The Washington times., 1931-07-28

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shots are working best that yo
Keep your head down" is q
fundamental rule that applies
moro to the short game than to
any other phase of golf. Time
after time have seen some Of our
best players dub their shots in
their anxiety to see how close they
can get the ball to the pin.
Nearly all professional golfers
are emphasizing this head down"
rule nowadays by pointing the
chin to the right shoulder and
looking at the ball with the left
eye, for this keeps the head
lowered for an extra few inches.
Every short approach shot is
different and there is no single
club that can be used for all of
them. It may be run-up shot
with a No. 3 or 4 iron. 1t may be
a pitch-and-run shot with a
mashie or a mashie niblick. It
may be a pitch dead to the pin,
or over a bunker or trap with a
niblick.
All of these shots depend en-
tireIy upon conditions. II fair
way and green's are fast, q run
up shot Is usually required. If
they are slow, with heavy grass,
a pitch shot dead to the pin Is
needed.
All short shots should be played
with very little pivot. q short
back swing and a full forward
swing. Don't try to play short
shots with an easy swing, they
must be hit firmly. The distance
that the ball travels is controlled
by the back swing.
In other words, if you bring the
club back only two feet from the
ball and hit through as hard as
possible, your ball will go Is to 30
yards. On the other hand, If you
bring the clubhead back three or
four feet and hit through firmly,
the ball will go so to 70 yards.
When playing short shots I al
ways pick a point about 10 inches
in front of the ball on a direct
line to the pin. AS I hit through
I try to keep the club-head fol
lowing through to this imaginary
point. This practice insures a
perfect follow-through In the line
Of flight and prevents quitting on
the hit.
wrist shot. Stand close to the
ball with the head almost direct
ly over it, feet close together, and
in an upright position. Clasp the
club Just above the leather. Keep
the hands firm and the wrists
loose.
Bring the clubhead back in an
upright swing, using the left hand
only and then take full control
with the right hand, hitting firm
ly through the ball with the
right hand in full possession, keep
ing the left hand back. This
swing applies to either a hit-and-
run or pitch shot. OF course
with the hit-and-run shot you. use
a straight faced club like the No.
3 or No. 4 iron. This keeps the
ball low, but with a pitch shot
you use a niblick or a mashie
niblick.
Although the niblick is one
of the most useful Of all clubs,
il is played less than any other.
It is an excellent club not only
for getting out Of the sand traps
or rough, but also for shots up
to IS yards off the green.
A niblick gets the ball nicely UP
in the air and because Of it's wide
face you can pitch a higher ball
which will not roll too tar from
where it lands.
I like to lay the niblick away
back and slash right into the ball,
raising it high in the air and
having it drop dead, taking q
large piece of turf to give the ball
the necessary back spin. al.
ways pitch a little to the left OF
the point where want the ball to
land, because, in playing a shot
of this kind, the ball always has
a slight fade.
If you will practice for a time
with a niblick, pitching up in the
air, I am certain that, once you
get the "feel' of the club, it will
be your favorite for short shots.
Short iron shots require a
great deal of practice and each
player must work out the
distances for himself. I have
known golfers who could get as
as $50 yards with a nib
lick, while others couldn't get
more than SO or so yards. Steady
practice and much patience are
needed to develop these shots, but
they will amply repay you in the
improvement in your score.
REX A. C. READY
The Rex A. c. nine, with
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