The Washington times., 1922-11-01

harmless little golf ball.
They tee up. and there the bal
sits. innocent. meek as a lamb and
as shiny as mammals boy on the
first day of school. And when big,
strong men undertake to hit II with
a club. what happens? They be-
come afraid OF the ball. They
could hit a baseball hard enough
TO knock It's cover off. but they
fail .miserably In their effort TO
connect Bquarely with the little
white. flyer.
You don't need me to tell you
how often all they get is about a
hundred yards OF distance. and a
nice chunk. OF the tee ground. These
same men are demons with dande.
lions and can clip 'em off nice as
you please.
What causes this golf phe.
nomena? More important. how can
players overcome II?
The fear" springs from hope.
The player hopes TO hit out q
long, straight drive-in fact, with
a lot Of golfers n long drive seems
70 be the never-dying hope Of their
lives. The hope gives way to the
thought that this effort, too, will
be q fo0zle, like the others, just
"a the club starts downward to-
ward the ball-and then II Is.
The oftener the player allows him
self to think his drive may go wrong
the oftener II does. 1t is peculiar
thought process. The player starts
his club up. with firm determination
10 hit the bail true and hard, but
iust as he starts his club down he
gives way to HE fear" and disaster
Eain results. HIS muscles stiffen.
his follow through goes blooey,
everything. he intended to do Is
aba ndoned. and arother shot Is
ruined!
Had It been . dandelion all would
have been wei.
The golfer must swing at a
golf ball as he swing at a dandelion.
He must learn the lesson OF muscu-
lar relaxation while making his shot.
1t ts hard to describe just what this
complete relaxation, for that let's
the player lose the sense Of com.
mand over the club.
II must be just as near complete
relaxation. however. as one can ap-
proaeh. and still have a command,
firm command. over all the move
mrnts of the club.
The player must not allow his
muscles to- stiffen, for stiffening
means jerking and jerking golf
club, means no distance with the
ball.
Too many players are in too much
Of a hurry to get the clubhead back
to the ball after they take the club
up. They have sort OF greed"
to hit the ball. That kind OF haste
causes the club to come down in
I side the path II followed in going
the clubhead digs into the ground
Just back Of the bali. This happens
because the right shoulder drops,
with the pressing on the club.
The player must relax and take
plenty Of time I'm the golf stroke,
especially at the top Of the stroke.
! dop't mean by this that he must
pause unduly long at the top Of the
stroke, but he must give his club a
chance to turn around up there and
get started back.
The club. II IL observed, must make
a direct change OF its direction. and
this change must not be made vio-
lently. Rightly done. the club starts
on Its downward trip about as you
start It on its upward trip. You start
It UP slowly. letting 1t gain speed as
II goes up. Then you stop II. at the
| top Of the stroke. start II down slow.
ly and increase its speed as It comes
down.
The fear" OF the golf ball is In
reality. too great a haste on the
players part to hit the ball. Play.
ers who study this aspect Of the
game closely will find. perhaps to
their delight. that they really do
not fear the ball at all. What they
fear is the outcome OF another bad
shot
Stand at ease at the ball. Start
the club back. easily. Take It around
and up, letting the body turn with
II. Stop.it! Feel the clubhead with
your fingers on the shaft. Have
the hands well up. about even with
your ears. Start the club down,
slowly. Hold your body back and