Evening star., 1932-02-23

~ Y way OF introducing this d1ScuS-
* sion of putting, think ought
to say that there is great dan
ger in adopting a method that
is too nearly fixed and imulrtable. Too
often q man who attempts 10 copy
each detail of the style OF some one
else. or who tries to develop his own
method according to rigid specitica-
tions. finds himself entirely tied up
by the tension of his position. ]
should like one who reads this to un-
derstand that there IL to be allowed
some latitude for the individual m or
der to assure complete comfort and re-
taxation.
In order that we may begin with a
semblance Of q proper sequence, we
may divide the important fundamentals
Of putting into three headings: First
the correct grip; second, the position at
address, and, third, the stroke itself.
think that the best way to bring out
what consider to be the chief require
ments Of the grip would be to describe
my own and give the reasons for the
appearance Of the important features
In the frst place. 1T will be seen from
the accompanying photograph that thf
thumbs Of both hands touch the clut
exactly On the top Of the shaft. This
accomplisfles two things. 1t locates my
/ two hands with respect TO each othel
and with respect to the face of the club
in what deem to be the proper posi-
tion-that is, with the back of the left
hand presented squarely to the hole and
the palm of the right hand. If it were
opened. In the same position. This IS
intended to encourage a stroke directed
exactly along the line of the puts and
to discourage tendency of either hand
to twist the face of the club away from
its proper alignment.
Light Grip Aids.
The grip should always be light
The nice correlation of direction and
speed, which is so necessary to sue
cessful putting, demands very deli
cate touch and there is nothing which
can defeat this so completely as 9
tense grip. My grip ON putter could
be called firm only in the three smaller
fingers Of my left hand. My right
hand merely rests upon the club as
am addressing the ball.
The photograph shows what I sup
pose would be called a reverse over
lap, that is, instead of the ordinary
overlapping grip, In which the little
finger Of the right hand overlapS the
forefinger of the left hand, in this case
the forefinger Of the left hand is on
top. The advantage Of this, think
in addition to encouraging light grip
is to remove the possibility Of squeez-
ing the shaft of the club between the
thumb and forehnger of the left hand
q tendency which would be increased
by the firmness of the grip of the
smaller fingers Of this hand.
One of the chief dangers in put
ting, just as in playing every other
golf shot, Is that Of raising the club
too abruptly in starting the back swing
a motion which is usually accom-
plished by the right hand The putter
like any other club, should be started
back close to the ground and should
never pass outside Of an imaginary line
drawn through the ball to the hole
have found that the best way to
prevent this is to start the back swing
by means of the smaller fingers of the
left hand, in which 1 have said that
the grip was firm.
AS accurately as I can describe the
feeling. the putting stroke is to me a
matter of using the left hand for
direction and true contact and the
right hand for touch and speed. The
hrmness IN the left hand controls the
path of the putter blade and the deli
cate sense between the thumb and fore
finger Of the right hand makes the
last little adjustment in the strength
Of the blow and gives it its crisp
quality.
Center Of Sense Of Touch.
There is one very important point
which concerns the way In which the