The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-04-22

thumb of the left hand is covered by
the fingers OF the right. making both
hands work as one
advocate the Nardon, or overlap
ping grip for each player, whether his
fingers are long or short, because l be-
lieve it insures better control OF the
club and the swing. and is more de-
pendable than any other I know AL
ways remembe. ing that the firmer
grip should be with the fingers of the
left hand.
But the most important feature to
remember is the baseball illustration.
which shows just how much pressure
should be used.
Concerning Stance and Body Move
ment-
Another bad habit that the average
golfer has is that of standing entirely
too far away from his ball. He is so
far away that he has to lean well for
ward, with extended arms, to reach
the ball and SO usually falls into it as
he swings forward
The best advice to offer along this
line is:
/. To take an easy, natural stance,
with the left foot just trifle back of
the right-that is, with the right foot
extended just a few inches, a slight
modification of the open stance.
.. With the feet placed where one
is in easy reach with proper balance.
the player should first place the club
head back of the ball and then bend
slightly from the waist with a slight
droop of the shoulders, so there will
be nothing tense or awkward about
his swing. He isn't supposed to
stand up rigidly erect, nor yet to bend
far over. Just a natural bend from
the waistline is enough.
3. With his feet properly placed and
his body is an easy position. well bal
anced, with the weight just shade
more on the heels, with the ball not
too far away, he is then ready for the
swing.
1 Here I bring in another baseball il
I lustration. In the act of throwing n
| ball you do not deiberat ely turn your
| body. The body merely turns to &C
| commodate the throw. 1t is all part
/ of the same simple motion.
The same thing is true of the golf
/ swing. The body turns to accommo-
| date the swing, to give it freedom for
the stroke as the arms go back. The
/ peg in baseball where the body is
/ barely moved, is like the chip shot or
short approach in golf 1t is all a
/ matter of the right arm and the right
hand making the play unaided by the
, body.
/ There are, of course. slight changes
/ in the stance for various strokes but
these will be taken up later, when diff
ferent clubs arc discussed. I am now
referring to the stance one takes upon
the tee with driver in hand
Don't forget, in the way of stance
and grip. that two of the main prin-
( ciples of golf are ease and firmneSs.
| Ease without looseness - firmness
without tenseness.
| And never attempt to correct a slice
| by standing just a little further away.
/ This is the worst thing you can DO,
as you will then fall forward into the
/ ball and very probably slice worse
/ than ever. Your hands should be well
! down and your elbows under full con-
/ troll, and this can never happen when
4 you have to reach out too far. The
4 left hand should be well over the club,
I never under the shaft A firm, even
/ grip with the left fingers and a lighter
grip with the right fingers prevents
one from jerking the club head back
with the right hand, which is one of
/ the most common and one of the most
! fatal of all faults. You can't very
| well do this with the same right fin
[ gered grip on the club that you use
! upon a baseball bat. which is exactly
1 the right pressure that is needed for
/ the snap or whipIike motion that sends
| the club head crashing into the ball.
l (NeXt lesson-The Short APPROACH