Evening star., 1940-08-30

I.
'all for 10 or 20 year journey"
MentoI Impression Of Stors
Con Be Made Useful
When you watch such golfers as
Picard, Snead, Nelson, Hogan. Metz
Wood and others in action you get
certain mental impressions that can
be used later on. For example:
/. The first impression is that a
big part of the swing belongs to the
hands and wrists. This is because
foot action and body action are so
we'll blended that hands and wrists
have their freedom for swinging the
clubhead. Live hands and wrists
must be a vital part of any good
swing.
2. In the backswing the slight
sway to the right comes from the
hips, not the upper part of the body
where so many buffers go wrong.
The hips sway and the body turn
keep the head where it was at the
start of the swing. You never see
the stars here sway the upper part
of the body. including the shoulders.
These merely turn.
3. With the chin turned slightly
back, you get the picture of head
fixed in place-"the anchor for the
swing" as Jim Barnes calls 1t. THE
swing past the chin" as Alex Nor
rison advocates.
Let that head or chin move even
slightly forward Henry Picard tells
YOU, "and you are dead duck
Gust even a fraction of an inch
Is enough to wreck swing" Alex
Morrison contends, when it comes
to the chin or the head. They must
be kept in place through the swing.
Just watch the best in this field"
4. One of Henry Picard's main
angles concerns correct foot work
Here is where many good pros fall
down. he says, many star pros and
practically every handicap player.
There must be the right SHIFT IN
weight from left to right and back
again or there can be no balance.
And balance is one of the most i'm
portant factors in any game you
play. I don't care what game you
name.
Balance comes from good foot
action, for it is good foot action
that gives the hands and wrists
their chance to work with the body.
No chance for balance can ever
start from two feet planted on top
of the ground, with legs and body
rigid or stiffened up"
Sorozen Excellent Example
To Follow in Short Come
5. Here is another picture you get
on the shorter shots. Watch Gene
Sarazen. On the shorter pitches
his two feet are fairly close to-
gether. He has little body move
ment. On his chip shots Gene
keeps both feet together, almost
touching, and he plays the ball of
the right foot-not the left-as SO
many average golfers do.
This is an important thing to re-
member-and work at. Most golf
ers keep their feet too far apart in
the shorter game.
6. When it comes to putting you
should get mental picture of Hor-
ton Smith-and keep it.
You can see Horton, as he studies
his putt, practically move into three
phaSes-the speed of the green-the
correct line to the cup-and then
the putting stroke. Horton Smith
never tangles them up into one
blurred mass, as most OF us DO.
After ne has lined up the putt he
concentrates entirely on smooth,
unhurried stroke-not a hit or a
stab or a jab.
Each factor must be taken in
turn" he says, but never keep
guessing as you start stroking the
ball. Whether you are right or
wrong, stick to your final decision
so you can think of nothing after
that but smooth stroking"
Con Afford Few Mistakes
In High Pressure Ploy
These stars at Hershey have to
play every shot under high pres
sure and they can afford few
physical faults in swinging.
I'VE can't afford to use all the
concentration the average golfer
tries to use," one said. Most of
us know the right way to swing a
club. But the mental side still is
the toughest thing in sport. 1t
isn't all physical-not by 10 per
cent. If it were, Sammy Snead
would be almost unbeatable. Sammy
still lacks the confidence he had up
to his Philadelphia finish. If only
he could just play his shots-one at
time and forget everything else
he would be tough party to take.
THE idea is to keep playing one
shot after another the best you can,
regardless of what has happened
before or what may happen later
on. Only try to think of the right
thing at the right time, as Jim
Barnes once put it. Don't try to
think of too many things.
I'VE can't do this with good
swings. So what chance has the
average golfer with all his physical
faults? Just take it as easy as you
can. Try to think in terms of
smoothness, of being a little lazy
when the swing starts. Don't hurry
any part of the swing-back OF
down. The ball isn't going to move
and it has to stop somewhere. The
swing is the thing that counts"
These are a few mental pictures
Hershey can show you, if you car
only retain just few of the fun
damentals mentioned.