The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-06-17
perceptible biting spin. 1t was
3 very pretty bat extremely
delicate shot.

delicate shot.
And now turning to that which
have called the .cut skot,Y
think Immediately OF Freddie Nc
Leod, of the Columbia Country
Club OF Washington. I have seen
Freddie do so many remarkable
stunts with this shot that I have
almost been converted to. belieY-
er in its value. But Freddie's use
of 1t and mine are sadly different,
that is sadly for me.
Freddie plays the ball relatively
far in front of his left foot, his
body facing the hole. Using full
and vicious stroke. he literally tears
the bottom off the ball. The club is
laid back about as far as possible
and passes under and across the
ball and imparts to it a terrific
spin. / have often seen Freddiess
ball pitch as much as two yards
past the hole and come running
backward until it stopped on the
very edge of the cup. On at least
two occasions have seen 1t so
In. -
But this shot is not for the rank
and file OF golfers. The nicely of
execution which 1t requires is be.
yond the reach If most OF us.
had waited patiently for a number
OF years to see what would happen
il Freddie ever nit one little too
high. When he finally did half-top
one / was not in a position to enjoy
it as ! should have liked, for / hap
pened to be In line and nearly lost
an ear.
These are the three types OF
bunker shot which are In most
general use, and q good player
should be able to call on any one
which may be required. No one
shot can be made to perform the
office Of the other.
I should like now, in few words,
to indicate my own preference in
the matter of extricating the ball
from sand around the green.
When my BAH is lying clearly, or
nearly so, and there are no unusual
dangers attendant upon the stroke,
/ cannot help feeling that from the
bunker ought to get close enough
to the hole at least to render not
unreasonable the expectation of get
ting down in one putt. have found
that wherever a chip cannot be EN-.
ployed / cannot be sufficiently ac-
curate with the blast and / do not
dare try one of Freddie McLeod's
cut shots. The solution for me has
been a modification of the blast,
which has some OF the earmarks Of
the cut.
First. I must have a reasonably
good lie. I take my stance with
feet close together and body al.
most erect and facing slightly to.
ward the hole. / always use a
niblick, and lay it back just a lit
tie bit. Then with generous half
swing and free wrist-action, I try
to take sand just under the ball,
not one-half inch behind where
the bali is resting on the sand.
The length Of my swing is almost
always the same, the range being
controlled by the force of the blow.
The merit OF this shot, as see
1t, Is that it is easier to control
than the blast and while more
dangerous than a full explosion, is
much safer than the cut. Except
in extraordinary situations there is
little chance that the error on one
side wiz be great enough to leave
the ball still In the bifnker nor on
the other to send it over the
green.
When played in this fashion
the ball has considerable spin,
impaired by the face Of the
club, rOughened by the thin
layer Of sand upon It, 50 that
1t is possible to pitch boldly up
Ia the hole with assurance that
/ there will be little roll.
OF course, this shot cannot be
employed from a bad lie. Neither
can it be used from Oakmcnt's
furrowed bunkers. Indeed, on that
course q recovery to the green
leaves one in state Of complete
satisfaction.
Copyright. 1921. by the Bell syndicate,
Incl