The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-11
BEGINNERS SHOULD TRY
 A FEW CLUBS AT FIRST
By WALTER HAGEN H (FOrmer British Open Champion and COrrespOndent~O The Age-Hernld.)

I said in recent article that every golfer should determine whether he had a flat or an upright swing be- fore he purchases a large number of golf clubs.
 Every beginner likes to believe that his swing is upright because it sounds better. Nine out of ten have to be convinced that a club with flat lie will suit them better.
 Every golf shop carries a large assortment of clubs these days and one has no trouble at all in making 8 selection. Clubs with both up right and flat lies run from the driver and the brassie all the way down the line to the butter.
 In selecting clubs it is not neces- sary to purchase a complete outfit all at once. The average profes- s;onal or low handicap player car ries about a dozen clubs in his bag. l have this many and sometimes more When l arrived in England the last time over I counted 14 clubs, but two of these, a well lofted brassie for getting the ball up quickly and a new aluminium butter, l have all ways managed to get along without Hagen Has Four Wooden Clubs.
 now have four wooden clubs in my bag. Jock Hutchison has the same number. as he carries long and a short spoon. Jim Barnes has 13 clubs but the majority carry only II or 12.
 The fewer the amateur has in his bag at the beginning the better, be- cause there is a great temptation to want to use them all. It is better to learn a few clubs at time and learn them well.
 mean by this that if one is going to try to use 12 clubs for a round when he scarcely knows how to uso one of them his chances for success will be very slim. Better to take one club at a time.
 would suggest that one pur- ctase first brassie that can be used for a driver for a while. The trouble with most beginners is that they want to use driver from the tee each time, whether they hit the ball or not.
 I do not believe that it is good idea to use an iron. Players who start with a driver and then to switch to an iron are always tempted to play that club for safety sake. This is bad habit to get into. non,t Try To R Riif 9 TRe H Ball.
 Take a brassie at first and then stick to it, but don't try to kill the ball each time you hit it. After one knows how to hit it with the brassie it is time to think about a driver Another reason one should use a hrassie is that the club will not feel strange when hitting them on the fairway. A
 The midiron is a useful club to have around and l suggest that thls be the next selection. mashie IS needed but it is only little brother to the midiron, though very lm- portant members of the family. l would suggest that the midiron be about the same as the mashie, only a little longer shaft and the face of the club not laid back quite so much.
 A niblick is useful at all times and might as well be purchased in the beeinning The trouble club Is use ful for getting out of sand traps ana in dislodging the ball from the rough grass.
 Few players who stick at the game more than a half dozen years are satisfied to use the same clubs that they began with This is why suggested buying only few in the beginning.
 that will last a golfer throughout ni3 career. I hardly know of golfer who still plays with any of his orig 'NA butter must be secured at first hut of all clubs selected this IS the Club least likely to satisfy. ihere are few indeed who can pick out butter that they will be pieaseu w 'u it and the strange part of 1t Is that IL ien't always the putters fault. Every eolfer must go through the expe. rience of trying out various klnds or putters. ,,.,,, s,ffica for the beginner.
 Newspaper Alliance for The Age
 Herald.)