Evening star., 1924-10-26

IL
much to do with the back swing its
action in the forward swing will be
over-over, as distinguished from
under. The right hand slaps the ball
just as the clubhead gets to the ball,
but the left arm pulls the clubhead
down to the ball.
Henry Ford built a combination
steam and gas engine for his plant
which duplicates, in a way, this hand
action in the golf swing. In this
engine, the only type Of its kind, the
steam first drives the piston and, just
as the energy of this stored power is
about spent, bang goes an explosion
Of gas vapor in behind it to give it a
shot of renewed life-an added kick
7 Something like that takes place in
the golf swing. Let us say you are
compares with the steam in Ford's
power plant. With this arm you pull
the clubhead down to the ball. At
the instant this arms work is done,
bang goes your right hand and arm
with the added kick of the gasoline
explosion behind the steam. The
point here is that the right arm has
practically nothing to do until this
particular point in the swing is reach
ed. Then 1t acts. and when it acts
it is with an explosive kick. Its
work is quick and snappy, violent and
effective.
To get this effect the right arm
must be kept to it's proper place
throughout the back swing Since
this right-hand kick into tho ball is
the thing that really puts the sting
into the blow and delivers the dis
tance that the grand drivers get, the
management of the right arm
throughout the back swing of neces-
sity becomes one of the most impor-
ant details of the swing as a whole.
Fortunately, keeping this arm in
is right place is simplicity itself.
Like other details of the stroke. all
you need know is what to do and how
% do it, SO here you are on the mat
er of the right arm.
In taking your stance so adjust
'ourself that you can rest your right
elbow on your hip. To do this the
right shoulder must drop some In
dropping it be careful that it does
not get ahead of the left shoulder
that is, keep both shoulders parallel
with an imaginary direction line run
ming through your shoulders to the
hole ahead. In taking this position
with the right arm let the left arm
extend outward from the body in a
rather straight line. Do not stiffen
the left arm. Also bring the left hand
the right hand drop down, to com
pensate for the new position of the
left hand-if this means a new posi-
tion for the hands in your case. Place
the ball directly of the left heel. This
may appear to put the ball consider
ably in front of you. That is where
it belongs. Perhaps you have been
playing it. too far back.
Having thus positioned the arms,
take back swing and throughout
the back swing let the right elbow
rest on the right hip until, at the top
OF the swing, the right elbow lifts
slightly-of it's own accord Shift
your weight in beginning the back
swing to the right leg and let the
clubhead travel even with your hands
Try this few times and note what a
long sweep backward the left arm
takes. Let the action of this arm be
free and easy, and do not unduIy
tighten the right arm in order to hold
1T to your side. Never overdo any
thing in golf
Having taken the club to the top of
the back swing in this manner, let il
start downward, directly toward the
ball--pun downward, not out-with
an easy left arm pull, and at the same
instant let your weight begin to
shift toward the left through the
hips. Pull all the way down with the
left arm and about half way down
with the club. pull also with the left
hip. Pull directly toward the ball.
You will think the clubhead is going
to hit into the ground, but it will not.
Then, just as the clubhead gets to
the ball, bang in your right hand and
arm as hard as you can bang them
w ork the hands as hard as you pos
sibly can through this segment of the
swing. This is the power segment,
the lower arc of the forward swing,
and it is through here the clubhead
attains maximum speed.
If you find the clubhead tending to
strike the ground back of the ball
you can correct this by attending to
your hands. This hitting the ground
will indicate that your hands are
lazy The hands must not lag when
the clubhead attains this lower arc of
the forward swing. Right in there
you whip the clubhead with the
hands-throw it. This hand action
is commonly called the snap of the
wrists" and you may describe il as
such If its suits your purpose. Keep
relaxed throughout the back swing
and, at the top, develop the feeling
that the clubhead is poised. From
this poised position, which can be felt
only with relaxed muscles-you lit
orally hurl the cIubhead toward the
ball, pulling it down with the left
side and slapping it through with the
right Whipping up lazy" hands and
making them work, at the ball, will
enable you to bring concentrated
power onto the ball at the right in
slant, and this application of maxi
mum power at the correct instant is
the art of timing.
When you develop your swing in
this way you will put your left side
to work and this soon will develop
the left side of your body. Only with
this development can you become the
boss of this most charming of
pastimes-golf
(Copyright, 1921