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@@ -1,51 +1,17 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Soul of Golf, by Percy Adolphus Vaile - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: The Soul of Golf - -Author: Percy Adolphus Vaile - -Release Date: October 23, 2012 [EBook #41149] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SOUL OF GOLF *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Bergquist, JoAnn Greenwood, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - - - - - - - +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41149 *** THE SOUL OF GOLF MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED - LONDON . BOMBAY . CALCUTTA + LONDON · BOMBAY · CALCUTTA MELBOURNE THE MACMILLAN COMPANY - NEW YORK . BOSTON . CHICAGO - DALLAS . SAN FRANCISCO + NEW YORK · BOSTON · CHICAGO + DALLAS · SAN FRANCISCO THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, LTD. @@ -1336,7 +1302,7 @@ be news to most of us that it is the supreme duty of the eyes to do nothing but _look_. We are now face to face with this fact according to this analysis. The -author quotes the great psychologist, Hoeffding, as saying, "We must +author quotes the great psychologist, Höffding, as saying, "We must will to see, in order to see aright." We now, by a natural and logical process of reasoning, have the golfer settled at his ball, his address duly taken, his eye fixed on the ball, and he is in the act of @@ -2069,7 +2035,7 @@ that it can be very easily learned, provided always that the instructor has a proper idea of the mechanics of the put. Generally speaking, when one uses the word "mechanics" a golfer is afraid that he is about to receive some abstruse lecture illustrated by diagrams -and mathematical formulae, but it is not so. It is essential to a +and mathematical formulæ, but it is not so. It is essential to a thorough knowledge and enjoyment of the game of golf that the golfer should understand the mechanics of putting. @@ -10447,7 +10413,7 @@ considers that the ordinary putter possesses advantages over the large headed clubs, and I think myself that there is very little doubt that this is so for the vast majority of golfers. Arnaud Massy, in his recent book _Le Golf_, says of my clubs: "Certes, au point de vue -scientifique, cette theorie est inattaquable." Notwithstanding the +scientifique, cette théorie est inattaquable." Notwithstanding the opinion of three such men as Vardon, Braid, and Massy on a matter of practical golf like this, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews has declared that my clubs are illegal on their links, but in @@ -11983,361 +11949,4 @@ present in the original. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: The Soul of Golf - -Author: Percy Adolphus Vaile - -Release Date: October 23, 2012 [EBook #41149] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SOUL OF GOLF *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Bergquist, JoAnn Greenwood, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - - - - - - - - - THE SOUL OF GOLF - - - MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED - - LONDON · BOMBAY · CALCUTTA - MELBOURNE - - THE MACMILLAN COMPANY - - NEW YORK · BOSTON · CHICAGO - DALLAS · SAN FRANCISCO - - THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, LTD. - - TORONTO - - - - - [Illustration: GEORGE DUNCAN - - The famous young Hanger Hill professional, one of the finest - golfers, and probably the best golf coach, in the world.] - - - - - THE SOUL OF GOLF - - BY - - P. A. VAILE - - AUTHOR OF 'MODERN GOLF,' 'MODERN LAWN TENNIS,' - 'SWERVE, OR THE FLIGHT OF THE BALL,' ETC. - - _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS_ - - MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED - - ST. MARTIN'S STREET, LONDON - - 1912 - - - COPYRIGHT - - - TO - - PHILIP REGINALD THORNTON - - MY CO-WORKER IN IMPERIAL POLITICS - - - - -PREFACE - - -It is frequently and emphatically asserted by reviewers of golf books -that golf cannot be learned from a book. If they would add "in a room" -they would be very near the truth--but not quite. It would be quite -possible for an intelligent man with a special faculty for games, a -good book on golf, and a properly equipped practising-room to start -his golfing career with a game equal to a single figure handicap. - -As a matter of fact the most important things concerning golf may be -more easily and better learned in an arm-chair than on the links. As a -matter of good and scientific tuition the arm-chair is the place for -them. In both golf and lawn tennis countless players ruin their game -by thinking too much about how they are playing the stroke _while they -are doing it_. That is not the time to study first principles. Those -should have been digested in the arm-chair, where indeed, as I have -already said and now repeat with emphasis, the highest, the most -scientific, and the most important knowledge of golf _must_ be -obtained. There is no time for it on the links, and the true golfer -has _no time_ for the man who tries to get it there, for he is -generally a dreary bore. - -Moreover, the man who tries to get it on the links is in trouble from -the outset, for in golf he is faced with a mass of false doctrine -associated with the greatest names in the history of golf, which is -calculated, an he follow it, to put him back for years, until indeed -he shall find the truth, the soul of golf. - -This book is in many ways different from any book concerning golf -which has ever been published. It assumes on the part of the reader a -certain amount of knowledge, and it essays to bring back to the truth -those who have been led astray by the false teaching of the most -eminent men associated with the game, teaching which they do not -themselves practise. At the same time it seeks to impart the great -fundamental principles, without which even the beginner must be -seriously handicapped. - -It does not concern itself with showing how the golfer must play -certain strokes. That certainly may be done better on the links than -in the smoking-room; but it concerns itself deeply with those things -which every golfer who wishes really to know golf, should have stowed -away in his mind with such certainty and familiarity that he ceases -almost to regard them as knowledge, and comes to use them _by habit_. - -When the golfer gets into this frame of mind, and not until then, will -he be able to understand and truly appreciate the meaning and value of -"the soul of golf." - -This he will never do by following the predominant mass of false -teaching. This book is a challenge, but it is not a question of Vaile -against Vardon, Braid, Taylor, Professor Thomson, and others. The -issue is above that. It is a question of truth or untruth. Nothing -matters but the truth. It rests with the golfing world to find out for -itself which is the truth. This it can do with comfort in its -arm-chair, and afterwards it can with much enhanced comfort, almost -insensibly, weave that truth into the fabric of its game, and so -through sheer practice, born of the purest and highest theory--for -there is no other way--come to the soul of golf. - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAP. PAGE - - PREFACE vii - - I. THE SOUL OF GOLF 1 - - II. THE MYSTERY OF GOLF 15 - - III. PUTTING 47 - - IV. THE FALLACIES OF GOLF 95 - - V. THE DISTRIBUTION OF WEIGHT 117 - - VI. THE POWER OF THE LEFT 140 - - VII. THE FUNCTION OF THE EYES 162 - - VIII. THE MASTER STROKE 178 - - IX. THE ACTION OF THE WRISTS 202 - - X. THE FLIGHT OF THE GOLF BALL 222 - - XI. THE GOLF BALL 283 - - XII. THE CONSTRUCTION OF CLUBS 316 - - XIII. THE LITERATURE OF GOLF 334 - - AFTERWORD 350 - - INDEX 353 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PLATE FACE PAGE - - GEORGE DUNCAN _Frontispiece_ - - I. HARRY VARDON'S GRIP 16 - - II. HARRY VARDON. STANCE AND FRONTAL ADDRESS IN SHORT PUT 38 - - III. HARRY VARDON AT THE TOP OF HIS SWING 60 - - IV. HARRY VARDON AT THE TOP OF HIS SWING IN THE DRIVE 82 - - V. J. H. TAYLOR AT THE TOP OF HIS SWING IN THE DRIVE 104 - - VI. HARRY VARDON. THE FINISH OF HIS DRIVE 124 - - VII. HARRY VARDON. THE FINISH OF THE DRIVE 146 - - VIII. EDWARD RAY. FINISH OF DRIVE 168 - - IX. JAMES BRAID. FINISH OF STROKE 190 - - X. HARRY VARDON. FINISH OF A DRIVE 212 - - XI. JAMES BRAID. FINISH OF DRIVE 234 - - XII. GEORGE DUNCAN. A CHARACTERISTIC FINISH 256 - - XIII. J. SHERLOCK. STANCE AND ADDRESS FOR IRON-SHOT 278 - - XIV. J. SHERLOCK. TOP OF SWING IN IRON-SHOT 304 - - XV. J. SHERLOCK. FINISH OF IRON-SHOT 330 - - - - -CHAPTER I - -THE SOUL OF GOLF - - -Nearly every one who writes about a game essays to prove that it is -similar to "the great game, the game of life." Golf has not escaped; -and numberless scribes in endeavouring to account for the fascination -of golf have used the old threadbare tale. As a matter of fact, golf -is about as unlike the game of life as any game could well be. As -played now it has come to be almost an exact science, and everybody -knows exactly what one is trying to do. This would not be mistaken for -a description of the game of life. In that game a man may be -hopelessly "off the line," buried "in the rough," or badly "bunkered," -and nobody be the wiser. It is not so in golf. There is no double life -here. All is open, and every one knows what the player is striving -for. The least deflection from his line, and the onlooker knows he did -not mean it. It is seen instantly. In that other game it may remain -unseen for years, for ever. - -Explaining the fascination of anything seems to be a thankless kind of -task, and in any case to be a work of supererogation. The fascination -should be sufficient. Explaining it seems almost like tearing a violet -to pieces to admire its structure; but many have tried, and many have -failed, and there are many who do not feel the fascination as they -should, because they do not know the soul of golf. One cannot -appreciate the beauty of golf unless one knows it thoroughly. - -Curiously enough, many of our best players are extremely mechanical in -their play. They play beautiful and accurate shots, but they have no -idea how or why they produce them; and the strange thing about it is -that although golf is perhaps as mechanical a game as there is, those -who play it mechanically only get the husk of it. They miss the soul -of the game. - -Golf is really one of the simplest of outdoor games, if not indeed the -simplest, and it does not require much intelligence; yet it is quite -one of the most difficult to play well, for it demands the greatest -amount of mechanical accuracy. This, on consideration, is apparent. -The ball is the smallest ball we use, the striking face of the club is -the smallest thing used in field sports for hitting a ball, and, most -important, perhaps, of all, it is farther away from the eye than any -other ball-striking implement, except, perhaps, the polo stick, in -which game we, of course, have a much larger ball and striking -surface. - -In all games of skill, and in all sports where the object is -propelling anything to a given point, one always tries, almost -instinctively, to get the eye as much in a line with the ball or -missile and the objective point as possible. This is seen in throwing -a stone, aiming a catapult, a gun, or an arrow, in cueing at a -billiard ball, and in many other ways, but in golf it is -impracticable. The player must make his stroke with his eye anywhere -from four to six feet away from his little club face. One may say that -this is so in hockey, cricket, and lawn-tennis. So, in a modified -degree, it is, but the great difference is that in all these games -there is an infinitely larger margin of error than there is in golf. -At these games a player may be yards off his intended line and yet -play a fine stroke, to the applause of the onlookers; while he alone -knew that it was accident and not design. - -The charm of golf is in part that its demand is inexorable. It lays -down the one path--the straight one. It must be followed every step, -or there is trouble. - -Then there is in golf the sheer beauty of the flight of the ball, and -the almost sensuous delight which comes to the man who created that -beauty, and knows how and why he did it. There is at any time beauty -in the flight of a golf ball well and plainly driven; but for grace -and the poetry of flight stands alone the wind-cheater that skims away -from one's club across the smooth green sward, almost clipping the -daisies in its flight ere it soars aloft with a swallow-like buoyancy, -and, curving gracefully, pitches dead on the green. - -Many a man can play that stroke. Many a man does. Not one in fifty -knows how he puts the beauty into his stroke. Not one in fifty would -be interested if you were to start telling him the scientific reason -for that ball's beautiful flight. "The mechanics of golf" sounds hard -and unromantic, yet the man who does not understand them suffers in -his game and in his enjoyment of it. That wind-cheater was to him, -during its flight through the air, merely a golf ball; a golf ball -'twas and nothing more. To the other man it is a faithful little -friend sent out to do a certain thing in a certain way, and all the -time it is flying and running it is sending its message back to the -man who can take it--but how few can? They do not know what the soul -of golf means. So, when our golfer pulls or slices his ball badly, and -then--does the usual thing, he cannot take the message that comes back -to him. He only knows the half of golf, and he does not care about -the other, because he does not know what he is missing. He is like a -man who is fond of music but is tune-deaf. There are many such. He may -sit and drink in sweet sounds and enjoy them, but he misses the linked -sweetness and the message which comes to his more fortunate brother -who has the ear--and the knowledge. - -There is in England a curious idea that directly one acquires a -scientific knowledge of a game one must cease to have an interest in -it so full as he who merely plays it by guesswork. There can be no -greater mistake than this. If a game is worth playing well, it is -worth knowing well, and knowing it well cannot mean loving it less. It -is this peculiar idea which has put England so much in the background -of the world's athletic field of late years. We have here much of the -best brawn and bone in the world, but we must give the brain its -place. Then will England come to her own again. - -England is in many ways paying now for her lack of thoroughness in -athletic sports. Time was when it was a stock gibe at John Bull's -expense that he spent most of his time making muscle and washing it. -Then it was, I am afraid, sour grapes. England had all the -championships. The joke is "off" now. The grapes are no longer sour. -The championships are well distributed throughout the world--anywhere -but in England; and we say it does not matter; that the chief end of -games is not winning them. Nor is it; but we did not talk like that -when we _were_ winning them, and the trouble is not so much that we -are losing, as the manner in which we are losing. The fact is that we -are losing because our players do not, in many sports, know the soul -of the game. The ideal is lost in the prosaic grappling for cups or -medals, in the merely vulgar idea of success. Thus it comes to pass -that many will not be content to get to the soul of a game in the -natural way, by long and loving familiarity with it. - -Hordes of people are joining the ranks of the golfers, and their -constant cry is, "Teach me the swing," and after a lesson or two at -the wrong end of golf, for a beginner, they go forth and cut the -county into strips and think they are playing golf. Is it any wonder, -when our links are cumbered with such as these, that those who have -the soul of golf are in imminent daily peril of losing their own? - -One who would know the soul of golf must begin even as would one who -will know the soul of music. There is no more chance for one to gather -up the soul of golf in a hurry than there is for that same one to -understand Wagner in a week. - -It is this vulgar rushing impatience to be out and doing while one is -still merely a nuisance to one's fellows, which causes so much -irritation and unpleasantness on many links; that prevents many from -starting properly, and becoming in due course quite good players; for -it is manifest that the "rusher" is starting to learn his game upside -down, as, indeed, most professionals and books teach it. There can be -no doubt that the right way to teach anything is to give the beginner -the easiest task at first. About the easiest stroke in golf is a -six-inch put. That is where one should start a learner. The drive is -the stroke in golf that offers the greatest possibility of error, so -he is always started with it. It is his own fault. "Teach me the -swing" is the insistent cry of the beginner, who does not know that he -is losing the best part of golf by turning it upside down. He will -never enjoy it so much, or play so good and confident a game as he -would were he to work his way gradually and naturally from his putter -to his mashie, to his niblick, his iron, his cleek, his brassy, and -his driver. Such a one may come to an intimate knowledge and love of -the game. The rusher may play golf, but it will be a long time before -he gets to the soul of the game. - -A very good golfer in reviewing a golf book some time ago stated that -he did not care in the least what happened while the ball was in the -air, that all he cared about was getting it there. He has played golf -since he was five years old, but he has clearly missed the soul of the -game. - -It is not necessary to dilate upon the wonderful spread of golf -throughout the world. An industrious journalist some time ago marked a -map of England wherever there was a golf club. It looked as though it -had been sprinkled with black pepper. It is not hard to understand -this marvellous increase in the popularity of the great game, for golf -is undoubtedly a great game. The motor has, unquestionably, played a -great part in its development. Many of the courses, particularly in -the United Kingdom, are most beautifully situated. Many of the -club-houses are models of comfort, and some of them are castles. The -game itself is suitable for the octogenarian dodderer who merely wants -to infuse a little interest into his morning walk, or it may be turned -into a severe test of endurance for the young athlete; so no wonder it -prospers. - -There is a wonderful freemasonry among golfers. This is not the least -of the many charms of the game, and to him who really knows it and -loves it as it deserves to be loved, the sign of the club is a -passport round the world. - -Many a time and oft I see golfing journalists, when writing about the -game, stating that something "is obvious." It has always seemed to me -that it is impossible to say what is obvious to anyone in a game of -golf. Writing of George Duncan, the famous young professional golfer, -during the first half of the big foursome at Burhill, a great sporting -paper said that a certain mashie shot was a "crude stroke." The man -who wrote that article did not know the soul of golf. He saw the -mashie flash in the air, some turf cut away, and a ball dropping on to -the green. Just that and nothing more, and it was "obvious" to him -that it was a crude stroke. - -One who knew the soul of golf saw it and described it. It was a tricky -green, with a drop of twenty feet behind it. To have overrun it would -have been fatal. There was a stiff head-wind. The player would not -risk running up. He cut well in under the ball to get all the -back-spin he could. He pitched the ball well up against the wind, -which caught it and, on account of the spin, threw it up and up until -it soared almost over the hole, then it dropped like a shot bird about -a yard from the hole, and the back-spin gripped the turf and held the -ball within a foot of where it fell. It was obvious to one man that it -was a crude shot. It was equally obvious to another, who knew the -inner secrets of the game, that it was a brilliantly conceived and -beautifully executed stroke. One man saw nothing of the soul of the -stroke. He got the husk, and the other took the kernel. - -Much has been made of the assumption that golf is the greatest -possible test of a man's temperament. This has to a great extent, I am -afraid, been exaggerated. It is one of those things in connection with -the game that has been handed down to us, and which we have been -afraid to interfere with. I cannot see why this claim should be -quietly granted. In golf a man is treated with tragic solemnity while -he is making his stroke. A caddie may not sigh, and if a cricket -chirped he would be considered a bounder. How would our golfer feel if -he had to play his drive with another fellow waving his club at him -twenty or thirty feet away, and standing ready to spoil his shot?--yet -that is what the lawn-tennis player has to put up with. There is a -good deal of exaggeration about this aspect of golf, even as there is -a good deal of nonsense about the interference of onlookers. What can -be done by one when one is accustomed to a crowd may be seen when one -of the great golfers is playing out of a great V formed by the -gallery, and, needless to say, playing from the narrow end of it. Golf -is a good test of a man's disposition without doubt, but as a game it -lacks one important feature which is characteristic of every other -field sport, I think, except golf. In these the medium of conflict is -the same ball, and the skill of the opposing side has much to do with -the chances of the other player or players. In golf each man plays his -own game with his own ball, and the only effect of his opponent's play -on his is moral, or the luck of a stymie. Many people consider this a -defect; but golf is a game unto itself, and we must take it as it is. -Certainly it is hard enough to achieve distinction in it to satisfy -the most exacting. - -When one writes of the soul of golf it sounds almost as though one -were guilty of a little sentimentality. As a matter of fact, it is the -most thorough practice which leads one to the soul of golf. Many a -good professional can produce beautiful shots, such as the -wind-cheater and the pull at will, but he cannot explain them to you; -and no professional ever has explained clearly in book or elsewhere -what produces these beautiful shots. - -A famous professional once asked me quite simply, "How do I play my -push-shot, Mr. Vaile?" I explained the stroke to him. He is as good a -sportsman as he is a golfer, and would be ashamed to pretend to a -knowledge which he has not. When I had told him, he said, "Thank you. -Of course, I can play it all right, but I never could understand why -it went like that. Now I shall be able to explain it better to my -pupils." - -Now it may in some measure sound incongruous, but I repeat that unless -one knows the mechanics of golf one has missed the soul of the game. -It is simply an impossibility for the blind ball-smiter to get such -joy and gratification from his game as does the man who from his -superior knowledge has produced results which are in themselves worth -losing the game for. Many a golfer, or one who would like to be a -golfer, will wonder at this. Many a game at billiards has been lost -for the poetry of a fascinating cannon when the win was not the main -object of the game; but in this respect billiards and golf are not -alike. One is not, in golf, penalised for putting the soul and the -poetry of the game into his shots, for they come of practice, and -simply render one's strokes more perfect than they would otherwise be. -So in the end it will be found that he who knows the game most -thoroughly will have an undoubted advantage. - -Therefore it behoves every golfer to strive for the soul of golf. - -And now, as we must for a little while leave the soul of golf, let us -consider its body, that great solid, visible portion which is the part -that appeals most forcibly to the ordinary golfer. It is this to which -the attention of players and writers has been most assiduously -directed for centuries, yet it is safe to say that no game in the -whole realm of sport has been so miswritten and unwritten as golf. - -This is very strange, for probably there is no other game that is so -canvassed and discussed by its followers. The reason may possibly be -found in the fact that golfers are a most conservative class of -people, and that they follow wonderfully the line of thought laid down -for them by others. This at its best is uninteresting; at its worst -most pernicious. - -Another contributing cause is the manner in which books on sport are -now produced. A great name, an enterprising publisher, and a -hack-writer are all that are now required. The consequence is that the -market is flooded with books ostensibly by leading exponents of the -different sports, but which are, in many cases, written by men who -know little or nothing of the subject they are dealing with. The -natural result is that the great players suffer severely in -"translation," and their names are frequently associated with quite -stupid statements,--statements so foolish that one, knowing how these -things are done, refrains from criticising them as they deserve, from -sympathy with the unfortunate alleged author, who is probably a very -good fellow, and quite innocent of the fact that the nonsense alleged -to be his knowledge is ruining or retarding the game of many people. -This is a most unscrupulous practice, which should be exposed and -severely condemned, for it must not be thought that it is confined to -any one branch of sport. - -While we are dealing with the slavish following of the alleged thought -of the leading golfers of the world, we may with advantage consider a -few of the most pronounced fetiches which have been worshipped almost -from time immemorial, fetiches which are the more remarkable in that -they receive mental and theoretical worship only, and are, in actual -practice, most severely despised and disregarded by the best players; -but unfortunately the neophyte worships these fetiches for many years -until he discovers that they are false gods. - -Perhaps one of the silliest, and for beginners most disastrous, is the -ridiculous assertion that putters are born, not made. In the book of a -very famous player I find the following words:-- - - It happens, unfortunately, that concerning one department of - the game that will cause the golfer some anxiety from time to - time, and often more when he is experienced than when he is - not, neither I nor any other player can offer any words of - instruction such as, if closely acted upon, would give the - same successful results as the advice tendered under other - heads ought to do. This is in regard to putting. - -Now this idea is promulgated in many books. It is, in my opinion, the -most absolute and pernicious nonsense. The best answer to it is the -fact that the writer of the words was himself one of the worst -putters, but that by careful study and alteration of his defective -methods, he became a first-class performer on the green. Also it will -be obvious to a very mean intelligence that there is no branch of golf -which is so capable of being reduced to a mechanical certainty as is -putting. - -The importance of removing this stupid idea will be more fully -appreciated when one remembers that quite half the game of golf is -played on the green, leaving the other half to be distributed among -all the other clubs. It is well to emphasise this. A good score for -almost any eighteen-hole course is 72. The man who can count on -getting down in an average of 2 is a very good putter. Many -professionals would throw away their putters if they were allowed to -consider it down in 2 every time. This gives us 36 for puts. With this -before us we cannot exaggerate the pernicious effect of the false -doctrine which says that putting cannot be taught, that a man must -just let his own individuality have full play, and similar nonsense; -whereas the truth is that one might safely guarantee to convert into -admirable putters many men who, from their conformation and other -characteristics, would be almost hopeless as golfers. I must emphasise -the fact that there is no department of the game which is so important -as putting; there is no department of the game more capable of being -clearly and easily demonstrated by an intelligent teacher; and there -is no department of the game wherein the player may be so nearly -reduced to that machine-like accuracy which is the constant demand, -and no small portion of the charm, of golf. - -Another very widely worshipped fetich, which has been much damaged -recently, is the sweep in driving a ball. Trying "to sweep" his ball -away for two hundred yards has reduced many a promising player to -almost a suicidal frame of mind. Fortunately the fallacy soon -exasperates a beginner, and he "says things" and "lets it have it." -Then the much-worshipped "sweep" becomes a hit, sometimes a very -vicious one, and the ball goes away from the club as it was meant to. -It is becoming more widely recognised every day that the golf-drive is -a hit, and a very fine one--when well played. - -Perhaps the most pernicious fetich which has for many years held sway -in golf, until recently somewhat damaged, is that the left arm is the -more important of the two--that it, in fact, finds the power for the -drive. Anything more comical is hard to imagine. There is practically -nothing in the whole realm of muscular exertion, from wood-chopping to -golf, wherein both arms are used, that is not dominated by the right, -yet golfers have for generations quietly accepted this fetich, and it -has ruined many a promising player. The votaries of this fetich must -surely find one thing very hard to explain. If we admit, for the sake -of argument, that the left arm is the more important, and that it -really has more power and more influence on the stroke than the right, -can they explain why the left-handed players, who have been provided -by a benevolent providence with so manifest an advantage, tamely -surrender it and convert their left hand into the right-handed -players' right by giving it the lower position on the shaft? If this -idea of the left hand and arm being the more important is correct, -left-handed players would use right-hand clubs and play like a -right-handed player, with the manifest advantage of being provided by -nature with an arm and hand that fall naturally into the most -important position. I think that this consideration of the subject -will give those who put their faith in the fetich of the left, -something to explain. - -Almost from time immemorial it has been laid down by golfing writers -that at the top of the swing the golfer must have his weight on his -right leg. A study of the instantaneous photographs of most of the -famous players will show conclusively that this is not correct. It is -expressly laid down that it is fatal to sway, to draw away from one's -ball during the upward swing; the player is specially enjoined on no -account to move his head. A very simple trial will convince any -golfer, even a beginner, that without swaying, without drawing his -head away from the hole, he cannot possibly, if swinging correctly, -put his weight on his right leg, and that at the top of his swing it -must be mainly on his left--and so another well-worn belief goes by -the board. - -So it is with the exaggerated swing which for so many years dominated -the minds of aspiring golfers to such an extent that many of them -thought more of getting the swing than of hitting the ball. It is -slowly but surely going. - -The era of new thought in golf has dawned. It will not make the game -less attractive. It will not make it any more exacting, for the higher -knowledge cannot become an obsession. It sinks into a man, and he -scarcely thinks of it as something beyond the ordinary game. It brings -him into closer touch with the best that is in golf. He is able to -obtain more from it than he could before. He is able to do more than -he could formerly, for a man cannot get to the soul of golf except -through the body, and love he not the body with the love of the truest -of true golfers he will never know the soul. - - This chapter originally appeared in _The Fortnightly Review_ - in the United Kingdom, and in _The North American Review_ in - the United States of America. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -THE MYSTERY OF GOLF - - -There is no such thing as "the mystery of golf." One might reasonably -ask, "If there is no such thing as 'the mystery of golf,' why devote a -chapter to it?" But "the mystery of golf" should really be written -"the mystery of the golfer," for the simple reason that the golfer -himself is responsible for all the mystery in golf--in short, "the -mystery of golf" may briefly be defined as the credulity of the -golfer. Notwithstanding this, at least one enterprising man has -produced a book entirely devoted to elucidating the alleged mystery of -golf, wherein, quite unknown to himself, he proves most clearly and -conclusively the truth of my opening statement in this chapter, that -the mystery of golf is merely the credulity of the golfer; but of that -anon. - -There really is no mystery whatever about the game of golf. It is one -of the simplest of games, but unquestionably it is a game which is -very difficult to play well, a game which demands a high degree of -mechanical accuracy in the production of the various strokes. It is -apparent from the nature of the implements used in the game that this -must be so. All the foolishness of nebulous advice, and all the quaint -excuses which have been gathered together under the head of "the -mystery of golf," are simply weak man's weaker excuses for his want -of intelligence and mechanical accuracy. Until the golfer fully -understands and freely acknowledges this, he is suffering from a very -severe handicap. If, when he addresses his ball, he has firmly -implanted in his mind the idea that he is in the presence of some -awesome mystery, there is very little doubt that he will do his level -best to perform his part in the mystery play. - -We do not read anywhere of the mystery of lawn-tennis, the mystery of -cricket, the mystery of marbles, squash racquets, or ping-pong. There -are no mysteries in these games any more than there are in golf, and -the plain fact is that the demand of golf is inexorable. It insists -upon the straight line being followed, and the man who forsakes the -straight line is immediately detected. In no game, perhaps, is the -insistent demand for direction so inexorable as in golf. Perhaps also -in no game is that demand so frequently refused, and, naturally, the -erring golfer wishes to excuse himself. It is useful then for him to -be told of the mysteries of golf--the wonderful mysteries, the -psychological difficulties, the marvellous cerebration, the incredibly -rapid nerve "telegraphing," and the wonderful muscular complications -which take place between the time that he addresses the ball and hits -it, or otherwise. - -Now, as a matter of fact, this is all so much balderdash, so much -falseness, so much artificial and indeed almost criminal nonsense. It -would indeed almost seem as if the people who write this kind of stuff -are in league with the greatest players of the world, who write as -instructions for the unfortunate would-be golfer things which they -themselves never dreamed of doing--things which would quite spoil the -wonderful game they play if they did them. - - [Illustration: PLATE I. HARRY VARDON'S GRIP - - Showing the overlapping of the first finger of the left hand - by the little finger of the right. This is now the orthodox - grip.] - -If there may be said to be any mystery whatever about golf, it is -that in such an ancient and simple game there has grown up around it -such a marvellous mass of false teaching, of confused thought, and of -fantastic notions. No game suffers from this false doctrine and -imaginative nonsense to the same extent as does golf. It is -magnificently played. We have here in England the finest exponents of -the game, both amateur and professional, in the world. If those men -played golf as they tell others by their printed works to play it, I -should have another story to tell about their prowess on the links. - -Golf, in itself, is quite sufficiently difficult. It is quite -unnecessary to give the golfer, or the would-be golfer, an additional -handicap by instilling it into his mind that golf is any more -mysterious than any other game which is played. The most mysterious -thing about golf is that those who really ought to know most about it -publish broadcast wrong information about the fundamental principles -of the game. Innocent players follow this advice, and not unnaturally -they find it tremendously difficult to make anything like adequate -progress. Naturally, when some one comes along and explains to them in -lengthy articles, or may be in a book, about the psychological -difficulties and terrific complications of golf, they are pleased to -fasten on this stuff as an excuse for their want of success, whereas -in very truth the real explanation lies simply in the fact that they -are violating some of the commonest and simplest laws of mechanics. - -Here, indeed, I might almost be forgiven if I went back on what I have -said about the mystery of golf, and produced, on my own account, that -which is to me an outstanding mystery, and labelled it "the mystery of -golf." This really is to me always a mystery, but I should not be -correct in calling it "the mystery of golf," for it is more correctly -described as the simplicity of the golfer. This mystery is that -practically every writer about golf, and nearly every player, seems to -labour under the delusion that there is a special set of mechanical -laws for golf, that the golf ball flying through the air is actuated -by totally different influences and in a totally different manner from -the cricket ball, the ping-pong ball, or the lawn-tennis ball when -engaged in a similar manner. That is bad enough, but the same -delusions exist with regard to the conduct of the ball on the green. - -Now it is impossible to speak too plainly about this matter, because I -want at the outset to dispel the illusion of the mystery of golf. -There is no special set of mechanical laws governing golf. Golf has to -take its place with all other games, and the mechanical laws which -govern the driving of a nail, a golf ball, or a cricket ball are fixed -and immutable and well known, so that it is quite useless for any one -to try to explain to intelligent persons that there is any mystery in -golf or the production of the golfing strokes beyond that which may be -found in other games. Some people might think that I labour this -point. It is impossible to be too emphatic at the outset about it, for -the simple reason that it is bad enough for the golfer to have to -think at the moment of making his stroke about the things which -actually do matter. If we are going to provide him with phantoms as -well as solid realities to contend with, he will indeed have a sorry -time. As a matter of fact, about seven-tenths of the bad golf which is -played is due to too much thinking about the stroke _while the stroke -is being played_. The golf stroke in itself may be quite easily -learned; I mean the true golf stroke, and not the imaginary golf -stroke, which has been built up for the unfortunate golfer by those -who never played such a stroke themselves, and by those who write of -the mystery of golf; but it is an absolute certainty that the time for -thinking about the golf stroke, and how it shall be played, _is not -when one is playing the stroke_. - -As a matter of fact the golf stroke is in some respects a complicated -stroke. Certain changes of position in the body and arms take place -with extreme rapidity during the execution of the stroke. It is an -utter impossibility for any man to think out and execute in proper -order the component parts of a well-executed drive during his stroke. -When a man addresses his ball he should have in his mind but the one -idea--he has to hit that ball in such a manner as to get it to the -place at which he wants it to arrive; but between the time of his -address and the time that the ball departs on its journey his action -should be, to use a much-hackneyed but still expressive word, -practically sub-conscious; in fact, the way he hit that ball should be -regulated by habit. If the result was satisfactory--well and good. If -otherwise, he may analyse that shot in his armchair later on; but when -once one has addressed the ball it is absolutely fatal to good golf to -indulge in speculation as to how one is going to hit that ball, and if -to that speculation one adds a belief in what is called "the mystery -of golf," one had better get right away back to marbles at once, -because it is a certainty that any one who believes in nonsense of -this sort and practises it can never be a golfer. - -The bane of about eighty-five per cent of golfers is a pitiful attempt -to cultivate style. The most contemptible man at any game is the -stylist. The man who cultivates style before the game is not fit to -cumber any links. Every man should strive to produce his stroke in a -mechanically perfect manner. A good style is almost certain to follow -when this is done. Style as the result of a game produced in a -mechanically perfect manner is most desirable, but style without the -game is simply despicable. One sometimes sees misguided golfers, or -would-be golfers, practising their follow-through in a very theatrical -manner. It should be obvious to a very mean intelligence that a -follow-through is of no value whatever, except as the natural result -of a correctly executed stroke. If the stroke has been correct up to -the moment of impact, the follow-through will come almost as naturally -as a good style will be born of correctly executed strokes. -Self-consciousness is the besetting sin of the golfer. It is hardly -too much to say that the ordinary golfer devotes, unfortunately, too -much thought to himself and "the swing," and far too little to the -thing that he is there for--namely, to hit the ball. - -In golf the player has plenty of time to spare in making his stroke, -and he occupies too much of it in thinking about other things than the -stroke. The essence of success at golf is concentration upon the -stroke. The analysis has no right whatever to intrude itself on a -man's mind until the stroke has been played. The inquest should not be -held until the corpse is there. If this rule is followed, it will be -found that the corpse is frequently wanting. - -Golf is a very ancient game. Lawn-tennis is an absolute parvenu by its -side, and there are many other games which, compared with golf, are -practically infants. Golf stands alone as regards false instruction, -nebulous criticism, and utter disregard of the first principles of -mechanics. I have always been at a loss to understand this. It is not -as though golf had not been played and studied by some of the keenest -intellects in the land. We have had, as we shall see later on, men of -the highest scientific attainments devoting their attention to the -game, writing about it, lecturing about it, publishing things about it -which exist solely in their imagination. This truly may be called a -mystery. - -I cannot leave the mystery of golf without giving some illustrations -of the things which are published as instruction. For instance, I read -lately that a good style results in good golf. This is the kind of -thing which mystifies a beginner. The good style should be the result -of the good golf, and not the golf of the style. I read elsewhere: - - As a matter of fact most of the difficulties in golf are - mental, not physical, are subjective, not objective, are the - created phantasms of the mind, not the veritable realities of - the course. - -I find these things in Mr. Haultain's book entitled _The Mystery of -Golf_. - -There is no game where there are fewer mental difficulties than in -golf. The game is so extremely simple that it can practically be -reduced to a matter of physical and mechanical accuracy. The mental -demand in golf--provided always, of course, that the man who is -addressing the ball knows what he wants to do--is extremely small and -extremely simple. "The created phantasms of the mind" are supplied by -fantastic writers who have proved for themselves that these phantasms -are the deadliest enemies of good golf. In another place I read the -following passage: - - You may place your ball how or where you like, you may hit it - with any sort of implement you like; all you have to do is to - hit it. Could simpler conditions be devised? Could an easier - task be set? And yet such is the constitution of the human - golfing soul that it not only fails to achieve it, but - invents for itself multiform and manifold ifs and ans for not - achieving it--ifs and ans, the nature and number of which - must assuredly move the laughter of the gods. - -Probably this is meant to be satirical, but it is merely a libel on -the great body of golfers. It is not the "human golfing soul" which -"invents for itself multiform and manifold ifs and ans for not -achieving it." He who invents these ifs and ans is the author of the -ordinary golf book on golf, written ostensibly by some great player, -and the "ifs and ans" most assuredly, if they do not "move the -laughter of the gods," are sufficient to provoke the derision and -contempt of the golfer who feels that nobody has a right to publish -statements about a game which must act in a detrimental manner upon -those who attempt to follow them. - -It is not the "human golfing soul" or the human golfing body which is -so prone to error. Those who make the errors are those who essay to -teach, and the time has now come for them to vindicate themselves or -to stand back, to stand out of the way of the spread of truth; for one -may be able to fool all the golfers some of the time and some of the -golfers all the time, but it is a sheer impossibility to fool all the -golfers all the time; and if the teaching which has obtained credence -in the past were to be left unassailed, the result would be untold -misery and discomfort to millions of golfers. - -It is for this reason that I am dealing in an early chapter with the -alleged mystery of golf, for I want to make it particularly clear that -in the vast majority of cases those who attempt to explain the mystery -of golf proceed very much on the lines of the octopus and obscure -themselves behind clouds of inky fluid which are generally as -shapeless in their form and meaning as the matter given off by the -uncanny sea-dweller. In fact, the ordinary attempt to explain the -mystery of golf generally resolves itself into the writer setting up -his own Aunt Sally, and even then exposing how painfully bad his aim -is. - -Nearly every one who writes about golf claims for it that above all -games it is the truest test of character, and in a degree unknown in -any other game reveals the nature of the man who is playing it, and -they proceed on this assumption to weave some of the most remarkable -romances in connection with the simple and fundamental principles of -the game. In the book under notice we are asked - - ... and yet why, _why_ does a badly-played game so upset a - sane and rational man? You may lose at bridge, you may be - defeated in chess, you may recall lost chances in football or - polo; you may remember stupid things you did in tennis or - squash racquets; you may regret undue haste in trying to - secure an extra run or runs in cricket, but the mental - depression caused by these is temporary and evanescent. Why - do foozles in golf affect the whole man? Humph! It is no use - blinking matters--say what the scoffers may--to foozle at - golf, to take your eye off your ball, cuts down to the very - deeps of the human soul. It does; there is no controverting - that.... Perhaps this is why golf is worth writing about. - -It certainly is mysterious that any "sane and rational man" can write -such stuff about golf. This is a fair sample of the kind of thing one -gets from those who attempt to treat of golf from the physiological or -psychological standpoint. I can hardly say too often that there is no -such thing as the mystery of golf, any more than there is, in reality, -such a thing as the soul of golf, but the mystery of golf is a -meaningless and misleading term. The soul of golf means, in effect, -the heart of golf--a true and loving understanding of the very core of -the game. - -It would be bad enough if the persons essaying to explain the alleged -mystery of golf knew the game thoroughly themselves, but, generally -speaking, they do not--in the case under consideration, the writer -himself admits that he is "a duffer." Now taking him at his own -valuation, it does indeed seem strange that one whose knowledge of the -game is admittedly insufficient, should attempt to explain to players -the super-refinements of a game at which he himself is admittedly -incompetent. It may seem somewhat cruel to press this point, but in a -matter such as this we have to consider the greatest good of the -greatest number, and we must not allow false sentiment to weigh with -us in dealing with the work of anyone who publishes matter which may -prejudicially affect the game of an immense body of people. - -The attempts to deal with the psychology and the physiology of golf -are a mass of confused thought and illogical reasoning, but it is when -the author proceeds to deal in any way with the practical side of golf -that he shows clearly that his estimate of himself, at least in so far -as regards his knowledge of the game, is not inaccurate. Let us take, -for instance, the following passage. He says that William Park, -Junior, has informed us that - - ... pressing, really, is putting in the power at the right - time. You can hit as hard as you like if you hit accurately - and at the right time, but the man who presses is the man who - puts in the power too soon. He is in too great a hurry. He - begins to hit before the club head has come anywhere near the - ball. - -This quotation, I may say, is not from William Park's book, but is -taken from the volume I am quoting, and the last sentence--"He begins -to hit before the club head has come anywhere near the ball"--shows -clearly that the author has no idea whatever of even a mechanical -analysis of the golf stroke, for it is impossible to begin the hit too -soon. The main portion of the power of the drive in golf is developed -(as indeed anyone with very little consideration might know) _near the -beginning of the downward swing_. This is so simple, so natural, so -apparent to any one who knows the game of golf that I feel it is -almost unnecessary to support the statement; but there are so many -people who follow the game of golf, and are willing to accept as -gospel any remarkable statement with regard to the game, that I may as -well refer doubters to James Braid's book on _Advanced Golf_ wherein -he shows clearly that anyone desiring to produce a proper drive at -golf must be hard at it from the very beginning of the stroke. The -author continues: - - If in the drive the whole weight and strength of the body, - from the nape of the neck to the soles of the feet, are not - transferred from body to ball, through the minute and - momentary contact of club with ball, absolutely surely, yet - swiftly--you top or you pull or you sclaff, or you slice, or - you swear. - -It is almost unnecessary to tell any golfer that the whole weight of -his body is not thrown at his golf ball, for this, in effect, would -produce a terrific lunge and utterly destroy the rhythm of his stroke. - -Here is another remarkable passage--"and as to that mashie shot where -you loft high over an abominable bunker and fall dead with a back-spin -and a cut to the right on a keen and declivitous green--is there any -stroke in any game quite so delightfully difficult as that?" and my -answer is "Certainly not, for there is no such stroke in golf." When -one puts a cut to the right or to the left, one has no back-spin on -the ball. The back-spin is only got by following through after the -ball in a downward direction, and as to a mashie approach with a cut -to the right--well, the cut on a golf ball in a mashie stroke is in -practical golf _always_ a cut to the left, which produces a run to the -right. The shot as described by Mr. Haultain simply does not exist in -golf. It probably is a portion of the mystery of golf which he has not -yet solved. - -Then we are told - - ... not only is the stroke in golf an extremely difficult - one--it is also an extremely complicated one, more especially - the drive, in which its principles are concentrated. It is, - in fact, a subtile combination of a swing and a hit, the - "hit" portion being deftly incorporated into the "swing" just - as the head of the club reaches the ball, yet without - disturbing the regular rhythm of the motion. - -This again is another of the mysteries of golf, and a mystery purely -of the inventive brain of the author. The drive in golf is played with -such extreme rapidity that the duration of impact does not last more -than one ten-thousandth of a second, yet we are asked to believe that -the first portion of the stroke is a swing, but in, say, the -five-thousandth of a second it is to be changed to a hit. Could the -force of folly in alleged tuition go further than this? - -We now come to an absolutely fundamental error in the golf stroke, an -error of a nature so important and far-reaching that if I can -demonstrate it, any attempt on the part of its author to explain -anything in connection with the golf stroke mechanically, -physiologically, psychologically, logically, or otherwise, must -absolutely fall to the ground. We are told "the whole body must turn -on the pivot of the head of the right thigh bone working in the -cotyloidal cavity of the _os innominatum_ or pelvic bone, the head, -right knee and right foot remaining fixed, with the eyes riveted on -the ball." - -Now, put into plain English this ridiculous sentence means that the -weight of the body rests upon the right leg. It is such a fundamental -and silly error, but nevertheless an error which is made by the -greatest players in the world in their published works, that I shall -not at the present moment deal with the matter, but shall refer to it -again in my chapter on the distribution of weight, for this matter of -the distribution of weight, which is of absolute "root" importance in -the game of golf, has been most persistently mistaught by those whose -duty it is to teach the game as they play it, so that others may not -be hampered in their efforts to become expert by following false -advice. - -Further on we are told, "in the upward swing the vertebral column -rotates upon the head of the right femur, the right knee being fixed, -and as the club head nears the ball the fulcrum is rapidly changed -from the right to the left hip, the spine now rotating on the left -thigh-bone, the left knee being fixed." Of course, I do not know on -what principle the man who writes this is built, but it seems to me -that he must have a spine with an adjustable end. None of the famous -golfers, so far as I am aware, are able to shift their spines from one -thigh bone to another. Moreover, to say that "the vertebral column -rotates upon the head of the right femur" is merely childish -unscientific nonsense, for it is obvious to any one, even to one who -does