The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-26
Tee, Fairway and Green
THE NIBLICK
By "CHICK" EVANS

THE NIBLICK
 I grip the club firmly in my fin gers about midway of leather; my finger grip Is particularly tight, but my body, arms and wrists are slightly relaxed, and if in long grass l relax a little more. My thumbs are down the shaft with only mar row inner section resting upon it. My hands are close together so that they cannot work against each oth CT. It is especially important that the niblick should balance easily and It's head feel like a weight
 l place my feet far enough apart to give a feeling of firmness and so1idity. My toes are nearly on straight line. and I stand closer to the ball than with other clubs. For uneven stance of bunker and toes out; 1t gives better purchase. My arms are held with elbows out.
 I play the ball about off left heel, and stand at medium. comfortable distance from it.
 Position Of Body.
 The position of my body Is medium upright. relaxed, well-posed I try to stand so steadily that the wind cannot destroy balance, but I do not at any time crouch so low that poise is lost. 1 bend my knees slightly and keep my heels down in an en- deavor to distribute weight evenly. 1 hold my shoulders straight to start stroke. and I do not turn up my wrists.
 I consider two imaginary lines be- fore striking ball-one rising from it's center, the other beginning a few inches back of it and running thence through it to the hole. I try to keep my hands back of vertical line, but this owing to the great loft of the niblick is not so important as in others. I play this club from it's nat ural lie, facing ball at right angles, as if ready to send it according to proper loft of the club. get the back part of direction line and keep my eye on spot in sand, grass or on the ground. When the blade Is in position rhythm demand that 1t be kept in motion, and this motion be- gins with what I call "sandpapering," Vibratory movement, continues into the forward press, an aerial perform ance for this club. and then flows into the stroke.
 Great Helper.
 The niblick Is used chiefly to get out of difficulties; this club cannot be grounded in bunkers therefore all this preliminary motion must be made in air. l press forward in air in your club. until hands are a little in advance of clubhead, the weight of the body thrown back on the right leg. and the left heel slightly raised. then bring my hands back to same position at right angles to di- rection line, hands being even with the clubhead. With left hand under l draw the club back parallel to the ground for a short distance along the direction line. Then I lift it with a backward. upward. outward. slight ly curving swing, until the left arm is almost straight and 1 can feel the clubhead pull the left arm sock ct at the back; naturally I swing less for the shorter shots; I break my wrists quickly, and bring club down, tracing the ascending line. clubhead leading, hands and clubhead describ- ing smoothly aros of an inner and outer circle. l hit into piece of line at ball, which is struck with a flick ing motion, and l hit the ball up into the air
 With a clean lie I play a niblick exactly like a stoppum, but if the lie is not clean 1 hit the ground, grass, or sand first. varying about two inches behind the ball, and I hold my club so tight that the blade does not turn in the sand, or grass.
 Keep going" is the motto for grass and bunker shots, and the go- ing must be steadily rhythmic.
 Wait for the clubhead; and follow through ball.
 THE PUTTER
 There are two distinct kinds of butts. the approach putt and the short putt, and there Is a marked difference in my manner of playing them.
 For the approach putt. which is the shot approximately more than 12 feet from the hole, I grip the club with the fingers about mid way of the leather. thumbs straight down the shaft aud hands close to- gether. I also place my feet close together with toes slightly turned out. elbows sharply crooked: and I stand almost straight so that bali and hole may be taken in at one glance.
 1 face the blade naturally and play off the left heel for the longest shots and off the front foot for the shorter ones. The approach putt is really a tiny iron shot and in play out, but for proximity to the hole. One-Handed Grip.
 For the short putt. which differs from every other shot of the game, and which is less than 12 feet from handed as possible. l grip the leath- CT firm with the left hand fingers, the left thumb straight down the shaft. The right hand with thumb across the shaft is placed over the left merely to act as guide. On the shortest butts I have put my righ, hand entirely over with good results.
 1 stand almost crouching, with feet fairly far apart. weight on my left leg. left toe pointing at the hole, el- bows crooked almost equally and paralleling direction line. eyes gaz- ing straight down upon the ball.
 l play the ball comfortably off the left foot and I try to be very care- full and sure of the imaginary direc- tion line. beginning a few inches back of the ball and running through it to the hole. I aim at a spot on the imaginary line 8 few inches in front of the ball.
 Delicacy of Shot.
 l cannot too much impress the need of extreme delicacy in the first part of the stroke. Place the put ting face of the club, resting na- turally and comfortably on the ground. at right angle to the direc- ton line and start the stroke with very delicate vibratory motion, press ing forward delicately on the club until the hands are a little in ad- vance of the clubhead; bring them back behind it. the clubhead still on the ground: then take hands and club very low down, back together. and then with the tiniest break of the wrist hit down into the line. being sure that hands are the least !. ,lr