The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-06-29
Hitting yx. Shaping


 There are two ways of hitting golf ball for considerable distance it can be swished or snapped away. or it can be slapped. The ball that Is merely slapped by the club face often carries a considerable distance and may be straight down the fairgreen. but the slapper flirts with danger at all times. The player who gets himself in an easy balance at the top of his swing, with his weight mostly. or entirely, on his right leg-mainly on the right heel--then starts his clubhead downward. increasing its speed easily as it continues to the ball. will send out long, straight drives off either wood or iron-if.
 The if in this case means every thing. His drives will be straight and long if he continues the clubhead through the ball on its follow through and comes to the end of the stroke with the clubhead well over his left shoulder. If this follow through is not attained, the ball will merely have been slapped. Observe where your clubhead is when you have finished the stroke. If it is only half way up on the finish stroke, merely hang ing limp at your left side. out from the body and pointing toward the ground, you have only slapped the ball. You cannot get full distance that way, nor can you depend upon being straight.
 Be sure to follow through for the best shots come when that is done. However, the good shot imperatively l demands that the ball be distinctly hit before the follow through begins. If the ball is hit in the middle of follow through. or at the beginning of one 1t causes the same result as | showing.
 Then l must remind you of the wisdom of taking turf with iron shots | This seems to assure you of your shot. It steadies the clubhead, and straightens out an imperfect arc and stroke. What I mean by taking turf is: Hit the ball first and take the turf afterwards. but let your clubhead continue into a good follow through. Do not get your body ahead of the flying clubhead.
 When playing with the stopum the lighter you grip the more backspin results and the more difficult it is to hit accurately. As in everything else, in golf the more difficult the task the better the result when properly completed.
 For those longer shots with the stopum and mashie and digger take little longer hold on the club, and you will find that the head will ! swing more easily.
 I find. particularly on these stopum shots, that a chip of sod is necessary to their successful execution. It is hard on the golf course to be sure, but If the chip is properly taken. and Is instantly replaced the divot will easily grow again Gad the damage will be slight.
 Think always of hitting through and beyond the ball. Another good thing to remember. too. Is to be sure that your descending stroke is straight into the line of play. The more relaxed one Is on the run-ups, the easier the shot. the less chance of jerk-that fatal fault in a run-up shot--and the smoother the running ball
 When a ball is lying badly in the rough, or in the fairgreen. you do not necessarily have to hit the ball before the turf. In such circumstances play the shot as you would bunker shot, and hit the turf or ground far enough behind the ball to permit your blade to go into the turf. pick up the ball and come out on the other side. It Is surprising how successfully such shot can be played.
 There is no time that is not well for a golfer to remember the value of relaxation. He must make 1t one of his cardinal virtues. for 1t leads one into the world of rhythm where perfect shots abound.
 Copyright. John F. Dille Co.