not profess to explain the mystery of golf, that one's spine -cannot possibly rotate within one, for to secure rotation of the spine -it would be necessary for the body to rotate. This, it need hardly be -pointed out, would be extremely inconvenient between the waggle and -the moment when one strikes the ball. - -We are told that in the downward swing "velocity of the club in the -descent must be accelerated by minute but rapid gradations." For one -who is attempting to explain the mystery of golf there could not -possibly be a worse word than "gradations." The author, in this -statement, is simply following an old and utterly obsolete notion. -There is no such thing as accelerating the speed by minute gradations. -Quoting James Braid in _Advanced Golf_, from memory, he says that you -must be "hard at it" from the very moment you start the stroke, and -even if he did not say so, any golfer possessed of common sense would -know that the mere idea of adding to the speed of his golf drive by -"steps," which is what the word "gradations" implies, would be utterly -futile. The futility of the advice is, however, emphasised when we are -told that these gradations come from "orders not issued all at once, -but one after another--also absolutely evenly and smoothly--at -intervals probably of ten-thousandths of a second. If the curves are -not precise, if a single muscle fails to respond, if the timing is in -the minutest degree irregular--the stroke is a failure. No wonder it -is difficult." - -It would indeed be no wonder that the golf drive is difficult if it -really were composed as indicated, but, as a matter of fact, nothing -of the sort takes place in the ordinary drive of a sane golfer. There -is one command issued, which is "Hit the ball." All these other things -which are supposed to be done by an incredible number of efforts of -the mind are practically performed sub-consciously, and more by habit -than by any complex mental directions. The drive in golf is not in any -respect different from numerous other strokes in numerous other games -in so far as regards the mental portion of it. - -Now so far as regards the complicated system of mental telegraphy -which is claimed for golf in the production of the stroke, absolutely -the same thing happens in practically every game, with the exception -that in most other games the player is, so far as regards the -production of his stroke, at a greater disadvantage than he is in -golf, for he has nearly always a moving ball to play at and much less -time wherein to decide how to play his stroke. In golf he has plenty -of time to make up his mind as to how he will play his stroke, and the -operation, to the normal golfer, in so far as regards the mental -portion of it, is extremely simple. His trouble is that he has so much -nonsense of this nature to contend with, so much false instruction to -fight. If he were given a correct idea of the stroke he would have no -difficulty whatever with regard to his "gradations." - -Braid has explicitly stated that this idea of gradually and -consciously increasing the speed is a mistake, and I have always been -especially severe on it as one of the pronounced fallacies of golf. I -shall deal with it more fully in my chapter on "The Fallacies of -Golf," but I may here quote Braid, who says: - - Nevertheless, when commencing the downward swing, do so in no - gentle, half-hearted manner such as is often associated with - the idea of gaining speed gradually, which is what we are - told the club must do when coming down from the top on to the - ball. It is obvious that speed will be gained gradually, - since the club could not possibly be started off at its - quickest rate. The longer the force applied to the down - swing, the greater do the speed and momentum become. But this - gradual increase is independent of the golfer, and he should, - as far as possible, be unconscious of it. What he has to - concern himself with is not increasing his speed gradually, - but getting as much of it as he possibly can right from the - top. No gentle starts, but hard at it from the top, and the - harder you start the greater will be the momentum of the club - when the ball is reached. - -Now this is emphatic enough, but it should not be necessary to quote -James Braid to impress upon any golfer of average intelligence that -this idea of consciously increasing his speed gradually as he comes -down to the ball is the most infantile and injurious tuition which it -is possible to impart. To encumber any player's mind with such utterly -stupid doctrine is most reprehensible. - -As an illustration of how little the author of this book understands -the true character of the golf stroke, I may quote him again. In a -letter recently published over his signature he says: "Mind and -muscle--both should act freely and easily _till the moment of impact_; -then, perhaps, the mind should be concentrated, as the muscles must be -contracted, to the utmost." Now this is such utterly fallacious -doctrine that I certainly should not notice it were it not that this -book, on account of its somewhat original treatment of the subject, -has obtained a degree of notice to which I do not consider it -entitled. - -This is so far from what really takes place in the drive at golf that -I must quote James Braid from _Advanced Golf_, page 56. It will be -seen from Braid's remarks that the whole idea of the golf drive from -the moment the club starts on its downward course until the ball has -been hit is that of supreme tension and concentration. It seems almost -a work of supererogation to deal with a matter of such apparent -simplicity, but when one sees matter such as that quoted published in -responsible papers, one realises that in the interests of the game it -is necessary to deal with statements which really, in themselves, -ought to carry their own refutation. - -Braid says: "Look to it also that the right elbow is kept well in -control and fairly close to the side in order to promote tension at -the top." Again at page 57 he says: "Now for the return journey. Here -at the top the arms, wrists, body--all are in their highest state of -tension. Every muscle and joint in the human golfing machinery is -wound up to the highest point, and there is a feeling that something -must be let go at once." On page 58 we read again: "No gentle starts, -but hard at it from the very top, and the harder you start the greater -will be the momentum of the club when the ball is reached." At page 60 -again: "Keep the body and wrist under tension a little longer." At -page 61 we read: - - Then comes the moment of impact. Crack! Everything is let - loose, and round comes the body immediately the ball is - struck, and goes slightly forward until the player is facing - the line of flight. - - If the tension has been properly held, all this will come - quite easily and naturally. The time for the tension is over - and it is allowed its sudden and complete expansion and quick - collapse. That is the whole secret of the thing--the bursting - of the tension at the proper moment--and really there is very - little to be said in enlargement of the idea. - -Now here it will be seen that Braid's idea, which is undoubtedly the -correct one, is that the golfer's muscles, and it follows naturally -also his mind, are in a state of supreme tension until the moment of -impact, _when that tension is released_. On the other hand, we are -told by our psychologist that the moment which Braid says is the -moment of the collapse of the tension is the moment for introducing -tension and concentration. The statement is, of course, an extremely -ridiculous one, especially coming, as it does, from one who presumes -to deal with the psychology and physiology of golf, because nothing -could be further from the truth than the statement made by him. It -proves at the very outset that he has not a correct idea of the golf -stroke, and therefore any attempt by him to explain the psychology of -golf, if golf may be said to have such a thing as a psychology, is -worthless. - -Our author has also explained how, in the downward swing, the speed of -the club is increased by extremely minute gradations. I have elsewhere -referred to this fallacy, but the matter is so important that I shall -quote James Braid again here. At page 57 Braid says: - - Nevertheless, when commencing the downward swing, do so in no - gentle, half-hearted manner, such as is often associated with - the idea of gaining speed gradually, which is what we are - told the club must do when coming down from the top on to the - ball. It is obvious that speed will be gained gradually, - since the club could not possibly be started off at the - quickest rate. The longer the force applied to the down swing - the greater does the speed of the momentum become, but this - gradual increase is independent of the golfer, and he should, - as far as possible, be unconscious of it. What he has to - concern himself with is not increasing his speed gradually, - but getting as much of it as he possibly can right from the - top. - -I am very glad indeed to be able to quote Braid to this effect, for if -we may accept his statement on this matter as authoritative, it -completely refutes one of the greatest and stupidest fallacies in -golf, which is this particular notion of gradually increasing one's -speed by any conscious effort of muscular regulation. Now if Braid's -statement with regard to the muscular work in the downward portion of -the drive is correct, it follows naturally that the explanation of the -"mystery of golf" offered by the author is merely an explanation of a -mystery which he has evolved from the innermost recesses of his -fertile imagination; but it is needless for me to say that unless such -an idea as this is absolutely killed, it would have a most pernicious -effect upon the game of anyone who came within its influence. - -It may seem, perhaps, that I attach too much importance to the writing -of a gentleman who describes himself as "a duffer." It is not so. No -one knows better than I do the influence of printed matter. I have -lived amongst print and printers and newspapers for very many years, -and needless to say I know as well as any man that not everything -which one sees in print is true, but the remarkable thing about the -printed word is that even with one who is absolutely hardened and -inured to the vagaries and extravagances and inaccuracies of those who -handle type, the printed word carries a certain amount of weight. - -We can easily understand, then, that to those who are not so educated -the printed word is much more authoritative. Therefore, even if the -circulation of a book or a paper may be very little, it is always -worth the while of one who has the interests of the game at heart to -do his best not only to scotch, but absolutely to kill false and -pernicious teaching of this nature, for the simple reason that even if -a book circulates but a hundred copies, or a newspaper two hundred and -fifty, which is giving them both a remarkably small circulation, it is -impossible, or at least extremely improbable, that any man will be -able, by his influence, _to follow each copy of that book or that -newspaper_. There is a great fundamental truth underlying this -statement. If one gives a lie a day's start, it takes a terrible lot -of catching. This is particularly so in connection with printed -matter, and I have had some very remarkable illustrations of the fact. -So strongly, indeed, do I realise this fact, that although I believe -that I am as impervious to adverse criticism as any one, I will never, -if I can prevent it, allow criticism of that nature which I consider -inimical to the interests of any subject with which I am dealing, to -get the slightest possible start. Indeed, I have, on occasions, -carried this principle still further, and when I have known that -matter was to appear which I considered of a nature calculated to -produce wrong thought in connection with a certain subject I have -taken means to see that it did not appear. - -It will be readily understood that I am not now referring to matters -of personal criticism. I refer particularly to matters of doctrine -published and circulated, even in the smallest way. If, for the sake -of argument, the paper which spreads that false doctrine circulates -only twenty copies, _one cannot follow every copy_, and to do one's -work thoroughly and effectively it would be necessary to follow every -copy of that paper in order to counteract the pernicious influence -which it might otherwise exercise. Taking this view of the effect of -printed matter, it should be apparent that I consider the time devoted -to refuting injurious and false teaching well spent. - -In the attempted explanation of the mystery of golf there are some -amazing statements which tend to show clearly that the author of that -work has not that intimate knowledge of sport generally which is -absolutely essential to any man who would even essay satisfactorily to -do what the author is trying to do. Let us examine, for instance, such -a statement as this: "Indeed, the difficulties of golf are innumerable -and incalculable. Take, for example, that simple rule 'Keep your eye -on the ball.' It is unheard of in tennis; it is needless in cricket; -in golf it is iterated and reiterated times without number, and -infringed as often as repeated." Can anyone imagine a more wonderful -statement than this? In tennis, by which from subsequent remarks it is -clear that the author means lawn-tennis, and also indeed in tennis, it -is, of course, a fundamental rule that one must keep one's eye on the -ball. It is repeatedly drilled into every player, and even the most -experienced players by neglecting it sacrifice points. - -Lifting one's eye is one of the most prolific causes of missed smashes -and ordinary volleys, while the half volleys which are missed through -not attempting to follow out this universal rule are innumerable. We -are told that it is "unheard of in cricket." This indeed is a -marvellous statement. No coach who knows his duty in tennis, -lawn-tennis, cricket, racquets, or in fact any game where one plays at -a moving ball, could possibly have gone more than about half a dozen -lessons, if so many, without impressing upon his pupil the extreme -importance of endeavouring to watch the ball until the moment of -impact. This, of course, is a counsel of perfection, and is not often -perfectly carried out, for various reasons which I shall deal with in -my chapter on "The Function of the Eyes." - -For one who has attempted a critical analysis of the psychology of -golf the author makes some wonderful statements. Speaking about -"looking" _versus_ "thinking," and keeping one's eye on the ball, the -author says: "As a matter of fact, instead of _looking_, you are -_thinking_, and to _think_, when you ought to _play_, is the madness -of mania." It should be fairly obvious to anyone who does not even -profess to be capable of analysing the emotions of a golfer that to -look it is necessary to be thinking--to be thinking about looking, in -fact; that it would be impossible to look without thinking; that -indeed the looking is dependent upon the thinking, or, as our author -would probably put it, he must will to look--not only must he will to -look, but he must will to hit. Those are the two important things for -him to will--to look and to hit. Now those things cannot be done -without thinking, and yet we are told that to _think_ when you ought -to _play_ is "the madness of mania." - -The author goes on to give what he calls a very "simple and anatomical -reason" for this inability to see one's ball when one is thinking -instead of looking. He says: - - Everybody has heard the phrase "a vacant stare." Well, there - actually is such a thing as a vacant stare. When one's - thoughts are absorbed in something other than the object - looked at, the eyes lose their convergence--that is to say, - instead of the two eyeballs being turned inwards and focussed - on the thing, they look straight outwards into space, with - the result, of course, that the thing looked at is seen - indistinctly. I am convinced that this happens to many a - grown-up golfer. He thinks he is looking at his ball, but as - a matter of fact he is thinking about looking at his ball (a - very different affair), or about how he is going to hit it, - or any one of a hundred other things; and, his mind being - taken off that supreme duty of doing nothing but _look_, the - muscles of the eye are relaxed, the eyeballs resume their - natural position and stare vacantly into space. - -It will probably not be news to most of us that there is such a thing -as "a vacant stare." We probably remember many occasions when, "lost -in thought," our eyes have lost their convergence, but it will indeed -be news to most of us that it is the supreme duty of the eyes to do -nothing but _look_. - -We are now face to face with this fact according to this analysis. The -author quotes the great psychologist, Höffding, as saying, "We must -will to see, in order to see aright." We now, by a natural and -logical process of reasoning, have the golfer settled at his ball, his -address duly taken, his eye fixed on the ball, and he is in the act of -"willing" to see as hard as he can. So far so good. Let us presume -that he _is_ seeing. Now we are told that to think when he ought to -play is the madness of mania. We must presume that it will now be -impossible to proceed with his stroke unless he "wills" to move. How -will he "will to move" without thinking? If anybody can explain to me -how a golfer can play a stroke without willing to hit as well as to -look, I shall indeed consider that he has explained at least one -mystery in golf. - -We are told that - - ... if during that minute interval of time which elapses - between the commencement of the upward swing of the club and - its impact with the ball, the golfer allows any one single - sensation, or idea to divert his attention--consciously or - unconsciously--from the little round image on his retina, he - does not properly "perceive" that ball; and of course, by - consequence, does not properly hit it. - -Notwithstanding this statement, we see that the author tries to -implant in the mind of the golfer the idea that during his downward -stroke arms and hands are receiving innumerable orders "at intervals -probably of tens of thousandths of a second," and that at the moment -of impact with the ball the mind has to become suddenly concentrated -and the muscles suddenly contracted. He surely will allow that in this -advice he is trying to impart at least one single sensation or idea -which is sufficient to ensure that he will "not properly perceive that -ball, and of course, by consequence, that he will not properly hit -it." - -Here is another paragraph worthy of consideration: "But if one tautens -any of the muscles necessary for the stroke, the stroke is spoiled." -I think I have already quoted James Braid on the subject of tension in -the drive, to show that this statement is utterly fallacious, and that -without very considerable tautening of the muscles it would be -impossible to produce a golf drive worthy of the name. - -The strangest portions of this alleged explanation of the mystery of -golf are always when it comes to the question of practical golf. Let -us consider briefly such a statement as the following:-- - - Both sets of stimuli must be intimately and intricately - combined throughout the whole course of the swing; the wrists - must ease off at the top and tauten at the end. The left knee - must be loose at the beginning, and firm at the finish, and - the change from one to the other must be as deftly and - gently, yet swiftly wrought, as a crescendo passage from - pianissimo to fortissimo on a fiddle. - -We have already seen what James Braid says about the golf stroke--that -from the top of it right to the impact the muscles must be in a state -of the fullest tension; while it is of course well known now that the -left knee is never at any time in the stroke what is described as -loose, for from the moment that a properly executed golf drive begins, -the weight proceeds towards the left foot and leg, and therefore it -would be impossible to play a proper drive with the left knee "loose." -I deal fully with this subject in my chapter on "The Distribution of -Weight." - - [Illustration: PLATE II. HARRY VARDON - - Stance and frontal address in short put.] - -As we proceed with the consideration of this work we find that golf is -indeed a mystery to the author. We are informed that "the golf stroke -is a highly complex one, and one necessitating the innervation of -innumerable cerebrospinal centres; not only hand and eye, but arms, -wrist, shoulders, back, loins, and legs must be stimulated to action. -No wonder that the associative memory has to be most carefully -cultivated in golf. To be able, without thinking about it, to take -your stance, do your waggle, swing back, pause, come forward, hit -hard, and follow-through well over the left shoulder, always -self-confidently--ah! this requires a first-class brain, a first-class -spinal cord, and first-class muscles"; and--if I might be pardoned for -adding it--a first-class idiot. Nobody but a first-class idiot could -possibly do all these things without thinking of them, except probably -that brilliant follow-through "well over the left shoulder!" - -I have heard many things enunciated by people who considered -themselves possessed of first-class brains, but this is absolutely the -first time that I have ever heard of a good follow-through "well over -the left shoulder." A good follow-through "well over the left -shoulder" generally means a most pernicious slice. Any follow-through -at any game goes after the ball. What happens when that is finished is -merely a matter of individual style and the particular nature of the -stroke which has been played. The club, in some cases, may come back -over the left shoulder; in other cases it may point right down the -course after the ball; in another it may swing practically round the -body. It is little touches such as these which show the lack of -practical acquaintance with the higher science of the game. No one -acquainted with the inner secrets of golf could possibly refer to that -portion of a stroke which is coming back from the hole as "the -follow-through." - -As an instance of absolutely ridiculous nonsense I may quote the -following: - - What the anatomists say is this, that, if the proper orders - are issued from the cortex, and gathered up and distributed - by the corpora striata and the cerebellum, are then - transferred through the crus cerebri, the pons varolii, the - anterior pyramid and the medulla oblongata, down the lateral - columns of the spinal cord into the anterior cornua of grey - matter in the cervical, the dorsal and the lumbar region, - they will then "traverse the motor nerves at the rate of - about 111 feet a second, and speedily excite definite groups - of muscles in definite ways, with the effect of producing the - desired movements." - -Of course this to the ordinary golfer is absolute nonsense, but to the -skilled anatomist and student of psychology, who may also be a golfer, -it is worse than nonsense, for the simple reason that assuming that -the measurement of the speed at which these orders travel has been -even approximately measured as proceeding at the rate of "about 111 -feet a second," it is obvious that such a rate of progression would -be, by comparison with the speed at which the golf stroke is -delivered, merely a gentle crawl. - -One might be excused if one thought that this book was merely a -practical joke perpetrated by a very ingenious person at the expense -of golfers, but I do not think we should be justified in assuming -that, for then we should have to speak in a very much severer manner -than we are doing; for when one reads about such things as "the twirl -of the wrists, the accelerated velocity, and the hit at the impact," -one is justified in assuming that even if the psychology of the author -were sound, his knowledge of the mechanical production of the golf -drive is extremely limited. He says: - - Psychologists are, I believe, agreed that there is in the - mind a faculty called the Imagination. Indeed, there has been - a whole essay written and printed on "The Creative - Imagination." - -Even if psychologists are not agreed on this subject we could, I -think, take as irrefutable evidence of the existence of the "creative -imagination" the work under notice. - -It is curious to find one who is endeavouring to analyse matters which -are psychologically abstruse exhibiting the greatest confusion of -thought. Let us take an illustration. He says: "We misuse words; we -construct an artificial and needless barrier between mind and matter. -By 'matter' we simply mean something perceptible by our five senses." -Let us consider this statement. It would be impossible to imagine a -more sloppy definition of matter. According to this definition of -matter, glass is not matter, for it is not perceptible by our sense of -hearing, smelling, or tasting. It is evident that the author -means--which in itself is erroneous--to define matter as something -which is perceptible by one of the five senses, but in an analytical -psychologist so overwhelming an error is inexcusable. It is manifest -that he is not equal to the task which he has set himself in any way -whatever. He says that "The golfer, strive as he may, is the slave of -himself." Here again we have a gross libel on the poor golfer. The -ordinary golfer is not the slave of himself. He is the slave of -thoughtless persons who write about things which they do not -understand, and, in some cases, the bond-servant of those who write -without understanding of the things which they do very well. - -Elaborating this idea, the author proceeds: "It is not a matter of -want of strength or want of skill, for every now and again one proves -to oneself by a superlative stroke that the strength and the skill are -there if only the mind could be prevailed upon to use them." This -truly is a marvellous statement from one who essays a critical -analysis of anything. It is undoubtedly possible that a player might -be set at a tee blindfolded, and provided his caddie put down -sufficient balls for him to drive at and he continued driving long -enough, he would unquestionably hit "a superlative stroke." Would this -prove that the strength and the skill are there? I wonder if our -author has ever heard of such a thing as "a ghastly fluke"? - -A little later on we read: "Time and time again you have been taught -exactly how to stand, exactly how to swing," and he then proceeds to -wonder how it is that the unfortunate golfer is so prone to error. The -reason is not far to seek. It is found in the work of such men as our -author, and others who should know much better than he; it is found in -the work of men who teach the unfortunate golfer to stand wrongly, to -swing wrongly. These, in company with our author, will be duly -arraigned in our chapter on "The Distribution of Weight." That is the -plain answer why golfers do not get the results which they should get -from the amount of work and thought which they put into their game, -for golfers are, unquestionably, as a class, the most thoughtful of -sportsmen. If they were not, a book such as I am dealing with could -not possibly have secured a publisher. Continuing his argument on this -subject he says: - - ... and yet how often it has taken three, four, and even five - strokes to cover those hundred yards! It would be laughable - were it not so humiliating--in fact, the impudent spectator - does laugh until he tries it himself; then, ah! then he, too, - gets a glimpse into that mystery of mysteries--the human - mind--which at one and the same time wills to do a thing and - fails to do it, which knows precisely and could repeat by - rote the exact means by which it is to be accomplished, yet - is impotent to put them in force. And the means are so - simple. So insanely simple. - -To which I say, "And the means are indeed so simple, so sanely -simple." It is writers who do not understand the game at all who make -them insanely complex. As a definite illustration of what I mean let -me ask the man who writes that the golfer who desires to drive -perfectly "could repeat by rote the exact means by which it is to be -accomplished" where, in any book by one of the greatest golfers, or in -his own book, the golfer is definitely instructed that his weight must -not at any time be on his right leg. In fact the author himself, in -common with everybody who has ever written a golf book, _deliberately -misinforms the golfer in this fundamental principle_. - -How, then, can a man who claims to be possessed of an analytical mind -say that the ordinary golfer could repeat by rote the exact means by -which anything is to be accomplished when it is now a matter of -notoriety that practically the whole of the published teaching of golf -is fundamentally unsound? - -Speaking of the golfer's difficulties in the drive the author says, -"The secret of this extraordinary and baffling conflict of mind and -matter is a problem beyond the reach of physiology and psychology -combined." Yes, there is no doubt that it is; but it is a matter which -is well within the reach of the most elementary mechanics and common -sense. - -It will probably seem that I am dealing with this attempt to explain -the mystery of golf very severely, but I do not feel that I am -treating the matter too strictly. Golf is enveloped and encompassed -round about with a wordy mass of verbiage. All kinds of men and some -women, who have no clearly defined or scientific ideas, have presumed -to put before the unfortunate golfer directions for playing the game -which have landed him in a greater maze of bewilderment than exists in -any other game which I know. It is obvious that if a man is both "a -duffer" and a slow thinker it will be unsafe for him, until he has -improved both his game and his mental processes, to attempt to explain -the higher science of golf for anyone. It should be sufficient for him -to study the mechanical processes whereby he may improve his own game -until at least he has been able to take himself out of the class which -he characterises himself as the duffers. To explain golf -scientifically in the face of the mass of false doctrine which -encumbers it, it is necessary that one should be, if not at least a -quick thinker, an exact thinker, and that one should know the game to -the core. - -It seems to me that there is possibly a clue to the remarkable -statements which we get in this book in the following quotation, which -I take from the chapter on "Attention": - - When I first rode a bicycle, if four or five obstacles - suddenly presented themselves, these to the right, those to - the left, I found I could not transfer my attention from one - to the other sufficiently quickly to give the muscles the - requisite orders--and I came a cropper ... and so with the - golf stroke. - -It seems to me that here we have the key of the author's difficulty. -His mind was fixed on the obstacles--some to the right and some to the -left. In similar circumstances most budding cyclists, and I have -taught many, confine their attention to the clear path right ahead, -and consequently the obstacles "these to the right, those to the left" -do not trouble them. This, psychologically speaking, is a curious -confession of the power of outside influences to affect the main -issue. It seems to me that right through the consideration of this -subject the author, like many other golfers, has been devoting his -mind far too much to the things which he imagines about golf, instead -of to the things which are, and they are the things which matter. No -wonder, then, that he has "come a cropper." - -There is a chapter called "The One Thing Necessary," which starts as -follows: "But, since I stated that my own belief is that only one -thing can be 'attended' to at a time, you will probably be inclined to -ask me what is the most important thing? what precisely ought we to -attend to at the moment of impact of club with ball? Well, if you ask -me, I say _the image of the ball_." This is really an astonishing -statement. "At the moment of impact of club with ball" the image of -the ball does not really matter in the slightest degree. As I shall -show later on, the eye has fulfilled its functions long before the -impact takes place. Also, of course, to the non-analytical mind it -will be perfectly obvious that _the image of the ball_ could be just -as well preserved if the golfer had lifted his head three to six -inches, but his stroke would have been irretrievably ruined. - -Now, as a matter of fact, by the time the club has arrived at the ball -it is altogether too late to attend to anything. All the attention has -already been devoted to the stroke, and it has been made or marred. As -we have clearly seen from what James Braid says about the stroke the -moment of impact is the time when the attention and the tension is -released, so it will obviously be of no service to us to endeavour -forcibly to impress upon our minds in any way the image of the ball. -If there is any one thing to think of at the moment of impact, the -outstanding point of importance must be that the eyes should be in -exactly the same place and position as they were at the moment of -address. - -Here is a most remarkable sentence:-- - - It is a pity that so many literary elucidators and - explicators of the game devote so many pages to the - subsidiary circumstances.... I wonder if they would pardon - me if I said that, as a matter of simple fact, if one - _attended to the game_ (with all that that means), almost one - could stand and strike as one chose, and almost with any kind - of club. - -There is a large amount of truth in this; but it comes most peculiarly -from the author of this book, for of all the literary obfuscators whom -I have ever come across I have never met his equal in attention to the -"subsidiary circumstances" and neglect of the real game. Much time is -wasted in an analysis of the nature of attention. Now, attention, -psychologically, is somewhat difficult to define from the golfing -point of view, but as a matter of simple and practical golf there is -no difficulty whatever in explaining it. Attention in golf is merely -habit acquired by practice and by starting golf in a proper and -scientific manner. I shall have to deal with that more fully in my -next chapter, so I shall not go into the matter here. Suffice it to -say that lifting the eye at golf is no more a lack of attention than -is lifting the little finger in the club-house. It is merely a vice in -each case--a bad habit, born probably of the fact that in neither case -did the man learn the rudiments of the game thoroughly. - -We are told that "the arms do not judge distance (save when we are -actually touching something), nor does the body, nor does the head. -The judging is done by the eyes"; but we must not forget that the arms -accurately measure the distance. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -PUTTING - - -The great mystery to me, not about golf, but about the work of the -greatest golfers, is the attitude which they all adopt with regard to -putting. Now, putting may quite properly be said to be the foundation -of golf. It really is the first thing which should be taught, but, as -a matter of fact, it is generally left until the last. Practically all -instructors start the player with the drive. It is beyond question -that the drive is the most complex stroke in golf, and it is equally -beyond question that the put is the simplest. There can be no shadow -of doubt whatever that the only scientific method of instructing a -person in the art of playing golf is one which is diametrically -opposed to that adopted by practically all the leading players of the -world. Instead of starting the beginner at the tee and taking him -through his clubs in rotation to the putting-green, the proper order -for sound tuition would be to start him six inches from the hole and -to back him through his clubs to the tee. - -This is so absolutely beyond argument that I need not labour the point -here, except in so far as with it is bound up the important question -of attention--that is, of riveting one's eye and one's mind on the -ball for the whole period employed in making the stroke. As I said in -the preceding chapter, attention is habit. Attention includes the -habit of keeping the eye on the ball and the head still until the -stroke has been played. The best way of inculcating the vices of -lifting the head and the eye during the stroke is to teach the player -the drive first. It stands to reason that if a player is started, say, -with a six-inch put, that he has at the moment of making his stroke -both the ball and the hole well within the focus of his eyes, so that -it is absolutely unnecessary for him to lift his eye in order to -follow the ball. It therefore follows that he is not tempted to lift -his eye. - -Now, no player should be allowed to go more than two or three feet -from the hole until he has learned to hole out puts at that distance -with accuracy and confidence. By the time he is allowed to leave the -putting-green, he will have acquired the habit of attention. - -It will be clearly seen that, starting now from the edge of the green -with his chip shot, he is much more certain of striking the ball and -getting it away than he would be were he put on to the more uncertain -stroke in the drive; so by a gradual process of education the player -would come in time to the drive, and by the time he arrives at the -most complicated stroke in the game--the stroke wherein is the -smallest margin of error--he has cultivated the habit of attention, -which includes keeping one's head still. - -Of course, this is a counsel of perfection which one does not expect -to find carried out, although a similar course is followed by all good -teachers in every trade, profession, science, or game, but as I have -said before, in golf there is a tremendous amount of false teaching -which is generally followed. It is, however, a certainty that any -beginner who has the patience, perseverance, and moral courage to -educate himself on these lines, will find golf much easier to play -than it would be if he had started, as nearly everybody wants to -start, with "the swing." It is bad enough that putting should be -relegated to the position it is, but the attitude of the great -writers, or perhaps I should say the great golfers who have written -books about golf, aggravates the offence, and forms what is to me the -greatest mystery in connection with golf literature. - -I shall give here what Braid, Vardon, and Taylor have to say about -putting. Let me take Vardon first. At page 143 of _The Complete -Golfer_ he says: - - For the proper playing of the other strokes in golf, I have - told my readers to the best of my ability how they should - stand and where they should put their feet. But except for - the playing of particular strokes, which come within the - category of those called "fancy," I have no similar - instruction to offer in the matter of putting. There is no - rule and there is no best way. - - The fact is that there is more individuality in putting than - in any other department of golf, and it is absolutely - imperative that this individuality should be allowed to have - its way. - -And now comes a very wonderful statement: - - I believe seriously that every man has had a particular kind - of putting method awarded to him by Nature, and when he putts - exactly in this way he will do well, and when he departs from - his natural system he will miss the long ones and the short - ones too. First of all, he has to find out this particular - method which Nature has assigned for his use. - -Again on page 144 we read that when a player is off his putting - - ... it is all because he is just that inch or two removed - from the stance which Nature allotted to him for putting - purposes, but he does not know that, and consequently - everything in the world except the true cause is blamed for - the extraordinary things he does. - -Let us now repeat what James Braid has to say on the important matter -of putting. On page 119 of _How to Play Golf_ he says: - - It happens, unfortunately, that concerning one department of - the game that will cause the golfer some anxiety from time to - time, and often more when he is experienced than when he is - not, neither I nor any other player can offer any words of - instruction such as, if closely acted upon, would give the - same successful results as the advice tendered under other - heads ought to do. This is in regard to putting. - -Further on we are informed that "really great putters are probably -born and not made." - -So far we must admit that this is extremely discouraging, but there is -worse to follow. - -Let us now see what Taylor has to say about putting. At page 83 in his -book, _Taylor on Golf_, and in the chapter, "Hints on Learning the -Game," he says: - - Coming back to the subject of actual instruction. After a - fair amount of proficiency has been acquired in the use of - the cleek, iron, and mashie, we have the difficulty of the - putting to surmount. And here I may say at once it is an - absolute impossibility to teach a man how to putt. - - Even many of the leading professionals are weak in this - department of the game. Do you think they would not improve - themselves in this particular stroke were such a thing within - the range of possibility? Certainly they would. The fact is - that in putting, more than in aught else, a very special - aptitude is necessary. A good eye and a faculty for gauging - distances correctly is a great help, indeed, quite a - necessity, as also is judgment with regard to the requisite - power to put behind the ball. Unfortunately, these are things - that cannot be taught, they must come naturally, or not at - all. - - All that is possible for the instructor to do is to discover - what kind of a putting style his pupil is possessed of, - offer him useful hints, and his ultimate measure of success - is then solely in his own hands. - - It is easy to tell a pupil how he must needs hold his clubs - in driving or playing an iron shot, but in putting there is - hardly such a necessity. The diversity of styles accounts for - this, and in this particular kind of stroke a man must be - content to rely upon his own adaptability alone. - -Now in the same book on page 240, in the chapter on "The Art of -Putting," we read: - - The drive may be taught, the pupil may be instructed in the - use of the cleek, the iron, or the brassie, but in putting he - must rely upon his own powers of reducing the game to an - actual science. The other strokes are of a more or less - mechanical character; they may be explained and demonstrated, - but with the ball but a few feet distant from the hole there - are many other things to be considered, and hints are the - only things that can be offered. The pupil may be advised - over the holding and grip of the putter, but as far as the - success of the shot is concerned it remains in his own hands. - -In passing, I may remark that it seems to me that in this latter -respect the put is not vastly different from any other stroke in golf, -or indeed, for the matter of that, in any other game. - -Continuing, Taylor says: - - Putting, in short, is so different to any other branch of the - game that the good putter may be said to be born, not made. - - That this is really the case is proved by the fact that many - of the leading players of the day, professionals and amateurs - alike, are very frequently weaker when playing with the - putter than when performing with any other of their clubs. - Speaking solely of professionals, is it at all probable that - this would be so were they capable of improving themselves in - this particular department? Certainly not. - -Now it will be admitted that this is a very gloomy outlook for him who -desires to learn how to put. He is thrown entirely on his own -resources. I must quote Taylor once again with regard to putting. He -says: - - And yet it is none the less true that to putt perfectly - should be the acme of one's ambition. Putting is the most - important factor of success, for it happens very frequently - that a man may meet a stronger driver, or a better performer - with the iron clubs, and yet wrest the leadership from him - when near the hole. - -There can be no doubt whatever of the truth of what Taylor says in -this last paragraph--"Putting is the most important factor of -success"; yet we are confronted with the amazing statement made by the -three greatest masters of the game, men who between them have -accounted for fourteen open championships, men whose living depends -upon playing golf and teaching it, that "the most important factor of -success" cannot be taught. There is no possible doubt about their -ideas on this subject. They deliberately tell the unfortunate golfer, -or would-be golfer, that good putters are born and not made, that -putting cannot be taught, and that each person must be left to work -out his own salvation. - -It is admitted that putting is practically half the game. It has been -well illustrated in the following way:--Seventy-two strokes is a good -score for almost any course. The man who gets down in two every time -is not a bad putter. This allows him thirty-six strokes on the green, -which is exactly one-half of his score. Now what does this statement -which is made by Braid, Vardon, and Taylor amount to? It is an -assertion by them that they are unable to teach half of the game of -golf, and _that_ the most important half, for, as we have seen, Taylor -says that it is "the most important factor of success." Now surely -there is something wrong here. As a matter of fact it is the most -absolute nonsense which it is possible to imagine. Putters are not -born. They are made and shaped and polished to just as great an extent -as any metal putter that ever was forged. Putting is the simplest and -easiest thing in golf to learn and to teach, and it is positively -wrong for men of the eminence in their profession which these players -enjoy to append their names to statements which cannot but have a -deleterious effect on the game generally, and particularly on the play -of those who are affected by reading such absolutely false doctrine. - -There are certain fundamental principles in connection with putting -which cannot be disregarded. It is quite wrong to say that the first -thing to consider is some particular idiosyncrasy which a man may have -picked up by chance. The idea of Nature having troubled herself to -allot any particular man or men, or, for the matter of that, women or -children, any particular styles for putting is too ridiculous to -require any comment. Needless to say, very many people have -peculiarities which they exhibit in putting, as well as in other -matters, but in many cases it is the duty of the capable instructor -not to attempt to add the scientific principles of putting to a -totally wrong and ugly foundation. The first duty of one who knows the -game and how to teach it is to implant in the mind of his pupil the -correct mechanical methods of obtaining the result desired. If, after -he has done this, it be found that his natural bent or idiosyncrasy -fits in with the proper mechanical production of the stroke, there is -no harm in allowing him to retain his natural style; but if, for the -sake of argument, it should be found that his natural method is -unsuitable for the true production of the stroke, there is only one -thing to do, which is to cut out his natural method, and make him put -on the lines most generally adopted. - -Nor is this difficult to do, for it stands to reason that anyone who -is a beginner at golf has not already cultivated a style of his own. - -The statements of these three great golfers are absolutely without -foundation--in fact, they are indeed so far from the truth that I have -no hesitation whatever in saying that in at least ninety per cent of -the cases which come before a professional for tuition, if the subject -is properly dealt with by an intelligent teacher, putting is, without -any shadow of doubt, the easiest portion of golf to teach and to -learn. In the face of the mischievous statements which have been so -widely circulated in connection with the difficulty of learning the -art of putting, one cannot possibly be too emphatic in stating the -truth. In doing this, let it be understood that I am not stating any -theory or publishing any idea which I am not prepared fully to -demonstrate by practical teaching. It is a curious thing, but one to -which I do not wholly object, that those who read my books seem to -consider that they have a personal claim on my services as well, and -it is no uncommon thing for me to receive visits from men who are in -trouble about their putting, their drive, or their approach, and I -have not, as a rule, any very great trouble in locating the seat of -the difficulty. - -The pernicious influence of such teaching as that which I have just -quoted repeatedly comes before me. I know men who seem to consider -that the chief art of putting in golf is bound up in another art, -namely, the art of the contortionist, whereas, of course, nothing -could be further from the truth. Putting, as I shall show later on, is -an extremely simple operation. In fact its simplicity is so pronounced -that little children, almost without instruction, do it remarkably -well, because they do it naturally. It is only when people come to the -game possibly rather late in life, and perhaps with habits acquired -from other games, and in addition to this are told that they must -evolve their own particular style, that we find the difficulty, for -the style which is evolved is, in the vast majority of cases, no style -at all, and the stroke is played unnaturally. - -That is what I have to say with regard to the "difficulty" of putting. -I shall, later on, deal with the principles involved in putting. It -will, in the meantime, be sufficient for me to consider and criticise -these statements generally. If this were my own uncorroborated -opinion, it is possible that the definite statements of three men like -Braid, Taylor, and Vardon might outweigh what I have said, although I -do not believe that even in that case they would; for what I have -quoted is such obvious nonsense that it would indeed be to me a -mystery if any golfer possessed of ordinary common sense could accept -any view of the matter other than that which I put forward. - -However, when dealing with names like these, it is worth while to -reinforce oneself. Let us see what James Braid has to say about the -matter in _Advanced Golf_. At page 144, chapter x., dealing with -"Putting Strokes," Braid says: "Thus practically any man has it in his -power to become a reasonably good putter, and to effect a considerable -improvement in his game as the result." Here is the message of hope to -the putter. It will be remembered that Taylor states that the good -putter may be said to be born, not made, and that Braid practically -said the same thing. This, of course, is nonsense, and if any -refutation were necessary, James Braid himself is the refutation. The -first time I saw Braid putting, he was trying a Vaile putter for me -at Walton-on-Heath. He came down on the ball before he had come to the -bottom of his swing, and finished on the green quite two inches in -front of the spot where the ball had been. Before I had reflected in -the slightest degree, I came out quite naturally with the question, -"Do you always put like that?" "Yes," said Braid in his slow, quiet -way, "and it is the best way." By this time I had remembered who Braid -was, and I did not pursue the subject any further, but I thought a -good deal. I thought that Braid would, in due course, find out that it -was not the best way, and I fully understood why he was such a bad -putter. - -Since then Braid has found out that his method was wrong. He has -altered it, and now plays his puts in the only proper way, which I -shall refer to later on. As everybody knows, Braid is now a very fine -putter--_but he was not born so_. If ever there was an illustration of -a fine putter made out of a bad putter, James Braid is the outstanding -example, and James Braid is the answer to Taylor's question as to -whether a professional can improve his putting or not. Any -professional whose putting is bad can improve it by using his brains, -because when a professional puts badly it is rarely a question of his -hands, his eye, or his wrist being wrong. The seat of the deficiency -is much deeper than that. - -Let us now see what James Braid has to say about putting. At page 146 -of _Advanced Golf_ he practically eats his own words. This is what he -says: - - Of course, they say that good putters are born and not made, - and it is certainly true that some of the finest putters we - know seem to come by their wonderful skill as a gift, and - nowadays constantly putt with an ease and a confidence that - suggest some kind of inspiration. But it is also the fact - that a man who was not a born putter, and whose putting all - through his golfing youth was of the most moderate quality, - may by study and practice make himself a putter who need fear - nobody on any putting green. I may suggest that I have proved - this in my own case. Until comparatively recently there is no - doubt that I was really a poor putter. Long after I was a - scratch player I lost more matches through bad putting than - anything else. I realised that putting was the thing that - stood in the way of further improvement, and I did my best to - improve it, so that to-day my critics are kind enough to say - that there is not very much wanting in my play on the putting - green, while I know that it was an important factor in - gaining for me my recent championship. - - So I may be allowed the privilege of indicating the path - along which improvement in this department of the game may - best be effected; and what I have to say at the beginning is, - that putting is essentially a thing for the closest - mathematical and other reckoning. It is a game of - calculations pure and simple, a matter for the most careful - analysis and thought. - -Now here at least we have common sense with regard to putting. Braid -holds himself out as an example of the bad putter turned into the good -putter. He does not, it is true, tell us why he was a bad putter and -how he changed his bad methods to his present excellent method, but I -have already given the key to that. I shall, however, deal with it -more fully when I come to the question of the practice of putting. -Braid says on page 147 of _Advanced Golf_, still speaking of putting, -that "the mechanical part is comparatively simple." He continues: -"Putts most generally go wrong because the strength or the line, or -both, were misjudged, and they were so misjudged because the different -factors were not valued properly, and because one or two of them were -very likely overlooked altogether." - -I think very few golfers will be inclined to dispute the opening -statement that "Putts most generally go wrong because the strength or -the line, or both, were misjudged." I may say that I never heard of a -put which went wrong for any other reason. If the strength and the -line are both right, one always has an excellent chance of ending in -the tin! Braid tells us again on page 148 - - ... that what I call the mechanical part of putting--the - hitting of the ball--is simple and