Evening star., 1938-07-06
POWER CUT DOWN
AS.PLAY'E|R| BENDS
. Most Faults Brain Made,
but Failure to Stand at |.
Ease Mars Play.
ny GRANTLAND RICE,


Special Correspondent Of The star.
NEW YORK, July e.-.Do you hap.
pen to know" queried Prof. Alex Nor
rison. where tension starts in the
golf swing?" i
I suggested the brain or the mind
or what Is supposed to represent the
brain or mind
This is correct on the mental aide. "
the renowned links pro answered, but,
on the physical side, It Is In the stom.
ach or abdomen. We all know that
most golf faults are caused by ten
sion. We can prove that by comparing
almost any golfers practice swing with
his working swing. They don't look
any more alike than . lily and poison
ivy. Most Of this tension is located
in the stomach. where the nerve and
digestive centers are fairly close to-
gether." "a
Just why is this " I asked.
The original tension force starts
from the brain. When the average
golfer even touches . club, he begins
to freese or tighten up. But there is
another reason. The average golfer
also bends over too much. You can't
get most Of them to stand I'D fairly
straight in natural, comfortable
position. From the tension spot in the
abdomen. the poison runs to feet, legs,
shoulders, arms. hands and wrists. It
travels as swiftly as lighted power.
Any golfer could at least help himself
or herself . great deal II he or she
would only stand more comfortably,
more erect in addressing the ball."
Golfers Too Hurried.
This is true. 1t also is true that
most golfing faults are brain-made,
not muscle-made.
For example. the average golfer
thinks largely in terms Of hitting the
ball-which means In terms of the
It rarely occurs to him that the,
must be handled or di-
rected correctly before any satisfying
downswing can be of any use.
I should say that at least 80 per
cent Of all golfers never finish the
before the downswing is
under way.
1t occurs to far too few Of us who
brandish wood or iron that there is
an order Of thoughts we'll as an
order Of movement-and that think
ing about the backswing comes first.
II the backswing is correctly finished
and there is no rush or hurry thrown
into the downswing. the latter is al
most certain to turn out q good lob.
But the chief Of staff in this happy
enterprise must be the mind, brain or
whatever you think with.
A comfortable. fairly erect posture
Is big help. But the bigger help is
to think In terms Of q smooth, unhur.
fled start. Most Of US think ahead
Of the ball, not back Of the swing.
Bunkers. traps, rough. ponds. lakes,
attack the brain through
the eyes and smear out all other
thoughts.
Muscles, Nerves Not Enough.
Well-trained muscles and nerves are
not enough to take care Of the situs-
ton. The mind also must be trained
to do its part, since it sends out the
message.
This doesn't mean that sny vast
amount Of wisdom or intellectually is
involved. It is all quite simple-h
one will try 1t few times.
The mind merely says-"Now take a
fairly upright stance.
Feel just = little bit lazy today. The
ball isn't going to move until you hit
II. So don't hurry your backswing.
Bring it back smoothly and don't rush
the clubhead from the top. And
don't forget the head anchors the
swing. So keep the head as still as
possible. This won't be difacult il
your backswing isn't rushed, jerked
or used with q whistling sound"
This isn't all Of it. but it is q biz
part Of 1t. The tension that causes
nead-lifting starts before the clubhead
has moved an inch.
This mental process must never BE-
taken for granted. It won't operate
OF its own accord The normal human
Idea Is to sock that ball. This idea
must be suppressed by a little think
Ing before the back-swing starts
definite concentration on the few de-
tails needed to give the swing 4
chance.
Dynamic Curve Tells.
Wolstan Crocker Brown, q scientist
who has studied the dynamic curve
that leads to power, shows that the
main point Of force is in the upper
Of the back, . trifle below
the juncture of neck and body. This
knees and runs through spine and
neck. Straight, stiffened knees or q
head bent too far forward can remove
so per cent OF power. These mistakes
clog up the flowing stream Of power.
This Is easy to understand, for
these things mean balance-and with
out balance there can be neither power
nor control.
The concentration required doesn't
demand q brainstorm or a mental up
heaval. Just a little simple, direct
thinking on one or two important
fundamentals fundamentals that will
blow -,ip in your face II you don't
give them the attention needed.
(cor,rirht, 1898, By the North American
Newspaper Alliance, 1nc.)