE who have been instructor
= TO keep tho eyes after the impact OF
ur y cup with the ball on th" spot where
'"e bal! was | would make this suq-