sure in comparison with - the other difficulties that are presented when a long putt - has to be made; yet it is hardly necessary to say to any - experienced golfer that there are absolutely thousands of - players who fail in their putting, not because of any lack of - powers of calculation or a good eye, steady hand, and - delicacy of touch, but simply because they have fallen into a - careless way of performing this mechanical part, and of - almost feeling that any way of hitting the ball will do so - long as it is hit in the right direction and the proper - degree of strength is applied. - -Again Braid says on page 149: - - Absolutely everything depends on hitting the ball truly, and - the man who always does so has mastered one of the greatest - difficulties of the art of putting. A long putt can never be - run down except by a fluke when the ball has not been hit - truly, however exactly all the calculations of line and - strength have been made. - -Now the point which I am making, and I hope making in such a manner -that no one will ever dare even to attempt to refute it, is the fact -that the mechanical operation of putting is one of extreme simplicity, -entirely devoid of mystery, and capable of acquirement by persons even -of a very low order of intelligence. I want to make it plain beyond -the possibility of doubt that putting is the foundation of golf and -that it can be very easily learned, provided always that the -instructor has a proper idea of the mechanics of the put. Generally -speaking, when one uses the word "mechanics" a golfer is afraid that -he is about to receive some abstruse lecture illustrated by diagrams -and mathematical formulæ, but it is not so. It is essential to a -thorough knowledge and enjoyment of the game of golf that the golfer -should understand the mechanics of putting. - -James Braid says that it is a matter of mathematics and calculation, -and he is not far wrong; but the mechanics of the put are of such -extreme simplicity that no golfer or would-be golfer need be -discouraged because one refers to the elementary science which is -involved in the making of the perfect put. Rather let him be thankful -that he has James Braid's corroboration of the fact, which I have for -many years past tried to impress upon golfers, that the main thing to -strive at in connection with improving their game is a proper -understanding of the mechanical principles involved in producing the -strokes. Until the ordinary golfer has this he will not progress so -rapidly as he may desire. - -I think that we may now consider that it _is_ possible to teach people -how to put; so, having disposed of this fable, let us consider the -most important features of putting. I do not propose here to -illustrate the manner in which the stroke is to be played. I have done -that fully in _Modern Golf_ and in other places. I am here concerning -myself mainly with the fundamental principles. When these are properly -grasped, and these I may say are practically all arm-chair golf, any -person of ordinary intelligence should be able to go on to a putting -green, and by carrying them out become quite a good putter. - -Let us first consider the manner of propulsion of the ball. Provided, -for the sake of argument, that the putting-green were an enlarged -billiard table with a hole in the middle of it, and one were given a -penny to put into that hole from the edge of the table, how would one -endeavour to do it? There can be but little doubt one would try to -_roll_ the coin into the hole. Now that is the way one must try to -put. The ball must be rolled up to the hole. At first sight this seems -an entirely superfluous direction. The reader may say: "In what other -way may puts be sent into the hole than by rolling?" Practically, -there is no other way. It was the idea that there was another and a -better way of holing puts than by rolling them into the hole which -made James Braid in the old days such a bad putter, for in those days -James Braid putted with what is commonly called "drag." It is no -uncommon thing to hear men who play a very fine game of golf advise -players to "slide" their long puts up. Put in another way this simply -means--advice to play a long put with what is known as "drag." - - [Illustration: PLATE III. HARRY VARDON - - At the top of his swing, showing his weight mainly on the left - leg. This characteristic is very marked in Vardon's play.] - -It is well known that at billiards one can hit very hard and direct -one's ball very well by playing with a large amount of drag, and -golfers have carried this notion on to the putting-green, but, it must -be admitted, in a very thoughtless manner. In billiards the ball is -very heavy in proportion to its size. It moves on a perfectly level -and practically smooth surface, the tip of the cue is soft and covered -with chalk, which gives a splendid grip on the ball, and the blow is -delivered very far below the centre of the ball's mass, and is -concentrated on a particular point. In golf it is impracticable in -putting to get very much below the centre of the ball. It can be done, -of course, with a club which is sufficiently lofted, but the moment -this is done there is a tendency to make the ball leave the green, -which is not calculated to make for accuracy. Moreover, be it -remembered that the contact here is between two substances which -are not well calculated to enter into communion, namely, the -comparatively hard and shiny surface of a golf ball, and the hard and -frequently unmarked face of a putter. Moreover, the golf ball is -frequently marked with excrescences called brambles or pimples. - -It is obvious that in many cases the first impact will be on one of -these pimples, and also in many cases certainly not in a line dead -down the centre of that bramble and in a line coinciding with the -intended line of run of the ball. When the impact takes place in this -manner it is obvious that, according to the simplest laws of -mechanics, the put must be started wrongly. It is also obvious that if -there is this tendency to go crookedly off the face of the club the -ball will have more opportunity of getting out of the track, which it -makes for itself in the turf, if it is lifted in any degree from the -turf by a lofted club. - -It is apparent that a golf ball on a putting green sinks into the -turf. It is equally apparent that it will, on its way to the hole, -make for itself a track or furrow of approximately the same depth as -the depression in which it was resting when stationary. That furrow, -to a very great extent, holds the ball to its course and minimises -very much the faulty marking of a great many of the golf balls of -to-day, so that it will be seen that the object of the player should -be not in any way whatever to lift his ball from the green in the put, -which is the invariable and inevitable tendency of attempting to put -with drag by means of a lofted club. It is an extremely common error -to suppose that a put played with drag hugs the green more than one -played in the ordinary way, or with top. As a matter of -incontrovertible fact, no put hugs the green more than a topped put. -It would be easy enough to demonstrate this were it necessary to do -so, but it is a matter which comes in more in the dynamics of golf, -and possibly I shall have the space to treat of it further there. We -may, for our immediate purpose, content ourselves with the fact that -James Braid has abandoned putting with drag, and now rolls his ball up -to the hole with, if anything, a little top, although, be it clearly -understood, there is no apparent intention on his part to obtain this -top, nor does he in _Advanced Golf_ advocate that any attempt should -be made to obtain top; but there can be no doubt whatever that the -manner in which he plays his put tends to impart a certain amount of -top to the ball, and this, of course, causes it to run very freely. - -Now with regard to putting drag on a long put, it should be obvious to -any one that, considering the roughness of the green, the extreme -roughness of the ball and its comparatively light weight in proportion -to its size, it would be impossible to make that ball retain any -considerable measure of back-spin over any appreciable distance of the -green. The idea is so repugnant to common sense and practical golf -that it has always been a matter of astonishment to me to think that -it could have prevailed so much as it has. However, there can be no -doubt that putting under this utterly wrong impression has done a very -great amount of harm to the game of players who might otherwise have -been many strokes better. Let our golfer understand that there is one -way, and one way only, in practical golf to put the ball, and that is -to roll it up to the hole. - -There is generally an exception to prove the rule, and if I can find -an exception to this rule, it must be when one is trying to bolt short -puts. Practically every one has experienced the difficulty of holing -short puts, especially when the green is extremely keen. It is here -that the delicacy of the stroke allows the ball and the inequalities -thereof and any obstructions on the turf to exercise their fullest -power to deflect the ball from the line to the hole. James Braid, in -these circumstances, advises bolting one's puts. Needless to say, he -explains that one should put dead for the middle of the hole, and by -bolting, of course, is meant that one should put firmly so as to give -the ball sufficient strength of run to overcome its inequalities or -those of the turf. - -This, unquestionably, is good advice; but if one puts at the hole in -this manner and does not get it cleanly enough to sink into the tin at -once, the ball with top will run round the edge of the tin and remain -on the green. This is the only case in golf that I can call to mind -where there is any use in putting drag on a put, and the reason for -this is that the distance from the ball to the hole and the nature of -the green is such that the ball is able to retain a very considerable -portion of its backward spin, and upon contact with the rim of the -hole, instead of having a forward run on it which enables it to hold -up and so get away from the hole, the back-spin gets a grip on the -edge of the hole and the ball falls in. - -So far as I can remember, this is absolutely the only case in which -drag of any sort may be considered useful in a put. When I say drag of -any sort I am not, of course, referring to cutting round a put, or -negotiating a stymie with back-spin, for neither of these strokes -comes within the scope of my remark. - -Having arrived at a decision as to the best method of sending the ball -on its journey to the hole, we have now to consider a point of supreme -importance in golf, and one which is not sufficiently insisted upon -by instructors. This is, that at the moment of impact the face of the -putter shall form a true right angle with the line of run to the hole. -That is the fundamental point in connection with putting; but it is of -almost equal importance that the right angle shall be preserved for as -long a time as possible in the swing back, and also in the -follow-through--in other words, the head of the putter should be in -the line of run to the hole as long as possible both before and after -the stroke. With this extremely simple rule, and it will be apparent -that this can be just as well learned in an arm-chair as anywhere -else, almost anyone could put well. - -There is another point of outstanding importance. I have said that the -head of the putter should form a right angle to the line of run to the -hole. I shall be more emphatic still. Let us consider the line of run -to the hole as the upright portion of a very long letter T laid on the -ground. The top of the letter T will then be formed by the front edge -of the sole of the putter, so that it will be seen that not only does -the putter face form a dead right angle to the line of run to the -hole, but that the line of run to the hole hits the putter face dead -in the centre. For all ordinary putting, that is the one and only way -to proceed. One reads in various books about putting off the heel, -putting off the toe, and putting with drag. This is, comparatively -speaking, all imbecility and theory. There is no way to put in golf -comparable with the put that goes off the centre of the club's face. -If we may treat the face of the putter as a rectangle, bisect it by a -vertical line and also by a horizontal line, the point where these two -lines cross each other will be the portion of the putter which should -come into contact with the ball. - -These are extremely elementary matters; but it is impossible, -although they are so elementary, to exaggerate their importance, and -it is amazing, considering their simplicity, how much neglected they -are in all books of instruction, and, generally speaking, by all -instructors. For instance, James Braid, at page 149, tells us: - - Hitting the ball truly is simply a question of bringing the - putter on to it when making the stroke to exactly the same - point as when the final address was made, and of swinging the - putter through from the back swing to the finish in a - straight line. - -This statement would be correct if the address had been made correctly -in the first instance, but unless one has it in one's mind to make -one's putter the top of the T--that is, the completion of the right -angle to the line of run to the hole--the chances are that one's -original address was wrong. Then it will be clearly seen that it is -not "simply a question of bringing the putter on to it when making the -stroke to exactly the same point as when the final address was made." -The important point is to see that the final address is correctly -made; but in no book which I have read--and I have read practically -every book on golf which deserves to be read--do I find any simple and -explicit directions for the mechanical portion of the put, which, as -James Braid truly observes, is extremely simple. - -Now for the idea of the stroke: The player will, of course, have -learned his grip from some of the books on golf, or from a -professional. He will in all probability have adopted the overlapping -grip, for that grip tends, more than any other, to bring both wrists -into action together; and there can, I think, be little doubt that for -most people it is the better grip. Having obtained a good general idea -of the simple mechanical operations involved in the contact of the -club with the ball, the player now has to consider how that club -moves where it is, if we may so express it, bound to him. Well, if he -has even a rudimentary idea of mechanics, he will know that if he -wishes to swing that club so that it may hit the ball in an exactly -similar manner every time, he should suspend it on a single bearing, -so that it would swing in a similar manner to the pendulum of a clock. - -The perfect put, from a mechanical point of view, is made by a motion -which is equivalent to the swinging of a pendulum. If, instead of -allowing the weight of the pendulum to be, as it generally is, in the -plane of the swing, it were turned round so that the flat side faced -towards the sides of the clock, we should have a rough mechanical -presentment of the golf club in the act of making a put. This is, of -course, a counsel of absolute perfection. It is an impossibility to -the golfer, both on account of his physical and physiological -imperfections, and on account of the fact that the golfer practically -never puts with an upright putter. - -We are frequently told that a put is the only true wrist stroke in -golf. As a matter of fact there is no true wrist stroke in golf, for -it is evident that if one played the put as a true wrist stroke with a -club whose lie is at a considerable angle to the horizontal, the -centre of the circle formed by the club head will be away from the -ball to such an extent that the instant the club head leaves the ball -it must leave the line of run to the hole, and equally as certainly -will it leave the line of run to the hole immediately after it has -struck the ball. - -Now this is not what we require, so it has come to pass that the put -at golf is to a very great extent a compromise. It must, above -everything, be a deliberate stroke with a clean follow-through. There -must be no suggestion of reducing the put to a muscular effort. The -idea of the pendulum must be preserved as much as possible, and the -strength of the put regulated to a very great extent by the length of -one's backward swing. - -It is of the first importance that the body should be kept still -during the process of putting, and it stands to reason that the wrists -must also be kept as much as possible in the same place. If one finds -that one has a marked tendency to sway or to move the body about, -standing with one's feet close together will frequently correct this. - -I have referred to the fact that the put is not a wrist stroke. As a -matter of fact, the wrists must in all good putting "go out after the -ball." By this is meant that at the moment of impact the wrists must -in the follow-through travel in a line parallel with the line of run -to the hole, and they must finish so that the club head is able, at -the finish, to stay over the line of run to the hole. To do this, it -is obvious that the wrists, after impact, must move forward. No true -follow-through in the put can be obtained from stationary wrists. This -may sound a little complicated. As a matter of fact it is nothing of -the sort, and the action is very simple, very natural, and when -properly played the ball goes very sweetly off the club and with -splendid direction. - -There is one good general rule for regulating the distance which one -should stand from the ball in putting. When one addresses one's ball, -one should be in such a position that the ball is right underneath -one's eyes. To put it so that there can be no possible mistake as to -what I mean, I may say that in most cases the eyes, the ball, and the -hole should form a triangle in a plane at a right angle to the -horizon. Now I know how hard it is for some people to follow a remark -which refers to planes and right angles and horizons, so as this is a -matter of extreme importance, and a matter where many beginners go -absolutely wrong, I shall make it so plain that there is no -possibility of misunderstanding what I mean. - -Let us imagine a large, irregularly shaped triangle with the apex at -the hole. We shall suppose, for the sake of argument, that this -triangle is composed of cardboard, that it is a right-angled triangle, -and that its base is 4' 6" wide. This triangle, then, is laid on the -green so that its base is vertical, and the corner which is remote -from the hole represents the ball, the upper corner of the base being, -of course, the player's eyes. - -I believe this to be a matter of very great importance, for here it -will be seen that we have the eyes, the ball, and the hole all in the -same plane. Some people like putting with very upright putters. For -the purpose of experiment I had a perfectly upright putter made, but -upright putters are, I think, open to this objection--one's body hangs -too far over them, so that at the moment of striking the ball one is -looking inwards towards the ball, for one's head projects beyond the -line of run to the hole for a considerable distance. It will thus be -seen that one is looking down one line to the hole, and putting over -another. Needless to say, this cannot be good for direction. The eye, -the ball, and the hole should undoubtedly be in the same plane, and -that plane at right angles to the horizon. - -As regards the position of the ball in relation to the feet there is -some slight difference of opinion, but generally it may be said that -about midway between the feet is the best position. If anything, the -ball should perhaps be a little nearer to the left foot than to the -right, but this is a matter upon which we cannot lay down any hard and -fast rule. The main point for the player to consider will be how he -can best secure the mechanical results which I have stated as being -the fundamental requisites of good putting. The matter of an inch or -two in his stance, nearer the hole or farther from it, is not of very -great importance compared with this. Some players have an idea that -they can secure a better run on their ball when putting by turning -over their wrists at the moment of impact. This is one of the most -dangerous fallacies which it is possible to conceive. The idea is -absolutely and fundamentally erroneous. - -If one desires to put any run on one's ball more than is obtained by -the method of striking it which I have stated, it is always open to -one to play the put a little after the club has reached the lowest -point in its swing,--that is to say, as the putter is ascending, but -this is practically unnecessary. If one requires a little more run on -the ball it is best obtained by making the stroke a little stronger. -Any attempt whatever to do anything by altering the angle of the face -of the club during impact is utterly beyond the realm of practical -golf. - -There are many refinements in the art of putting which go somewhat -beyond the fundamental principles laid down in this chapter, in that -they call for cut of a particular kind; but for about ninety-five per -cent of the puts which one has to play, practically nothing more need -be known by the golfer than is here set out. - -I am not here going to describe the method in which one cuts round a -stymie, for I have done that very fully elsewhere; and, moreover, this -does not so completely come within the scope of this work, for it -enters much more into the region of practical stroke play than do the -matters which I have treated of and which I intend to treat of in this -book. - -There is, however, one stroke which is played on the putting-green, -yet is not truly, of course, a put. It is a stroke which I myself -introduced into the game several years ago. This is the stroke which -is now known as the Vaile Stymie Stroke. It is unique among golf -strokes in that it is not an arc. Every known golf stroke before I -introduced this stroke into the game was an arc of a more or less -irregular shape, but it was an arc. The essence of my stroke is that -it is produced in practically a straight line. For all ordinary -stymies it is without doubt the most delicate and accurate stroke -which can possibly be played, and the manner of playing it, after a -golfer has once conquered the force of habit which tends to make him -raise his club from the earth immediately he leaves his ball, is very -simple. The mashie is drawn back from the ball in a perfectly straight -line, and with the sole of it practically brushing, or no more than -just clearing the green. It is then moved sharply forward, but instead -of coming up with the ball after it has hit it, it passes clean -forward down the intended line of flight in a perfectly horizontal -line, provided always, of course, that the green is level, so that it -finishes some inches down the line to the hole and practically -touching the green. No attempt must be made to strike the ball or to -take turf. The idea in one's mind should be to divide the ball from -the green with the front edge of the sole. - -Many mashies are not suitable for this shot, because the sole is not -cut away enough on the back edge, as indeed the sole of every mashie -should be; so it will frequently be found that the best club for -negotiating stymies is the niblick, for its sole being cut away so -much enables the front edge of the club to get well in underneath the -ball. This is a matter of the very greatest importance in playing -stymies, for the simple reason that it enables the player to put so -much more of his force into elevation than is possible when the front -edge of his mashie is cocked up, as it frequently is, by the breadth -of the sole of the mashie; for in many cases when one is trying to -play a stymie the rear edge of the sole of the club makes contact with -the green first and tilts up the front edge, so that it is at least a -quarter of an inch higher than it should be, and instead of striking -the ball almost at the point where it is resting on the turf, it gets -it fully a quarter of an inch to half an inch higher up. The -consequence of this is that too much of the force of the blow goes -into propulsion instead of elevation. - -This means that if the stymie is close to the hole and there is only a -very short run after the ball has got over the obstacle, the player -invariably finds that with his imperfectly constructed mashie he -cannot put enough stop on the ball, nor play the shot delicately -enough to give it a chance to get into the hole, because the run is in -many cases far too strong. Every golfer who desires to play a stymie -well should see to it that he has a mashie with a very fine front -edge, and that the sole is not flat in any part, but begins to curve -away immediately it leaves the front edge. With the mashie constructed -on these lines all ordinary stymies absolutely lose their terror if -the shot is played as described. - -The delicacy and accuracy of this stroke are remarkable. The direction -is an astonishing illustration of the importance of the rule for -putting which I have laid down, of keeping the front edge of the -putter at a right angle to the line of run to the hole, both before -and after impact. As the whole essence of playing this stymie stroke -correctly consists of the straight movement of the face of the club -sharply down the intended line of flight and run to the hole, the -wrists have naturally to follow the head of the club in a line -parallel with that made by the head of the club, and so accurate is -the result that in any ordinary stymie if a wire were stuck on the top -of the intervening ball, I would guarantee to hit the wire every time. - -This stroke was a revelation to me of the importance of the principles -which I am now enunciating, although, of course, I was well aware of -their soundness before I discovered this stroke. - -The usefulness of this stroke is not confined merely to playing -stymies, but it makes a magnificent and accurate chip shot; or if one -has a bad portion of green to put over one can, with this stroke, rely -upon going as straight through the air as one can in the ordinary -course over the green. - -Lest anyone should think that this is merely a theoretical stroke, let -me tell how I came to introduce it into the game of golf. I had used -the stroke myself for some time. One afternoon I was in the shop of -George Duncan, the famous young Hanger Hill professional. It was -raining heavily, and to pass the time I was knocking a ball about on -the mat. Presently I set up a stymie and said to Duncan: - -"Show me how you play your stymie, George." - -"Oh, just in the usual way," said Duncan. - -"Well, show me," I said. - -Duncan took his mashie and played the stymie shot perfectly, "just in -the usual way." - -"There is a much better way of playing a stymie than that," I said, -and I set up the shot and showed Duncan how I played it by my method. -Very few people can give George Duncan any points with the mashie. He -got hold of the stroke at once, and he would hardly wait for the rain -to stop before he went out on to the green to try it there. He plays -the shot perfectly now, and maintains, as indeed I show in _Modern -Golf_, that there is no stymie stroke to compare with it, and of that -I have myself absolutely no doubt. In fact, so accurate is the stroke -that if I found myself badly off my game with my putter, I should take -my mashie and play this stroke, for as regards the fundamental -principle of putting it is a wealth of instruction in itself. - -Cutting round a stymie is nearly always included in the chapter on -putting, but it is practically always a mashie stroke, and in the -majority of cases is a very short pitch with a large amount of cut. On -account of the loft of the mashie the club gets well in underneath the -ball, and as the head of the club at the moment of impact is -travelling in a line which runs at a fairly sharp angle across the -intended line of flight and run of the ball it imparts a strong _side -roll_ to the ball. The cut on a golf ball in such a stroke as I am now -describing resembles almost exactly the off-break spin in cricket. -This means that the ball has a strong side-spin, so that the moment it -hits the earth it endeavours to roll sideways, but the force of -propulsion fights this tendency, and the resulting compromise is a -curve which enables the ball to get round the intervening obstacle, -and, if the stroke is well executed, to find the hole. - -Almost all golf books instruct the player wrongly about this stroke. -He is told to draw his hands in towards him at the moment of impact, -and in some cases, even where the author calls his book _Practical -Golf_, he is told to draw his hands in after impact. Both of these -instructions are utterly wrong. There must be no conscious drawing in -of the hands at the moment when one is trying to cut a put. All the -cut must be done by the natural swing of the club across the intended -line of run of the ball: in other words, the cut is a continuous -process from the time that the club begins its swing until the time -that it ends it. The fact that the ball is in the way of the face of -the club as it crosses the intended line of run to the hole may be -said to be merely an incident in the passage of the club head. Any -attempt whatever to interfere with the natural swing of the club or to -juggle with the ball during impact, or, more futile still, after -impact, must result in irretrievably ruining the stroke. - -The stymie shot which I have described will also be found of use a -little farther from the green, and by means of it an excellent run-up -shot, with most accurate direction, can be played. There is another -way of negotiating a stymie which I have never seen described. It is -pulling round a stymie. It will be obvious to any one acquainted with -the game that cutting round a stymie is merely another form of slice; -although of course the run of the ball is obtained in a different -manner from the curve of the slice in the air, yet the method of -production of the stroke is practically similar. So is it with pulling -a put. There is no doubt that this can be done; but I think there is -also no doubt that it is the most difficult method of negotiating a -stymie which there is. The stroke is played, to all intents and -purposes, as is the pulled drive. Some people imagine that it may be -obtained by turning over the wrist at the moment of impact. This is -quite an error, and is absolutely destructive of accuracy. As, in the -cut put, the head of the club is travelling from outside the line -across it, towards the player's side of the line at the moment of -impact, so, in the pull, the head of the club must be travelling from -the player's side of the line across and away to the far side of the -line at the moment of impact. That is the secret of the pull either in -the drive or the put. - -I cannot refrain from quoting Vardon again. He says on page 148: - - There should be no sharp hit and no jerk in the swing, which - should have the even gentle motion of a pendulum. In the - backward swing, the length of which, as in all other strokes - in golf, is regulated by the distance it is desired to make - the ball travel, the head of the putter should be kept - exactly in the line of the putt. Accuracy will be impossible - if it is brought round at all. There should be a short - follow-through after impact, varying, of course, according to - the length of the putt. In the case of a long one, the club - will go through much further, and then the arms would - naturally be more extended. - -This is wisdom as regards the put. There can be no doubt whatever -about this being practical golf of the highest order, but Vardon -rather spoils it by the following sentence in which he says, "In the -follow-through the putter should be kept well down, the bottom edge -scraping the edge of the grass for some inches." - -Now, if that means anything at all, it means that although Vardon's -conception of the put and its execution in many ways is excellent, yet -he has been making for years the error which made James Braid a bad -putter--in other words, he has been putting with drag. It is well -known that for a very long time Vardon's weakness was his putting; and -I firmly believe that the secret of his bad putting was this low -follow-through with his put. I think that Vardon's follow-through in -his put is now not so low as it was, and the consequence is that his -putting has improved. - -Vardon continues: - - It is easy to understand how much more this course of - procedure will tend towards the accuracy and delicacy of the - stroke than the reverse method, in which the blade of the - putter would be cocked up as soon as the ball had left it. - -What is more natural, then, than that the blade of the putter should -be cocked up immediately after the ball has left it? That is exactly -what should happen in the perfectly played put. Vardon has already -told us that the put is to be played with the "even gentle motion of a -pendulum." Let us suppose for a moment that it was the weight of the -pendulum turned side-wise which had struck the golf ball. It stands to -reason that immediately the weight, which in this case answers to the -face of the golf club, has struck the ball and sent it on its way to -the hole, the face begins to "be cocked up." - -Vardon here makes a totally erroneous claim. He claims greater -delicacy and accuracy for the put played with drag as against that -played as Braid now plays his puts. There can be no shadow of doubt -that the put played with drag, or with a low follow-through "scraping -the top of the grass for some inches," partakes much more of the -nature of a tap than does the put which is played with top or a -perfectly horizontal blow. If Vardon has not completely realised this, -as I think he has, he will, ere long, do so, as James Braid already -has done. - -I need not here deal with complicated puts; that is to say, puts of -such a nature that one has to traverse one, two, or more slopes on -the way to the hole. These puts do not, in themselves, contain any of -the fundamental principles of golf. Each one stands entirely by -itself, and these are absolutely matters in which nothing but practice -on the green can be of any use. It will be obvious to any schoolboy -that if he has to run across five little hills on his way to the hole, -and that three of these slant one way and two the other; and if we say -for the sake of example that they are all practically equal in their -width and slope, that it will be a case of four of them cancelling out -on the good old plus and minus system of our schoolboy days, and we -shall then be left practically to calculate how much we will have to -allow for putting across the incline of one slope. This is not a case -which I should think of giving myself. I merely give it because I came -across such an illustration given in a book which is supposed to cater -for those who desire the higher knowledge of golf, but as a matter of -practical golf these situations but seldom occur. - -Allowing for the drop in a green when one is putting across the slope, -requires a lot of practice, and is most absolutely and emphatically -not a thing that can be learned in an arm-chair, or in any golf -school. It must be learned on the green itself. - -Although James Braid has remodelled his putting with such success, he -still, to a certain extent, clings to his own idea of putting with -drag. On page 154 of _Advanced Golf_ he says: - - For general use I am a strong believer in a putter having - just a little loft. I know that some players like one with a - perfectly straight face which does not impart the slightest - drag to the ball, their theory being that such putters are - capable of more delicate work than others, and that the ball - answers more readily to the most delicate tap from them. - There may be considerable truth in this, though, obviously, - great skill and confidence on the part of the player are - taken for granted. - -And again he says: - - The strength of long putts can generally be more accurately - regulated with a lofted putter than with a straight-faced - one. - -He continues: - - This is the kind of putter that I might recommend for what - might be called a medium or average green, if there can be - said to be such a thing; but I wish to point out that the - putter that is the best suited to such a green is not so well - suited to either a very fast green or a very slow one, and - that in each of the latter cases the club best adapted to the - circumstances is one with considerably more loft on it. - -On page 56 he says: - - Now in both these cases, when the greens are very slow and - when they are extremely fast, the best putter for them is one - with very considerable loft on the face, and it will often be - found that there is nothing better than a fairly - straight-faced iron, or an ordinary cleek, if it is big - enough in the face to suit the player. With this club and its - great dragging power, the effect seems to be practically to - reduce the distance between the ball and the hole. Such is - the drag that the ball is simply pushed over a considerable - part of the way, and it is only when it is quite near to the - hole that it begins, as it were, to run in the usual way. The - fact is that for the first part of the journey the ball does - not revolve regularly upon its axis, as it does when - approaching the hole, but simply skates over the turf, and it - will be found that with a little practice the point at which - it will stop skating can be determined with very considerable - exactness. When it does so stop there is still so much drag - on it that it is very quickly brought to a standstill. Thus - in both cases, of the very fast and the very slow green, the - ball can be played without fear right up to the hole when the - putter is so well lofted as I have recommended. - -Here we are told that the ball "simply skates over the turf." As I -have shown before, this is one of the greatest fallacies in golf. It -is impossible to obtain any results by drag in a long put, which are -not better obtained by simply rolling the ball up. Braid says that -"with a little practice the point at which it will stop skating can be -determined with very considerable exactness," and he goes on to say -that "when it does so stop there is still so much drag on it that it -is very quickly brought to a standstill." - -This is obviously nonsense. It is the drag on the ball which makes it -do any skating which may take place. It is obvious that when the -skating has ceased the drag has stopped exerting its influence. How, -then, is it going to stop the ball from rolling in a natural manner? - -We see here the mistake of importing into golf the well-known -phenomena of billiards, but one would have thought that the experience -of the billiard-table would have been sufficient to show the fallacy -of this statement. The billiard player uses drag to enable him to play -his ball fast and accurately, and there is no doubt that by means of -this drag he does obtain very considerable accuracy, but directly the -ball has ceased to "skate" he knows that that is the time when the -drag has entirely departed from it, and that the momentum has -conquered the friction caused by the back-spin; in other words, the -drag having accomplished its work has gone out of business, and all -the run that is on the ball is derived from the remains of the -momentum imparted to it. - -I cannot say too emphatically that in my opinion this idea of putting -with drag, or with any club having a loft more than that which barely -enables one to see the face of it when it is properly soled, is -dangerous and calculated to produce bad putting on the part of anyone -who attempts it, even as it did in the case of James Braid himself. - -There is one remark which James Braid makes about stymies which I -should like to refer to here. Braid says: "Given complete confidence, -the successful negotiation of a stymie is a much less difficult matter -than it is imagined to be, though in the nature of things it can never -be very easy." I must say that I differ entirely from Braid in this -respect. I maintain that in the nature of things most ordinary -stymies, when played in the manner which I advocate, are very easy. -The difficulty of the stymie, provided one's club is properly -built--and later on I shall refer to the construction of the -mashie--is much exaggerated. Eight of ten stymies should present no -more difficulty than an ordinary put. The only time a stymie should -present a difficulty to the golfer is when the intervening ball is -much nearer to the hole than to the ball which is stymied, so that the -force required to get over the obstacle is so much that the player, -after landing on the far side of the stymie, has too much power in his -ball to give it a chance to settle in the hole, but even such a stymie -as this may, if the ground be suitable, be overcome by lofting one's -ball so as to drop on the hither side of the stymie, bound over it on -its first bound, and continue on its way to the hole. This, probably, -is one of the most difficult ways of negotiating a stymie; but as -showing that it is eminently a matter of practical golf, I may say -that I was illustrating the shot one day to a man who had practically -just started golf. I showed him how to obtain the shot, and he did it -at his first attempt. I advised him not to try again that day. - -Braid continues: - - I need not say that the pitching method is only - practicable--and then it is generally the only shot that is - practicable--when both balls are near the hole, and are so - situated in relation to each other and to the hole that the - ball can reach the latter as the result of such a stroke as - enabled it to clear the opponent's ball. - -Braid is, I think, referring to a clean pitch into the hole, although -the photograph leaves this open to doubt. The pitching method is -practicable when one is stymied in almost any position on the green, -provided always, as I have said, that one has any chance whatever of -pulling up in time to get into the hole after having got over the -stymie. Let me give an example:--Supposing my ball were fifteen yards -from the hole, that the green was absolutely level, and that I had a -stymie ten inches or ten feet in front of me. I should not hesitate -for a moment to use the shot which I have described as the best stymie -stroke in the game. The ball in front of me, so far from being an -obstruction, or in any way whatever putting me off, would, if -anything, serve as a good line to the hole. I am aware that to many -golfers who do not know this stroke, and comparatively few do, this -will sound like exaggeration. I am prepared at any time to demonstrate -the practical nature of what I am writing to any one of my readers who -cannot obtain the results which I get with this stroke. - -At the time that I introduced this stroke there was much controversy -about it, and it was claimed that it was not a new stroke, but that it -was exactly the same as the stroke played by all golfers when stymied. -This, however, is quite an error. Speaking of the stymie shot, James -Braid says - - ... it is just an ordinary chip up, with a clean and quick - rise, the fact being remembered that the green must not be - damaged. To spare the latter the swing back should be low - down and near to the surface, which will check the tendency - to dig. The thing that will ensure the success of the shot, - so far as the quick and clean rise is concerned--and often - enough success depends entirely upon that--is the - follow-through. Generally, if the club is taken through - easily and cleanly, all will be well. - -It is obvious from this description that the stroke in Braid's mind is -totally different from my stymie stroke. With the stroke as I play it, -it is an absolute impossibility to "dig" into the green. One has no -need to have any anxiety whatever about the green, for as the club -travels parallel with the surface of the green all the time, it is -obvious that no damage can ensue. If there is any deflection whatever -from the straight line, it would be at the moment of impact, but even -here it stands to reason that there is practically no deflection -whatever; for even in a stroke played, relatively speaking, so slowly -as is this shot, any alteration of the line of the stroke after it has -once been decided upon, is quite improbable, but the dominant idea in -the player's mind must be to insert the front edge of his mashie -between the ball and the grass, and above everything to keep his -follow-through as straight and as low along the surface of the green -as was his swing back. It is this straight and low follow-through -which gives the ball its "quick and clean rise," as Braid calls it. -Curiously enough, the follow-through which Braid shows for his stymie -shot, wherein the head of the club is raised from the green, will not -give anything like so quick a rise or such delicacy of touch as will -the stroke played in the manner which I have described, and, above -everything, with the very low follow-through insisted upon by me. - - [Illustration: PLATE IV. HARRY VARDON - - At the top of his swing in the drive. This is a fine - illustration of Vardon's perfect management of his weight, - which is mainly on his left foot. Observe carefully the - wrists, which are in the best possible position to develop - power.] - -I may mention that George Duncan never uses any other stroke than this -when playing a short stymie. Indeed, he went so far as to say, when I -was having him photographed for my illustrations in _Modern Golf_, -that it was useless to take any exposures of the ordinary stymie shot, -for the stroke introduced and described by me had practically put it -out of the game. - -Speaking of cutting round a stymie, James Braid says: "Whichever way I -wish to make the ball curl, either round the other ball from the -left-hand side, or from the right, I hit my own with the toe of the -club, drawing the club towards me in the former case so as to make a -slice, and holding the face of it at an angle--toe nearer the hole -than the heel--in the latter, in order to produce a hook." And he -adds: "You cannot do anything by hitting the ball with the heel of -your putter," to which I would rejoin, nor can you do anything by -hitting the ball with the toe of your putter, that you cannot do -better by hitting it absolutely in the middle, which is the only -proper part wherewith to hit a golf ball. - -In the illustrations Braid is shown cutting the put with an aluminium -club. One has no more chance of cutting round a stymie with a club of -this nature than one would have with a bar of soap, for the simple -reason that on account of the breadth of its sole--for if it be not an -aluminium club, it is at least shaped on the same lines--it is -impossible to get the face of the club sufficiently underneath the -ball for the loft to get to work so as to impart that side roll which -is of the essence of cutting round. Braid says at page 171: "But -remember that you can never get any work on the ball if the green is -stiff." Now if this is so, I should like to know what use there is in -attempting to put with drag? - -I quite agree with Braid that it is practically impossible to get any -work whatever on the ball with the club he is shown using. With such a -club it would be still more difficult, if not absolutely impossible, -to obtain any appreciable drag, but if, as Braid says, "you can never -get any work on the ball when the green is stiff," how can he advise -one to attempt to put with drag on a stiff green? To my mind this is -absolutely bad and misleading advice. - -In my chapter on the "Construction of Clubs" it will be seen that I -advocate a short putter for short puts. In _Advanced Golf_ James Braid -has some interesting things to say about gripping low down. He says: - - Many golfers grip very low down, even half-way between the - leather and the head. If their putting when done this way is - first class, nobody can say anything to them, but if it is - not first class it may be pointed out to them that the system - is absolutely bad. It may be allowed to pass for holing-out - purposes; but for a putt of any length it cannot be good, for - the club is not swung in the ordinary easy manner by which - distance can be so accurately gauged. The ball is more or - less poked along. When a man putts in this way he is putting - largely by instinct, and even though he may generally putt - well, his work on the greens cannot be thoroughly reliable. - No putting is so good and consistently effective as is that - which is done with a gentle even swing, which can be - regulated to a nicety, and such putting is only possible when - there is enough shaft left below the grip to swing with. - -I am quite in accord with what James Braid says about this method of -putting, and I do not for one moment think that the short grip should -be used for approach puts, but I am sure the nearer one gets to the -hole the closer one should get down to the ball. Braid deals further -on with the question of shortening one's putter. He says: - - As to the length of the shaft, many players, because they - find that they always grip their putters a foot or so from - the end of it, proceed in due course to have the best part of - that foot cut off, or in purchasing a new putter they have - the shaft cut very short. Are they quite satisfied that it is - not better to have a fair amount of shaft projecting up above - the place where they grip when that place is very low down? - -The answer to this is that in many cases the wood which projects above -the grip is very much in the way of true putting. Any golfer who is -foolish enough to cut anything like a foot off any club without any -compensation to the head in the way of balance must be expected to pay -the penalty for his ignorance, and anyone having a club constructed -for him on such a principle, or, rather, want of principle, will -inevitably pay for it. Braid goes on to say: - - Often enough no consideration is given to this point; it is - not imagined that the shaft above the grip can serve any - useful purpose. Yet it is constantly found that a putter cut - down is not the same putter as it was before, not so good, - and has not the same balance; and, again, many players must - have been surprised sometimes, when doing some half-serious - putting practice with a cleek, iron, or driving mashie, each - club with its long shaft, to find out what wonderfully - accurate work could be done in this way. The inference from - all experience, having theoretical principle to back it, is - that the top or spare part of the shaft acts as a kind of - balance when the putter is gripped low down, and tends - materially to a more delicate touch and to true hitting of - the ball. A very little reflection will lead the reader to - believe that this is so, and in some cases it may lead him - towards a revision of his present methods. - -Personally, I should not think that even "a very little reflection" -would be necessary to induce anyone to believe that the top part of -the shaft acts "as a kind of balance" when the putter is gripped low -down, but it is quite obvious that it is possible to build a putter, -let us say, for the sake of example, two-thirds of the length of an -ordinary putter, which is just as perfectly balanced as the long -club. This is not any question of theory--it is a matter of absolutely -proved and tried practice in golf. One may have a perfect putter which -will be ruined by taking a few inches off the shaft. The balance of -that putter is probably irrevocably destroyed, unless, perchance, the -owner is lucky in adding weight to the head in some way, but dealing -with a putter like this is tricky work for one who does not understand -it. The main point in connection with this matter of Braid's, which I -have quoted, is that he gives a kind of qualified approval to the idea -of the short putter for short puts. Personally, I think it is the -soundest of sound golf, and I am inclined to think that before many -years we shall see the shorter clubs used in their proper place when -their value is more clearly understood. - -Vardon has some very interesting things to say in his book, _The -Complete Golfer_, on "Complicated Putts," while dealing with what he -calls "one of the most difficult of all putts--that in which there is -a more or less pronounced slope from one side or the other, or a -mixture of the two." As he truly says, "In this case it would -obviously be fatal to putt straight at the hole." He continues: "I -have found that most beginners err in being afraid of allowing -sufficiently for the slope"; and I have found that nine champions of -ten make exactly the same error. It is as bad a fault at golf as it is -at bowls to be "narrow," by which, in golf, is meant not to allow -enough for the slope of the green, for it is obvious that if one is -narrow one does not give the hole a chance any more than one does when -one is short; so we may add to the stock maxim in putting "Never up, -never in," another one, which is just as sound, "Never be narrow." - -Vardon goes fully into the general principles underlying these -complicated puts, but as I have already indicated, this is -unquestionably a matter which can only be settled by practice on the -green; but he also goes into the question of the manner in which the -stroke should be played, and here we have a subject which legitimately -comes within the scope of this work. He continues: - - But there are times when a little artifice may be resorted - to, particularly in the matter of applying a little cut to - the ball. There is a good deal of billiards in putting, and - the cut stroke on the green is essentially one which the - billiard player will delight to practise, but I warn all - those who are not already expert at cutting with the putter - to make themselves masters of the stroke in private practice - before they attempt it in a match, because it is by no means - easy to acquire. The chief difficulty which the golf student - will encounter in attempting it will be to put the cut on as - he desires, and at the same time to play the ball with the - proper strength and keep on the proper line. It is easy - enough to cut the ball, but it is most difficult, at first at - all events, to cut it and putt it properly at the same time. - For the application of cut, turn the toe of the putter - slightly outwards and away from the hole, and see that the - face of the club is kept to this angle all the way through - the stroke. Swing just a trifle away from the straight line - outwards, and the moment you come back on to the ball draw - the club sharply across it. It is evident that this movement, - when properly executed, will give to the ball a rotary - motion, which on a perfectly level green would tend to make - it run slightly off to the right of the straight line along - which it was aimed. - -There are one or two points in this statement which are of very great -importance. Vardon says: "For the application of cut turn the toe -slightly outwards and away from the hole, and see that the face of the -club is kept to this angle all the way through the stroke." This is -absolutely unsound golf, for Vardon is advising his reader to play the -put with the toe of the putter slightly outwards and away from the -hole. It stands to reason that following this advice will put the face -of the club in such a position that at the moment of impact it will be -impossible for it to be at a right angle to the intended line of run -to the hole, and this rule is, for all purposes of practical golf, -invariable. It is obvious that coming on to the ball in the manner -suggested must tend to push it away to the right--that is to say, it -would have a strong tendency to go away to the right from the very -moment of impact, which is not what is generally wanted in a good put; -also playing the put in this manner tends quite naturally to decrease -the amount of cut put on it. The idea that cut mashie shots and cut -puts are played in this manner has arisen from the fact that very -frequently the golfer addresses the ball with the toe of his club laid -back a little, but by the time he has come on to the ball again he has -corrected this. In many cases, if it were not for laying the toe of -the club back a little in this manner, golfers would be inclined, -although as a matter of strict and accurate golf they should not be, -to drag the ball across towards the left of the hole. - -Vardon says: "Swing just a trifle away from the straight line -outwards, and the moment you come back on to the ball draw the club -sharply across it." Now here again we see this outstanding error of -practically every man who ever put pen to paper to write about golf, -which is that in producing the cut, whether it be in a put or a sliced -drive, something is done intentionally to the ball during the period -in which the ball and the club are in contact. This is absolutely -wrong. I have explained before that the cut put, and indeed all cut -strokes at golf, are produced by the club swinging across the intended -line of flight or run at the moment of impact, and the amount of cut -depends entirely upon the angle and the speed at which the club head -is travelling across the intended line of flight or run. It is obvious -that the amount of cut must also, to a certain extent, depend on the -amount of loft of the club, for the greater the loft of the club the -greater assistance will the golfer who is applying the cut obtain from -the weight of the ball. - -Vardon goes on to say: "It is evident that this movement, when -properly executed, will give to the ball a rotary motion, which on a -perfectly level green would tend to make it run slightly off to the -right of the straight line along which it was aimed"; but as I have -already shown, the unfortunate part of it is that a put so played -would not go down the straight line which every golfer desires that -his put shall go on; nor indeed on anything like it. - -Also it is a delusion that it is possible with any of the ordinary -putters to obtain a cut of a sufficiently pronounced degree to remain -on the ball, especially on the bramble balls, for any appreciable -distance. Vardon supposes a case of a steep but even slope all the way -from the ball to the hole, and he gives instructions as to how to put -across this slope with cut so as to hold the ball up against the -slope. He says: - - But we may borrow from the slope in another way than by - running straight up it and straight down again. If we put cut - on the ball, it will of itself be fighting against the hill - the whole way, and though if the angle is at all pronounced - it may not be able to contend against it without any extra - borrow, much less will be required than in the case of the - simple putt up the hill and down again. - -In the first place, I may remark that we do not generally borrow from -a slope "by running straight up it and straight down again." The path -of the ball is generally, almost from the time it is hit, a curve, and -a gradual curve, in which one sees to it that the ball is at its -farthest from the straight line to the hole somewhere about midway to -the hole. But this idea of putting cut on the ball with a putter, -which is sufficient to hold the ball up against the hill for any -appreciable distance, is practically a delusion. I can easily -understand that if Vardon plays the cut put as he himself directs it -to be played, that he thinks that cut administered to a ball by an -ordinary putter may have a very great effect in holding the ball up -against the side of a hill for a considerable distance, but this -really is not so. Putting, however, as Vardon instructs one to put for -obtaining cut, would in itself punch the ball up against the slope of -the hill, and I can easily believe that anybody who plays the put like -this, thinking that he is obtaining cut by so doing, will be under the -impression that cut is a very useful thing for holding the ball up -against the slope in this manner, whereas he is in effect simply -punching the ball up against the slope--in other words, he is playing -a put, which if the green were perfectly level, would be yards off his -line to the hole and to the right of it. - -Vardon goes on to say: - - Now it must be borne in mind that it is a purely artificial - force, as it were, that keeps the ball from running down the - slope, and as soon as the run on the ball is being exhausted - and the spin at the same time, the tendency will be, not for - the ball to run gradually down the slope--as it did in the - case of the simple putt without cut--but to surrender to it - completely and run almost straight down. - -There is a fundamental error here, for Vardon states that practically -the spin on the put and the run on the ball will be exhausted at the -same time, but it is an utter impossibility to calculate with any -exactness whatever as to what happens in such a case. Vardon knows no -more about it than any other golfer, and all that any golfer knows -about this is extremely little, so that to advise anyone to attempt to -hold his ball up against a slope by the application of cut with any -ordinary putter, particularly a broad-soled putter, is to invite him -to play his shot blindfolded. - -Vardon does not mention the length of the put which he considers it -possible to play with this cut, but in his diagram he shows a put -which would conceivably be quite a long put, let us say for the sake -of argument fifteen or sixteen feet, but the theory would be just as -bad if it were much less. He says: - - Our plan of campaign is now indicated. Instead of going a - long way up the hill out of our straight line and having a - very vague idea of what is going to be the end of it all, we - will neutralise the end of the slope as far as possible by - using the cut and aim to a point much lower down the - hill--how much lower can only be determined with knowledge of - the particular circumstances, and after the golfer has - thoroughly practised the stroke and knows what he can do with - it. And instead of settling on a point half-way along the - line of the putt as the highest that the ball shall reach, - this summit of the ascent will now be very much nearer the - hole, quite close to it in fact. We putt up to this point - with all the spin we can get on the ball, and when it reaches - it, the forward motion and the rotation die away at the same - time, and the ball drops away down the hill, and, as we hope, - into the hole that is waiting for it close by. - -Vardon may well say "as we hope," for the put described by him has no -more chance of being brought off on a putting-green than Vardon has of -winning another open championship from an aeroplane. To speak of -putting a ball in this manner, and treating it with such magic that -when it gets up by the hole the forward motion and the rotation die -away at the same time, is not practical golf, but absolute moonshine, -for it would be an utter impossibility to persuade any golf ball which -has ever been made to receive from any known form of golf club -sufficient cut to make it behave in the manner described. The theory -of the thing on paper is to a very great extent right, with the -exception that the cut described would require to be obtained by a -club with a much greater loft than any ordinary putter; but it is -evident that putting with putters such as those which Braid or Vardon -use, it would be an utter impossibility to get cut on the ball which -would stay with the ball during a long put and exert much influence in -holding the ball up against any appreciable slope, for with these -putters, which have not much loft, it is evident that any spin -whatever which is imparted to them by drawing the putter across the -line of run at the moment of impact will be mainly about a vertical -axis which is, in effect, the spin of a top. It is evident that as the -ball progresses across the green there will be a very strong effort -indeed on the part of the ball, following its friction on the green, -to wear down this vertical motion and convert it into the ordinary -roll of a naturally hit put. - -Even when one is putting with a highly lofted club and with a -tremendous amount of drag on a perfectly flat green, the drag goes off -the ball in a wonderfully short space of time, and here, of course, -one is using a spin which is analogous to the drag of the billiard -player, for it is pure back-spin which is fighting in the same plane -the forward roll of the golf ball. Therefore it is reasonable to -suppose, and indeed it is undoubted that the ball would be more likely -to retain this pure back-spin for a much longer time than would the -ball with the side-spin imparted by the putter, for the spin which is -imparted by the putter does not directly fight the forward progress of -the ball as it is spinning across the plane of the roll which the ball -desires to take, whereas, as I have before pointed out, the ball -played with drag is absolutely fighting the forward roll of the golf -ball. It therefore would for a very short distance skid over the -putting-green, but those who only theorise about these matters have a -ridiculously exaggerated idea of the influence of drag on the golf -ball. - -I have made it very plain, and I cannot emphasise the matter too -strongly, that any attempt whatever in long puts to use drag or cut of -any kind is to be deprecated. - -There is another matter which Vardon refers to that I should like to -notice here. He says: - - One of the problems which strike most fear into the heart of - the golfer is when his line from the ball to the hole runs - straight down a steep slope and there is some considerable - distance for the ball to travel along a fast green. The - difficulty in such a case is to preserve any control over the - ball after it has left the club, and to make it stop anywhere - near the hole if the green is really so fast and steep as - almost to impart motion of itself. In a case of this sort I - think it generally pays best to hit the ball very nearly upon - the toe of the putter, at the same time making a short, quick - twitch or draw of the club across the ball towards the feet. - Little forward motion will be imparted in this manner, but - there will be a tendency to half lift the ball from the green - at the beginning of its journey, and it will continue its way - to the hole with a lot of drag upon it. It is obvious that - this stroke, to be played properly, will need much practice - in the first place, and judgment afterwards, and I can do - little more than state the principle upon which it should be - made. - -I need hardly do more here than repeat what I have said in the case of -the other puts. Any attempt to jump a ball at the beginning of the -put on a steep, fast green is about as bad a method of starting it as -one could possibly imagine. There is nothing for it but the smooth, -steady roll. Few greens, of course, are so steep that the ball will -run off them unless it has been very violently played, so the ordinary -principles of putting still hold good here--there is one way to play -that put, and that is not from the toe, but from the centre, of the -club, and as straight as may be for the hole, having due regard to the -slope or slopes of the green. Of course, as I have before indicated, -if one is very near to the hole, certainly not more than two to three -feet at the utmost, one may be excused for putting straight at the -hole with drag, because a ball can be made to carry its drag for about -this distance. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -THE FALLACIES OF GOLF - - -The fallacies of golf, as it has been written, are so numerous and so -grave that it would be impossible to deal with them fully in a -chapter, so I must here content myself with dealing generally with -them, and specifically with a few of the minor mistakes which are so -assiduously circulated by authors of works on golf. I shall take them -as they come, in their natural order. We shall thus have to deal with -them as follows: slow back, the distribution of weight, the sweep, the -power of the left hand and arm, the gradually increasing pace of the -sweep, the action of the wrists, and the follow-through. - -We have then to consider, in the first place, the oft-repeated and -much-abused instruction to go "slow back." The rhythm of many a swing -is utterly spoilt by this advice, for the simple reason that, -generally speaking, it is tremendously overdone. Anyone who has ever -seen George Duncan's swing could surely be excused for thinking that -slow back must be a delusion. It is not, however, given to everybody -to be able to swing with the rapidity and accuracy which characterise -Duncan's wonderful drive. In fact, the most that can be said in favour -of going slowly back is that all that is necessary in the way of -slowness is that the player shall not take his club up to the top of -his swing at such a rate that in his recovery at the top of the swing -he will have any unnecessary force to overcome before he begins his -downward stroke. - -It stands to reason that there must be at the top of the swing a -moment wherein the club is absolutely stationary. The whole object of -slow back is to ensure that at this moment, which is undoubtedly a -critical portion of the swing, there shall be no undue conflict of the -force which brought the club head up to the top of the swing and that -force which the golfer then exerts to start the club on its downward -journey. When this has been said, practically all that need be said -about slow back has been said. - -It is almost a certainty that slow back, as one of what Vardon calls -the parrot cries of the links, has done more to unsettle the drives of -those who follow it, and the tempers of those who follow them, than -any other of the blindly followed fetiches of golf. Let it be -understood then, once and for all, that undue slowness is almost as -great a vice as undue quickness. What the player must, in every case, -strive after is the happy medium. It is an absolute impossibility to -preserve the rhythm of a swing that goes up with the painful slowness -and studied deliberation which we so frequently see as the precursor -of a tremendous foozle. - -Incorporated in this overdone injunction, "slow back," we have the -idea of swinging the club away from the ball. In various places we are -told plainly that the club is not to be lifted away from the ball, but -that it must be swung back, whereas, of course, there can be no doubt -whatever that the club is lifted back, and is started on its journey -by the wrists. - -It is obvious that no swing can be started from the lowest point in an -arc. If, for example, we take the pendulum of a clock which is -hanging motionless, it will be impossible to swing it one way or the -other without lifting it. Equally obvious is it that the golf club -must be lifted away from the ball. - -"As you go up, so you come down" is another revered fallacy. We are -clearly, and probably rightly, instructed, when driving, to take the -club away from the ball in the line to the hole produced through the -ball. - -We do this going back comparatively slowly until we are compelled to -leave the line, or rather the plane, of the ball's flight. So at the -moment of making our first divergence from the straight swing back, we -import into our arc a sudden and pronounced curve. On the return -journey, the downward swing, we travel all the way at express speed. -He would indeed be credulous and unanalytical who could believe that -the arc of the downward swing coincides with that of the upward, when -the upward swing is carried out according to the generally published -theory, which, of course, it generally is not. The theory is only good -in so far as it goes to inculcate the idea of remaining in the line to -the hole both before and after impact as long as possible. - -The next fallacy which we have to deal with is the matter of the -distribution of weight in the drive. Practically every book that has -been published misinforms the golfer on this point, which is a matter -of fundamental importance in the game; in fact, it is of such great -importance that I shall not deal with it fully here, but shall reserve -it for my next chapter wherein I shall give the views of the leading -exponents of the game on this all-important subject, and shall then -show wherein I differ from them. - -Let us consider that we have now arrived at the top of the swing. -Every author of a golf book insists upon the fact that the drive at -golf is a sweep and not a hit. James Braid, in chapter viii. of _How -to Play Golf_, writing of "The Downward Swing," says: - - The chief thing to bear in mind is that there must be, in the - case of play with the driver and the brassie, no attempt to - _hit_ the ball, which must be simply swept from the tee and - carried forward in the even and rapid swing of the club. The - drive in golf differs from almost every other stroke in every - game in which the propulsion of a ball is the object. In the - ordinary sense of the word, implying a sudden and sharp - impact, it is not a "hit" when it is properly done. - -The impact in the golf drive has been measured by one of our most -eminent physicists to occupy one ten-thousandth of a second. I think -we may take this as "implying a sudden and sharp impact." Braid goes -on to say, "when the ball is so 'hit' and the club stops very soon -afterwards, the result is that very little length, comparatively, will -be obtained, and that, moreover, there will be a very small amount of -control over the direction of the ball." - -This might be right, but it seems almost unnecessary to point out that -when a ball has been struck at the amazing speed which such a brief -contact indicates, there is extremely little probability that the club -will stop "very soon afterwards"--in fact, it would be almost a matter -of impossibility to induce a club which had been used for delivering a -blow at the rate which this brief time indicates, to stop very shortly -afterwards. The head of a golf club at the moment of impact with the -golf ball is travelling so rapidly that a camera timed to take -photographs at the rate of one twelve-hundred-and-fiftieth of a -second's exposure, gets for the club head and shaft merely a vague -swish of light, while the ball itself, if it is caught at all, appears -merely to be a section of a sperm candle, so rapid is its motion. I -am speaking now of a photograph taken at this extremely rapid rate -when the photographer is facing the golfer who is making the stroke, -but so rapid is the departure of the ball from the club that even when -the photographer is standing in a straight line directly behind the -player, the ball still presents the appearance of a white bar. - -It should then be sufficiently obvious to anyone that so far as -regards the stroke "implying a sudden and sharp impact," the golf -stroke, probably of all strokes played in athletics, is, at the moment -of impact, incomparably the most rapid. It has, therefore, always -seemed to me a matter for wonder to read that this stroke is a sweep -and not a hit. - -Braid here says one thing which is of outstanding importance as -exploding another well-known fallacy. It is as follows: - - While it is, of course, in the highest degree necessary that - the ball should be taken in exactly the right place on the - club and in the right manner, this will have to be done by - the proper regulation of all the other parts of the swing, - and any effort to direct the club on to it in a particular - manner just as the ball is being reached, cannot be attended - by success. - -This is so important that I must pause here to emphasise it, because -we are frequently told, and even Braid himself, as I shall show later -on, has made the same mistake, that certain things are done during -impact, by the intention of the player during that brief period, in -order to influence the flight of the ball. There can be no greater -fallacy in golf than this. No human being is capable of thinking of -anything which he can do in this minute fraction of time, nor even if -he could think of what he wished to do, would it be possible for his -muscles to respond to the command issued by his mind. - -To emphasise this, I must quote from the same book and the same page -again. Braid says: - - If the ball is taken by the toe or heel of the club, or is - topped, or if the club gets too much under it, the remedy for - these faults is not to be found in a more deliberate - directing of the club on to the ball just as the two are - about to come into contact, but in the better and more exact - regulation of the swing the whole way through up to this - point. - -That is the important part in connection with this statement of -Braid's. Many a person ruins a stroke, as, for instance, in -endeavouring to turn over the face of the putter during the moment of -impact, through following, in complete ignorance, the teaching of -those who should know better, and they then blame themselves for their -want of timing in trying to execute an impossibility, whereas the -remedy is, as Braid says, not in trying to do anything during the -moment of impact "but in the better and more exact regulation of the -swing the whole way through up to this point." - -Braid is here speaking of the drive, but what applies to the drive -applies to every stroke in the game, with practically equal force. He -continues: - - The object of these remarks is merely to emphasise again, in - the best place, that the despatching of the ball from the tee - by the driver, in the downward swing, is merely an incident - of the whole business. - -"Merely an incident of the whole business." It is impossible to -emphasise this point too much. The speed of the drive at golf is so -great that the path of the club's head has been predetermined long -before it reaches the ball, so that, as I have frequently pointed out -in the same words which Braid uses in this book, the contact between -the head of the club and the ball may be looked upon as merely an -incident in the travel of the club in that arc which it describes. - -The outstanding truth of this statement will be more apparent when we -come to deal with the master strokes of the game. Braid's remarks here -are so interesting that I must quote him again: - - The player, in making the down movement, must not be so - particular to see while doing it that he hits the ball - properly, as that he makes the swing properly and finishes it - well, for--and this signifies the truth of what I have been - saying--the success of the drive is not only made by what has - gone before, but it is also due largely to the course taken - by the club after the ball has been hit. - -In this paragraph Braid is making a fallacious statement. It will be -quite obvious to a very mean understanding that nothing which the club -does after it has hit the ball and sent it on its way, can have any -possible effect upon the ball, and, therefore, that the success of the -drive cannot possibly in any way be "due largely to the course taken -by the club after the ball has been hit." The success of the stroke -must, of course, be due entirely to the course taken by the club head -prior to and at the moment of impact. What Braid would mean to -express, no doubt, is that if the stroke has been perfectly played, it -is practically a certainty that what takes place after the ball has -gone, will be executed in good form. - -I have frequently seen misguided players practising their -follow-through without swinging properly, whereas it is, of course, -obvious that a follow-through is of no earthly importance whatever -except as the natural result of a well-played stroke; and provided -that the first half of the stroke was properly produced, it is as -certain as anything can be that the second half will be almost -equally good, but it is certain that nothing which the club does after -contact with the ball has ceased can possibly influence the flight or -run of the ball. It is, for instance, obvious that if a man has played -a good straight drive clean down the middle of the fair-way, his -follow-through cannot be the follow-through of a slice, because the -pace at which he struck that ball must make his club head go out down -the line after the ball. Similarly, if a man has played a sliced -stroke, it stands to reason that after the ball had left his club, his -club head could not, by any possible stretch of imagination, follow -down a straight line to the hole. - -These things are so obvious to anyone who is acquainted with the -simplest principles of mechanics that it is strange to see them stated -in the fallacious manner in which Braid puts them forth. Braid here -says: - - The initiative in bringing down the club is taken by the left - wrist, and the club is then brought forward rapidly and with - an even acceleration of pace until the club head is about a - couple of feet from the ball. - -Now here we see that Braid subscribes to the idea of "the even -acceleration of pace," but it will be remembered that in a previous -chapter I quoted him as saying that there must be no idea of gaining -speed gradually; that one must be "hard at it from the very top, and -the harder you start the greater will be the momentum of the club when -the ball is reached." Here there is no notion whatever of even -acceleration of pace. It is to get the most one can from the absolute -instant of starting, but notwithstanding this, Braid tells us on page -57 of _How to Play Golf_: "When the ball has been swept from the tee, -the arms should, to a certain extent, be flung out after it." - -We observe here that Braid speaks of the ball as having been "swept -from the tee," notwithstanding that in _Advanced Golf_ at page 58 we -read: "But when he has got all his movements right, when his timing is -correct, and when he has absolute confidence that all is well, the -harder he _hits_, the better." I have italicised the word "hits." - -Now here we have the practical golf of the drive, and I cannot do -better, in disposing of the fetich of the sweep, than re-echo Braid's -words that for a golfer who wants to get a good drive, when he has -everything else right, "the harder he hits the better." - -As a matter of simple practical golf, provided always that a golfer -executes his stroke in good form, it is impossible for him to hit too -hard. This amazing fallacy of the sweep ruins innumerable drives, and -renders many a golfer, who would possibly otherwise play a decent -game, merely an object of ridicule to his more fortunate -fellow-players who know that the golf drive is a hit--a very palpable -hit--and not in any sense of the word a sweep. - -Taylor also subscribes to the fetich of the sweep. At page 186 of -_Taylor on Golf_ he says: - - In making a stroke in golf the beginner must feel sure that - the correct method of playing is not the making of a hit--as - such a performance is understood--but the effort of making a - sweep. This is an all-important thing, and unless a player - thoroughly understands that he must play in this style I - cannot say I think the chance of his ultimate success is a - very great one; it is an absolute necessity this sweep, and I - cannot lay too much stress upon it. - -He continues: - - As a more practical illustration of my meaning, I will - suppose that the player is preparing to drive. His position - is correct, he is at the exact distance from the ball. All - that is then necessary is that with a swinging stroke he - should sweep the ball off the tee. But, if in place of - accomplishing this sweep, the ball is _hit_ off the - tee--well, that may be a game, but it certainly does not come - under the heading of golf. - -Now we have already seen that James Braid in _Advanced Golf_, which -was published after _How to Play Golf_, has abandoned the idea that -the golf drive is a sweep. Taylor is wonderfully emphatic about the -sweep, but I think it will not require much to convert any golfer, who -is in doubt about the matter, to my views, for the comparative results -obtained will speak for themselves. Moreover, if there is any one man -more than another who is a living refutation of the sweep notion that -man is J. H. Taylor. It is impossible to watch him driving, and to -know the power which he gets from his magnificent forearm _hit_, -without being absolutely convinced that the true nature of the golf -drive is a hit and not a sweep. - -I do not find that Vardon subscribes to this idea of the sweep so -definitely as does Taylor, and as did Braid in _How to Play Golf_, but -he does unquestionably subscribe to the notion of the club gradually -gathering speed in its downward course, for he says at page 69 of _The -Complete Golfer_: - - The club should gradually gain in speed from the moment of - the turn until it is in contact with the ball, so that at the - moment of impact its head is travelling at its fastest pace. - -This, of course, in itself is correct, but there should be no -conscious effort of gradually increasing the pace. As Braid says, "one -must be 'hard at it' right from the beginning." The gradual and even -acceleration of pace must unquestionably be left to take care of -itself, and it has no more right to cumber the golfer's mind than has -the idea when he is throwing a stone that his hand should be moving at -its fastest when the stone leaves it. - - [Illustration: PLATE V. J. H. TAYLOR - - At the top of his swing in the drive. Note here the position - of Taylor's wrists. This is a matter of the utmost importance. - Taylor is at times inclined to get a little on to his right - leg, but probably here the weight is at least equally - distributed, if not mainly on the left.] - -One of the most pronounced and harmful golfing fallacies is what I -call "the fetich of the left." All of the leading writers and players -do their best to instil into the minds of their pupils the idea that -the left hand is the more important. This is a fallacy of the most -pronounced and harmful nature, but it is of such great importance to -the game that I shall not deal with it particularly here, but shall -reserve it for a future chapter. - -We now have to deal with the question of gradually increasing the pace -in the drive. I have already, to a certain extent, dealt with this -matter. Nearly all writers make a strong point of this fallacy. James -Braid at page 54 of _How to Play Golf_ says: - - The initiative in bringing down the club is taken by the left - wrist, and the club is then brought forward rapidly, and with - an even acceleration of pace until the club head is about a - couple of feet from the ball. - -Here it will be seen clearly that Braid gives the idea that the player -is, during the course of the downward swing, to exercise some -conscious regulation of the increase of the speed of the head of the -club. - -Braid then goes on to say: - - So far, the movement will largely have been an arm movement, - but at this point there should be some tightening-up of the - wrists, and the club will be gripped a little more tightly. - -Anyone attempting to follow this advice is merely courting disaster. -To dream of altering the grip, or of consciously attempting in any way -to alter the character of the swing, or to introduce into the swing -any new element of grip, touch, control, or anything else whatever, -must be fatal to accuracy. Braid is much sounder on this matter in -_Advanced Golf_ where he makes no assertion of this nature, but tells -the golfer that he must not bother himself with any idea of gradually -increasing his pace. - -This is what Braid says. It is worth repeating: - - Nevertheless, when commencing the downward swing, do so in no - gentle, half-hearted manner, such as is often associated with - the idea of gaining speed gradually, which is what we are - told the club must do when coming down from the top on to the - ball. It is obvious that speed will be gained gradually since - the club could not possibly be started off on its quickest - rate. The longer the force applied to the down swing, the - greater do the speed and the momentum become, but this - gradual increase is independent of the golfer, and he should, - as far as possible, be unconscious of it. What he has to - concern himself with is not getting his speed gradually, but - getting as much of it as he possibly can right from the top. - No gentle starts, but hard at it from the very top, and the - harder you start the greater will be the momentum of the club - when the ball is reached. - -That, I take it, is absolutely sound advice, for herein there is no -stupid restriction whatever, nor should there be, for the golfer, from -the time his club leaves the ball till it gets back to it, should have -nothing whatever wherewith to cumber his mind but the one idea, and -that is to _hit_ the ball. Braid is surely wide of the mark when he -says "but this gradual increase is independent of the golfer, and he -should, as far as possible, be unconscious of it." - -Firstly, it seems to me that this gradual increase is entirely -dependent on the golfer, and secondly, that he should be extremely -conscious of it, and the necessity for the production of it; but this -is one of the many things in golf which, when once it is thoroughly -learned, becomes so much a matter of second nature that the golfer -does it instinctively. He knows perfectly well that he _will_ -gradually increase his pace until he hits the ball, but he will not -have it in his mind that he _has_ to do so. All this is bound to be -in the hit. The man who drives the nail does not worry himself about -gradually increasing the pace of the hammer head until it encounters -the head of the nail. He knows he is doing it, but he does not worry -himself about it as the golfer does about his similar operation. If -the golfer would remember that nothing matters much except to hit the -ball hard and truly, and would disregard a lot of the absolute -nonsense about the domination of either one hand or the other, the -gradual acceleration of speed, and many other items of a similar -nature, he would find that his game would be infinitely improved. - -I could quote pages from leading authors dwelling upon this matter of -the gradual increase of speed, but I shall content myself with the -passage which I have here quoted from James Braid, together with the -remarks that I have made in former portions of this book, and may make -in later chapters. Braid, in _Advanced Golf_, is sufficiently emphatic -about this matter, and I think we may take it that in _Advanced Golf_ -he has given up the idea expressed in his smaller and less important -work _How to Play Golf_, that one should trouble oneself with the even -acceleration of speed. Whether he has or not, it is an absolute -certainty that any idea of consciously regulating the speed of the -club's head in the drive, will result in a very serious loss of -distance, for it will be found an utter impossibility for anyone so to -regulate the speed of the club without seriously detracting from the -rate at which the head is moving through the air, and as every golfer -knows, or should know, the essence of the golf stroke is, that the -club shall be travelling at the highest possible speed when it strikes -the ball. I am, of course, now speaking with regard to the drive, and -obtaining the greatest distance possible, for that is generally the -object of the drive. - -The point which must be impressed upon the golfer is, that from the -moment he starts his downward swing until he hits the ball, he has -nothing whatever to think of except hitting that ball. Everything which -takes place from the top of the swing to the moment of impact should -practically be done naturally, instinctively, sub-consciously--any way -you like, except by the exercise of thought during that process as -especially applied to any particular portion of the action, for it is -proved beyond doubt that the human mind is not capable of thinking out -in rotation each portion of the golf drive as it should be played, -during the time in which it is being played. - -Probably there is more ignorance about the action of the wrists in -golf than about any other portion of the golf stroke, yet this is a -matter of the utmost importance, a matter of such grave importance -that I must in due course deal with it more fully and examine the -statements of the leading writers on the subject. - -It is laid down clearly and distinctly by nearly all golf writers and -teachers that the golfing swing must be rhythmical, that there must be -no jerking, no interruption of the even nature of the swing--in fact, -we have seen that according to many of them the stroke is a sweep and -not a hit, yet we are told distinctly that at the moment of impact a -snap of the wrists is introduced. This must tend, of course, to -introduce a tremendous amount of inaccuracy in the stroke at a most -critical time, and it is therefore a matter worthy of the closest -investigation. - -We have already dealt with the fallacy of the sweep. It is a curious -thing that although the leading golfers and authors pin their faith to -the sweep as being the correct explanation of the drive in golf, yet -nearly all of them, when it comes to a question of the stroke with the -iron clubs, say that it is a hit. Now the stroke with the iron clubs -is identical with the stroke with the wooden clubs, with the -exception, of course, in many cases, that it has not gone back so far; -but the action of the wrists is, or should be, the same. The club head -travels, stroke for stroke, relatively in exactly the same arc; the -beginning of the stroke and finish of the stroke is the same, and all -the other laws, _mutatis mutandis_, apply. It would, indeed, be hardly -too much to say that there is at golf only one stroke, and that every -other stroke is a portion of that stroke, that stroke being, of -course, the drive. If we take the drive as the supreme stroke in golf, -and examine the nature of the stroke, we shall find that in that -stroke is included practically every stroke in the game. That being -so, it seems to me extremely hard to differentiate between a cleek -shot and a drive--in fact, in so far as regards the production of the -shot it is impossible to differentiate between them. If the one is a -hit, the other is, and as a matter of fact, every stroke in golf, with -the possible exception of the put, is a hit. - -While we are speaking of hits and fallacies, it will not be out of -place to devote a little attention to a point of extreme importance, -and at the same time one which is very much neglected in most books -dealing with the game. It is the ambition of many a golfer to get what -he imagines to be "the true St. Andrews swing." They try this in -numberless cases, where, from the stiffness of their joints and their -build generally, it is impossible in the nature of things that they -can obtain a very full swing. It is bad enough in these cases, for I -speak now of people who have taken to the game when their frames have -become so set that it is practically an impossibility for them to -obtain anything in the nature of a full swing, but the attempt to -obtain a long swing is not, however, confined to those who have taken -to the game late in life, although it is with them naturally a greater -error than it is with those who started the game when their limbs were -more supple and their frames more easily adapted to the stroke. - -If I allow myself to take my natural swing, I can nearly always see -the head of the club at the top of my swing, and at the finish it is -hanging nearly as far over the right shoulder as it was at the top of -the swing over the left shoulder. There can be no doubt that with a -swing like this, when one can control it sufficiently, one gets a very -long ball, and there is a very delightful feeling in getting a perfect -drive with such a swing, but from the very nature of the stroke it -stands to reason that it must be less accurate than a much shorter and -less showy effort. - -Harry Vardon, in _The Complete Golfer_, asks: "Why is it that they -like to swing so much and waste so much power, unmindful of the fact -that the shorter the swing the greater the accuracy?" There can be no -doubt whatever that in the very full swing, such as I have described, -there is a waste of power and a sacrifice of accuracy. The rule which -is true of the put, "Keep the head of the club in the line to the hole -as long as you can, both before and after impact," is, _mutatis -mutandis_, just as applicable to the drive. - -Vardon continues: - - Many people are inclined to ask why, instead of playing a - half shot with the cleek, the iron is not taken and a full - stroke made with it, which is the way that a large proportion - of good golfers would employ for reaching the green from the - same distance. For some reason, which I cannot explain, - there seems to be an enormous number of players who prefer a - full shot with any club to a half shot with another, the - result being the same or practically so. - -This is a curious remark to come from a golfer of the ability of Harry -Vardon. I should have thought that the reason is sufficiently obvious. -In playing a full shot the ordinary golfer feels that he has simply to -get the most that his club is capable of. He therefore has no -necessity to exercise any conscious muscular restraint. He plays the -shot and trusts the club for his regulation of distance, but on the -other hand, in playing a half shot he knows that he must exercise a -good deal of judgment in applying his strength. It seems to me that -there can be very little doubt that this is the reason why most -golfers prefer the full shot. However that may be, it is beyond doubt -that the desire, as Vardon puts it, "to swing so much" is the root -cause of a vast amount of very bad golf. - -"The shorter the swing, the greater the accuracy." This statement is -as true of one's wooden clubs as it is of the iron. It should be -printed as a text and hung in every golf club-house in the world, for -there can be very little doubt that if the value of this advice were -thoroughly realised, it would make golf pleasanter and better for -every one. The blind worship of the full swing has been carried to a -lamentable extent, and golfers who devote any thought to their game -are beginning to understand that beyond a reasonable swing back, the -surplus is so much waste energy, and, which is more important still, -simply imports into the stroke a very much greater risk of error. - -Many years ago I had a very remarkable illustration of the value of -the short swing. A club mate of mine who was an adept at most games, -and a champion at lawn-tennis and billiards, took it into his head to -play golf. He was in the habit of thinking for himself. Of course, -directly he started to learn golf, every one wished to make him tie -himself into the usual knots, but he refused to be influenced by other -people's ideas. He was content to work out his own salvation. He had -watched many of the unfortunate would-be golfers contorting themselves -in their efforts to reproduce what they took to be "a true St. Andrews -swing," but determined that he would not follow their example. - -He had conceived the idea that a drive was only an exaggerated put, -and he made up his mind that he would proceed to exaggerate his put by -degrees until he had reached the limit of his drive, and had found -that no further swinging back would give him extra distance. He found -that he got no farther with his drive when he carried his club right -round to what is known as the full swing, than he did when his club -head came from about the same height as his lawn-tennis racket did in -playing the game which he knew so well. - -When he had ascertained this he resolutely refused to increase the -length of his swing. His club mates laughed at him and told him that -it was not golf, that he was playing cricket, and many other pleasant -little things like this. It had no effect whatever on him, for he knew -that he was producing the stroke, in so far as he played it, exactly -according to the best-known methods of the leading golfers of the -world. He was content, in this respect, to follow known and accepted -methods, but he would not in any way adopt the prevalent idea of a -long swing. - -Of course, he was laughed at and told that it was extremely bad form, -but before long he "had the scalps" of his detractors. Then they were -unable to say much about his golf, and he had very much the best of -the argument when within a remarkably short space of time he won the -championship of his Province. He proved quite conclusively to his own -satisfaction, and to the great chagrin of many of the other players, -the truth of Vardon's statement, "The shorter the swing the greater -the accuracy." - -There can be very little doubt that for those who take to golf late in -life, especially if they have not played other games, the orthodox -swing is a trap. A very great number of them get the swing, but not -the ball. Many of them are, I am afraid, under the impression that the -swing is of more importance than getting the ball away. Needless to -say, they do not improve very much. - -For those who take to golf late in life, I am sure that the great -principle which makes for length and direction in any ball game that -is, or ever was played, namely, keep in the line of your shot as long -as you can both before and after impact, will be found as sound to-day -as it always has been. Probably it will be found, and before very long -too, that what is true for the late beginner is equally true for the -greatest experts. As a matter of fact, some of our leading -professionals are beginning to realise this already, particularly with -regard to their iron play. - -There are several very important points in connection with the short -swing--points which, I believe, are of very great advantage to the -golfer when once he has thoroughly grasped them. It is obvious that -the shorter the swing is, the less necessity will there be for -disturbing the position of one's feet. This naturally means that there -is less likelihood of any undue swaying. Secondly, the shorter swing -is naturally much more upright than the orthodox swing, and it comes -more natural to a player to hit downwards at his ball when using it. - -The first point which we have made is that the shorter swing produces -less disturbance of the feet, because it is generally more upright -than a corresponding length of the orthodox swing. In the flat swing -there is less need to move the feet than there is in the upright -swing. It is in the latter that one feels _soonest_ the necessity for -lifting the heel of the left foot, but in the short swing there is not -the same necessity for balancing and pivoting on the toes as there is -in the orthodox drive, for the swing back is not extended enough to -require it. It should be apparent then that with the short swing much -of the complexity of the golf drive is taken away. - -I must make this a little clearer: practically all the golf books tell -us that the left heel must come away from the earth when the arms seem -to draw it. Anyone who follows this out in practice will find that it -is impossible to preserve the rhythm of his swing. As a matter of -practical golf the left heel must come away from the earth as soon as -the head of the club leaves the ball. The motions are practically -simultaneous. This matter of the management of the feet is probably -the greatest contributing cause to the complexity of the golf drive, -and the many erroneous descriptions of it which are given by our -leading players. The principal reason for this is that it is the -latitude given to the body by this shifting of the heels which -accounts for the wrong transference of the weight to the right foot, -and the equally wrong _lurching_ on the left foot. - -One would not, of course, for a moment advocate that the golfer's -heels should be immovable, although James Braid does maintain, quite -wrongly, I think, that the position of the feet at the moment of -impact should be exactly the same as at the moment of address--that -is, that the heels should be firmly planted on the ground. Although he -says this, the instantaneous photographs of him in the act of driving -show conclusively that he does not carry his theory into practice. -Many of our greatest golfers are beginning now to see that the firmer -the foundation, the more fixed and immovable the base, the steadier -must be the superstructure--to wit, the chest and shoulders--and -therefore the more constant will be the centre, if I may use the word -in a general sense, of the swing. - -The importance of preserving this "centre" cannot be overestimated, -for golf is a game which demands a wonderful degree of mechanical -accuracy, and it is only by observing the best mechanical principles -that the best results can be obtained. - -In the ordinary drive of the ordinary golfer there is usually an -excessive amount of foot and ankle work, and, generally speaking, this -foot and ankle work is not carried out in the best possible manner. -There is, as a matter of fact, imported into the drive far too great -an opportunity for the player to move his weight about. He takes full -advantage of this, and the usual result is that he transfers his -weight, when driving, to his right leg, which, as we shall see later -on, is a very bad fault for the golfer to acquire. In the shorter -swing there is much less temptation for the golfer to make the errors -which are usually attendant on faulty footwork. - -The other point of importance which I have mentioned in connection -with the short swing, is that it comes much more naturally to the -player to hit downwards. Probably not one golfer in a hundred -realises that the vast majority of his strokes are made in a manner -wholly opposed to the best science of golf. They are, generally -speaking, _hit upwards_, whereas the most perfect golf drive should be -hit downwards, and this statement is, in perhaps a less degree, true -of nearly all golf strokes which are not played on the green. - -The best way to get any ordinary ball into the air is to hit it -upwards, but this general rule does not apply to the golf ball, for it -is always stationary and is generally lying on turf. However, few -players will trust the loft of the club to perform its natural -function. They seem to forget that each club has been made with a loft -of such a nature that, given the ball is struck fairly and properly, -the loft may be relied on to do its share of the work. Consequently, -as they will not trust the club to get the ball up, they hit upwards, -and so, to a very great extent, minimise the amount of back-spin which -might come from the loft, were the club travelling in a horizontal -line at the moment of impact. - -It is very much harder, however, to hit upwards with a short swing, or -perhaps it would be more correct to say that there is a much greater -tendency to hit the ball before the club head has got to the lowest -point in its swing. We must emphasise this point, for it is of great -importance, as back-spin is of the essence of the modern game, and -particularly of the modern drive. If, therefore, we can show that the -short swing tends more naturally to produce back-spin than does the -full St. Andrews swing, and at the same time to give greater accuracy -as regards direction, it need hardly be stated that it will not be -long before we have the scientific players giving the stroke the place -to which it is undoubtedly entitled in the game of golf. