New-York tribune., 1922-10-08

chanical swing. But through over
his body in ahead of his hands or
hands in ahead of the club. No mat
ter how perfect his play be up to this
point, ragged result is almost sure
to follow.
Or with this almost perfect swing
he may lift his head just moment too
soon and once again disaster intrudes
us haunting presence upon the scene.
by all this we mean that some slight
error, due perhaps to hitting at the
ball too quickly or to some other lack
Of good timing, will bring on as much
punishment as completely incorrect
form.
On the other side of it, a golfer
with an unorthodox stance and grip
may yet get the club head in at lust
the right moment and get away bril-
liant stroke
We have seen more than few golf
ers with almost fawless- 10 oling
swings who couldn't break 95.
To look at their practice efforts, di-
rected against dandelion or a cigar
stump, you might put them down in
tne low 8Os, or even the middle 7Os
Yet, through lack Of their ability to
apply power at the right place, to con-
troll their nervous and muscular forces.
they can play little sound golf.
And there are others who look moro
IKE wood choppers than golfers, who
swing like an old gate, and vet who
get good results for che simple reason
that they stick with the few essentials.
Their grip may be unsound. their
stance may be out of focus. their
swing may be awkward -looking-but
in spite of all this they keep their
heads as anchors and hit on through
the ball.
Another Example
Take up the matter of putting, the
simplest stroke in the game to follow.
What good will it do one to have the
grip and stance of Travers or Hagen
and then lift the head just a frac-
tlon TOO soon, as so many thousands
do? Or swing back just trifle too
hurrledly and stab at the ball?
Inc man factors in good putting
are to keep the head and body still. to
bring the club head back evenly and
to mt through evenly and firmly along
the line to the hole. Stance and grip
may help secure these results, but they
are only a small part of the whole.
which also demands nerve control and
confidence. "''N
No putting form will stand IN on
days where one lacks the touch or the
control of his nerves.
Then there is this matter to con-
slder-a certain golf swing will seem
TO be almost perfect. But at the TOP
1T wlll Jack balance, with an incorrect
distribution of weight where the golfer
is In no position to get any real power
IN the stroke. And certain almost in
visible faults can make such great
differences as the club head NOT
quite getting there in time and there
by cutting across the race OF the ball
for soul-numbing slice. If the hall
player hits trife late he NAV double
to right field, In place OF slnglinp 20
LETT But if the golfer hits TOO late
his slice may sal out of bounds or
hnd some savage-looking trap.
Yet golfers can find improvement
II they will only go at the game in the
right way-which doesn't mean four-
ball matches every time they go out.
nor yet mechanical practice without
any intelligent mental application,
With sound instructor and the time
and application for practice one can
make great strides, but he must work
upon the mental side of the game as
well as upon the physical, since the
two must go together.