The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-06-14
- ~ 81
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In THE midst of the recent Good
1 all round-robin struggle for mas
terry among Is of the worlds best
golfers we began thinking again OF
the part that the mental side or
mental attitude plays in this battling
game of golf.
The Is contestants In this tourney
were all fine golfers ON the physical
side. Most of them can hit the ball
long, long way and keep 1t
straight, most of them are fine iron
players, keen pitchers, and at least
few are consistent putters. The
main answer is ones mental atti-
tude for the day or for the tourna-
ment-his ability to concentrate
along the right lines.
This, of course, is an old story.
But how does one locate this phan-
tom will-o' -the-wisp?
I had been watching Jimmy DEM
aret, winner of seven big tourna-
ments, one of the main favorites at
Fresh Meadow. I had seen him
smile and laugh and appear care
free ctrning up to the ball-then Sud-
denly focus perfectly on the next
stroke. So I talked to Demaret,
the Texas Tarantula of the ancient
green.
Demarefs Angle
81 drew fine break in the art Of
concentration when I was a young
kid" Demaret said. There were
nine in our family. There was al
ways a turmoil around. I had to
learn how to study and concentrate
with football game or some other
game going on all around me. There
was always din and a racket. I
had to force myself to think Of what
I was reading or working over in
spite of these outside distractions.
$50 / had to develop the habit Of
quick concentration from an early
age, when all lasting habits are usu-
ally fOrmed-I mean the ones that
usually stick with you.
"Here's funny angle. / am sup
posed to be free from any nervous
trouble. Yet I am one of the most
nervous men you ever knew. I mean
until tournament starts. I'm even
nervous in practice. But when the
tournament gets under way / turn
back to my kid days, forget every
thing else, all the outside distrac-
tons. I think of only one shot at
time and I think of round after
the fashion of one shot at time"
What to Think about
Bobby Jones once told me-" I
said to Demaret, 'sthat he thought Of
at least three things before playing
any shot"
''What were they?" Jimmy asked.
"First, the pace of his backswing
to be sure it wasn't hurried. Next,
the full body or the needed body
turn, and, last, cooking his left
wrist at the top of the swing"
81 also think of about three things
before playing a shot," the Texan
said. "First, I want to be sure I
have firm, comfortable and cor
rect grip. Next, want to feel that
I have an easy, comfortable stance.
Last, / also want to be sure don't
hurry my backswing and that also
take the needed amount Of body
turn.
"Golf," Demaret said, sis a game
you play largely with your hands,
wrists and forearms. They swing
the clubhead. The body should work
together with the hands, but in most
cases the body works against the
hands. The average golfer lets the
shoulders and body, or maybe the
feet and legs, tie up the hands.
''Now, the average golfer has a
hard time concentrating because he
tries to think of too many things.
1t can't be done. He merely gets a
blurred picture of what he is trying
to accomplish. I believe in making
golf as simple as possible"
'sWhat should the average golfer
try to think about?" asked.
Comfort and Ease
"He or she should try to think
first in terms of being comfortable
and easy, and not to get all tight
ened up. After this, he should think
about letting the hands and fore
arms swing the clubhead. He
shouldn't start locking his feet and
legs, or stiffening his body. He
should have a picture Of hands, Of
live hands, taking that clubhead
back as smoothly as possible, letting
his body turn naturally, and from
the top of the swing he should be
in no hurry to start any down-swing
speed. That's where so much trou-
BILE comes from-hustling or hurry
ing the downswing, which will usu-
ally take care of itself if you just
learn to leave it alone.
'Golf isn't a left-handed game NOR
q right-handed game. It is game
in which both hands swing the club
head. It isn't nearly as difficult as
most players make it, if they would
only think of the few necessary