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -THE DISTRIBUTION OF WEIGHT - - -The distribution of weight is of fundamental importance in the game of -golf. If one has not a perfectly clear and correct conception of the -manner in which one should manage one's weight, it is an absolute -certainty that there can be no rhythm in the swing. One often sees -references to the centre of the circle described by the head of the -club in the golf swing. It will be perfectly apparent on giving the -matter but little thought that the head of the golf club does not -describe a circle, but it is convenient to use the term "centre of the -circle" when referring to the arc which is described by the head of -the club. - -The all-important matter of the distribution of weight has been dealt -with by the greatest players in the world. Let us see what Taylor, -Braid, and Vardon have to say about this subject, for it is no -exaggeration to say that this is a matter which goes to the very root -of golf. If one teaches the distribution of weight incorrectly, it -does not matter what else one teaches correctly, for the person who is -reared on a wrong conception of the manner in which his weight should -be distributed, can never play golf as it should be played. It is as -impossible for such a person to play real golf as it would be for a -durable building to be erected on rotten foundations. - -Now let us see what the greatest players have to say about this. -Vardon, at page 68 of _The Complete Golfer_, says: - - The movements of the feet and legs are important. In - addressing the ball you stand with both feet flat and - squarely placed on the ground, the weight equally divided - between them, and the legs so slightly bent at the - knee-joints as to make the bending scarcely noticeable. This - position is maintained during the upward movement of the club - until the arms begin to pull at the body. The easiest and - most natural thing to do then, and the one which suggests - itself, is to raise the heel of the left foot and begin to - pivot on the left toe, which allows the arms to proceed with - their uplifting process without let or hindrance. Do not - begin to pivot on this left toe ostentatiously, or because - you feel you ought to do so, but only when you know that the - time has come, and you want to, and do it only to such an - extent that the club can reach the full extent of the swing - without any difficulty. - - While this is happening it follows that the weight of the - body is being gradually thrown on to the right leg, which - gradually stiffens, until at the top of the swing it is quite - rigid, the left being at the same time in a state of - comparative freedom, slightly bent in towards the right, with - only just enough pressure on the toe to keep it in position. - -That is what Vardon has to say about this important matter. - -At page 53 of _Great Golfers_, speaking of the "Downward Swing," -Vardon further says: - - In commencing the downward swing, I try to feel that both - hands and wrists are still working together. The wrists start - bringing the club down, and at the same moment, the left knee - commences to resume its original position. The head during - this time has been kept quite still, the body alone pivoting - from the hips. - -It is obvious that if the pivoting is done _at the hips_ it will be -impossible to get the weight on the right leg at the top of the swing -without some contortion of the body, yet we read at page 70 of _The -Complete Golfer_ that "the weight is being gradually moved back again -from the right leg to the left." Thus is the old fatal idea persisted -in to the undoing of thousands of golfers. - -I have already referred to the wonderful spine-jumping and rotating -which is described in _The Mystery of Golf_. Many might not understand -the jargon of anatomical terms used in this fearful and wonderful -idea, so I shall add here the author's corroboration of my -interpretation of his notion. - -At page 167 he says: "The pivot upon which the spinal column rotates -is shifted from the head of the right thigh-bone to that of the left." - -I have always been under the impression that the spinal column is very -firmly embedded on the os sacrum--that, in fact, the latter is -practically a portion of the spinal column, and that it is fixed into -the pelvic region in a manner which renders it highly inconvenient for -it to attempt any saltatory or rotatory pranks. - -We are, however, told that the pivot on which the spinal column -rotates "shifts from the right leg to the left leg." If the spine were -"rotating," which of course it cannot do in the golf stroke, on any -"pivot," which, equally of course, it does not, that "pivot" must be -the immovable os sacrum. What then does all this nonsense mean? - -James Braid, at page 56 of _Advanced Golf_, says: - - At the top of the swing, although nearly all the weight will - be on the right foot, the player must feel a distinct - pressure on the left one, that is to say, it must still be - doing a small share in the work of supporting the body. - -Taylor, in _Taylor on Golf_, at page 207, says: - - Then, as the club comes back in the swing, the weight should - be shifted by degrees, quietly and gradually, until when the - club has reached its topmost point the whole weight of the - body is supported by the right leg, the left foot at this - time being turned, and the left knee bent in towards the - right leg. Next, as the club is taken back to the horizontal - position behind the head, the shoulders should be swung - round, although the head must be allowed to remain in the - same position with the eyes looking over the left shoulder. - -At page 30 of _Practical Golf_ Mr. Walter J. Travis says: - - In the upward swing it will be noticed that the body has been - turned very freely with the natural transference of weight - almost entirely to the right foot, and that the left foot has - been pulled up and around on the toe. Without such aid the - downward stroke would be lacking in pith. To get the - shoulders into the stroke they must first come round in - conjunction with the lower part of one's anatomy, smoothly - and freely revolving on an axis which may be represented by - an imaginary line drawn from the head straight down the back. - Otherwise, the arms alone, unassisted to any appreciable - extent, are called upon to do the work with material loss of - distance. - -At page 88 of _Golf_ in the Badminton Series, Mr. Horace G. Hutchinson -says: - - Now as the club came to the horizontal behind the head, the - body will have been allowed to turn, gently, with its weight - upon the right foot. - -We here have the opinions of five golfers, whose words should -undoubtedly carry very great weight. The sum total of their considered -opinion is that in the drive at golf the weight at the top of the -swing must be on the right leg. I have, however, no hesitation in -saying that this idea is fundamentally unsound and calculated to -prove a very serious hindrance to anyone attempting to follow it. So -far from its being true that the weight of the body is supported by -the right foot at the top of the swing, I must say that entirely the -opposite is true, and that at the top of the swing the weight of the -body is borne by the left foot and leg in any drive of perfect rhythm. - -This may possibly be going a little too far, so we shall, in the -meantime, content ourselves with _absolutely denying_ that the weight -at the top of the swing goes on to the _right_ leg, and with -_insisting_ that at the top of a perfectly executed swing _the main -portion of the weight must be borne by the left foot and leg_. In so -positively making this statement I am confronted by a mass of -authority which would deter many people from essaying to disprove such -a well-rooted delusion in connection with the game, but I think that -before we have finished with this subject we shall be able to show -very good reason for doubting the statements of these eminent players. - -There is no possible doubt as to the rooted nature of this belief in -the minds of these players. James Braid, in fact, emphasises it in -some places. He says in _How to Play Golf_: - - When the swing is well started, that is to say, when the club - has been taken a matter of about a couple of feet from the - ball, it will become impossible, or at least inconvenient and - uncomfortable to keep the feet so firmly planted on the - ground as they were when the address was made. It is the left - one that wants to move, and consequently at this stage you - must allow it to pivot. By this is meant that the heel is - raised slightly, and the foot turns over until only the ball - of it rests on the ground. Many players pivot on the toe, but - I think this is not so safe, and does not preserve the - balance so well. When this pivoting begins, the weight is - being taken off the left leg and transferred almost entirely - to the right, and at the same moment the left knee turns in - towards the right toe. The right leg then stiffens a little - and the right heel is more firmly than ever planted on the - ground. - -It seems to me that these famous golfers are confronted by a -mechanical problem in this matter. The veriest tyro at golf is -familiar with the axiom that it is absolutely necessary for him to -keep his head still. Many authors tell one that the swing is conducted -as though the upper portion of the body moved on an axis consisting of -the spine. All golfers, authors, and professionals, who know anything -about the game, will tell one that the habit of swaying, which means -moving the head and body away from the hole, is fatal to accuracy. - -Harry Vardon, at page 67, says: "In the upward movement of the club -the body must pivot from the waist alone and there must be no swaying, -not even to the extent of an inch." A little further down on the same -page, we read: "In addressing the ball you stand with both feet flat -and securely placed on the ground, the weight equally divided between -them." - -Now it seems fairly obvious that if one starts the golf drive with the -weight practically evenly distributed between the right foot and the -left foot, and seeing that it is an axiom of golf that one must not -move one's head, it is impossible for one to get the weight of the -body on to the right foot and leg without absolutely contorting one's -frame. Let us make this clearer still. We have our golfer set at his -ball, his address perfect, and his weight evenly distributed between -his two feet. As he knows that it is wrong for him to move his head, -we can, without interfering with his drive in the slightest degree, -stretch tightly a wire at a right angle to the line of flight to the -hole and pass it across within a quarter of an inch of his neck, -below his right ear. - -The position of this wire will not in any way hamper the golfer in his -drive, but in order to fulfil the instructions which are laid down -with the utmost persistence by every golf book, that it is of -fundamental importance to keep the head absolutely still, it will be -necessary for our golfer to play his drive without allowing his head -or neck to touch this wire; but if he can do this, and at the same -time get the weight of his body, at the top of his swing, on to his -right leg, as advised by Taylor, Braid, and Vardon, and by Messrs. -Hutchinson and Travis, without making himself both grotesque and -uncomfortable, he will indeed have performed an unparalleled feat in -the history of golf, for, to put the matter quite shortly, it is -nonsense to suppose that it can be done. The thing is mechanically -impossible. - -If a man starts with his weight equally distributed between his legs, -and then uses his spine or any other imaginary pivot to turn his body -upon in the upward swing, it will be impossible for him to shift his -weight so that it goes back on to his right leg. I am not, of course, -allowing for a person who has an adjustable spine, such as that -described by Mr. Arnold Haultain in _The Mystery of Golf_, which -rotates, according to the author, first on one thigh bone and then on -another. This spine is of such a remarkable nature that I must devote, -later on, a little time to considering its vagaries. At present I am, -however, dealing with a matter of practical golf and simple mechanics, -about which there is absolutely no mystery but a vast amount of -misconception. - -When I first stated in _Modern Golf_, which, so far as I am aware, was -the first book wherein this fundamental truth was laid down, that the -left was the foot which bore the greater burden, it was regarded as -revolutionary teaching, but there is not a professional golfer of any -reputation whatever who now dares to teach that at the top of the -swing the weight is to be put on the right. There is, however, no harm -in fortifying oneself with the opinion of at least one of the -triumvirate expressed elsewhere. Personally, I think that the -mechanical proposition is so extremely simple and incontrovertible, as -I have stated it, that it is unnecessary to go further, but such is -the veneration of the golfer for tradition that as a matter of duty to -the game I shall leave no stone unturned, not only to scotch, but -absolutely to kill, this mischievous idea which is so injurious to the -game. - -In _Great Golfers_, Harry Vardon says, speaking of his address and -stance: "I stand firmly, with the weight rather on the right leg." At -page 50 of the same book he says, speaking of the top of the swing: -"There is distinct pressure of the left toe and very little more -weight should be felt on the right leg than there was when the ball -was addressed." We see clearly here that Vardon's statement in _Great -Golfers_ that at the top of the swing "very little more weight should -be felt on the right leg than there was when the ball was addressed" -does not agree with his statement in _The Complete Golfer_ wherein he -states that "the weight of the body is being gradually thrown on to -the right leg." The unfortunate part about this contradiction is that -_Great Golfers_ was published before _The Complete Golfer_, so that we -are bound to take it as Vardon's more mature and considered opinion -that the weight at the top of the stroke is thrown mainly on the right -leg. - - [Illustration: PLATE VI. HARRY VARDON - - The finish of his drive, showing how the weight goes forward - on to the left foot.] - -This leaves us apparently as we were, but seeing the contradiction in -Vardon's statement, we may with advantage turn to action -photographs of him taken whilst actually playing the stroke. Here we -see most clearly in such photographs as those shown on pages 86 and 87 -of _Great Golfers_, that the body, instead of going away from the -hole, has, if anything, gone forward. This is sufficiently marked in -the photographs which I am now referring to, but in _Fry's Magazine_ -for the month of March 1909 there appeared a remarkable series of -photographs showing ten drives by Harry Vardon. These photographs are, -unquestionably, of very great value to the game, for they show beyond -any shadow of doubt whatever, that Vardon's weight is never, at any -portion of his drive, mainly on his right leg. The first photograph -showing him at the top of his swing is a wonderful illustration of the -fact that at the top of the swing in golf the main portion of the -weight goes forward on to the left foot. - -Before leaving this portion of our consideration of the distribution -of weight, I must refer again to the description given of this matter -in _The Mystery of Golf_. The author says: - - The whole body must turn on the pivot of the head of the - right thigh bone working in the cotyloidal cavity of the "os - innominatum" or pelvic bone, the head, right knee, and right - foot, remaining fixed, with the eyes riveted on the ball. In - the upward swing the vertebral column rotates upon the head - of the right femur, the right knee being fixed; and as the - club head nears the ball, the fulcrum is rapidly changed from - the right to the left hip, the spine now rotating on the left - thigh bone, the left knee being fixed; and the velocity is - accelerated by the arms and wrists in order to add the force - of the muscles to the weight of the body, thus gaining the - greatest impetus possible. Not every professional instructor - has succeeded in putting before his pupil the correct stroke - in golf in this anatomical exposition. - -For which we may be devoutly thankful, for if ever there was written -an absolutely ridiculous thing about golf which could transcend in -stupidity this description, I should like to see it. - -As a matter of fact, the statement does not merit serious notice, but -the book is published by a reputable firm of publishers, and no doubt -has been read by some people who do not know sufficient for themselves -to be able to analyse the alleged analysis of the author. - -Let us now subject his analysis to a little of the analysing process. -We are told that "the whole body must turn on the pivot of the head of -the right thigh bone working in the cotyloidal cavity of the 'os -innominatum' or pelvic bone." This is merely another way of saying -that the right leg and foot is supporting the whole weight of the -body, although the head must remain fixed. We have already considered -the similar statements expressed in _The Mystery of Golf_, and by much -more important people in the golfing world than the author of this -book, so we need not labour this point, but he goes on to reduce his -directions to the most ludicrous absurdity. We are told that in the -upward swing the vertebral column rotates upon the head of the right -femur. - -Of course, I am not personally acquainted with Mr. Haultain, and he -may be speaking from his own practice, but assuming for the sake of -argument that he is a normally constructed man, the base of his -vertebral column never gets anywhere near his right femur, nor is it -possible for anybody's vertebral column to rotate unless the person is -rotating with it, which one is inclined to think would prove rather -detrimental to the drive at golf if indulged in between the stance and -address and impact. - -As though we had not already had sufficient fun for our money, we are -told that "as the club head nears the ball the fulcrum is rapidly -changed from the right to the left hip, the spine now rotating on the -left thigh bone." - -So far as one can judge from our author's description he must have -been in the habit of playing golf amongst a race of men who have -adjustable spines, the tail end of which they are able to wag from one -side of the pelvic bone to the other. Personally, I have yet to meet -golfers of this description. One feels inclined to ask the author of -this remarkable statement what is happening to the os coccyx whilst -one is wagging one's spine about in this remarkable manner. - -This statement is about the funniest thing which has ever been written -in golf, and it has absolutely no relation whatever to practical golf. -It is merely an imaginative and absolutely incorrect exposition of the -golf drive, not only from a golfing, but from an anatomical, point of -view; and it is to me an absolute wonder how anyone, even one who -labels himself "a duffer," can attach his name to such obviously -inaccurate and foolish statements. One really would be inclined to be -much more severe than one is in dealing with such a book were it not -for the amusement which one has derived from a perusal of such fairy -tales as a rotating spine which, during the course of the golf drive, -jumps from one thigh bone to the other, steeplechasing the pelvic bone -as it performs this remarkable feat. - -I have referred in other places to the looseness of Mr. Haultain's -descriptions in all matters of practical golf. At page 89 he confirms -one's impression, if confirmation were required, that his idea of the -fundamental principle of the golf swing is as ill-formed as are his -notions of anatomy, for he says: "The left knee must be loose at the -beginning and firm at the finish." At no time during a stroke in golf, -of any description whatever, should there be any looseness of the -body. During the production of the golf stroke the body is practically -full of tension and attention. It is the greatest mistake possible to -imagine that because one portion of the body is doing the work, any -other portion may "slack." One who makes this statement has not a -glimmering of the beginning of the real game of golf. I can readily -believe that to such an one golf is a "mystery." - -The left knee is in harness from the moment the ball is addressed -until long after it has been driven, and it is a certainty that the -left knee has far more work to do than has the right, so for anyone to -cultivate an idea that the left knee may, at any time during the -production of the golfing stroke, "be loose," is a very grave error. - -While we are considering the matter of the distribution of weight, it -will be advisable for us to devote our attention to the disposition of -the weight at the moment of impact. Speaking of the management of the -weight at this critical time, Vardon says: - - When the ball has been struck, and the follow-through is - being accomplished, there are two rules, hitherto held - sacred, which may at last be broken. With the direction and - force of the swing your chest is naturally turned round until - it is facing the flag, and your body now abandons all - restraint, and to a certain extent throws itself, as it were, - after the ball. There is a great art in timing this body - movement exactly. If it takes place the fiftieth part of a - second too soon the stroke will be entirely ruined; if it - comes too late it will be quite ineffectual and will only - result in making the golfer feel uneasy, and as if something - had gone wrong. When made at the proper instant it adds a - good piece of distance to the drive, and that instant, as - explained, is just when the club is following through. - -It is evident from this statement, that Vardon is under the -impression that the timing of this body movement should be so -performed as to come in when the club is following through. I have -shown before that the follow-through of a stroke is of no importance -whatever except as the result of a perfectly executed first half of -the stroke, if one may so describe it. It must be obvious to anyone -who knows but little either of golf or mechanics that nothing which -the body or the club does after contact between the ball and the club -has ceased can have any influence whatever upon the flight of the -ball, either as to distance or direction. Practically everything which -takes place after the ball has left the club is the natural result of -what has been done before impact. This cannot be too forcibly -impressed upon golfers, for it is not at all uncommon to find men -deliberately stating that the follow-through exerts a tremendous -influence on the stroke. It should be perfectly manifest that this -cannot be so. It is no doubt of very great importance to have a good -follow-through, but the good follow-through must be the result of a -good stroke previously played, otherwise it will be worthless. - -Harry Vardon states that this timing of the body movement takes place -immediately after impact, for that is "just when the club is following -through." He has himself provided the best possible refutation of this -obviously erroneous statement. The timing of the body on to the ball -in the manner mentioned by him practically commences, in every drive -of perfect rhythm as are so many of Vardon's, from the moment the -stroke starts, for the body weight which is put into the golf drive -comes largely from the half turn of the shoulders and upper portions -of the body from the hips in the downward swing. This half turn and -the slight forward movement of the hips are practically one and the -same. If they are not, something has gone wrong with the drive. - -Absolute evidence of the correctness of this statement is provided by -Vardon himself in _Fry's Magazine_ for March 1909. Here we see the -remarkable series of ten drives by Vardon which I have already -referred to. The first photograph shows most clearly that at the top -of the swing the main portion of his weight is on his left foot. As a -matter of carrying golf to the extreme of scientific calculation it is -quite probable that there is much more than Vardon's physical weight -on his left leg, for the rapid upward swing of his club is suddenly -arrested when considerably nearer the hole than his left shoulder, so -that the leverage of the head of the club will have thrown more weight -than that which the left actually bears on it as its share of Vardon's -avoirdupois. This, of course, is undoubted as a matter of practical -mechanics, but it is not of sufficient importance to enter into fully -in any way here. - -It is, however, of importance for us to consider the photographs which -follow, for here we see quite clearly that very early in the downward -swing Vardon raises his right heel and bends his left knee slightly -forward, and in the third, fourth, and fifth photographs we see very -clearly that he is executing that turn of his body which carries his -weight forward on to the ball in a very marked degree. This point is -very clearly brought out in the instantaneous photographs of both -Vardon's driving, and in that of George Duncan's. It is positively -futile to say that the timing of the body weight in the follow-through -is done when the club is following through, because it is obvious that -this would not be "at the proper instant," and that it could not, by -any stretch of imagination, add "a good piece of distance to the -drive." - -It is curious to note in this connection that on page 53 of _Great -Golfers_ Harry Vardon says: - - Almost simultaneously with the impact, the right knee - slightly bends in the direction of the hole, and allows the - wrists and forearms to take the club right out in the - direction of the line of flight, dragging the arms after them - as far as they will comfortably go, when the club head - immediately leaves the line of flight and the right foot - turns on the toe. This allows the body to turn from the hips - and face the hole, the club finishing over the left shoulder. - -Here it will be seen that Vardon brings the timing of this very -important forward movement back a little to "almost simultaneously -with the impact." Now this phrase may mean immediately prior to, or -immediately after, impact, and there can be no possible doubt which it -is. It must be _prior_ to impact if it is to exert any beneficial -effect whatever upon the stroke. To add any distance to the drive, it -is obvious that what was done in the way of timing the body on to the -ball must have been done _prior to impact_, and merely continued after -the ball had gone away, so that the finish was perfectly natural. - -Now Vardon shows quite clearly in his drive that in his follow-through -his weight goes forward until it is practically all on his left leg. -So, for the matter of that, do the instantaneous photographs of nearly -every famous golfer, but some of them have a very peculiar -misconception of the disposition of weight at the moment of impact. - -Let us, for instance, see what James Braid has to say about the matter -at page 53 of _Advanced Golf_. Dealing with this all-important moment, -he says: - - I would draw the reader's very careful attention to the - sectional photographs that are given on a separate page, and - which in this form show the various workings of the - different parts of the body while the swing is in progress - as they could not be shown in any other way. They have all - been prepared from photographs of myself, taken for the - special purpose of this book. In some cases, in order to show - more completely the progress of the different movements from - the top of the swing to the finish, the position at the - moment of striking is included. Theoretically, that ought to - be exactly the same as the position at the address: and even - in practice it will be found to be as nearly identical as - possible, in the case of good driving, that is. Therefore, - for the sake of precision, the third photograph in each - series of four is a simple repetition of the first, and is - not a special photograph. - -I may mention that this is a common idea of illustrating a golf -stroke. The author of the book shows the stance and address. He then -shows the top of the swing, and after that the finish, and he thinks -that he has then done his duty by his reader. As a matter of fact, -these are all positions in the swing where there is practically -"nothing doing" as the American puts it. - -To illustrate the various movements in the drive, I took for _Modern -Golf_, and used, eighteen different positions, and there was not one -too many. It is quite impossible to illustrate the drive in golf by -three positions; and it is absolutely erroneous to attempt to -illustrate the moment of impact by a repetition of the photograph -taken for stance and address. From the golfing point of view it is -almost impossible to imagine two positions which are so entirely -dissimilar. From the point of view of a mere photographer there may be -some slight similarity, as indeed there is in all photographs of -golfers, but to compare stance and address with the position at the -moment of impact with the ball, is mere futility. - -Let us quote Braid's remarks with regard to stance and address: - - When in position and ready for play, both the legs and the - arms of the player should be just a trifle relaxed--just so - much as to get rid of any feeling of stiffness, and to allow - of the most complete freedom of movement. The slackening may - be a little more pronounced in the case of the arms than with - the legs, as much more freedom is required of them - subsequently. They should fall easily and comfortably to the - sides, and the general feeling of the player at this stage - should be one of flexibility and power. - - Everything is now in readiness for making the stroke, and the - player prepares to hit the ball.... While he is doing this he - will feel the desire to indulge in a preliminary waggle of - the club just to see that his arms are in working order, - waving the club backwards and forwards once or twice over the - ball.... Obviously there is no rule in such matters, and the - player can only be enjoined to make himself comfortable in - the best way he can. - -Now we see here that the main idea of the player at the moment of -address is to make himself comfortable--in other words, to get into as -natural a position as he possibly can in order to execute his stroke. -The whole idea of the stance and address is to get into a perfectly -natural position, and one that is quite comfortable and best -calculated to enable one to produce a correct stroke. We see clearly -that this is what Braid considers to be necessary at the moment of -address. - -Let us turn now to _Advanced Golf_ at page 61, which we have already -quoted. Braid, at that page and on the preceding pages, explains -clearly that the whole idea of the golf stroke is supreme tension, and -that at the moment of impact the tension is greatest. He says: "Then -comes the moment of impact. Crack! Everything is let loose, and round -comes the body immediately the ball is struck and goes slightly -forward until the player is facing the line of flight." Is it possible -to imagine two more diametrically opposed conditions of the human -frame than those which I have described in Braid's own words? Yet we -find this fine player producing, for the guidance of golfers as to -what takes place at the moment of impact, the same photograph which he -shows them for stance and address! - -Moreover, Braid himself clearly shows in his action photographs that -such a statement as this is quite wrong. If we had any doubt at all -about the matter, we might examine the photographs of Braid himself, -which show clearly that the positions taken up by him when addressing -the ball and when hitting it, are, as might easily be believed, widely -different, for at the moment of impact there is the supreme tension -and power which he advises as being a necessity for the production of -a long drive. It is true that James Braid's feet, particularly his -right foot, do not move from the ground so much as do those of Harry -Vardon or George Duncan; but it is nevertheless true that the movement -of his legs, arms, and shoulders show, at the moment of impact, a -position totally different from that taken up by him during his stance -and address. - -It might seem that these things are not of sufficient importance to -warrant the critical analysis to which I am subjecting them, but there -can be no doubt that there are a vast number of people to whom golf is -of infinitely more importance than political economy, and to these it -is a matter of most vital importance that they should know what they -are doing and what they ought to do at this critical period; and in -dealing with the books which have been produced in connection with the -game of golf they have such a mass of contradictory and fallacious -teaching to wade through, that it is small wonder that they are, as a -rule, utterly befogged as to the proper principles upon which to -proceed. - -Let us, for instance, examine these two statements with regard to the -follow-through. At page 55 of _How to Play Golf_, in his chapter on -"Finishing the Stroke," James Braid says: - - The second that the ball is hit, and not before, the player - should begin to turn on his right toe, and to allow a little - bend of the right knee, so as to allow the right shoulder to - come round until the body faces the line of flight of the - ball. When this is done properly the weight will be thrown on - to the left foot, and the whole body will be thrown slightly - forward. The whole of this movement needs very careful - timing, because it is a very common fault with some players - to let the body get in too soon, and in such cases the stroke - is always ruined. Examine the photographs. - -Let us now turn to page 62 of _Advanced Golf_. Here we read: - - As for the follow-through, there is very little that can be - said here, which is not already perfectly understood, if it - is not always produced. After impact, and the release of all - tension, body and arms are allowed to swing forward in the - direction of the flight of the ball, and I would allow the - right knee to give a little in order to remove all restraint. - But the weight must not be entirely taken off the right foot. - That foot must still be felt to be pressing firmly on the - turf, showing that although the weight has been changed from - one place to another, the proper balance has not been lost. - -Braid here says that the weight must not be entirely taken off the -right foot. Well, to all intents and purposes, it is entirely taken -off the right foot, as will be shown by photographs of any of the -leading players in the world at the finish of the stroke, and, indeed, -of James Braid himself. Braid says: "Examine the photographs," and I -have examined them. At pages 57 and 59 of _How to Play Golf_ Braid is -shown finishing a full drive or brassy shot. Here, without any -possible doubt, his weight is all on his left foot. At page 61 of -_Advanced Golf_ there are some photographs of Braid's boots and -trousers from the knee downwards, entitled "Leg action in driving." -One of these is entitled "Finish." Here it will be seen that the whole -of the weight is unmistakably on the left leg. - -If one looks at the instantaneous photographs of James Braid in this -book and in _Great Golfers_ one will see quite clearly that in all -finishes his weight goes unmistakably on to his left leg. - -Braid makes a very wonderful statement in _Great Golfers_ at page 175. -Writing there of the downward swing, he says: "My body does not -commence to turn till the club head is about two feet from the -ball--namely, at the point when the wrists come into the stroke." As a -matter of fact James Braid's body begins to turn almost simultaneously -with the beginning of the downward stroke, and as another matter of -practical golf the wrists also come in at the very beginning of the -stroke. With this latter point I shall, however, deal later on. - -Let me here emphasise the fact that the body turn must commence very -early in the stroke, as indeed is quite natural. It is obvious that if -anyone were to postpone the turning of the body until the club head -"is about two feet from the ball" the rhythm of the stroke would be -utterly destroyed. In this matter I am contradicting Braid flatly -about his own practice. Therefore, I must refer any reader who doubts -the accuracy of my statement, and Braid himself, if he cares to -challenge it, to _Fry's Magazine_ for May 1909, wherein are shown -eight drives by James Braid. No. 1 shows Braid at the top of his -swing; No. 2 shows him before his club head has travelled a foot, and -even in this short distance we see that his body has already turned -very considerably. Any attempt whatever to follow out what Braid says -here and to postpone the turn of the body until the club head is two -feet from the ball, must prove disastrous. - -Braid continues on the same page: - - At this moment the left knee turns rather quickly, as at the - moment of striking, I am firm on both feet; the quickness of - the action makes it difficult to follow with the eye, but I - am convinced this is what happens. Immediately after impact I - commence turning on the right toe, bending the right knee - slightly. This allows the right shoulder to come round till - the body is facing the hole. It is most essential that this - should be done, and then no thought will be given as to how - the club will finish, as the speed at which the club head is - travelling will naturally take it well through. - -Here we have, at least, very important corroboration of the fact that -one need not worry about the follow-through if the first portion of -the stroke has been correctly played. Braid says that at the moment of -striking "the player is quite firm on both his feet and faces directly -to the ball, just as he did when he was addressing it before he began -the upward swing. Anyone who thinks out the theory of the swing for -himself will see that it is obviously intended that at the moment of -impact the player shall be just as he was when he addressed the ball, -which is the position which will afford him most driving power and -accuracy." - -This statement is so amazing that I must give definite instructions as -to where to find it. It is on page 54 of _How to Play Golf_, and I -think it proves conclusively that the idea which Braid is endeavouring -to impart to his pupils and readers is entirely wrong, and is not the -method which he himself follows in practice. Confirmation of my -opinion can be obtained from a study of the third picture in the -series of drives by James Braid in the May number of _Fry's Magazine_ -for 1909, which I have just referred to. Here we see clearly that the -positions, from a golfing point of view, are utterly dissimilar, as -indeed is most natural. - -Braid states that immediately after impact he commences "turning on -the right toe, bending the right knee slightly." I think it will be -found that even with James Braid, who certainly uses his legs in a -somewhat different manner from many of the leading professionals, the -right foot begins to lift before impact with the ball. I am inclined -to think that both Braid and Taylor are more flat-footed at the moment -of impact than most of the other professional golfers; but there can -be little doubt that the body is swung into the blow before impact, -otherwise it would be a matter of practical impossibility for them to -obtain the length which they do; while it is a certainty that for the -ordinary golfer it would be fatal to attempt to keep his weight in any -way whatever on his right leg at the finish of his drive. - -This rooted fallacy with regard to the distribution of weight so that -at the top of the swing it shall be on the right foot, has obtained -its hold in a very peculiar manner. At the top of the swing the right -leg is practically perfectly straight, and, naturally, as the foot is -firmly planted on the ground and therefore held at both the heel and -the toe while the leg has turned with the body, there is a very -considerable amount of torsional or twisting strain on the leg. This -torsional strain, added to the fact that the leg is perfectly -straight, has led to the idea that a great deal of the weight is on -the right leg. - -This idea has been confirmed to a very great degree by the manner of -contact of the left foot with the earth. At the top of the swing the -golfer pivots on the left foot, practically from the ball of the big -toe to the end thereof, or on that portion of his boot representing -this space. This naturally makes his contact with the earth _appear -light_. These two causes, taken together, have produced the fallacy -with regard to having the weight on the right foot and leg at the top -of the swing. In the one case it is a physical cause, namely, the -stiffness and torsional strain on the right leg, and in the other case -it is a visual deception. It stands to reason that, provided the two -surfaces will bear the strain, as much weight could be borne on a -point as on a surface immeasurably greater, but in the second case -there would be a greater _appearance_ of weight. This is exactly what -has happened with regard to the golf drive. It is executed extremely -quickly, and those who have attempted to explain it have not been able -to follow the motions with sufficient rapidity and intelligence, nor -have they been able to explain them accurately either from a -mechanical or anatomical point of view. - -Until we can get some golfer who can pass the test suggested by me, -and play his stroke without touching the wire strained within a -quarter of an inch of his neck, after having taken his stance with his -weight evenly distributed between his legs, and at the same time play -it without contortion with his weight on his right leg, we may take it -that this tremendous fallacy with regard to the distribution of weight -at the top of the swing has been exploded. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -THE POWER OF THE LEFT - - -The fetich of the left is, amongst golfers, only second, if indeed it -is second in its injurious nature, to the idea that the weight should -be put on the right foot at the top of the swing. It is very hard -indeed to trace the origin of the idea that the left hand and arm is -of more importance in the golf stroke than the right, but that it is a -very rooted idea there can be no doubt whatever. - -To those who are not acquainted with the literature of golf and the -remarkable ideas which many golfers have of the nature of their game, -it would seem almost superfluous to go very fully into this matter, -for one would think that it is sufficiently obvious that the right -hand and arm are the dominant factors in producing the golf stroke. It -is, however, useless to deny that there is a large body of opinion, -backed by most influential authority, in favour of the left hand and -arm being more important than the right. - -Let us see, before we go any further in the matter, what the leading -professionals have to say about it. - -Harry Vardon, it is true, does not explicitly state that the right -hand is the more important, but by implication he does assert so right -throughout _The Complete Golfer_. Let me quote a few of his remarks -with regard to the left hand. On page 61 Vardon says: - - The grip with the first finger and thumb of my right hand is - exceedingly firm, and the pressure of the little finger on - the knuckle of the left hand is very decided. In the same way - it is the thumb and first finger of the left hand that have - most of the gripping work to do. Again, the palm of the right - hand presses hard against the thumb of the left. In the - upward swing this pressure is gradually decreased, until when - the club reaches the turning point there is no longer any - such pressure; indeed, at this point the palm and the thumb - are barely in contact. - -We see here clearly that, as indeed Vardon has stated elsewhere, at -the top of the swing the grip of the right has opened up until it may -almost in a measure be said to have ceased to direct operations. - -Vardon continues: - - This release is a natural one, and will or should come - naturally to the player for the purpose of allowing the head - of the club to swing well and freely back. But the grip of - the thumb and first finger of the right hand, as well as that - of the little finger upon the knuckle of the first finger of - the left hand, is still as firm as at the beginning. - -From this it will be seen that the grip at each side of the hand is -apparently as firm as it was at the beginning of the stroke, but in -some mysterious manner it has eased up in between the forefinger and -the little finger. We need not, however, go any further into that -matter at the present time, but we may continue the consideration of -Vardon's statement here. He goes on to say: "As the club head is swung -back again towards the ball, the palm of the right hand and the thumb -of the left gradually come together again. Both the relaxing and the -retightening are done with the most perfect graduation, so that there -shall be no jerk to take the club off the straight line. The easing -begins when the hands are about shoulder high and the club shaft is -perpendicular, because it is at this time that the club begins to -pull, and if it were not let out in the manner explained, the result -would certainly be a half shot or very little more than that, for a -full and perfect swing would be an impossibility. This relaxation of -the palm also serves to give more freedom to the wrist at the top of -the swing just when that freedom is desirable." - -We might, for a moment, leave this statement, and turn to page 126. -Speaking here of the approach shot with the mashie Vardon says: "This -is one of the few shots in golf in which the right hand is called upon -to do most of the work, and that it may be encouraged to do so the -hold with the left hand should be slightly relaxed"; and again at page -147 in dealing with putting Vardon says: "But in this part of the game -it is quite clear that the right hand has more work to do than the -left." - -In these statements it is quite evident that Vardon wishes to express -the idea that, generally speaking, the left hand is in command of the -stroke. - -Reverting for a moment, and before I proceed to consider what the -other authorities have to say on this subject, to Vardon's remark that -"This is one of the few shots in golf in which the right hand is -called upon to do most of the work," I may say that Vardon does not, -in the whole of _The Complete Golfer_, explicitly describe any one -stroke wherein he shows that the left hand "is called upon to do most -of the work," nor, for the matter of that, does any other professional -golfer or author, although the statement is common to nearly all books -on the game. - -James Braid, on page 55 of _How to Play Golf_, says: - - A word about the varying pressure of the grip with each hand. - In the address the left hand should just be squeezing the - handle of the club, but not so tightly as if one were afraid - of losing it. The right hand should hold the club a little - more loosely. The left hand should hold firmly all the way - through. The right will open a little at the top of the swing - to allow the club to move easily, but it should automatically - tighten itself in the downward swing. - -Here again we see the idea that the left is in charge, because -although we are told that in the address the left hand should "just be -squeezing" the club, yet we are told clearly and definitely that "the -left hand should hold firmly all the way through." It is somewhat -difficult to reconcile these directions, and it is obvious that if the -right is going to "open a little at the top of the swing" the club -will certainly move easily--in fact it will move so easily that the -accuracy of the stroke will be very considerably interfered with. - -Let us for a moment turn to _Advanced Golf_. There, James Braid, -speaking of the top of the swing, says: "Now for the return journey. -Here at the top, arms, wrists, body--all are in their highest state of -tension." Let me pause here for a moment to ask how it is possible for -"arms, wrists, body" all to be "in their highest state of tension," if -the right hand is to "open a little at the top of the swing to allow -the club to move easily"; and how is it possible for the right hand to -"automatically tighten itself in the downward swing" if it was already -in its "highest state of tension" when it was at the top of the swing? - -It will be apparent that it is utterly impossible for the arms and -wrists to be tighter than they are when they are "in their highest -state of tension." Therefore, we must take it that James Braid's -advice at page 55 of _How to Play Golf_ is over-ridden by his advice -at page 57 of _Advanced Golf_, for I think that we are entitled to -consider that _Advanced Golf_ represents Braid's last word with regard -to the science of golf. - -Quoting still from the same passage, page 57 of _Advanced Golf_, Braid -says: "Every muscle and joint in the human golfing machinery is wound -up to the highest point." It is impossible to get away from that. We -are told that at the beginning of the downward swing "every muscle and -joint in the human golfing machinery is wound up to the highest -point." - -Now the student of golf who desires to start his swing on a firm and -sure foundation must mark this statement well. I repeat it for the -third time: "Every muscle and joint in the human golfing machinery is -wound up to the highest point," and let it be remembered that Braid is -now speaking _of the start of the downward swing_. - -We will now turn to _Taylor on Golf_. At page 193 Taylor says: - - My contention is simply this: that the grasp of the right - hand upon the club must be sufficiently firm in itself to - hold it steady and true, but it must not be allowed on any - account to over-power the left. The idea is that the latter - arm must exercise a predominant influence in every stroke - that may be played. As regards my own position in the matter, - my grip with either hand is very firm, yet I should hesitate - before I told every golfer to go and do likewise. - -Here we see that Taylor distinctly says that "the idea is that the -latter arm (_i.e._ the left) must exercise the predominant influence -in every stroke that may be played," and although he says explicitly -that his own grip with both hands is very firm, he puts the utterly -false idea of the predominance of the left into the minds of those who -are influenced by his teaching. - -Taylor, at page 107 of _Great Golfers_, says in dealing with the -"Downward Swing": - - The club is brought down principally by the left wrist, the - right doing very little until the hands are opposite the - right leg, when it begins to assert itself, bringing the full - face of the club to the ball. - -It is almost unnecessary to say, especially in view of Taylor's -statement that he holds very firmly with both hands, that he does not -carry out this dangerous teaching. Harry Vardon says to attempt it is -fatal, and I am pleased to add my corroboration. - -This amazing fallacy is wonderfully deeply rooted. A friend of mine -some time ago was in trouble about his iron shots. He consulted a -professional, who endeavoured to cure him by telling him when playing -his stroke to hold so lightly with his right hand that at any time -during the stroke he could slide it up and down the shaft. - -Oh no! He is not a duffer, nor is he mentally unbalanced. He is merely -a professional golfer who plays for England and suffers from the -hallucination handed on to him by more famous players than he. - -What could be stronger than this? Let me quote Taylor again. At page -90 of _Taylor on Golf_ he says: - - The right hand is naturally the stronger of the two--much - more powerful in the average man than the left--and the - learner is just as naturally prone to use it. But in the game - of golf he must keep in front of him at all times the fact - that the left hand should fill the position of guide, and it - must have the predominating influence over the stroke. - - That this is rather unnatural I am perfectly willing to - admit. Its being unnatural is the basis of its great - difficulty, but it is a difficulty that must needs be - grappled with and overcome by any man who desires to play the - game as it should be played. - -But Taylor will not give in to this idea himself! Is not this -wonderful? - -Harry Vardon says of the grip that one should "remember that the grip -with _both_ hands should be firm. That with the right hand should not -be slack as one is so often told." This is valuable corroboration, for -it must be remembered that Vardon only subscribes to the fetich of the -left _by implication_. Nowhere, I think, can we convict him of -actually preaching it. - -Now let us turn to the volume on _Golf_ in the Badminton Library -contributed by Mr. Horace G. Hutchinson. At page 85 Mr. Hutchinson -says: - - Since, as will be shown later on, the club has to turn in the - right hand at a certain point in the swing, it should be held - lightly in the fingers, rather than in the palm, with that - hand. In the left hand it should be held well home in the - palm, and it is not to stir from this position throughout the - swing. It is the left hand, mainly, that communicates the - power of the swing; the chief function of the right hand is - as a guide in direction. - -At page 87 Mr. Hutchinson continues: - - So much, then, for the grip. Now, when the club, in the - course of its swing away from the ball, is beginning to rise - from the ground, and is reaching the horizontal with its head - pointing to the player's left, it should be allowed to turn - naturally in the right hand until it is resting upon the web - between the forefinger and the thumb. - -We see here that this distinguished amateur is an out and out adherent -of the fallacy of the left. He tells us distinctly that it is the -"left hand, mainly, that communicates the power of the swing, and that -the chief function of the right hand is as a guide in direction," but -notwithstanding the fact that "the chief function of the right hand is -as a guide in direction," we see that at the top of the stroke it -turns loosely in the hand until it is "resting upon the web between -the forefinger and the thumb." - - [Illustration: PLATE VII. HARRY VARDON - - The finish of the drive--a little later than in Plate VI., - showing the weight completely on the left foot.] - -Of course, in the circumstances, it will be very hard indeed for us to -follow out James Braid's idea of everything at this point being in -supreme tension, but it is interesting to see what Mr. Hutchinson -thinks about the matter. - -We have here the opinions of the three most distinguished -professionals in the world, backed by that of one of the distinguished -amateurs in the game, a man who has distinguished himself both by his -play and his writing. In the face of this weight of authority it may -seem rash to venture to state plainly and explicitly that as a matter -of practical golf the right hand and arm is the dominant partner, and -that it is the duty of every normal golfer to have this idea firmly -implanted in his mind when he settles down to his address. - -As the right is the dominant partner in the golf drive, so must the -predominance of the right be the dominant idea in one's mind, but the -domination of the right must not be abused, as we shall show later on. - -It is, of course, proper for a golfer to have clearly fixed in his -mind the fact that the right is the more important member of the two, -but when he has once got that fact carefully and well stowed away in -his mind, it will be no more trouble to him than it is at present to -every normal person to use his knife in his right hand with which to -cut his meat, for it is an absolutely natural proceeding. The trouble -with the fetich of the left is that not only is it a perfectly -unnatural proceeding, but it is also, on that account, something extra -for the golfer to cumber his mind with during his swing. If he plays -his stroke naturally and without any thought of the mismade maxims of -unpractical persons, he will inevitably let the right hand and arm -take charge of the stroke, but the right will not at any time -endeavour to do more than its proper share, and therefore the left -will be given every chance to do a fair amount of the work. It is the -interference with Nature by putting the left forward into a place -which it has no right to occupy, which ruins so many golf strokes. - -Let us now turn to _The Complete Golfer_. Here, at page 60, Harry -Vardon says: - - We must now consider the degree of tightness of the grip by - either hand, for this is an important matter. Some teachers - of golf, and various books of instruction, inform us that we - should grasp the club firmly with the left hand and only - lightly with the right, leaving the former to do the bulk of - the work and the other merely to guide the operations. - - It is astonishing with what persistency this error has been - repeated, for error I truly believe it is. Ask any really - first-class player with what comparative tightness he holds - the club in his right and left hands, and I am confident that - in nearly every case he will declare that he holds it, - nearly, if not quite, as tightly with the right hand as with - the left. Personally, I grip quite as firmly with the right - hand as with the other one. When the other way is - adopted--the left hand being tight and the right hand simply - watching it, as it were--there is an irresistible tendency - for the latter to tighten up suddenly at some part of the - upward or downward swing, and, as surely as there is a ball - on the tee, when it does so there will be mischief. - -If we sum up the advice of Vardon and Taylor, and of Braid as shown in -his latest work _Advanced Golf_, we see clearly that although they -subscribe to the idea of the predominance of the power of the left -hand and arm, they do not themselves carry it out in practice. Taylor -says that his grip with both hands is very firm, yet he should -hesitate before recommending other people to follow his methods. I -think we may take it for granted that a method which has resulted in -four open championships may be considered good enough to follow. - -Vardon, as we have seen, only subscribes to this notion inferentially, -and nobody could be more emphatic than he is with regard to the -distribution of force in the grip. His words "Ask any really -first-class player with what comparative tightness he holds the club -in his right and left hands, and I