The Washington herald., 1922-01-08
Building bZl0urG Game
8y /dmesB. 30ynes
Open GoLf Chompion efthe lb1ited s9tates

With the left hand in control let
the club head start back steadily
and evenly, and as it starts let the
left shoulder and the left knee turn
in together.
That's the start of rhythm to the
swing. Naturally, as the left shoul-
der and the left knee turn in, the
left heel comes up slightly. But
il the left shoulder ducks down
or is raised. or IL the body sways
back in place of the right sort OF
pivoting. there can be no even
swing.
On the Down Swing.
Rhythm is still a controlling fac
tor of the down swing. On the
down swing the average tendency
is to hit entirely too quickIy-to
hit at the top of the down swing in
place Of saving the big punch at
the right time.
You can't put the punch or the
snap OF the wrists in twice. II the
snap OF the wrists comes in at the
top OF the swing. Il can't come in
| again as the ball is being hit.
So the thing to work on in the
indoor schools, or at home. or down
South is not 10 be in too big a hur-
ry to start the down swing. but to
let IT get under way with an even
motion. speeding up until the right
hand takes full control for the final
flick.
You will notice that the best
professionals and best amateurs
seem to wait for the final punch.
You never see them give a sudden
lurch to the swing at the top.
There can, of course. be no
| rhythm il one quits in the act OF
hitting the ball. a common error
The club head must go sailing on
through without hitch. The
usual tendency is to tighten the
grip too quickly before the ball is
hit so there is no snap left as the
club head reaches the ball. That is
why so many have fine practice
swings. but lose this effect when the
ball is waiting. without the ball
they swing through naturally and
evenly. Without the ball their
rhythm is about perfect. But in hit
ting or swinging at the ball you
can see a big difference at once.
There is no evenness left. Every
thing seems to be tight and rigid.
The easy. simple turn OF the body
Is gone. And the body must have
an easy, simple turn IL things are
to work out in the right way.
II you will watch a good baseball
pitcher you will get important
ideas for a golf swing. You will
see that the pitcher doesn't throw
from the top of his wind-up. but as
his arm starts forward the snap of
wrist comes just as he lets the ball
60. The same idea applies 10 a golf
swing. There is no such thing as
jerky rhythm. And IL golfers
thoughts Sr concentration happen
to be broken or uncertain. his
swing is pretty sure to follow the
same turn.
TheIe can. of course, be no
rhythm IL the body gets in front Of
the hands in the swing, or IL the
hands go lurching out in front OF
the club head. The swing should
pull the body on through and for
ward. without any extra effort on
it's own part to cut through too
quickly. These are points the golfer
must study and work on. In prac-
tice he should see that his swing
is working evenly with the kinks
and jerks taken out, or he will al
ways be in trouble. This applies
to putting as well. where a hur-
ried back swing or a sudden jab
or stab will rarely reach the cup.
1t would be hard to imagine a finer
nf rh
see in watching the putting blades
of Travers. Guilford. Ray, Mitchell,
Hagen. ETC.. at work. Smoothness
and firmness are thu two main
qualities to be considered.