am confident that in nearly every -case he will declare that he holds it, nearly, if not quite, as -tightly with the right hand as with the left," present the case -exactly. Any man who plays golf properly will find it impossible to -tell you how he distributes the force of his grip on his club, and -what proportion of power the grip of the left bears to the right. As a -matter of fact, the man who plays golf properly has no time to think -of such nonsense as this. This is a matter which is regulated for him -by common sense and nature. - -The trouble steps in when he is advised to interfere with the ordinary -course of Nature, and to put the left hand in a position of authority -which it has no right whatever to try to exercise. I say advisedly -"try" to exercise, because it never can exercise the power which it is -supposed to have. It stands to reason, therefore, that any attempt -whatever to make it exercise a power superior to the more powerful arm -must result in interfering with the proper functions of the hand and -arm which should be naturally in command of the stroke. - -We have seen that James Braid in _Advanced Golf_ has quite altered the -opinions which he expresses in _How to Play Golf_, and he also agrees -that at the top of the swing, and until the stroke is played, it is -right to grip the club as hard as one can with both hands--in fact, -he says as plainly as it is possible for anyone to say anything, that -during the whole of the downward swing the muscles are in a state of -supreme tension, and fortunately he does not repeat the common error, -the error which he himself makes in _How to Play Golf_, of advising -the player to encumber his mind with any idea of regulating the -increase of speed of the club head. - -Vardon puts the matter splendidly when he says: - - Personally, I grip quite as firmly with the right hand as - with the other one. When the other way is adopted--the left - hand being tight and the right hand simply watching it, as it - were--there is an irresistible tendency for the latter to - tighten up suddenly at some part of the upward or downward - swing, and, as surely as there is a ball on the tee, when it - does so there will be mischief. - -This is such an important statement that I must, in passing, emphasise -it, although I hope to deal with it again later on, for Vardon here -strikes a deadly blow to the absurd nonsense which most books lay down -about regulating the grip during the upward and downward swing. As -Vardon truly says, any attempt to apportion the respective power of -the grip of the left and right during the golf swing must inevitably -result in disaster, for there will unquestionably be, as he well -remarks, a pronounced tendency to tighten up at some part of the swing -in a jerky manner. The only way to guard against this is to be, as -James Braid says in _Advanced Golf_, in a state of supreme tension -from the moment the downward swing starts. - -It must be remembered that Vardon himself advocates easing up with the -grip of the right at the top of the swing, although he says that he -grips as firmly with the right as the left. It stands to reason that -if Vardon does ease up with his right at the top of the swing, he -must during his downward stroke restore the balance of power. It seems -perfectly clear that in doing this there is a very great danger of -what he describes as an "irresistible tendency for the latter," that -is the right hand, "to tighten up suddenly." - -I cannot see that, because Vardon starts with his grip equally firm -with each hand, and then relaxes the firmness of his grip with his -right hand at the top of the stroke, trusting to regain his firmness -by the time he has reached the ball again, he removes from his swing -the danger of the sudden tightening-up which he shows will threaten -the swing of anyone who attempts to let the left hand have the -predominant grip. It seems to me perfectly clear that this danger must -be even in Vardon's downward swing, but we know quite well that -Vardon, as a stroke player, is a genius, and that even if it is not a -danger for him, it would be for ninety-five of every hundred golfers. - -The truth is, with regard to the golf grip, although none of the -leading professionals or authors are courageous enough to state it, -that for the ordinary golfer--aye, and even for the extraordinary -golfer--there is only one way to apportion the force of the left and -right in the grip, and that is _not to think about it at all when one -is doing it_, but to grip very firmly with both hands, and leave any -apportionment of force which may be necessary to Nature, and the -golfer who follows this advice and instruction will find that Nature -can attend to it infinitely better than he can. - -In golf we frequently find that one fallacy is built up on another, -and it is quite an open question if the fallacy of the power of the -left hand and arm is not founded on another fallacy, namely, the -fallacy of the present overlapping grip. Now this sounds like rank -heresy, and I may as well say at once that I am not prepared to -assert that the present overlapping grip is a fallacy, but it is at -least open to argument if it is the best grip which can be taken of a -golf club. - -There is no such thing as standing still in golf or any other -game--either we are progressing or we are going backwards. In golf, -notwithstanding the vast amount of false teaching which is published, -we are unquestionably advancing. It must not be thought from this that -it is of no importance that most of the matter which is published -about golf is entirely misleading, for that is not so. This misleading -matter is followed by an enormous army of golfers who are not able to -think out the matter for themselves, but there are a very great number -of golfers who absolutely disregard the published tuition of the -greatest experts in the world and play golf as it should be played, -and in no case is this more pronounced than in the persons of leading -professional golfers, for they write one thing, but do absolutely the -other themselves. - -In the old days, when Vardon and all the other champions used the -two-handed grip, it would have been rank folly for any person other -than Vardon to have asserted that it was better to get the grip of the -right hand off the club, as the overlapping grip does to a very great -extent, but this grip was tried by Vardon, and it very soon became -almost universal. However, I think we are justified in asking if this -grip is undoubtedly the best that it is possible for us to get. Before -the overlapping grip became fashionable both hands had their full grip -on the shaft of the club, and in those days men played great golf, and -there are many of them who still play great golf with the same hold, -which they have refused to alter. - -At page 194 of _Taylor on Golf_, speaking of the grip, Taylor says: - - To sum up the matter, I should describe the orthodox manner - of gripping with the right in the following words: The - fingers must close around the club in such a way that - provision is made for the thumb to cover and cross the shaft, - the first joints of the fingers, providing this is done, - being just in sight. Nothing more or nothing less. This is - the grip generally accepted as being orthodox, and the one - generally favoured by the majority of those who decide to - follow up the game properly. But, as is the case with - everything which is favoured by any considerable number of - enthusiasts, there are those who, untrammelled by tradition, - break away and hold the club differently, with one hand at - least. - - Take, as for instance, the case of Mr. John Ball, jun. This - gentleman--one of the leading golfers of the day--holds the - club firmly, not to say tightly, in the palm of his right - hand. Well, he has discovered that this does not - detrimentally affect his play, so I presume that may be taken - as a satisfactory proof that the orthodox way may sometimes - be departed from. Then, after Mr. Ball, I might mention the - name of Mr. Edward Blackwell. He is almost certainly the most - consistently good long driver we possess now, and his - unorthodox method of grip with the right hand has not - affected his play. - -Taylor, of course, uses the overlapping grip, which is to-day the -orthodox grip. - -Taylor speaks here of "those who, untrammelled by tradition, break -away and hold the club differently, with one hand at least," but it -seems to me that the two golfers quoted are not those who are breaking -away from the traditional hold. Rather does it seem to me that it is -we of the orthodox grip of to-day who have broken away from the best -traditions of golf, and taking best and best of those who have adopted -the modern grip and those who have maintained the old grip, there is -practically "nothing in it." Looking at the grip of men like Mr. H. H. -Hilton, Mr. John Ball, and Mr. Edward Blackwell, it would, I think, -to-day, require a person almost bereft of intelligence to imagine for -one moment that the power of the stroke in the play of these golfers -is obtained from their left arms and hands, and I do not suppose for a -single moment that any one of these players would dream of asserting -that he gets his length or direction from the left arm. - -We are now confronted with the fact that one at least of these players -with the two-handed grip is at practically no disadvantage against the -best golfers in the world, and we must take it for granted in the face -of what we have said, that his power of stroke and his command thereof -is obtained from his right hand and arm. Now that being so, let us say -for the sake of argument that he desires to improve his play by -bringing the action of his wrists into greater harmony by adopting the -overlapping grip. Surely one is confronted with this question--should -one overlap the left hand with the right, or should one overlap the -right with the left. In the present overlap the left hand takes the -first grip of the club, and the right hand overlaps it, and in so -doing is taken, to a very great extent, off the shaft of the club. - -The question now arises, Should not one first take one's grip with the -right hand, the dominant hand, the guiding hand, and the hand which is -operated by the stronger arm, and having got this grip, proceed to -overlap with the left, always allowing, of course, for the necessary -insertion of the thumb of the left between the shaft and the palm of -the right hand? - -This may sound revolutionary, but I assure my readers that it is not -one half so revolutionary as the change from the old two-handed grip -to the present overlapping grip, for in that change the right hand -was, to a very great extent, deprived of its pride of place. I think -there is very little doubt that a player who became accustomed to the -right-handed grip with the left overlap, would find that he produced a -better game than he was able to do with the present overlapping grip. -The fact is that we are inclined to take a much too complimentary and -optimistic view of our exploits. Golf has now come to such a pass that -it is played almost perfectly by a few of the best players, so that we -have come to consider a five by a leading player as a serious lapse; -but we must not judge the great body of golfers by the perfect -players. These men would probably play very well under any conditions -which could exist in the game. We have to consider the greatest good -of the greatest number--in other words, the object of our search is to -ascertain and understand perfectly what is the best way, and although -I am stating this proposition with regard to the golf grip quite -tentatively, and am laying it down as a subject for argument, I have -very little doubt indeed that it will be found in the future that the -right-handed grip is the best grip for playing golf. - -I think there is very little doubt that the most important change in -the next decade will be in the right hand and arm coming into their -kingdom. It need not be thought that this will happen in a day, or a -month, or a year. For very many years the great game of golf was -played, and was well and truly played by men who never dreamed of -putting part of one hand beneath the other--who would have scouted the -overlapping grip and the levering of the right hand off the shaft as -sacrilege--but some one introduced the idea, because it brought the -wrists closer together so that they worked more in harmony than with -the old grip. Harry Vardon tried it and found it good, and it went -into the game of golf and the history thereof. - -And to see Vardon use it, one might well say, "What more can you -want?"; but that is not argument. Probably the one who asked that -question would have asked the same question had he seen Vardon playing -when he was using the old grip, when one wrist was fighting the other; -so we must not be deterred from our speculation, from peering into the -future. Of course, the essence of the overlapping grip is that it -reduces the conflict of the wrists, and so conduces to greater -accuracy and to less interference with the rhythm of the swing. It -stands to reason that in the old days of the two-handed grip this -conflict was worse than it would be now, for then the fetich of the -left had not been weakened, and it was a distressful thing to have a -hefty left in possession of the end of one's shaft and interfering -with the proper functions of the right in an unwarrantable manner. - -Scientific golfers have, however, now come to the conclusion that the -right hand and arm are the dominant partners in the production of the -golf stroke, although there are many of the old school who still -pathetically retain and exhibit their allegiance to the old tradition -of the left being the master. - -If we have established the fact that the right is the dominant factor -in the production of the drive, it seems to me that it follows quite -naturally that the place of honour on the shaft should be allotted to -it, and that it should be allowed the full grip, and not as it is at -present, pushed off the shaft so that the grip of the dominant hand is -practically reduced to that of the thumb and the first and second -fingers. If this point is conceded the right hand obtains the full -benefit of its undoubtedly superior power, for it obtains a firm and -natural grip, whereas the present overlapping grip is a most unnatural -hold and a difficult one for beginners to acquire, although very few -players who have once used it return to the old grip. - -Not only is the proposed grip more solid and natural, and productive -of greater power and accuracy than the present overlapping grip, but -it unquestionably carries the main idea of the overlapping grip to its -logical conclusion, as it reduces the stroke much more to a one-wrist -shot than does the present grip. - -There will always be found many people who are prepared to condemn -utterly anything which they do not understand. Some of these are sure -to exercise themselves on this subject, so I shall give them some -additional food for thought. Some time ago, a golfer who was capable -of removing Mr. John Ball from the Amateur Championship Competition, -lost his left thumb at the second joint. After his misfortune he took -to driving a much longer ball than he had been in the habit of doing -before his accident. - -Now there must have been some reason for this. The only one which I -can suggest is that his accident put the right hand more into its -proper and natural place on the shaft than it had been before. -Curiosity led me to try to reproduce this grip as much as possible. I -used the ordinary overlapping grip, with the exception that I allowed -my thumb to remain out and to rest on the back of my right hand in a -line with the knuckle of the little finger. I was astonished to find -how closely it seemed to bring the wrists together. The injured golfer -would probably have the ideal golf grip if he overlapped his right -with his left forefinger instead of using the ordinary overlap, for he -would have a perfectly free and full right-hand grip, no interference -by the thumb of the left hand, and a natural overlap with the left -forefinger on the little finger of the right hand. - -There is surely food for thought in these considerations, and I am -sure that many who take to golf late in life could do much better with -this grip and the short swing than they do with the grip which is most -in vogue, and with much striving after an exaggerated swing. It is not -wise for us to think that there is nothing to discover or to improve -on in the grip. There is in this suggestion much room for experiment -and argument, and unless I am very much mistaken we shall, in the -future, see the relative position of the hands on the shaft altered. - -I may here refer again to the remarks made on the power of the left by -Mr. Horace Hutchinson. It will be remembered that he said: - - Since, as will be shown later on, the club has to turn in the - right hand at a certain point in the swing, it should be held - lightly in the fingers, rather than in the palm, with that - hand. In the left hand it should be held well home in the - palm, and it is not to stir from this position throughout the - swing. It is the left hand, mainly, that communicates the - power of the swing; the chief function of the right hand is - as a guide in direction. - -Notwithstanding Mr. Horace Hutchinson's statement with regard to the -function of the right hand, there is given on page 86 of the Badminton -_Golf_ an illustration entitled "At the top of the swing (as it should -be)." Here we see a player in about as ineffective a position for -producing a drive as one could possibly imagine, for the right elbow -is considerably above the player's head and is pointing skyward. It -would be an impossibility from such a position to obtain either -adequate guidance or power from the right hand, and it is a matter of -astonishment to find the name of such a fine player and good judge of -the game as Mr. Horace Hutchinson attached to an illustration which -must always be a classical illustration of "The top of the swing (as -it should _not_ be)." - -We may here for the time being disregard the fundamentally unsound -position of the right arm, for Mr. Horace Hutchinson has apparently -altered his mind since, as we find him in _Great Golfers_ photographed -at the top of his swing with the right elbow in an entirely different -position. We see there clearly that he had come to realise the -importance of keeping his elbow well down and as much as possible in -the plane of force indicated by the swing and the shaft of the golf -club. These photographs are very interesting. Mr. Horace Hutchinson -says that the golf club "should be held well home in the [left] palm, -and it is not to stir from this position throughout the swing," yet at -the top of Mr. Horace Hutchinson's swing illustrated on page 296 of -_Great Golfers_ we see clearly that at the top of his swing the club -is barely held in the fingers of the left hand--as a matter of fact -the forefinger of the left hand is raised and the club is merely -resting in the three other fingers, which appear to be curved on to -the club and hardly exerting any pressure whatever. - -It is abundantly clear from this photograph that Mr. Hutchinson, who -is the most pronounced adherent to the fetich of the left, is driving -his ball with a grip which is, to all intents and purposes, a -right-handed stroke. This photograph was taken in action and at the -rate of about one twelve-hundred-and-fiftieth of a second, so that -there cannot be much doubt as to the fact that Mr. Horace Hutchinson -is merely another exemplification of the fact that the golfers who -write for the public tell them one thing, while they themselves -practise another. - -Before concluding this chapter on the power of the left, I may mention -that Mr. H. H. Hilton in Mr. John L. Low's book _Concerning Golf_, -subscribes to the idea of attempting to regulate the force of the -grips taken by the hands. He says on page 78 of that book: - - When the main object of a shot is to obtain length, hold - tight with the left hand. The left hand will then do most of - the work in taking up the club. The right hand comes in on - the down swing to add force to the shot, and all parts of the - player's anatomy cohering together, the impetus will carry - his shoulders round, and unless he arbitrarily checks the - motion, he will finish his shot with his arms and club thrown - forcibly away from him; in short, he will have followed - through. - -It will be seen that this fine player distinctly advises a stronger -grip with the left than with the right hand when one's object is -distance. In the drive the object, of course, generally is distance, -and we are distinctly advised by Mr. Hilton to play our stroke in a -manner which Harry Vardon has clearly laid down as almost certain to -lead to irretrievable disaster, for starting with a firm grip with our -left, which we are to put practically in command of the club on the -upward swing, we are then to bring the right into play "on the down -swing to add force to the shot." - -It will be clearly seen here that Mr. Hilton is under the impression -that the left is performing the more important portion of the work, -for he speaks of the right hand as coming in to add force to the shot, -whereas, in fact, the main portion of the force is provided by the -right, and if there is any question of either hand and arm _adding_ -force to the shot, that will be done by the left hand and arm, and not -by the right. - -I do not think it is necessary for me to go any further in order to -show how deeply rooted and how widespread is this delusion about the -power of the left. It is another one of those pernicious fallacies -which absolutely strike at the root of the game of the great body of -golfers, and it is impossible for one to take too much trouble in -discrediting it to such an extent that it will soon be recognised as -not being practical golf. - -I can hardly close this chapter better than by a quotation from a -letter received by me from the professional of an American club as far -afield as San Antonio, Texas. He writes: - - It has taken me years of persistent effort to bury the many - prejudices against the proper use of the right arm, but they - must go, and I am glad to see you voiced sentiments strong - enough to make men stop and think over the situation. Let us - hope they will act. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -THE FUNCTION OF THE EYES - - -One of the commonest of the many excuses advanced for missing one's -drive is, "I lifted my eye." If the player only knew it he could lift -his eye with impunity. That is not what matters. It was lifting his -head which caused the trouble. - -"Keep your eye on the ball" is, without question, the soundest of -sound golf maxims, but it is both abused and misused. We need not -waste time arguing the question as to whether or not keeping one's eye -on the ball at the moment of impact is absolutely essential to success -in driving. Every golfer knows that for all purposes of practical golf -one absolutely must keep one's eye on the ball, and that to do any -other thing with the eyes at the moment of striking the ball is, to -put it mildly, quite inconvenient. - -The trouble in connection with lifting one's eye is that one's eyes -are in one's head. The seat of the machinery which works the golf -drive is in the same place. If one relaxes for a moment the mental -effort which has to be made whilst the golf stroke is being executed, -the eyes quite naturally wander in the direction in which the ball is -about to go. That in itself would not be so bad. The eyes -unfortunately do not wander without carrying the head with them. The -head is attached to the portion of the body where, roughly speaking, -the centre of the swing is situated. Immediately the head moves, the -centre of the circle, if it may for purposes of illustration be so -called, is affected. Hopeless inaccuracy is the result. It is a matter -of the most vital importance in golf that the eyes must not move. -Keeping the eyes in the one position from the moment when one has -finally addressed the ball until the moment of impact practically -ensures the proper management of one's weight; for it stands to reason -that if the eyes do not move it is impossible for the head to move, -and if the head does not move it will be impossible to sway, and -therefore to get the weight on to the right leg at the top of the -swing, as do so many golfers who follow the misleading directions -given with regard to the distribution of weight in the golf drive. - -Keeping one's head perfectly still is a matter of far greater -importance than keeping one's eye on the ball; for it will be obvious -that it is quite possible for a golfer, after having taken his -address, to keep his eye on the ball until he has driven it, but he -may in the meantime have lifted his head three or four inches. Lifting -his head three or four inches will not have caused him to take his eye -off the ball for an instant, but it will have been sufficient to have -ruined his drive. Therefore, we see that the really important thing is -to keep one's head and eyes in the same position for the impact as -they were at the moment of address. When I say the same position it is -manifest that there will be a fractional alteration, but it must be -the aim of the scientific golfer to have his eyes, at the moment of -impact, almost exactly in the same position as they were at the moment -of address. - -Keeping one's eyes steady in this manner means, as has already been -pointed out, that one preserves the centre, if it may be so called, of -the swing much better than if one allows one's weight to move from one -leg to the other. Preserving the centre of the swing in this manner -means that the rhythm of the swing must be very much better than if it -has a moving "centre." A moving centre must import into the stroke of -any golfer far greater inaccuracy than there would be if his centre -had remained constant, as it will do if he keeps his head in the same -place. - -Some time ago a good professional golfer asserted that the well-known -maxim "Keep your eye on the ball" was a delusion, and that it was -possible to play perfectly good golf blindfolded, provided one had -first taken one's stance and judged one's swing at the ball. In due -course a match was arranged between this professional, blindfolded, -and an amateur, and the professional was very badly beaten, as he did -not, I believe, win a single hole. This result naturally tended to -discredit his ideas very considerably. - -As a matter of practical golf, what he wished to establish is -perfectly correct. Although "Keep your eye on the ball" is the -soundest of sound practical golf, it is to a very large extent -preached in a manner which is in itself entirely fallacious--for two -reasons: Firstly, the player is told that it is absolutely essential -to his stroke that he must keep his eye on the ball up to the moment -of impact, and not only must he keep it there until the moment of -impact, but that he should keep on gazing at the turf where the ball -had lain after the ball has gone on its way. - -Now our professional golfer, who essayed the task of playing -blindfolded golf, was perfectly correct in stating that it is not -necessary to keep one's eye on the ball in playing golf, for the -simple reason that the eye has fulfilled its function and has gone -out of business, so far as regards that stroke, long before the head -of the club has come into contact with the ball. It is this fact which -makes us so prone to lift our eyes, and with them our heads, which of -course is fatal to good golf. I go so far as to say that if Vardon in -his drive could be automatically blindfolded when his club was two -feet from his ball, and that he could accustom himself to keeping his -head still after he was blindfolded, it would not affect his drive in -the slightest degree, for the very simple and all-sufficient reason -that the eye has finished its function in connection with the golf -stroke for a very considerable period before impact takes place. It -has assisted the golfer to take his proper stance and address, and has -aided him in judging his distance, but the arc of the golf stroke is -practically settled almost from the instant that it starts on its -downward path. - -The duration of impact in a drive at golf has been measured by the -most competent authority to be one ten-thousandth of a second. -Photographs of the impact of the golf club with the golf ball taken at -the one twelve-hundred-and-fiftieth of a second, are merely blurs. -There is no clear definition of the club whatever. We can see from -this that the rate of speed at which the golf club is travelling is -extreme, even had we not the scientific measurement of the exact -amount of time consumed during the contact. It will be obvious to a -very ordinary understanding that when a club is travelling at this -terrific pace it would be impossible for anyone to impart into the -line of travel of the club head a new direction at, say, two feet from -the ball, without ruining both the force and the direction of the -ball. Therefore, it is evident that if one could close one's eyes when -the club head was two feet from the ball and still keep one's head in -exactly the same position, the impact would be practically not -affected at all. - -This is the undoubted fact in so far as regards the work of the eye. -It fulfils its duty very early in the stroke; but although the -explanation of the function of the eye is so incorrectly given, still -"Keep your eye on the ball" is, and ever will be, a sound golfing -maxim, for it is not given to golfing man to be able to lift his eye -and at the same time to keep his mind concentrated on his stroke, and -to keep his head in the same place as it was in when he addressed his -ball. Therefore, although it is not so absolutely necessary to keep -one's eye on the ball as is generally laid down, it is expedient to -preach to the fullest extent and to insist on what Harry Vardon calls -"the parrot cry of the links." - -Most writers who deal with the matter of keeping one's eye on the ball -are not satisfied with exhorting the player to keep his eye on the -ball until after the moment of impact; they go further still and -insist upon the fact that he must continue to gaze at the piece of -turf whereon the ball lay, long after the ball has departed to the -hole. This, again, is an absolute fallacy. It is only excusable on the -principle that the greater includes the less, and that by insisting on -one gazing at the turf long after the ball has sped on its way, one -may be able to make the player do what he should do, and that is just -to keep his eye on the ball until the moment of impact, for if we -follow the advice given by many notable men of continuing to gaze at -the turf after the ball has been driven, there can be no doubt -whatever that we do much to spoil the rhythm and effectiveness of the -drive. - -To preserve these we have been told that the head must be kept -immovable throughout the golf drive, and that one must keep one's eye -on the ball until it has been driven, and on the place where it was -after it has been driven. However, following Vardon's explanation of -the drive and taking what we know of this stroke ourselves, it will be -remembered that at the moment of impact, "simultaneously," Vardon -says, the body moves down the line of flight to the hole. It follows, -therefore, that if one continues turf-gazing after one has hit the -ball, that one's body is going on its way towards the hole whilst -one's head is being held backward in the opposite direction to the -travel of the body. This is absolutely bad golf, and Vardon does not -do this himself. - -The truth with regard to the proper management of the eye in the golf -stroke is that it should move simultaneously with the ball, for if -there be any attempt whatever to drive the ball and to keep the head -in the same position as it was at the moment of address, this will -inevitably result in preventing the right shoulder getting through and -the body following it as it ought to do, for a rigid head and neck -will prevent any follow-through. - -Vardon is very explicit about the value of timing the body so that it -goes forward down the line of flight towards the hole at the moment -the stroke is made. He shows us, as a matter of fact, that this -forward movement is practically simultaneous with the impact of the -club on the ball. It will be obvious, then, to anyone, that this -turf-gazing after one has hit the ball, which is recommended by the -leading authorities of the game, is absolutely bad golf, for it must -inevitably interfere with the follow-through. - -At page 174 of _The Complete Golfer_ Vardon says: - - Keep your eye on the ball until you have hit it, but no - longer. You cannot follow through properly with a long shot - if your eye remains fastened on the ground. Hit the ball and - then let your eye pick it up in its flight as quickly as - possible. Of course this needs skilful timing and management, - but precision will soon become habitual. - -It was by the merest chance that I saw this passage after I had -written my chapter on "The Function of the Eyes," although I am now -incorporating it herein. - -I am very glad to have Vardon's authority to back me up in -discrediting the silly idea about turf-studying; but although I have -him with me I cannot hold him guiltless of spreading the error, for he -has been photographed _repeatedly_ illustrating it in a style which he -never uses in actual play. This may be seen in the series of -photographs in _Fry's Magazine_ already referred to, and also at pages -89 and 97 of _Great Golfers_, wherein this great player is shown in -positions which in actual play he would not understand how to get -into; but people who know no better, and have not the real power of -comparative analysis and close thinking, are led away and suffer for -this kind of foolishness merely because it is associated with a great -name. - - [Illustration: PLATE VIII. EDWARD RAY - - This plate shows the champion's tremendous finish in the - drive. Ray, at the top of his stroke, gets much of his weight - on his right foot, but does not advise others to do so.] - -In connection with this matter of the function of the eye there is an -interesting point which I have not seen mentioned in any golf book--a -point which makes it, if anything, more necessary for one to insist -upon the vast importance of the maxim "Keep your eye on the ball," -although it is fallaciously preached both before and after impact. -This point is that there is just before impact a very considerable -portion of the travel of the head of the golf club during which the -ball is practically never seen by the golfer. This is what I may -call the golfer's "blind spot." It exists in practically all ball -games where the ball is struck by a bat or other implement of that -kind. Its existence, of course, is well known in cricket. I have -played lawn-tennis for twenty years, and I do not believe that I have -at any time during that period seen my racket hit the ball when -actually playing. I have seen it do it when I have made up my mind to -watch the ball and forget other matters, but in actual play one does -not do this. One plays the stroke with the utmost naturalness. The -ball is coming towards one and one gauges the distance and strikes. -One knows that whatever happens one's stroke is made for good or ill, -and there is in many strokes a blind spot of fully six to nine inches -in length. - -I have had some wonderful photographs of this blind spot wherein it is -shown most clearly that the lawn-tennis player is looking right away -from his ball long before he has struck it. I think it is beyond -question that this same blind spot exists in golf. I have no doubt -whatever that, perfect player as he is, there is in Harry Vardon's -stroke a blind spot of at least five inches. Few people who have not -studied this question can realise the incredible rapidity with which -the head of a golf club travels. I am well aware that there are many -photographs of Harry Vardon in existence, which show him carefully -studying the turf after the ball has gone on its way. I am also well -aware that these photographs were taken to illustrate the fact that he -does engage in turf-studying after the ball has gone on its way. I am -also well aware that in actual play he does nothing of the kind, and -that his beautiful, free, and natural finish is as different from the -stiff and constrained photographs shown when he does not lift his -head, as chalk is from cheese. - -I have watched Harry Vardon many and many a time, and I am absolutely -certain that in his natural play he has no thought whatever in his -mind of gazing at the turf after his ball has gone away. There is -nothing whatever to be gained by doing so, and there is much to be -lost. Any attempt whatever to anchor the head by gazing at the turf -after the ball has gone away, and then afterwards to allow it to -resume its place, together with the shoulders, in the swing of the -follow-through, is mere futility, and must result in absolutely -spoiling the rhythm of the swing and a proper follow-through. - -There is no player in the world who could be taken as a finer example -than Harry Vardon, of the fact that in the golf swing and at the -moment of impact there must be no restraint whatever on the movement -of the shoulders and the head. They must work together with the club -head and the ball. If they do not all move at the same time something -is out of gear. - -In the game of blindfolded golf which I have referred to, the -professional player took his stance, addressed his ball, and was then -blindfolded with a handkerchief, an operation which naturally took -some considerable time, but even as it was, he played some -astonishingly good shots even when his whole swing was blindfolded. He -should have had a pair of spectacles lined with cotton wadding or some -similar material and fastened with an elastic band, which could have -been lifted up whilst he was taking his address and closed down the -moment he was ready to make his stroke. This would have given him a -better chance to demonstrate what he desired to, which, as I have -already said, was in itself practically sound. - -I have spoken of Harry Vardon's blind spot, and I have said that it is -a matter of five inches. As a matter of fact it may quite well often -be double that; but it seems to me perfectly plain that nothing -whatever that Vardon can do when his club is within a foot of the -ball, so long as he keeps his head steady or still, is likely to alter -the path of the club head--I am speaking now, of course, of any normal -golf stroke. This consideration of the matter brings us back to the -statement which I have made time and time again, and in which I am -supported by James Braid, that once the golf stroke is commenced, the -fact of it connecting with the ball is merely an incident in the path -of the club head; and that after the club head has proceeded a certain -distance on the way to the ball it is beyond the power of the player -to alter the character of that stroke, for his force has been -irretrievably directed, in so far as regards that particular stroke, -in a particular manner. - -Speaking of the position of the head in driving, Taylor says: - - The head is maintained in exactly the same position as the - arms are brought down again, and so it remains until the ball - has been swept from the tee. The arms and body for all - practical purposes go through the same action, but in the - reverse way as in the upward swing, the body being held in a - similar position, but with the head turned and eyes looking - over the right shoulder at the finish of the stroke. - - During the progress of this downward movement the weight of - the body is again transferred, passing from the right leg to - the left, until when the finish arrives the whole of the - weight has been placed upon the left foot, while the right - has assumed the position previously held by its neighbour. - -We see here in a very marked degree the fallacy of the distribution of -the weight so that at the top of the swing the greater portion of it -is on the right leg; for Taylor, although he tells us that "the head -is maintained in exactly the same position," says that "during the -progress of this downward movement the weight of the body is again -transferred, passing from the right leg to the left." - -It is a very natural question for us to ask, "How can all this -shifting of the body be going on if the head is to be kept perfectly -still?" As a matter of fact it is a physical impossibility; and it is -also obvious that it would be impossible to keep the head still, -rigidly fixed, as we are told it should be, at the moment of impact, -and yet to get a true follow-through. - -Let us read a little farther on, and we see that Taylor says: "If the -ball has been struck there must be no semblance of checking or -snatching at the club. The player must not check himself or allow -premonitory symptoms of a check to make themselves felt even in the -slightest degree. He must allow the club head to follow the line of -flight of the ball as straight and as far as is possible." It stands -to reason that if one's head remains fixed for an instant after the -impact of the club with the ball, that instant the club head must feel -the tendency to be drawn out of the straight line to the hole, and the -follow-through down the line to the hole, which is so properly -insisted on by all great golfers, is ruined. - -Taylor continues: "The arms must be thrown forward freely and -naturally, and as a consequence the right shoulder must be allowed to -swing forward too." This should effectually dispose of the idea of -holding the head still after the ball has left the ground, for the -simple reason that if the head and neck be held still, it will be a -matter of utter impossibility for the right shoulder to go through and -down the line to the hole as it should. - -I must emphasise this matter a little more strongly by Taylor's own -words, for it is of very great importance in the golf drive. -Continuing, he says, in reference to the fact that the arms must be -allowed to go forward freely and naturally and that therefore the -right shoulder must be allowed to swing forward: - - By doing this the involuntary checking of the swing is - rendered impossible; but if arms and shoulders were to be - held tightly under control and as rigid as steel, the stroke - would be finished as soon as the head of the club had been - brought into contact with the ball. Every stroke in golf must - be played freely, every muscle of the body must be allowed to - do its full share of the necessary work. - -That is undoubtedly so; but if one arbitrarily fixes the position of -one's head as a stationary point in the golf swing after the ball has -gone on its journey, one prevents the right leg doing its share of the -work in shifting the weight forward down the line towards the hole, -and therefore one, to a very great extent, ruins one's follow-through. -This is a point which, in my mind, is of very great importance to the -drive, and it is, in so far as regards the function of the eyes, one -of the most pronounced fallacies of the many fallacious statements -with which unfortunate golfers are loaded. - -This blind spot which I have referred to, exists, as I have already -said, in practically every game wherein the ball is struck with an -implement. It is found in lacrosse, racquets, tennis, cricket, -lawn-tennis, polo, base-ball, hockey, ping-pong, and even in -billiards; but the probability is that the farther the striking -surface of the club or other implement is from the eye, the less is -the blind spot; and this is very fortunate for the golfer, for his -margin of error is so small that it is of great importance to him to -reduce this blind spot to a negligible quantity. But on the other -hand, as a matter of scientific and accurate golf, he will make nearly -as great a mistake in his golf if, in his endeavour to follow out the -well-known and useful maxim, "Keep your eye on the ball," he acquires -the habit of turf-gazing after the ball has gone on its way to the -hole. - -I have before had occasion to refer to the book entitled _The Mystery -of Golf_, and I have already, in part, touched upon some of the -author's curious ideas with regard to the analysis of the golfing -stroke. At page 159 he tells us that "the arms do not judge distance -(save when we are actually touching something) nor does the body, nor -does the head. The judging is done by the eyes." I am afraid that we -cannot deny that the judging is, in all cases, done by the eye, -because it is obvious that if we had not the use of our eyes, we -should not be able to see the ball; but the author seems to overlook -the somewhat important fact that although the arms do not judge -distance, yet they _measure_ it, and this matter of measurement is a -matter of extreme importance, as is exemplified in the case of play -out of a bunker where one has to measure the distance without -grounding the club. - -On the same page the author says: "If the eyes look up before the ball -is hit, the muscles do not receive the proper orders to hit, and the -most important part of the stroke is done blindly. That is my theory"; -and a most remarkable theory it is too. The muscles received their -proper orders to hit at the moment the stroke was begun, and lifting -the eyes a moment before impact would not affect the stroke if the -head remained in the same position. Lifting the eyes is in nearly -every case, as I have already pointed out, an action following on -lifting the mind. The mind has been allowed to come off the stroke -because the player's mental picture of the stroke has been completed -long before the physical act. In other words, he has got ahead of his -stroke. Then his head comes up, which of course is fatal to good -golf. - -It is a very remarkable circumstance that the attempted analysis by -the author of _The Mystery of Golf_ shows clearly that he has entered -upon his task with but a very faint idea of sport generally, and he is -in this respect much handicapped in his efforts. Let us consider what -he has to say with regard to lifting the eye in golf. We read on page -164: - - I have sometimes thought that there are two simple and - especial reasons for this difficulty of keeping one's eye on - the ball: first, because there is nothing to stimulate the - attention; second, because one has to attend so long. In - cricket, tennis, racquets, as I have shown, the stimulus is - extreme; by consequence, your eye follows the ball like a - hawk. In billiards there is no stimulus, but you rarely, if - ever, take your eye off your ball in billiards. Why? I think - because (1) the ball is so near to the eye--and, therefore, - the stimulus strong; (2) because the period of time requisite - for the stroke is so short. In golf there is no stimulus and - the period is always long: you have to look at your ball for - more than the whole period of the upward and downward swings. - -This remarkable statement shows very clearly, as I have before said, -that the author is not practically acquainted with games generally, -for lifting the eye is common in practically every game where a ball -is used. And it is amazing to find anyone attempting to analyse such a -stroke as the golf stroke and at the same time making the statement -that "you rarely, if ever, take your eye off your ball in billiards"; -and he proceeds to give reasons why one rarely takes one's eye off -one's ball in billiards, whereas the game of billiards is an -outstanding illustration of the fact that one does take one's eye off -the ball. To a very great extent one plays one's stroke at billiards -with a most pronounced blind spot every time, in that, just prior to -the moment of striking the cue ball, one always looks at the object -ball and practically one never sees one's cue on to one's own ball. - -Also, it is open to doubt if the golf stroke takes, on the average, -from the time the club leaves the ball in its upward swing until the -moment of impact, any longer than the billiard player takes in playing -his stroke. If it does, the difference is not a matter which need -enter into any practical comparison of the strokes. - -The curious thing is that in the game instanced by the author as -possessing the greater stimulus, that is those games wherein the ball -is moving, as in cricket, tennis, racquets, the tendency to lift the -eye from the ball is much more pronounced than in those games where -the ball is stationary, and this, I think, is by no means unnatural. -The operation of the eye is incredibly swift. It catches the flight of -the oncoming ball and one plays the stroke to meet it. In playing a -stroke at a moving ball, it stands to reason that one has, all other -things being equal, less time between the beginning of the stroke and -impact than one would have in executing a similar blow where the ball -is stationary, for here we have merely the pace of one moving object -to deal with, whereas we have in the other case the pace of the two -moving objects added together. - -It seems to me clear, therefore, that the eye has been able to -ascertain much more rapidly what will happen in the case of the two -moving objects, and having decided definitely that the stroke must be -played in a certain way, the mind has given to the muscles the -necessary orders, and the eye has then gone out of business so far as -regards that particular stroke, and we get the astonishing result that -we find famous players at lawn-tennis playing their strokes with a -blind spot of, in many cases, as much as nine inches. This is beyond -the region of doubt, and can be proved to demonstration by numerous -photographs, so it will be seen that even if there were anything -whatever in the suggested comparisons, they are fundamentally unsound -in their premises, and therefore absolutely useless for any purposes -of practical golf. - -We are told at page 166: "If you _don't_ keep your eye on the ball, -your stroke is cut short the moment you take your eye off." This is -obviously an error. Let us imagine that the golfer has played his -stroke perfectly accurately up to within three inches of his ball and -then takes his eye away from it, will any practical golfer believe -that if he keeps his head still the fact of moving his eye is going to -alter that stroke in any way whatever? I think not. - -Again we are informed at page 167 that: "It is at all events -indisputable that any photograph showing a good follow-through shows -the player looking at the spot where the ball was, after the ball had -left it; proving that he was really looking at the ball when he hit." -Personally, I may say that I have never yet seen a photograph of a -good follow-through which did show the player looking at the spot -where the ball was after the ball had left it, for photographs of that -nature which I have seen showed most clearly that if one desires to -absolutely prevent oneself from following through, one of the best -methods of doing it is to cultivate the habit of studying the turf -after the ball has gone on its way to the hole. - -In this we know that we have Vardon entirely with us. His -corroboration is valuable for the point is of great and practical -importance to the game. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -THE MASTER STROKE - - -In his chapter on "Special Strokes with Wooden Clubs" Vardon discusses -the question of the master stroke in golf. At page 86 of _The Complete -Golfer_ he says: - - Which, then, is the master stroke? I say that it is the ball - struck by any club to which a big pull or slice is - intentionally applied for the accomplishment of a specific - purpose which could not be achieved in any other way, and - nothing more exemplifies the curious waywardness of this game - of ours than the fact that the stroke which is the - confounding and torture of the beginner who does it - constantly, he knows not why, but always to his detriment, - should later on at times be the most coveted shot of all and - should then be the most difficult of accomplishment. I call - it the master shot, because to accomplish it with any - certainty and perfection, it is so difficult, even to the - experienced golfer, because it calls for the most absolute - command over the club and every nerve and sinew of the body, - and the courageous heart of the true sportsman whom no - difficulty may daunt, and because, when properly done, it is - a splendid thing to see, and for a certainty results in - material gain to the man who played it. - -Here we have a very definite statement by one of the greatest stroke -players in the world, that the master stroke at golf is "the ball -struck by any club to which a big pull or slice is intentionally -applied for the accomplishment of a specific purpose which could not -be achieved in any other way." - -It is to me a most extraordinary thing to find a golfer of the ability -of Harry Vardon classing the pull and the slice as practically equal -in order of merit. Anyone who is acquainted with golf must know that -the pull is an infinitely more difficult stroke to play correctly than -the slice. The slice is a stroke which is comparatively easy, but no -one can truthfully say the same thing of the pull. - -Before we proceed to a consideration of the question of the master -stroke, it will be interesting to quote what Taylor has to say on the -subject. At page 88 of _Taylor on Golf_ he says: - - Still it is not advisable, neither do I look upon it as being - golf in the truest sense of the word, for the knack of - pulling or slicing to be cultivated, as I am afraid it is by - a great many players. No compromise should be made with a - fault. - -Here we see that what Harry Vardon regards as the master strokes of -the game, are looked upon by Taylor as faults. - -I may say at the outset that I am not inclined to agree with Vardon at -all in this matter of the master stroke in golf. If there is one -stroke which stands out above and beyond all others in its demand for -accuracy, and a perfect knowledge of the method of applying spin, also -a supreme ability perfectly to apply that knowledge, it is the stroke -which is commonly called a "wind-cheater"; that is to say a long low -ball which flies very close to the earth for the greater portion of -its journey, and rises towards the end of its flight to its greatest -height. - -Although this ball is called the wind-cheater, it is just as effective -and just as useful on a perfectly still day as it is against a -howling gale, for this stroke is, in my opinion, without any doubt -whatever, the master stroke in golf, and if a man has this stroke he -should be very willing to allow anybody else to have all the pulls and -slices in golf. The supreme importance of this stroke is so pronounced -that I have always wondered at the comparatively unimportant position -which has been given to it in every book on golf, with the exception -of my own works. Pulling and slicing, as golfing shots, may be said to -be practically unnecessary if a man has full command of the plain -drive without back-spin and the wind-cheater. - -Very frequently when a man is called upon to pull or to slice, it is -to remedy a previous error, and there can be no doubt that with the -pull and the slice it is an utter impossibility to keep on the line in -the same manner as can one who uses back-spin in the drive. The secret -of the greatest golf of the future lies, in my opinion, in the proper -application of back-spin in the drive. - -I do not intend here to go fully into the effect of spin on the flight -of the ball, as I shall do that at length in my chapter on "The Flight -of the Golf Ball." Suffice it to say that the tremendous advantage of -the ball with back-spin is, that being hit as the club is descending, -and the hands at the time of impact with the ball being a little in -front of the ball, the loft of the club is, to a certain extent, -minimised, so that the ball is, in effect, struck with a club which -has much less loft than would be the case if it were driven in the -ordinary manner. This means that for the first part of the carry, the -flight of the ball is very low, and as the club was not at the lowest -portion of the swing when it struck the ball, the wind-cheater -acquires a large amount of back-spin which asserts itself later on, -and causes the ball to reach the highest point in its trajectory -towards the end of its flight. - -One of the greatest of the many merits of this ball is that the method -of producing it almost commands a follow-through down the intended -line of flight. This in itself tends to give better direction than any -of the ordinary golf strokes. The pull and the slice, as is well -known, curve very much in their flight, and especially in a wind. It -is utterly impossible for the best golfer in the world to say within -twenty yards as regards direction, and that, of course, means much -more than twenty yards--in fact, practically double that--where the -ball will come to rest; but this is not so with the wind-cheater, for -although the ball has been sent on its way with a very heavy -back-spin, so much of it has been exhausted in lifting the ball at the -end of its flight, that by the time the ball strikes the earth there -is little, if any, retarding power in the back-spin, so that the ball -is frequently a very good runner. I must, however, devote a little -attention here to the method of production of the pull and the slice. - -There is a wonderful amount of misconception about these strokes, even -in the minds of the greatest golfers. Let me, before I proceed to -examine what Harry Vardon has to say about the production of the pull, -state the general principles upon which the production of all spin is -produced. Spin is imparted to a golf ball, as we shall see more -clearly later on, merely by the fact that the face of the club, -instead of following through after the ball in the intended line of -flight, crosses the line of flight at a more or less acute angle; for -the slice the club head comes from the far side of the line of flight -across towards the player's side of the line of flight; for the pull -the process is reversed, and the club head, coming from the player's -side, swings right out across the line of flight; in the wind-cheater -the club passes downwards along the intended line of flight. There is, -of course, no such thing in practical golf as top-spin, so we need not -consider that. - -There is one other important point which I must mention here. At the -moment of impact the face of the club must be, to all intents and -purposes, at a right angle to the intended line of flight. For -instance, in a slice, any attempt to produce the slice by laying back -the toe of the club, or any tricks of this nature, must result in -disaster. It is impossible for the person playing the stroke _to time_ -anything to be done by him _during impact_, and it stands to reason -that nothing will affect the ball except what takes place during -impact. This, then, resolves the stroke into the fact that the contact -between the ball and the club is, as I have frequently insisted, and, -as we have seen, James Braid declares, merely an incident in the -travel of the club's head in the arc which it is describing. - -Although I have said that the face of the club must be at a right -angle to the line of flight of the ball, this is not exactly correct, -although it is so for all purposes of practical golf. The reason I say -that it is not correct, is that practically every well played slice -starts off on the line to the hole a little to the left of the true -line of flight, so that it is probable that at the moment of impact -the face of the club is not at a dead right angle to the initial -portion of the flight of the ball. However, it is unquestionably -necessary that the face of the club should be as nearly as possible at -a right angle to the intended line of flight at the moment that the -impact takes place. If this point is not attended to as carefully in -the pull and the slice as it is in other strokes, the result must be -inaccuracy of direction, and very pronounced inaccuracy too. - -Let us now turn to Harry Vardon's directions as to how to play the -pull. He says: - - Now there is the pulled ball to consider, for surely there - are times when the making of such a shot is eminently - desirable. Resort to a slice may be unsatisfactory, or it may - be entirely impossible, and one important factor in this - question is that the pulled ball is always much longer than - the other--in fact, it has always so much length in it that - many players in driving in the ordinary way from the tee, and - desiring only to go straight down the course, systematically - play for a pull and make allowances for it in their - direction. - -He then gives instructions for the stance, and proceeds: - - The obvious result of this stance is that the handle of the - club is in front of the ball, and this circumstance must be - accentuated by the hands being held even slightly more - forward than for an ordinary drive. Now they are held forward - in front of the head of the club. In the grip there is - another point of difference. It is necessary that in the - making of this stroke the right hand should do more work than - the left, and therefore the club should be held rather more - loosely by the left hand than by its partner. - -We may pause for a moment here to remark that this is another one of -those very noticeable instances wherein Vardon infers that it is usual -for the left to do more work than the right, and we may also note that -he here gives advice which he has in other portions of his book -condemned--that is, attempting to hold more loosely with one hand than -with the other, for it is obvious that if, as he has told us will be -the case, we attempt to give the right hand a watching brief over the -left, the right will come in too suddenly at some portion of the -swing, and it is also equally obvious that if we follow out Vardon's -advice here and allow the left to hold the watching brief, it will -similarly misconduct itself. - -I must emphasise again, before I pass on, the very pronounced -inference which Vardon here makes that, generally speaking, the left -is the dominant partner. Vardon then continues: "The latter," that is -the right hand, "will duly take advantage of this slackness," that is -the slackness of the left hand, "and will get in just the little extra -work that is wanted of it. In the upward swing carry the club head -just along the line which it would take for an ordinary drive." - -This, I may say, is remarkable advice, for it is well known that in -playing the pull the club head begins to move away from the ball, -inwards, the moment it is lifted from the ground. This, of course, is -natural, for generally speaking, the club goes back to the ball in the -way in which it comes up, and as the ball is played by an outward -glancing blow, it stands to reason that it will not be taken back -straight from the ball as Vardon states here. That, however, is by the -way. - -Let us now continue with what Vardon has to say: - - The result of all this arrangement, and particularly of the - slackness of the left hand and comparative tightness of the - right, is that there is a tendency in the downward swing for - the face of the club to turn over to some extent, that is, - for the top edge of it to be overlapping the bottom edge. - This is exactly what is wanted, for, in fact, it is quite - necessary that at the moment of impact the right hand should - be beginning to turn over in this manner, and if the stroke - is to be a success the golfer must see that it does so, but - the movement must be made quite smoothly and naturally, for - anything in the nature of a jab, such as is common when too - desperate efforts are made to turn over an unwilling club, - would certainly prove fatal. - -We have here Vardon's description of how to obtain a pulled ball which -he regards as one of the master strokes of the game, but his -conception of this stroke is absolutely erroneous. We are told by -Vardon that in making this stroke "in the upward swing" we are to -carry the club head just along the line which it would take for an -ordinary drive. Now, at page 88, Vardon refers to "the inflexible rule -that as the club head goes up so will it come down." - -It is now established beyond any doubt whatever that the pull is -played by an outwardly glancing blow, the converse of the inwardly -glancing blow of the slice, but if to obtain a pull we are to follow -Vardon's advice and take the club straight back away from the ball, -how are we going to come back by the same track as we went up, which -is straight down the line of flight, and at the same time to obtain an -outwardly glancing blow? The thing is a manifest impossibility, and, -as a matter of fact, is not practical golf. This idea of turning over -the wrists at the moment of impact is an utterly erroneous notion -which I must deal with somewhat more fully. I shall show that James -Braid originally had this idea himself, but that he has now, in all -probability, abandoned it. - -It is evident that Vardon has but a hazy idea of the correct method of -production of the pull, although, as we well know, he is a master of -the art of producing this stroke. At page 92 of _The Complete Golfer_ -he gives his description of the manner in which he thinks one of the -master strokes of the game is produced. I must quote him again fully, -for it is necessary to do this in order that my readers may follow the -trend of his mind: - - It is necessary that in the making of this stroke the right - hand should do more work than the left, and therefore the - club should be held rather more loosely by the left hand than - by its partner. The latter will duly take advantage of this - slackness, and will get in just the little extra work that is - wanted of it. In the upward swing carry the club head just - along the line which it would take for an ordinary drive. The - result of all this arrangement, and particularly the - slackness of the left hand and comparative tightness of the - right is, that there is a tendency in the downward swing for - the face of the club to turn over to some extent, that is for - the top edge of it to be overlapping the bottom edge. This is - exactly what is wanted, for, in fact, it is quite necessary - that at the moment of impact the right hand should be - beginning to turn over in this manner, and if the stroke is - to be a success the golfer must see that it does so. - -It will be seen from this quotation that Vardon is under the -impression that in playing the pull the club goes straight back from -the ball in the same manner as it would be taken were one playing an -ordinary drive. We notice, too, that he commits himself to the -statement, that it is necessary that the top edge of the face of the -club should be practically overlapping the bottom at the moment of -impact. This, in effect, means that the club is actually deprived of -its loft at the moment of impact. - -It will be apparent to anyone who understands very little about the -ordinary principles of mechanics that it would be an impossibility to -play an effective shot in this manner. Indeed it would be impossible -to raise the ball from the ground, and any attempt whatever to give -this turn over of the wrists at the moment of impact would inevitably -result in a very large proportion of foundered balls. - -It must be remembered that Vardon is advising the player to -consciously attempt to regulate the loft of his club during an impact -which lasts for no more than the ten-thousandth of a second. Golf is -at all times a game calling for a remarkable degree of mechanical -accuracy, but it is obviously asking, even of the most perfect player, -far too much when we request that he shall, by the action of his hands -and wrists, regulate the loft of his club in an impact which lasts for -such an extremely short time. We must remember that if the shot were -played as Vardon describes it, the loft of the club face is -continually changing during, let us say, the foot before it gets to -the ball and the foot after it has passed it. - -The whole idea of the stroke in golf, in so far as regards loft, ought -to be that at the moment of impact the player has nothing whatever to -do with the loft, his duty being confined to hitting the ball in a -certain way and allowing the loft to do its own work, and to take the -angle at which it will naturally come down, but any attempt -consciously to regulate the loft of the club during impact, especially -on the lines laid down by Vardon, must inevitably result in disaster. -Vardon tells us that at the moment of impact it is necessary that the -club face should be turning so that it will be practically overlapping -at least the moment after the ball is struck. - -His error is by no means an uncommon one. The same thing exists in -lawn-tennis in the lifting drive, where about ninety per cent of the -players who try the lifting drive under the impression that it is got -by a turn over of the wrist, do the turn too soon and founder the -ball--in other words, put it into the net. If the pull were to be -played in the way Vardon describes it, the result would be exactly the -same. The ball would simply be topped or absolutely foundered. - -I cannot emphasise too strongly the fact that this turn over of the -wrists in the pull has nothing whatever to do with the production of -the stroke, although Vardon says that it has. This turn over of the -wrists will, if it precedes the moment of impact, ruin the stroke. It -must come naturally long after the ball has gone on its way, and it -must come not by any voluntary or conscious effort on the part of the -player, but as the natural result of the correctly played first -portion of the stroke. - -In my chapter on "The Flight of the Ball," I shall go more fully into -the mechanical principles of the production of the pull. It will be -sufficient for me to say here that the pull is produced by an upward, -outward, glancing blow, but there must be no attempt whatever to alter -the loft of the club at the moment of impact. - -In so flatly contradicting such a master of stroke play as Harry -Vardon, it may be as well for me to fortify myself by evidence taken -from the work and photographs of another famous golfer who was himself -originally under the impression that the pull was obtained in this -manner, but who has apparently since abandoned this idea. I feel sure -that for the great majority of players who know anything whatever of -elementary mechanics, it will be unnecessary for me to do this, but -there is a vast number of players who are not well acquainted with -even simple mechanical problems, and it is for these that I take the -trouble to bring forward James Braid to give evidence against this -idea of turning over the wrist at the moment of impact. - -We must remember that Braid himself has stated in _How to Play Golf_ -that the striking of the ball is merely an incident in the travel of -the club's head, and we must remember that this book _How to Play -Golf_ was written long after the quotation which I am now about to -give from _Great Golfers_ at page 175. There James Braid tells us -that "in playing for a _pulled ball_ the right wrist turns over at the -moment of impact." This is emphatic enough, and Braid here commits -himself to the same statement as Vardon does, that is to say, that the -right wrist turns over _at the moment of impact_. This is what I -absolutely deny. - -It is natural to suppose that Braid's book, _Advanced Golf_, contains -the author's last word with regard to the science of playing the -pulled ball, one of the balls, let us remember, which Harry Vardon -considers the master stroke in the game. Let us therefore turn to -Braid's illustration of playing for a pull in the four photographs -following page 78. Braid here fortunately illustrates the actual -moment of impact in the pull, and it will be seen on examining his -club that it is apparently perfectly soled, that is to say that the -club is lying as truly and flatly as it is at the moment of address. -This is very important and quite incontrovertible as being Braid's -considered opinion, because this stroke is a posed photograph for the -purpose of illustrating the impact in the pull. We see quite clearly -from this photograph that there is absolutely no turning over of the -wrists, but that on the contrary, the right hand is, if anything, well -back on the shaft, and showing no sign whatever, as I have already -said--not even a symptom--of beginning to turn over. Nor, as a matter -of fact, should it do so. The club does not begin to turn over in the -manner described until it has reached practically the full extent of -its outward swing on the far side of the line of flight. - -This photograph is, in itself, quite sufficient evidence to show us -that Braid has abandoned his idea with regard to the necessity for -turning over the right wrist at the moment of impact in the pull, but -it is instructive to note that there is in the whole of _Advanced -Golf_ not one word about turning over the wrists at the moment, of -impact in the pull, so that we may take it as definitely settled that -James Braid has, since the publication of _Great Golfers_, found out -his error in this matter, for, against his one sentence in _Great -Golfers_ that "in playing for a _pulled ball_ the right wrist turns -over at the moment of impact," we have not only his statement in _How -to Play Golf_ that the impact is a mere incident in the travel of the -club head, but the still more eloquent fact that in _Advanced Golf_ he -says no word whatever in support of this theory, and that he most -expressly and emphatically by his own photographs contradicts the -idea. - -We need not consider what Taylor has to say in connection with the -production of the pull, for we see clearly that his idea of both the -slice and the pull is that they are merely errors in golf and not to -be encouraged. - -Let us turn now to a consideration of the slice. The same -misconception which is so prominently shown by nearly every writer -about golf with regard to the pull obtains also in connection with the -slice. This is clearly shown by James Braid in _Great Golfers_, for -following the quotation which I have already given with regard to the -pulled ball, he says: "But for a sliced ball I cut a little across the -ball, the wrist action being the reverse of that for a pull, viz., the -right hand is rather under than over." - - [Illustration: PLATE IX. JAMES BRAID - - Here, in spite of what Braid says, it will be seen that his - weight at the finish goes almost entirely on to the left - foot.] - -Braid tells us that for a pulled ball he turns his right wrist over -_at the moment of impact_. Well, as the wrist action for the slice is -the reverse of this, it follows that _at the moment of impact_ he -turns his right wrist under. This is a very common misconception. It -is one which is held by an astonishing number of practical players. -Mr. Walter J. Travis in his book on _Practical Golf_ repeatedly makes -the error of thinking that this turn under of the wrist has any -effect whatever on the stroke, but it is just as great an error to -think that this turn under of the wrist has anything to do with the -production of the slice, as it is to think that the turning over of -the wrist has anything whatever to do with the pull. Both of these -actions quite naturally _follow_ the correct production of the strokes -referred to. - -The slice is an inwardly glancing blow, if anything, with a suspicion -of downward action, whereas, as I have already explained, the pull is -an outward, upward, glancing blow. There must be no attempt whatever -to turn the right wrist under or downward at the moment of playing the -slice, as Braid says he does in _Great Golfers_, although I have not -been able to find the same statement in _Advanced Golf_, where we -should naturally expect to see it if Braid still has this idea. The -curious thing is that in James Braid's illustrations in _Advanced -Golf_ for playing a slice the right hand is much further forward on -the club than it is in those showing the grip for the pull; in fact -were it not that the stance shows clearly that the photographs are -correctly marked, one would be much inclined to think that they had -been wrongly entitled. In playing for the slice, Braid's hand is well -over the club, whereas in the pull it is almost underneath it. In -_Advanced Golf_ this grip for a slice is extremely pronounced, in fact -very much more so than in his illustrations of the stance and address -for this stroke which he gives in his book _How to Play Golf_. - -The popular misconception about the slice is well instanced by what -Harry Vardon has to say in connection with the cut mashie approach. He -says at page 129 of _The Complete Golfer_: - - It is also most important that at the instant when ball and - club come into contact the blade should be drawn quickly - towards the left foot. To do this properly requires not only - much dexterity, but most accurate timing, and first attempts - are likely to be very clumsy and disappointing, but many of - the difficulties will disappear with practice, and when at - last some kind of proficiency has been obtained, it will be - found that the ball answers in the most obedient manner to - the call that is made upon it. It will come down so dead upon - the green that it may be chipped up in the air until it is - almost directly over the spot at which it is desired to place - it. - -I have no hesitation whatever in saying that this is absolutely bad -golf. In all cases where cut is applied to the golf ball there must be -no attempt whatever to introduce anything into the stroke during the -period of contact between the ball and the club. I am here dealing -with Vardon's statement with regard to the mashie approach, but it is -apparent that all cut shots are, in effect, slices, and if one gets -the idea into one's mind that the slice is obtained by anything which -is done consciously during impact and timed by the player to be done -in that space of time, it must militate severely against one's chance -of producing a successful shot. - -A little farther down on the same page Vardon says: - - At the moment of impact the arms should be nearly full length - and stiff, and the wrists as stiff as it is possible to make - them. I said that the drawing of the blade towards the left - foot would have to be done quickly because obviously there is - very little time to lose; but it must be done smoothly and - evenly, without a jerk, which would upset the whole swing, - and if it is begun the smallest fraction of a second too soon - the ball will be taken by the toe of the club, and the - consequences will not be satisfactory. I have returned to - make this the last word about the cut, because it is the - essence of the stroke and it calls for what a young player - might well regard as an almost hopeless nicety of perfection. - -Here it is quite evident that Vardon thinks that the cut on a mashie -approach is played by something imported into the stroke _during -impact_, whereas the truth is that the club in a good shot properly -played never alters from the line of the arc mapped out by the mind -from the very beginning of the stroke. Vardon says that the cut "must -be applied smoothly and evenly without a jerk, which would upset the -whole swing." It is obvious that if the head of the club has travelled -in a certain line down to within a fraction of an inch of the ball, -and is then suddenly pulled across the ball, _there must be a jerk_. - -This, however, is not what happens when the stroke is well played. The -club face simply passes across the intended line of flight of the ball -with the front edge of the sole approximately at a right angle to such -intended line of flight, but the club head proceeds across the line in -an uninterrupted arc. If what Vardon, Mr. Travis, and many other -people lay down, were correct, a drawing of the stroke would show the -club head proceeding to the ball in a curve, then a sudden jump -inwards towards the player with a continuation approximating to the -follow-through of the first half of the stroke, but it is almost -needless to say that nothing of this kind takes place either in this -modified slice or the true slice at golf, which we shall have to deal -with more particularly later on. - -Speaking of this shot--the cut mashie stroke--Vardon says: "It will -come so dead upon the green that it may be chipped up into the air -until it is almost perfectly over the spot at which it is desired to -place it." - -This may be so. I have played the shot myself repeatedly, and I have -repeatedly seen perhaps the greatest master in the world of the cut -mashie approach, to wit J. H. Taylor, playing this shot, and there -cannot be any doubt whatever that this particular class of mashie -approach nearly always gives the ball a considerable run from left to -right. This, indeed, is perfectly natural, for one goes right in -underneath the ball and gives it a tremendous side roll tending to -make it swerve in the air from left to right, and when it strikes the -green, to run in the same direction. So pronounced indeed is the -swerve and run of this ball that I have seen J. H. Taylor playing at -Mid-Surrey when the green was practically completely obstructed by a -large tree, play this shot so that it curved round the tree on to the -edge of the green and then ran in almost to the pin. - -The shot which stops so dead at the hole, as Harry Vardon mentions, -must of necessity have much more in the nature of back cut which -produces back-spin than has the ball played by the stroke which he -describes. - -Vardon refers to the pull and the slice as being the master strokes in -golf. I have already said that if I had to pick any one stroke which -could be called the master stroke in golf, it would be the -wind-cheater, and it is open to question if the long plain drive is -not entitled to greater respect than either the pull or the slice. Be -that as it may, there is in my mind very little doubt about the -respective merits of the wind-cheater and the other strokes referred -to. The wind-cheater is the ball which is produced with a large amount -of back-spin. Harry Vardon describes it at page 105, and he explains -that in order to make the push shot perfectly "the sight should be -directed to the centre of the ball, and the club should be brought -directly on to it (exactly on the spot marked on the diagram, page -170)." I may remark here that the spot shown on the ball at page 170 -of _The Complete Golfer_ for a push shot is absolutely above the -centre of mass of the ball, and that at page 106 Harry Vardon gives a -diagram of "The push shot with the cleek." In this diagram he shows -that the face of the cleek at the moment of impact is perpendicular. - -It is quite certain that even if one could hit the ball above the -centre of its mass with a perpendicular face, it would be impossible -to get the ball off the ground in this manner. The push shot with the -cleek must be played with loft on the club, and indeed it does not -matter what club is used for this shot, there must be _loft_ on the -face of the club _at the moment of impact_ if one is to obtain a -satisfactory result, and not only must there be loft on the face of -the club, but it is a certainty that the impact of the club with the -ball must be _below_ the centre of the ball's mass, and not as Vardon -shows it at page 170 of _The Complete Golfer_, above it. - -Vardon, for playing this push shot, uses a cleek with a shorter handle -and with more loft than his ordinary cleek. This, indeed, is quite -natural, for the shot is, in the nature of it, a very straight up and -down shot in the line to the hole, and also as it is desirable that -the ball shall be hit by the club before the club head has reached the -lowest point in its swing, Vardon naturally has his hands forward of -the ball at the moment of impact. This, of course, to a certain -extent, counteracts the loft of the cleek, but in no case does it -counteract it to the extent shown by Vardon in the diagram at page 106 -of _The Complete Golfer_, for were the blow made as shown by these -diagrams, it would be a mechanical impossibility to obtain the result -described by Vardon. - -The reason for keeping the hands forward of the ball is, as I have -indicated, that the club head may make impact with the ball before it -has reached the bottom of its swing, and Vardon's reason for playing -with a club of greater loft than is usually employed is that this -greater loft helps to make up for the fact that his hands are forward -of the ball at the moment of impact. Playing this stroke with an -ordinary cleek would rob the cleek of so much of its loft that the -probability is that the flight of the ball would in its initial stages -be too low to give a satisfactory result. - -Vardon says at page 106: "The diagram on this page shows the passage -of the club through the ball as it were, exactly," but the trouble is -that it does not show the passage of the club through the ball "as it -were, exactly," because at the moment of impact with the ball the club -must have sufficient loft on its face to lift the ball, and, moreover, -the face of the club must make its first contact at a point at most as -high as the centre of the ball, but preferably much lower, so that the -force of the blow has an opportunity of exerting itself upwardly -through the centre of the ball's mass. Vardon plays this shot -perfectly, but he does not describe it as well as he plays it. He says -at page 106 of _The Complete Golfer_: - - I may remark that personally I play not only my half cleek - stroke, but all my cleek strokes in this way, so much am I - devoted to the qualities of flight which are thereby imparted - to the ball, and though I do not insist that others should do - likewise in all cases, I am certainly of opinion that they - are missing something when they do not learn to play the half - shot in this manner. The greatest danger they have to fear is - that in their too conscious efforts to keep the club clear of - the ground until after impact, they will overdo it and simply - top the ball, when, of course, there will be no flight at - all. - -There can be no doubt that this stroke is an extremely valuable one, -particularly with the cleek, and it is a stroke which will well repay -anyone for the time spent in practising it. There is, indeed, as -Vardon says, a great danger of the player topping the ball if he tries -to keep too far away from the ground until after the impact, but he -must at all costs get out of his mind the idea of hitting the ball -where Vardon says it should be hit, viz. above the centre of the -ball's mass. This never was golf. It is not golf now, and it never -will be golf. - -It is almost incredible, but is a fact, that a golf journalist who -presumed to say that he knew what was "at the back of his (Harry -Vardon's) head" stated in an article in a sporting magazine in London, -that this push shot, one of Vardon's most beautiful and accurate -strokes, is obtained by thumping the ball on to the earth--in fact -that the stroke is almost what one might term a "bump ball," to use -the cricket term. Any idea more abhorrent to the true golfer than the -notion of producing his finest cleek shots and approach shots by -banging the ball on to the earth can hardly be imagined, nor anything -more incorrect. - -The wind-cheater is an invaluable stroke, but there can be no doubt -that it is a stroke calling for a very considerable degree of skill in -order to play it perfectly, or indeed very well, and in connection -with this matter there was a very peculiar but entirely mistaken idea -that for the production of this stroke it was necessary at the moment -of impact to turn over both wrists. This idea obtained for years, and -notwithstanding my repeated explanations, the deeply rooted notion was -persevered in and used in such a manner by many players that it -seriously interfered with their game. - -Some of the criticism which I had to put up with at the time that I -was instructing golfers in these matters was very remarkable. I must -give one instance which seems almost incredible. I had explained in -the pages of _Golf Illustrated_, the leading golfing journal of -London, how the pull is produced, and I had therein indicated as -clearly and decidedly as I now do that it was impossible to produce -the pull by the method indicated by Harry Vardon. Mr. A. C. M. Croome, -the well-known international player, solemnly asserted in the _Morning -Post_ that he had himself seen Harry Vardon produce the shot in the -manner which I said was an impossibility, and that in effect an ounce -of practice was worth a pound of theory. - -I took the trouble to explain that a cinematograph with about 400 -pictures, or perhaps a good many less per second, was sufficient to -deceive an ordinary man into thinking that he saw a continuous picture. -I explained that the camera which took the photographs for my purpose -was timed to give an exposure of one twelve-hundred-and-fiftieth of a -second, and that this was, therefore, at least three times as rapid as -the machine which deceives an ordinary man into thinking that he sees a -single picture, but notwithstanding that the camera was so tremendously -rapid in its exposure, the golf club beats it to such an extent that at -the moment of impact the club is represented by a swish of light or -movement on the plate, and the ball immediately after impact is -represented by something resembling a section of a sperm candle. So -extremely rapid is its flight that it is impossible to obtain even by so -short an exposure anything resembling clear definition. - -I showed clearly that an implement which was moving so fast as to -absolutely beat the machine which was three times as fast as the -machine which deceived the human being, was not likely to be able to -be followed accurately by the human eye unaided in any way whatever. -Still, that was the kind of criticism which I had to undergo. - -I was told exactly the same thing when I explained that in the push -shot there must be no attempt whatever to turn over the wrists at the -moment of impact, that in this shot as in all other strokes at golf, -there must be no attempt whatever made to interfere with, or alter, -during impact, the angle of the loft taken at the time of address, for -any such attempt as this must end in trouble. - -It was some years after this controversy that Mr. A. C. M. Croome -produced a column in the _Morning Post_ entitled "Justice," in which -he referred to the matter as follows: - - - MR. VAILE RIGHT - - It is common talk that Sherlock has improved a great deal - since he migrated from Oxford to Stoke Poges, and for once - common talk is right. His driving, at least when the ground - is hard, is distinctly longer than it used to be, but the - increased length has not been purchased at the expense of - steadiness. The ball still flies from his wooden clubs along - a line ruled straight to the hole. Even more valuable to him - than the gain in length is the acquisition of all that range - of shots which, if correctly played, leave the striker posed - with his arms straight out and the back of his right hand - uppermost. - - A few years ago I, in common with many other misguided - golfers, believed that the movement of the right hand was the - cause, not the consequence, of correct execution. - Consequently a large percentage of the shots attempted to be - played in this way went anywhere but to the desired place. We - turned the key in the lock too soon. So far as I know Mr. P. - A. Vaile was the first publicist to set forth the truth. I - have differed from him on many points and found myself unable - to follow the more abstruse of his treatises. It is a - pleasure to acknowledge a debt to him, and it is a heavy - debt, for a misconception of the work done by the right hand - in holding the ball up against a left hand wind is fraught - with disastrous consequences. Sherlock was performing this - feat most exactly on Tuesday and hitting the ball monstrous - far with his irons forbye. - -I was very pleased to see this statement by Mr. Croome, for several -reasons. It was a sportsmanlike acknowledgment of error, and a fine -instance of what I call "the detached mind," which is extremely rare -in England. The majority of controversialists are too much taken up -with the personal aspect of the controversy, to remember that the -controversy if it is worth entering upon, must always be of more -importance than the controversialists, but beyond this, it is always -of importance, especially for one who is in the habit of writing golf, -to know the game to the core, for such an one can do much to spread a -correct knowledge of the game, and this misconception of the action of -the wrists has been responsible for millions of foundered shots. - -I cannot help thinking, however, that in Mr. Croome's generous -acknowledgment of error, he was, to a certain extent, committing -another error, for when he spoke of "all that range of shots, which if -correctly played, leave the striker posed with his arms right out and -the back of his right hand uppermost" he referred naturally to balls -which have been played in the main with back-spin, but a little later -on he proceeded to say: - - It is a pleasure to acknowledge a debt to him, and it is a - heavy debt, for a misconception of the work done by the right - hand in holding the ball up against a left hand wind is - fraught with disastrous consequences. - -Here it will be evident that Mr. Croome is referring to a pulled ball, -but at no time when one has obtained a pulled ball by a stroke -properly played, will the finish be such as that described by Mr. -Croome. The finish described by him is the characteristic finish of -the wind-cheater type of ball, but, notwithstanding this, the point is -that Mr. Croome has acknowledged the error with regard to the turn -over of the wrists; as he very well puts it, "we turned the key in the -lock too soon." That very succinctly summarises the matter, and it -will be sufficient for our purpose in this chapter. - -I must quote again a passage in Mr. Croome's article. He says: "Even -more valuable to him than the gain in length is the acquisition of all -that range of shots which, if correctly played, leave the striker -posed with his arms straight out and the back of the right hand -uppermost." This is a somewhat curious sentence. As a matter of fact, -anyone who acquires this range of shots will acquire with it extra -distance, for the finish, as I have already stated, but cannot state -too often or too emphatically, is the characteristic finish of the -wind-cheater--a ball which carries the beneficial back-spin of golf, -the secret at once of length and direction. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -THE ACTION OF THE WRISTS - - -There is no doubt that a proper wrist action in the drive is of very -great importance, and it is just as undoubted that the real secret of -wrist action has been enshrouded in mystery by anyone who has in any -way attempted to deal with it. Indeed, so great a master of the game -as James Braid, absolutely confesses that he does not know where the -wrists come in during the drive. As Braid has already stated that it -is almost impossible to teach putting, it really looks as though there -is quite a considerable gap in golf which must be left to his pupils' -imagination, but this is not really so. These great golfers really -know golf and teach it much better than their published works would -lead one to believe, and as a matter of fact in very many instances -the matter which I am criticising so plainly is, I believe, not their -own. I cannot believe that much of the ridiculous nonsense which is -published in association with the greatest names of the world would be -upheld by them in an ordinary lesson--in other words, I am firmly -convinced that they suffer in the interpretation by persons whose -knowledge of golf is extremely limited. - -It will, however, be interesting to see what the great golfers have to -say with regard to wrist work. Let us turn first to Harry Vardon at -page 70 of _The Complete Golfer_. There he says: - - Now pay attention to the wrists. They should be held fairly - tightly. If the club is held tightly the wrists will be - tight, and _vice versa_. When the wrists are tight there is - little play in them and more is demanded of the arms. I do - not believe in the long ball coming from the wrists. In - defiance of principles which are accepted in many quarters, I - will go so far as to say that, except in putting, there is no - pure wrist shot in golf. Some players attempt to play their - short approach with their wrists as they have been told to - do. These men are likely to remain at long handicaps for a - long time. Similarly there is a kind of superstition that the - elect among drivers get in some peculiar kind of "snap"--a - momentary forward pushing movement--with their wrists at the - time of impact, and that it is this wrist work at the - critical period which gives the grand length to their drives, - those extra twenty or thirty yards which make the stroke look - so splendid, so uncommon, and which make the next shot so - much easier. Generally speaking, the wrists, when held - firmly, will take very good care of themselves; but there is - a tendency, particularly when the two V-grip is used to allow - the right hand to take charge of affairs at the time the ball - is struck, and the result is that the right wrist, as the - swing is completed, gradually gets on to the top of the shaft - instead of remaining in its proper place. - -There are several important statements in this paragraph. Vardon says, -"I do not believe in the long ball coming from the wrists," and I say -that there is no doubt whatever that in the ordinary acceptation of -the term the long ball no more comes from the wrists than it does from -the feet, for as Vardon indicates here, in a drive of perfect rhythm -there is no such thing as getting the wrists into the work at, or -about, the moment of impact, as is so frequently advocated by authors -who preach what they do not themselves practise. - -Vardon says that "except in putting there is no pure wrist shot in -golf." I have already shown that not even in putting is there such a -thing as a pure wrist shot in golf, unless, indeed, the player should -be playing with a putter which has an absolutely perpendicular shaft. -In this case, and in this only, is it possible to play a pure wrist -shot in golf if one follows out correctly the instructions which are -recognised as being the soundest guide in good putting. - -Before quoting from James Braid in _Advanced Golf_ I must draw -particular attention to what Vardon has said about the "snap" of the -wrists at the moment of impact. He says that "there is a kind of -superstition that the elect among drivers get in some peculiar kind of -'snap'--a momentary forward pushing movement--with their wrists at the -time of impact, and that it is this wrist work at the critical period -which gives the grand length to their drives." It is surely not to be -wondered at that this, as Vardon terms it, "superstition" exists, when -we read in a book such as _Advanced Golf_, which was published several -years after Vardon's _Complete Golfer_, statements to this effect: - - Then comes the moment of impact. Crack! Everything is let - loose, and round comes the body immediately the ball is - struck, and goes slightly forward until the player is facing - the line of flight. The right shoulder must not come round - too soon in the downward swing but must go fairly well - forward after the ball is hit. If the tension has been - properly held all this will come quite easily and naturally; - the time for the tension is over and now it is allowed its - sudden and complete expansion and quick collapse. That is the - whole secret of the thing--the bursting of the tension at the - proper moment--and really there is very little to be said in - enlargement of the idea. At this moment the action of the - wrists is all-important, but it cannot be described. Where - exactly the wrists begin to do their proper work I have never - been able to determine exactly, for the work is almost - instantaneously brief. Neither can one say precisely how they - work except for the suggestion that has already been made. It - seems, however, that they start when the club head is a - matter of some eighteen inches from the ball, and that for a - distance of a yard in the arc that it is describing they have - it almost to themselves, and impart a whip-like snap to the - movement, not only giving a great extra force to the stroke, - but, by keeping the club head for a moment in the straight - line of the intended flight of the ball, doing much towards - the ensuring of the proper direction. It seems to be a sort - of flick--in some respects very much the same kind of action - as when a man is boring a corkscrew into the cork of a - bottle. He turns his right wrist back; for a moment it is - under high tension, and then he lets it loose with a short, - sudden snap. Unless the wrists are in their proper place as - described, at the top of the swing, it is impossible to get - them to do this work when the time comes. There is nowhere - for them to spring back from. - -Here it will be seen that in a work of James Braid which is entitled -_Advanced Golf_ and which was published several years after Harry -Vardon's _Complete Golfer_ and by the same firm, we have advice and -information given to us which is diametrically opposed to the ideas of -Harry Vardon. There can be no doubt whatever that Vardon's opinion -with regard to this matter is much sounder than Braid's, and in order -that I may assist anybody who is in doubt as to which opinion to be -influenced by, I shall analyse Braid's statement. - -We must, before we begin to consider Braid's advice, remember that he -himself admits that he does not know where the wrists come in. - -This reminds me of an incident which occurred a short time ago. An -unfortunate golfer who had an idea that a golf ball should be hit in -much the same manner as a cricket ball, or any other common sort of -ball, came to me in my office one day and asked me to show him what -was wrong with his swing. I put down a ball for him on a captive -machine, handed him a golf club and said: "Let me see you hit it?" He -proceeded to hit it, but the instant his club head moved away from the -ball it was apparent to me that he had not a rudimentary idea of the -golf stroke. His left wrist began to turn outwards instead of inwards -and downwards. I showed him at once how wrong he was in the -fundamental principles of the golfing stroke, for, as is quite usual, -he had no idea whatever of the proper distribution of his weight, -having been taught by his professional that it must, at the top of the -swing, be on his right leg. But the main point to which I want to draw -attention is contained in his plaintive remark to me: - -"Yes, that is all right now you show it to me, and I can feel that it -is better, but it is when I come to play the ball and have to remember -all these things that I make a mess of it." - -My reply to him was: "My dear fellow, the man who understands how to -teach golf does not teach you how to remember all these things. He -teaches you how to forget them--in other words, he so instructs you -that everything you do between the moment that you address the ball -and the time that you hit it, is done practically without any strain -on your mind whatever. It is done by habit or second nature. Anyone -who teaches you in such a manner that you have to remember each of the -things which you think go to make up a perfect drive _while you are -making that drive_ is no use whatever to you as a teacher," and he was -immensely relieved even at the bare idea of this revolutionary -teaching. - -Nevertheless, in effect, this is the only true and scientific tuition -for the golfing drive. We want to make the golfer handle his club in -such a manner that all these things which the ordinary book tells him -about as being necessary to be done and to be considered seriatim, -fall into their places as naturally as one foot comes after another in -a walk. To do this we have, unquestionably, to go through an enormous -amount of elimination of utterly false doctrine, and the quotation I -have just given from _Advanced Golf_ is an excellent illustration of -what a true teacher has to do in the way of beating down and clearing -away harmful doctrine. - -Here we have published with the authority of a great player like James -Braid, and in absolute opposition to the advice of an equally great -player, Harry Vardon, a statement to the effect that the wrists come -into the drive and influence the stroke for eighteen inches before and -after impact. We are told that "at this moment the motion of the -wrists is all-important, but it cannot be described." We need not -wonder that the action of the wrists cannot be described, for at the -moment referred to by James Braid, there is, as a matter of practical -golf and undoubted fact, no wrist action whatever. If one had any -doubt whatever about this, one would only have to look at Braid's -photographs in _Advanced Golf_ showing how he plays for a pull and a -slice respectively. - -In both of these strokes Braid uses identically similar photographs to -show his stance and address. Personally, as I have already stated, I -consider that he is, from a golfing point of view, utterly wrong in -doing such a thing, for there can be no doubt that the positions are -extremely different. Indeed, it would be quite ridiculous to suppose -that they were not so, but taking these photographs as Braid's mental -picture of what he does at the moment of impact, we see there clearly -that the wrists are, at the moment of impact, in exactly the same -position as they were at the moment of address. - -Taking this in conjunction with the fact that Braid says in the -extract which I have just quoted "Where exactly the wrists begin to do -their proper work I have never been able to determine exactly, for the -work is almost instantaneously brief," we are quite justified in -coming to the conclusion that Braid himself does not, in this critical -portion of the swing, use any wrist work whatever. - -Now Braid says that he has never been able to determine exactly where -the wrists begin to do their proper work, so I must explain for his -benefit, and for the benefit of the great body of golfers, where the -wrists really begin to do their work, and where they do the most -important part of their work, and that is absolutely at the beginning -of the downward stroke. It is here that the wrists have the greatest -life and "snap" in them, for the weight of the club and the strain of -the development of the initial velocity fall across the wrist-joints -in that position which gives them their greatest resistance--that is, -in the way in which the wrists bend least; but it must not be -forgotten that although the wrist bends least sideways, still, the -bend that the wrist is capable of in that direction provides a -tremendous amount of strength. This is particularly evident in all -games which are played with rackets. - -I must here give an illustration of the power that is obtained in this -position. I have before referred to Mr. Horace Hutchinson's -illustration of the proper position at the top of the drive which he -gives in the Badminton volume on _Golf_. Here the player is shown with -the right elbow pointing skywards, and the left, if anything, too much -out the other way. - -An unfortunate golfer who had tried to put these principles into -execution came into my office one day, and told me that he could get -no length whatever in his drive. I handed him a club and said: "Let me -see you swing?" At the top of his swing he got into this position -which is now considered the classical illustration of how it should -not be done, and after I had allowed him to swing several times from -this position I said to him: "Now swing again, but stop at the top of -your swing." He stopped at the top of his swing, and I then went and -stood behind him almost in a line with his right shoulder and the hole -and about a club's length from him, and I addressed him as follows: -"Will you kindly forget for the moment that that thing which you have -in your hands is a golf club, and will you also consider, ridiculous -as it may seem, that for the nonce my head is a block of wood, and -that you have in your hands now an axe instead of a golf club, with -which you desire to split my head in two. Would you now, if you had to -strike this block of wood, use your arms as you are doing?" - -"Why, no," came the answer instantly. "I should do this," and down -dropped both elbows underneath the club. Then I said to this searcher -after the truth: - -"I do not think I shall ever again have to tell you where to put your -elbows," and he answered, apparently overwhelmed by my supernatural -cleverness: - -"That is a wonderful illustration. I never thought of it like that -before." - -I am giving this as an illustration of the vagueness with which people -treat an utterly simple proposition such as this. This man was a -chartered accountant, and really, in his way, a particularly clever -fellow, but he was overwhelmed with admiration because I was able to -show him that with his golfing club he was doing, or trying to do, a -thing which no one but an idiot would have dreamed of trying to do -with a hammer or an axe. This is the kind of thing for which we have -to thank the people who write vague generalities about things which -they do not understand. - -Let us analyse this most important pronouncement of Braid's a little -further. He continues: - - Neither can one say precisely how they work, except for the - suggestion that has already been made. It seems, however, - that they start when the club head is a matter of some - eighteen inches from the ball, and that for a distance of a - yard in the arc that it is describing they have it almost to - themselves and impart a whip-like snap to the movement, not - only giving a great extra force to the stroke, but, by - keeping the club head for a moment in the straight line of - the intended flight of the ball, doing much towards the - ensuring of the proper direction. - -The real truth of this matter is that there is no portion of the arc -of the drive wherein the wrists exert less influence, or are _so -completely out of business_ as they are in that portion of the drive -wherein James Braid _says they are predominant_. - -The wrists have a tremendous amount to do with the development of the -speed of the stroke, but particularly in the initial stage of the -downward stroke. This will be most clearly seen by a study of George -Duncan's wrist action at plate 64 of _Modern Golf_, wherein the wrists -are shown turning over when the club has gone about half-way on its -downward swing. Of course, they begin to turn over much sooner than -this, but the truth is that the turn-over of the wrist or, more -correctly speaking, the roll of the forearms in the downward swing is -such a wonderfully gradual and natural process that it would be -utterly impossible for anyone to say at what particular period in the -downward swing it happens, and if anyone can say, or, rather, does -say, at what particular period the wrists come in to the downward -stroke, he is not only an ignorant golfer, but an enemy to golf, for -it is a matter which cannot be described except to say that the wrist -action begins absolutely with the beginning of the stroke, and is then -a continuous and natural turn until the club gets very close to the -ball, by which time there is practically nothing left for the wrists -to do, as the club has reverted to the position in which it was at the -moment of address, or perhaps I should say that it ought to have -reverted to that position, as indeed, in so far as regards the club -itself, is properly shown by James Braid in his photographs of stance -and address and impact. - -We have now to deal with the space of eighteen inches in the -follow-through, wherein James Braid asserts the wrists still have it -all to themselves. This eighteen inches is in all properly executed -straight drives, and by straight drives, I mean drives which are not -intentionally pulled or sliced, taken up by a clean follow-through -down the line of flight after the ball, and this follow-through is, of -course, associated with the forward movement of the body on to the -left leg which is so well and clearly shown in the instantaneous -photographs of James Braid and Harry Vardon, but is, by Braid in -_Advanced Golf_, stated to be inadvisable in his text, but clearly -shown as advisable in his photographs. - -There can be no doubt whatever that any attempt to introduce into the -drive for eighteen inches before and after impact, anything whatever -in the nature of a "whip-like snap" would absolutely ruin the rhythm -of the swing, for it is evident that the introduction of a "whip-like -snap" into something which we have been told is "a sweep," would -absolutely upset the general character of that "sweep." It is -impossible to have a sweep, and in that sweep to sweep the ball away -and at the same time to get the ball away by a "whip-like snap." -Either we have the sweep or we have the whip-like snap, admitting for -the sake of argument that either of these statements is correct, which -is not the fact, as the ball is hit away and neither "swept" nor got -away with a "whip-like snap," but the would-be learner is presented -with this mass of confused thought, instead of having nothing whatever -to think of with regard to hitting the ball more than he would have in -his mind if he stood still in the road and tried to smite an acorn -with his walking-stick. - -Let me make this matter perfectly plain. We will consider that the -beginner has taken his stance and addressed his ball perfectly. Let -him now take his club back from the ball in the manner which the -text-books describe for an ordinary drive. Let him swing it thus back -from the ball for a foot and let him swing it back against that ball -and for a foot on the way to the hole. Let him do this once, twice, -ten times, a hundred times, aye a thousand times, if so many be -necessary for him to get absolutely and firmly settled in his mind the -fact that this swing of one foot back and one foot forward is almost -an exact replica of what happens every time he hits a good straight -drive in actual play; that it is approximately a correct sample of the -club action in that section of the swing back, downward swing, impact, -and follow-through. This idea, and this idea only, is what the golfer -must have in his mind, and when he has got this into his mind he will -see clearly that the whole importance of using the wrists properly in -golf is to get them to do their chief work in the early development of -the power of the golf drive, but that by the time the ball is reached -by the club head they have absolutely gone out of business and do not -again come into operation until in the natural order of things they -turn the club over, and pull it off the line of flight to the hole in -the follow-through. - - [Illustration: PLATE X. HARRY VARDON - - Finish of a drive, showing Vardon's perfect management of his - weight.] - -Braid is wonderfully hazy in this matter. He continues: "It seems to -be a sort of flick, in some respects very much the same kind of action -as when a man is boring a corkscrew into the cork of a bottle. He -turns his right wrist back; for a moment it is under high tension and -then he lets it loose with a short sudden snap." This really is very -sad. We are repeatedly told that the golf stroke is a swing or a -sweep, and that it must be of an even character from beginning to end, -and yet we have James Braid in _Advanced Golf_ telling us that the -impact in the drive "seems to be a sort of flick." Well, all I can say -is that I wish any golfer who goes into the flicking business much joy -and great improvement, but I have not much hope that he will get it -until he finds out that flicking is no portion of the game of golf. - -Braid's idea of this most important portion of the drive is most -remarkable. His haziness in connection with the matter extends even to -his illustration. He says that this wrist action is "in some respects -very much the same kind of action as when a man is boring a corkscrew -into the cork of a bottle. He turns his wrist right back; for a moment -it is under high tension and then he lets it loose with a short sudden -snap." - -This is, mechanically, a marvellous statement. I do not profess to be -a great authority on the subject of corkscrews, bottles--or their -contents, but even in this respect I may confess to being a trifle -more than theoretical, and I may say that I have inserted many a -corkscrew into many a cork, but I have never yet used a corkscrew -wherein I turned my wrist over as the right wrist turns over in the -downward swing of the golf club. As a matter of fact, I never inserted -a corkscrew into a cork where I did not turn my wrist from left to -right. All the tension in putting a corkscrew into a cork is on the -backward journey, or that which corresponds to the upward swing in -golf. There is no tension whatever on the return, or that portion of -the screwing process which corresponds to the downward swing in golf, -whereas in golf the main portion of tension is in the downward swing; -but I believe Braid is a teetotaller, so we may forgive him if in this -respect his theory is unsound, and I think we can say that although he -may be entirely theoretical in this, his theory is, in this instance, -not more unsound than it is in regard to what he professes to describe -as the wrist action in the golf drive. - -Braid says that "unless the wrists are in their proper place, as -described, at the top of the swing, it is impossible to get them to do -this work when the time comes. There is nowhere for them to spring -back from." This is correct and absolutely sound; the wrists must, -unquestionably, be in their right place at the top of the swing, the -right place being, as I have already indicated, and as indeed -practically every respectable book on golf, with the exception of the -Badminton volume, shows, underneath the shaft of the club at the top -of the swing, but it is quite wrong to speak of any such thing as -there being no place "for them to spring back from." - -There must be no "spring." It is more a question of swinging than -springing, although, as my readers know, I am opposed even to the idea -of a swing in the golfing stroke. The stroke in golf is one of the -finest hits in the whole realm of athletics, and I object entirely to -it being called a swing or a sweep, or anything but that which it is -legitimately entitled to be called. - -Braid says at page 62: "After impact and the release of all tension, -body and arms are allowed to swing forward in the direction of the -flight of the ball." This sentence gives us pause. We have seen, -according to Braid, that for the space of a yard, that is for eighteen -inches before and after impact in the drive, the wrists come into the -swing and do something with a "whip-like snap"--something that is a -sort of a "flick." We see that this "whip-like snap," and this "sort -of a flick," are kept up for eighteen inches after impact, but we are -told a little farther on that at the moment of impact "everything is -let loose, and round comes the body immediately the ball is struck." - -How is it possible to imagine this kind of thing taking place within a -swing of perfect rhythm? It is evident that Braid has a very rooted -notion about this wrist movement. I must quote again from him, this -time from _How to Play Golf_. On page 54 he says: - - The initiative in bringing down the club is taken by the left - wrist, and the club is then brought forward rapidly and with - an even acceleration of pace until the club head is about a - couple of feet from the ball. So far the movement will - largely have been an arm movement, but at this point there - should be some tightening-up of the wrists, and the club will - be gripped a little more tightly. This will probably come - about naturally, and though some authorities have expressed - different opinions, I am certainly one of those who believe - that the work done by the wrists at this point has a lot to - do with the making of the drive. - -Personally, I believe that Braid is wrong in speaking about the -initiative in bringing down the club being taken by the left wrist. I -believe that the left wrist has no more to do with it than the right -wrist, and I do not believe that one practical golfer in a hundred -could tell which wrist he uses, and the chances are that if he could -tell he would not be a very good golfer, for these are things with -which a golfer has no right to cumber his mind. They are things which -can quite well be left to Nature. It is an act of supreme folly for -the ordinary man to think in the slightest degree of apportioning to -either hand the share of its work in the drive. That absolutely must -never be on his mind when beginning his stroke. - -Braid here emphasises his idea that the wrists come into the golf -drive at about two feet from the ball. In _Advanced Golf_ he says -eighteen inches. In this matter I must unhesitatingly be with Harry -Vardon, and if I had not Harry Vardon's support,--if I stood against -the authority of the world of golfers--I should still be just as -positive as I am with the important corroboration which Vardon gives -me, for there can be no doubt that as a matter of practical golf, -there is no portion of the stroke in golf wherein the wrists are more -quiescent than in the impact. I must not be misunderstood when I say -this. It is obvious that the wrists at the moment of impact will be -braced to receive the shock of the blow, but the speed of the blow has -been developed long before impact, and the wrists have approximately -resumed their normal position as at the moment of address. - -Although Harry Vardon is so positive in combating the notion of the -wrists coming into the drive at the moment of impact, I find him at -page 53 of _Great Golfers_ saying, when writing of the downward swing -with the driver and brassy: - - In commencing the downward swing I try to feel that both - hands and wrists are still working together. The wrists start - bringing the club down, and, at the same moment, the left - knee commences to resume its original position. The head - during this time has been kept quite still, the body alone - pivoting from the hips. When the left knee has turned, I find - I am standing firmly on both feet and the arms are in - position as in the upward swing, before the left knee started - to bend. From this point the speed of the wrists seems to - increase, and the impact is thus made with the club head - travelling at its highest velocity. - -I would here draw attention to the fact that Harry Vardon says: "The -wrists start bringing the club down." This, I consider, is very -important. I have already referred to Braid's statement about the left -wrist taking the initiative. It is of very great importance for the -golfer or would-be golfer to know that the left wrist has not any -right whatever to claim precedence of the right wrist at this critical -moment in the development of the power in the drive. - -The other point in this extract to which I desire to draw attention is -that Vardon says, speaking of a point in the swing which he describes, -and which is practically the same spot wherein Braid says the wrists -exert their influence, that is to say, two feet from the ball: "From -this point the speed of the wrists seems to increase, and the impact -is thus made with the club travelling at its highest velocity." It is -quite possible--in fact, it is nearly certain that the speed of the -wrists will increase from that point, and that the impact will be made -with the club travelling at its highest velocity, but in describing it -in this manner Vardon is very nearly guilty of falling into the same -error as James Braid has; for this reason, that he is directing the -mind to the speed of the wrists at a critical portion of the stroke, -whereas there is only one point whose speed has to be considered, and -that is the point that does the business, which is the centre, if one -may call it so, of the face of the golf club, and it stands to reason -that if this is coming down at an ever-increasing speed, what Vardon -says of this point would be as true of any other point in the downward -swing, but it is bad golf to direct the attention of the student or -the golfer to the speed of his connecting link instead of to the -business end of the club, at any period during his swing. The golfer's -mind must be centred on his ball and his club head. - -Taylor, so far as I remember, does not fall into this very grave -error, but he, in common with most of the great professionals, is -under the impression that the wrists are largely used at the moment of -impact to influence the stroke. This is one of the gravest errors in -golf. Speaking of lofting a stymie Taylor says: "Then, exactly as the -club strikes the ball, the wrists must be turned in an upward -direction smartly. The result of this is that the ball is lofted over -the other, and if hit properly it will run on and go out of sight as -intended." It is a very curious thing that nearly every author or -great golfer thinks that in lofting a stymie the best way is to turn -the wrists upwards, whereas in fact, and in practical golf, absolutely -the best and most certain way of lofting a stymie is to turn neither -the wrists, nor, as naturally follows, the face of the club, upwards, -at the moment of impact. That must always tend, in a stroke of very -great delicacy, which is a natural characteristic of many stymies, to -put too much power into propulsion instead of elevation. The best -stymie stroke which can be played, is played without lifting the -mashie or the niblick by so much as a fraction of an inch after the -ball has been hit. I have illustrated this stroke very fully, both by -diagram and photograph in _Modern Golf_, and it is unquestionably -superior in every way to the ordinary method of playing a stymie. - -Let us now glance at the Badminton _Golf_ and see what Mr. Horace -Hutchinson has to say with regard to this wrist action. At page 90 we -read: - - Now as the club comes near the ball, the wrists, which were - turned upward when the club was raised, will need to be - brought back, down again. It is a perfectly natural movement, - but where many beginners go wrong with it is that they are - too apt to make this wrist-turn too soon in the swing, and - thereby lose its force altogether. The wrists should be - turned again, just as the club is meeting the ball--otherwise - the stroke, to all seeming perhaps a fairly hit one, will - have very little power. - -It is quite evident that Mr. Hutchinson is an adherent of the -"whip-like snap" and the "flick" theory at the moment of impact, for -he tells us that the wrists must be turned again just as the club is -meeting the ball. - -I need not deal fully with this statement, for I have already -sufficiently analysed the same idea which is held by James Braid. The -only difference is that Mr. Horace Hutchinson's is very much worse -than Braid's, in that he thinks the turn-over of the wrists should be -executed at the moment of impact, which of course would import into -the golf stroke a very much greater risk of error than already does -exist in it, and it is unnecessary for me to assure golfers that there -is already quite sufficient chance of error without our endeavouring -to add to it in any way whatever. But I should like to pause to raise -one question. - -Mr. Hutchinson, like nearly every other writer on golf, is a disciple -of one of the most pronounced fallacies in the game, viz.: "As you go -up, so you come down," naturally, of course, all things being -reversed. Let us then consider this point. We are informed by Mr. -Horace Hutchinson that the wrists should be turned again just as the -club is meeting the ball. Following our hoary fallacy of "As you go -up, so you come down" I presume from this that immediately the club -leaves the ball, the wrists begin to turn backwards. This would indeed -give us a peculiar start for our drive. - -From an anatomical point of view I think there is very little doubt -whatever that the wrists have finished their distinctive function much -earlier in the production of the golf stroke than is generally thought -to be the case, and what is commonly miscalled wrist action is, in -effect, merely the natural roll of the forearm, as it is, I believe, -called, at any rate in the case of the left arm, its supination. There -can be no doubt that in the majority of cases where writers refer to -wrist action, they are confusing the natural turn of the forearms with -wrist action. - -Before closing this chapter I may perhaps be excused if I refer again -to that remarkable volume _The Mystery of Golf_. At page 167 we are -told: - - At the bottom of the swing, therefore, the club head is, or - should be, moving in a straight line. Probably it is when the - greatest acceleration in the velocity of the club, and the - strongest wrist action in the swing of the arms occur in this - straight portion of the stroke, that the follow-through is - most efficacious. - -For one who essays to explain the mystery of golf, this is a very -marvellous statement. Probably at no portion whatever of the golf -stroke is the club head proceeding in a straight line. It may be taken -for an absolutely settled fact that it is always proceeding in an arc. -Also it is quite clear that the author is making the sad mistake, -which has been made by so many other people, of thinking that the -wrist action is most in evidence immediately before and after the -period of impact. Most of the leading golfers fall into the error of -stating that cut is obtained by something which is done by the wrists -at the moment of impact, but this is unquestionably an error. I have -dealt with that already in other places so fully that I think that it -will not be necessary for me to do more here than to state that in all -good shots the cut is decided upon practically the moment the club -begins its downward journey, for the amount of cut which is -administered to any ball depends entirely upon the speed, and the -angle at which the club head passes across the intended line of flight -of the ball, provided always, of course, that the club is properly -applied. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -THE FLIGHT OF THE GOLF BALL - - -The flight of the ball, and particularly of the golf ball, exercises a -strange fascination for many people to whom the phenomena of flight -exhibited by a spinning ball travelling through the air, are not of -the slightest practical importance. That is to say, there is an -immense number of people who take merely a scientific, and one might -almost say an artistic interest in the effects produced by the -combined influence of spin and propulsion. Scientific men have been -for many years well aware of the causes which produce the swerve of a -ball in the air. By swerve I mean, of course, a curve in the flight of -the ball which is due to other causes than gravitation, and in the -word swerve I do not include the drift of a ball which has been -perfectly cleanly hit, but which, in the course of its carry, has been -influenced by a cross wind. This does not legitimately come under the -heading of swerve. It is more correctly described as drift, and will -be dealt with in due course. - -In the _Badminton Magazine_ of March 1896, the late Professor Tait -published an article on "Long Driving." Professor Tait was a practical -golfer and a very learned and scientific man. He proved most clearly -that a golf ball could not be driven beyond a certain distance. He -proved this absolutely and conclusively by mathematics, but, so the -story runs, his son, the famous Freddie Tait, proved next day with his -driver, that his father's calculations were entirely wrong, for he is -alleged to have driven a golf ball over thirty yards farther than the -limit which his learned parent had shown to be obtainable. Naturally, -Professor Tait had to reconsider his statements, and he then arrived -at the conclusion that there must have been in the drive of his son, -which had upset his calculations, some force which he had not taken -into consideration. He soon came to the conclusion that this was -back-spin, and he dealt with this matter of back-spin, which is a -matter of extreme importance to golf, in a most erudite article, which -is much too advanced for the ordinary golfer, so I shall content -myself here with referring to just a few of the most important points -in connection with it. It is necessary that I should, in dealing with -the flight of the ball, give those of my readers who are not already -acquainted with the simple principles of swerve, some idea of what it -is which causes the spinning ball to leave the line of flight that it -would have taken if it had been driven practically without spin. - -The explanation is very simple. If a ball is proceeding through the -air, and spinning, the side which is spinning _towards the hole_ gets -more friction than the other side which is spinning _away from the -hole_. It is well known that a projectile seeks the line of least -resistance in its passage through the air. It follows that the greater -friction on the _forward spinning_ half causes the ball to edge over -towards the side which is spinning away from the hole. This, in a very -few words, is the whole secret of swerve. - -Professor Tait stated in his article that Newton was well aware of -this fact some 230 years before the publication of the professor's -article, and that he remarked when speaking of a spinning tennis ball -with a circular as well as a progressive motion communicated to it by -the stroke, "that the parts on that side where the motions conspire -must press and beat the contiguous air more violently, and there -excite a reluctancy and reaction of the air proportionately greater." - -This really is an extremely simple matter and a very simple -explanation. I have taken care to explain it so simply, for swerve is, -by a very great number of people, looked upon as an abstruse -problem--in fact, my book on _Swerve, or the Flight of the Ball_, is -catalogued as a treatise on applied mathematics, instead of, as I -intended it to be, simply a practical application of the ascertained -facts to the behaviour of the ball in the air. - -Professor Tait's article has enjoyed a wonderful vogue. Although it -was published nearly twenty years ago it is quite frequently quoted at -the present time. There are, however, in it some errors which one -would not have expected to have found in such a scientific article. -Speaking of the golf ball shortly after it has left the club, -Professor Tait said: - - It has a definite speed, in a definite direction, and it - _may_ have also a definite amount of rotation about some - definite axis. The existence of rotation is manifested at - once by the strange effects it produces on the curvature of - the path so that the ball may skew to right or left; soar - upwards as if in defiance of gravity, or plunge headlong - downwards instead of slowly and reluctantly yielding to that - steady and persistent pull. - -There is, in this statement of Professor Tait's, a fundamental error -in so far as regards the flight of the ball. He said: "The existence -of rotation is manifested at once by the strange effects it produces -on the curvature of the path." This is incorrect from a scientific -point of view, and it is also badly stated. The existence of rotation -is not manifested "at once"; in very many cases, practically in all, -the ball proceeds for quite a long distance before the effect of -rotation is seen. This is more particularly so when it is a matter of -back-spin, but it is equally true of the pulled ball or the sliced -ball. Both of these proceed for a considerable distance before the -effect of spin is noticeable. In fact it is well known to all golfers -that the spin begins to get to work as the velocity of the ball -decreases. Also it seems as though it is incorrect to refer to the -strange effects it (rotation) produces on the curvature of the path, -for it is the rotation itself which produces the curvature. - -Professor Tait then said: - - The most cursory observation shows that a ball is hardly ever - sent on its course without some spin, so that we may take the - fact for granted, even if we cannot fully explain the mode of - its production. And the main object of this article is to - show that long carry essentially involves under-spin. - -I shall deal with these two statements later on. - -Professor Tait said: - - To find that his magnificent carry was due merely to what is - virtually a toeing operation--performed no doubt in a - vertical and not in a horizontal plane, is too much for the - self-exalting golfer! - - The fact, however, is indisputable. When we fasten one end of - a long untwisted tape to the ball and the other to the ground - and then induce a good player to drive the ball - (perpendicularly to the tape) into a stiff clay face a yard - or two off, we find that the tape is _always_ twisted in such - a way as to show under-spin; no doubt to different amounts by - different players, but proving that the ball makes usually - from about one to three turns in six feet, say from forty to - a hundred and twenty turns per second, this is clearly a - circumstance not to be overlooked. - -It is wonderful how easily a scientific man, as Professor Tait was, -can be led astray when he sets out to find the thing he has imagined. -Professor Tait, by a footnote to his article in the _Badminton -Magazine_, to my mind entirely discounts the value of his experiments. -His footnote is so important that I must quote it fully. He says: - - In my laboratory experiments, players could not be expected - to do _full_ justice to their powers. They had to strike as - nearly as possible in the centre, a ten-inch disc of clay, - the ball being teed about six feet in front of it. Besides - this pre-occupation, there was always more or less concern - about the possible consequence of rebound, should the small - target be altogether missed. - -It will be apparent even to anyone who is not possessed of a -scientific or analytical mind that Professor Tait _compelled_ his -players to endeavour to play their strokes in such a manner that the -ball had to travel down a line decided on by Professor Tait. I do not -know at what height Professor Tait placed his clay disc from the -earth, but it is evident that if he put it very low down it would -involve the playing by the golfer of a stroke which would naturally -produce back-spin, and in any case the trajectory was arbitrarily -fixed. In experimenting with such a stroke as this, and in such a -manner as this, it should be evident that there should have been no -restriction whatever as to the player's trajectory. If it was decided -that it was necessary to catch the ball in a clay disc, that disc -should have been so large that it was impossible for the golfer's ball -to escape it. It should not have been necessary for the golfer _to -aim_ at the disc. The mere fact of his aiming at the disc and the -ball being teed so near as six feet to the disc, all tended to produce -the shot which would give the results which Professor Tait was looking -for, but that does not prove that the ordinary stroke at golf is -produced in a similar manner, and I do not for one moment believe that -it is. - -In speaking of _the stroke proper_ Professor Tait said: - - The club and the ball practically share this scene between - them; but the player's right hand, and the resistance of the - air, take _some_ little part in it. It is a very brief one, - lasting for an instant only, in the sense of something like - one ten-thousandth of a second. - -We may note here that Professor Tait said: "_The right hand and the -resistance of the air_ take _some_ little part in it." One would be -inclined to think from this that Professor Tait was, as indeed was -probably the case, an adherent of the fetich of the left, for there -can be no doubt that in "the stroke proper" the right hand does much -more than take "_some_" little part in it. - -I think that Professor Tait is wrong in his idea that under-spin, or, -as I prefer to call it, back-spin, is essential to a long carry. I -firmly believe that a ball which is hit with practically no spin -whatever, can have a very long carry. However, as the paper which I am -now about to consider follows in many ways very closely on the lines -of Professor Tait's article, I shall leave this matter for -consideration when I am dealing with that paper. - -The paper which I am now referring to is one which was read at the -weekly evening meeting of the Royal Institution of Great Britain on -Friday, 18th March 1910, by Professor Sir J. J. Thomson, M.A., LL.D., -D.S.C., F.R.S., M.R.I., O.M.; Cavendish Professor of Experimental -Physics, Cambridge; Professor of Physics, Royal Institution, London; -Professor of Natural Philosophy, Royal Institution, and winner of the -Nobel Prize for Physics, 1906. The title of this paper was "The -Dynamics of a Golf Ball." It will be observed that neither the -Institution under the auspices of which this lecture was delivered, -nor the lecturer, is inconsiderable. Professor Thomson is, without -doubt, a very distinguished physicist, and we must therefore receive -anything he writes with a certain amount of respect. There are, -however, in this paper, so many remarkable statements that it is -necessary for me to deal with it quite fully. - -Professor Thomson tells us very early in the lecture that Newton was -well aware of the cause of swerve which I have already set out, some -250 years ago, and that he remarked that in a spinning tennis ball the -"parts on that side where the motions conspire, must press and beat -the contiguous air more violently, and there excite a reluctancy and -reaction of the air proportionately greater." - -Professor Thomson says at the beginning of his lecture: - - There are so many dynamical problems connected with golf that - a discussion of the whole of them would occupy far more time - than is at my disposal this evening. I shall not attempt to - deal with the many important questions which arise when we - consider the impact of the club with the ball, but shall - confine myself to the consideration of the flight of the ball - after it has left the club. - -I may say here that Professor Thomson, although he announces his -intention of doing this, is later on in his paper, as we shall see, -tempted into considering the questions of impact, and, in my opinion, -making several grave errors therein. We may, however, in the meantime, -pass this by. - -Professor Thomson continues: - - This problem is in any case a very interesting one, which - would be even more interesting if we could accept the - explanations of the behaviour of the ball given by some - contributors to the very voluminous literature which has - collected around the game. If this were correct, I should - have to bring before you this evening a new dynamics and - announce that matter when made up into golf balls obeys laws - of an entirely different character from those governing its - action when in any other condition. - -This, at the outset, is an extremely remarkable statement to come from -so eminent a physicist, for I may say that Professor Thomson, after -making a remark of this nature, proceeds to explain the phenomena of -swerve on exactly the same links which I have set out fully and -explicitly in my book _Swerve, or the Flight of the Ball_. That, -however, is a matter of small importance. It may be that Professor -Thomson has not had the opportunity of perusing this book. It may -indeed be that Professor Thomson has been unfortunate enough only to -have read articles wherein an erroneous explanation of the well-known -phenomena of the flight of the ball is given. Be that as it may, there -can be no doubt that the explanation which has been given of the -causes of swerve has been adequate and accurate, and there would not -have been any necessity whatever for Professor Thomson to bring before -the learned Institution whose fellows listened to his address "a new -dynamics." It would have been sufficient if he had correctly explained -the phenomena of the flight and run of a golf ball according to the -well-recognised laws which govern the flight and run of all balls. -This, however, he quite failed to do. - -Professor Thomson says: "If we could send off the ball from the club -as we might from a catapult, without spin, its behaviour would be -regular, but uninteresting." It is quite possible to send a golf ball -off a club without spin. It is just as possible, from a practical -point of view, to send a golf ball away without spin from the face of -a driver as it is from the pouch of a catapult. The catapult is a -machine, and it is a certainty that it can be made to propel a golf -ball without any initial spin whatever. A machine can be made to drive -a golf ball with just as little spin, and as a matter of practical -golf, by far the greater number of golf balls are driven without -appreciable spin--that is to say, without spin which has any definite -action on the flight of the ball. - -The learned lecturer says: "A golf ball when it leaves a club is only -in rare cases devoid of spin." It is impossible to prove or disprove -this statement, for practically no ball goes through the air with the -same point always in front. We may see this quite clearly if we care -to mark a lawn-tennis ball, and to hit it perfectly truly, and slowly, -so that it goes almost as a lob across the net. We shall see even then -that the marked part of the ball moves from one place to another. In -fact, even if a golf ball were driven by a machine which did not -impart to it any initial spin, it is almost a certainty that that ball -would not have proceeded far before it had acquired sufficient motion -to justify one in technically calling it spin. Spin, however, is a -delightfully indefinite word, but this much one may at least say, and -it is, in effect, a contradiction of Sir J. J. Thomson's assertion, -namely that in the vast majority of balls hit with golf clubs, -especially by skilled players, the effect of spin on the stroke -_unless designedly applied_, which is comparatively rare, is -practically negligible. - -Professor Thomson says that - - ... a golf ball, when it leaves the club, is only in rare - cases devoid of spin, and it is spin which gives the - interest, variety, and vivacity to the flight of the ball; - it is spin which accounts for the behaviour of a sliced or - pulled ball; it is spin which makes the ball soar or "douk," - or execute those wild flourishes which give the impression - that the ball is endowed with an artistic temperament and - performs these eccentricities, as an acrobat might throw in - an extra somersault or two for the fun of the thing. This - view, however, gives an entirely wrong impression of the - temperament of a golf ball, which is, in reality, the most - prosaic of things, knowing while in the air only one rule of - conduct which it obeys with an intelligent conscientiousness, - that of always following its nose. This rule is the key to - the behaviour of all balls when in the air, whether they are - golf balls, base-balls, cricket balls, or tennis balls. - -The idea of a spherical object having a nose is so unscientific and so -inexact that it is not necessary for me to dwell very strongly on it -here, and I should not do so were it not that this looseness of -description is of considerable importance in dealing with Professor -Thomson's ideas. He continues: - - Let us, before entering into the reasons for this rule, trace - out some of its consequences. By the nose on the ball we mean - the point on the ball furthest in front. - -It will be obvious to my readers that this description is -scientifically extremely inaccurate, for if we take a line through the -ball from the point of contact with the club to the point on the ball -farthest in front, which Professor Thomson calls its nose, we shall -find that the flight of that ball will always be in that same line -produced, whereas in the spinning ball it is nothing of the sort. The -whole trouble here is that Professor Thomson wants to have the "nose," -as he calls it, of the ball, both a fixed and a moving point. This, -obviously, is most unscientific. If the nose of the ball is the point -that is farthest in front, I cannot say too emphatically that it -stands to reason that the ball in flight will go straight out after -that point, but the fact is that the point in front is continually -changing; moreover, the fact that the ball goes the way it is spinning -is not explained by any tendency of the ball to wander that way on -account of the spin irrespective of the friction of the air. - -It will thus be seen that Professor Thomson's explanation in this -matter is incorrect and misleading. This is about the most -unscientific explanation which could be given of this matter, and it -is one which is calculated to mislead people who would otherwise -understand the matter quite clearly, so we shall drop Professor -Thomson's idea of giving the ball a "nose" which is always in the -front of it, but which is also supposed to be continually travelling -sideways. It is obvious that Professor Thomson cannot have it both -ways. - -It is very clear indeed that Professor Thomson is not well acquainted -with the method of applying spin to balls which are used in playing -games. He says: - - A lawn-tennis player avails himself of the effect of spin - when he puts "top-spin" on his drives, _i.e._ hits the ball - on the top so as to make it spin about a horizontal axis, the - nose of the ball travelling downwards as in figure 4; this - makes the ball fall more quickly than it otherwise would, and - thus tends to prevent it going out of the court. - -I have played lawn-tennis for more than twenty years, and I am the -author of three books on the game, one of which is supposed to be the -standard work on the subject, and I can assure Professor Thomson that -no lawn-tennis player would dream of doing anything so silly as to hit -a lawn-tennis ball "on the top" in an attempt to obtain "top-spin." - -The scientific method of obtaining top-spin is to hit the lawn-tennis -ball on what Professor Thomson, if he were driving the ball over the -net to me, would call its nose--that is to say, I should hit the ball -on the spot which was farthest from Professor Thomson. I should hit it -there with a racket whose face was practically vertical, but I should -hit it an upward, forwardly glancing blow which would impart, as -Professor Thomson expresses it, "spin about a horizontal axis to the -ball." - -Professor Thomson goes so far as to show by diagram the travel of a -ball which has been hit so as to impart top-spin to it, but even in -this diagram he is absolutely wrong, for he shows that immediately the -ball has been hit with top-spin it begins to fall, but this is not so. -In lawn-tennis the ball travels for a long distance before the spin -begins to assert itself, and to overcome the force of the blow which -set up the spin. - -Professor Tait makes this same error in his article on "Long Driving," -and it is quite evident to me that Professor Thomson is following, in -many respects, the errors of his eminent predecessor. - -Professor Thomson also says: - - Excellent examples of the effect of spin on the flight of a - ball in the air are afforded in the game of base-ball. An - expert pitcher, by putting on the proper spin, can make the - ball curve either to the right or the left, upwards or - downwards; for the side-way curves the spin must be about a - vertical axis; for the upward or downward ones, about a - horizontal axis. - -There are no particular laws with regard to the curves of a base-ball. -The same laws regulate the curves in the air of every ball from a -ping-pong ball to a cricket ball, and Professor Thomson, in saying -that "for the side-way curves the spin must be about a vertical axis," -is absolutely wrong. Every lawn-tennis player who knows anything -whatever about the American service, will know that Professor Thomson -is utterly wrong in this respect, for the whole essence of the swerve -and break of the American service, which has a large amount of -side-swerve, is that the axis of rotation shall be approximately at an -angle of fifty degrees, and any expert base-ball pitcher will know -quite well that he can get his side-curve much better if he will, -instead of keeping his axis of rotation perfectly vertical, tilt it a -little so that it will have the assistance of gravitation at the end -of its flight instead of fighting gravitation, as it must do if he -trusts entirely to horizontal spin about a vertical axis for his -swerve. - -Professor Thomson says: - - If the ball were spinning about an axis along the line of - flight, the axis of spin would pass through the nose of the - ball, and the spin would not affect the motion of the nose; - the ball, following its nose, would thus move on without - deviation. - -The spin which Professor Thomson is describing here is that which a -rifle bullet has during its flight, for it is obvious that the rifle -bullet is spinning "about an axis along the line of flight," and that -the axis of spin does pass through the nose of the bullet, but we know -quite well that in the flight of a rifle bullet there is a very -considerable amount of what is called drift. It is, of course, an -impossibility to impart to a golf ball during the drive any such spin -as that of the rifle bullet, although in cut mashie strokes, and in -cutting round a stymie, we do produce a spin which is, in effect, the -same spin, but this is the question which Professor Thomson should set -himself to answer. He states distinctly that a ball with this spin -would not swerve. If this is so, can Professor Thomson explain to -us why the rifle bullet drifts? As a matter of fact, a ball with this -spin _would_ swerve, but not to anything like the same extent as would -a ball with one of the well-recognised spins which are used for the -purpose of obtaining swerve. - - [Illustration: PLATE XI. JAMES BRAID - - Finish of drive, showing clearly how Braid's weight goes on to - the left leg.] - -Professor Thomson proceeded to prove by the most elaborate experiments -the truth of those matters stated by Newton centuries ago, but it will -not be necessary for me to follow him in these, because these -principles have been recognised for ages past. - -It is curious to note that in the reference to Newton, who was aware -of this principle of swerve so long ago, we are shown that Newton -himself did not quite grasp the method of production of the stroke, -although he analysed the result in a perfectly sound manner. Writing -to Oldenburg in 1671 about the Dispersion of Light, he said in the -course of his letter: "I remembered that I had often seen a tennis -ball struck with an oblique racket describe such a curved line." The -effect of striking a tennis ball with an oblique racket is, generally -speaking, to push it away to one side. The curve, to be of a -sufficiently pronounced nature to be visible, must be produced by the -passage of the racket across the intended line of flight of the ball. - -This matter of the different pressure on one side of the ball from -that on the other is very simple when one thoroughly grasps it. -Professor Thomson gives in his paper an illustration which may perhaps -make the matter clearer to some people than the explanation which is -generally given. He says: - - It may perhaps make the explanation of this difference of - pressure easier if we take a somewhat commonplace example of - a similar fact. Instead of a golf ball let us consider the - case of an Atlantic liner, and, to imitate the rotation of - the ball, let us suppose that the passengers are taking their - morning walk on the promenade deck, all circulating round the - same way. When they are on one side of the boat they have to - face the wind, on the other side they have the wind at their - backs. Now, when they face the wind, the pressure of the wind - against them is greater than if they were at rest, and this - increased pressure is exerted in all directions and so acts - against the part of the ship adjacent to the deck; when they - are moving with their backs to the wind, the pressure against - their backs is not so great as when they were still, so the - pressure acting against this side of the ship will not be so - great. Thus the rotation of the passengers will increase the - pressure on the side of the ship when they are facing the - wind, and diminish it on the other side. This case is quite - analogous to that of the golf ball. - -Even in this simple illustration it seems to me that Professor Thomson -is wrong, for he is pre-supposing that which he does not state--a head -wind. It is quite obvious that these passengers might have to face a -wind coming from the stern of the ship, and in this case the analogy -between the passengers circulating round the deck of a ship, and his -golf ball would receive a serious blow. In stating a matter which is -of sufficient importance to be dealt with before such a learned body -as the Royal Institution of Great Britain, it is well to be accurate. -If Professor Thomson had stated that his Atlantic liner was going into -a head wind, or, for the matter of that, even proceeding in a dead -calm, his analogy might have been correct, but it is obvious that he -has left out of consideration a following wind of greater speed than -that at which the liner is travelling. - -Professor Thomson has not added anything to the information which we -already possessed with regard to the effect of back-spin on a ball; -rather has he, as I shall show when dealing with the question of -impact with the ball, clouded the issue. At page 12 of his remarkable -lecture he says: "So far I have been considering under-spin. Let us -now illustrate slicing and pulling; in these cases the ball is -spinning about a vertical axis." We here have a very definite -statement that in slicing and pulling the ball is spinning about a -vertical axis, but it is not doing so. - -Professor Thomson has "an electromagnet and a red hot piece of -platinum with a spot of barium oxide upon it. The platinum is -connected with an electric battery which causes negatively electrified -particles to fly off the barium and travel down the glass tube in -which the platinum strip is contained; nearly all the air has been -exhausted from this tube. These particles are luminous, so that the -path they take is very easily observed." - -These particles, I may explain, take, in Professor Thomson's mind, the -place of golf balls, and by an electromagnet he shows us exactly what -golf balls do, but it seems to me that if Professor Thomson is not -absolutely clear what is happening to the sliced ball and the pulled -ball, there is a very great chance that, like Professor Tait, he may -induce his particles to do the thing that he wishes them to do, and -not the thing that a real golf ball with a real pull or a real slice -would do. This, as a matter of fact, is exactly what Professor Thomson -does, for, as I shall show quite simply and in such a manner as -absolutely to convince the merest tyro at golf, Professor Thomson is -utterly wrong when he states that in the slice and the pull the ball -is spinning about a vertical axis. - -I shall not need any diagrams or figures to bring this home to anyone -who is possessed of the most rudimentary knowledge of mechanics. It -should be quite evident to anyone that to produce spin about a -vertical axis it would be necessary to have a club with a vertical -face, or to strike a blow with the face of the club so held that at -the moment of impact the face of the club was vertical. Now this does -not happen with the slice at golf, for the very good reason that if -one so applied one's club, the ball would not rise from the earth. The -club which produces the slice is always lofted in a greater or less -degree, and quite often the natural loft is increased by the player -designedly laying the face back during the stroke. It is evident that -in the impact with the driver or brassy, the ball, especially the -modern rubber-cored ball, flattens on to the face of the club and -remains there whilst the club is travelling across the line of flight. -This naturally imparts to the ball a roll--in other words, as the club -cuts across the ball it rolls it for a short distance on its face. - -It is obvious that this rolling process will, to a greater or less -extent, give to the ball a spin about an axis which is approximately -the same as that of the loft on the face of the club. Therefore, it is -clear that in all sliced balls the axis of spin will be inclined -backward. It seems likely, also, that as the axis of spin is inclined -backward and the ball is rising, there will be some additional -friction at the bottom of it which would not be there in the case of a -ball without spin. This probably helps to produce the sudden rise of -the slice. In all good cut shots with lofted clubs, the angle of the -axis of spin is to a very great extent regulated by the amount of loft -on the face of the club. - -Professor Thomson's error with regard to the slice being about a -vertical axis is beyond question, but his error in saying that the -axis of rotation of the pull and the slice is identical, is, from a -golfing point of view, simply irretrievable. Print is a very awkward -thing--_it stays_. The merest tyro at golf knows quite well that the -pulled ball and the sliced ball behave during flight and after landing -on the ground in a totally different manner from each other. If -Professor Thomson knows so much, it should unquestionably be evident -to so distinguished a scientist that there must be a very considerable -difference in the rotation of these balls. The slice, as is well -known, rises quickly from the ground, flies high, and is not, -generally speaking, a good runner. The pull, on the other hand, flies -low and runs well on landing. - -It is not merely sufficient to contradict Professor Sir J. J. Thomson -in these matters, so I shall explain fully the reason for the -difference in the flight and run of the slice and the pull. The slice -is played as the club head is returning across the line of flight, and -therefore is more in the nature of a chop than is the pull. Frequently -the spin that is imparted to the ball is the resultant of the downward -and inwardly glancing blow. This not only leaves the axis of rotation -inclined backward, but sometimes inclined also slightly away from the -player, but it is obvious that even if the ball had, as Professor -Thomson thinks it has, rotation about a vertical axis, which is the -rotation of a top, such rotation would, on landing, tend to prevent -the ball running, for, as is well known, every spinning thing strives -hard to remain in the plane of its rotation, but the slice is more -obstinate still than this, for the axis of rotation being inclined -backward, frequently at the end of the flight, coincides with the line -of flight of the ball, so that the ball is spinning about an axis -which, to adopt Professor Thomson's term, runs through its "nose." -This means that the slice frequently pitches in the same manner as -might a rifle bullet if falling on its "nose," and the effect is, to -a very great extent, the same. The ball tries to stay where it lands. - -Let us now consider the flight and run of the pull. The pull is played -by an upward, outward, glancing blow. The ball is hit by the club as -it is going across the line of flight away from the player and this -imparts to the ball a spin around an axis which lies inward towards -the player. This means that the pull goes away to the right, and then -swerves back again towards the middle of the course if properly -played, and upon landing runs very freely. The reason for this run has -not been clearly understood by many, and it is quite evident that -Professor Thomson does not know of it, so I shall give an extremely -plain illustration. - -Nearly every boy has at some time played with a chameleon top, or some -other top of the same species, that is to say, a disc top. Every boy -who has played with such a top will be familiar with the fact that -when the spin is dying away from the top, it rolls about until one -edge of it touches the earth or whatever it is spinning on. -Immediately this happens the top runs away as carried by the spin. - -That is about the simplest illustration which it is possible to give -of the plane of spin of the pulled ball during its flight and of its -run after it has touched the earth, but from this very simple -explanation it will be perfectly obvious to anyone who gives the -matter the least consideration that not only is the axis of rotation -of the pull and the slice dissimilar, but as a matter of fact the -rotation of the pull and the slice is almost diametrically opposed the -one to the other. - -Professor Thomson says: - - Let us now consider the effect of a cross wind. Suppose the - wind is blowing from left to right, then, if the ball is - pulled, it will be rotating in the direction shown in figure - 26 (from right to left); the rules we found for the effect of - rotation on the difference of pressure on the two sides of a - ball in a blast of air show that in this case the pressure on - the front half of the ball will be greater than that on the - rear half, and thus tend to stop the flight of the ball. If, - however, the spin was that for a slice, the pressure on the - rear half would be greater than the pressure in front, so - that the difference in pressure would tend to push on the - ball and make it travel further than it otherwise would. - -I have not given this aspect of the question a great amount of -thought, but it seems obvious that in playing for a slice in the -circumstances mentioned by Professor Thomson, it is extremely unlikely -that the greater pressure would be, as he says, on the rear half. If, -indeed, this were so the slice would, in my opinion, not take effect; -also on account of the tremendous speed of the golf ball it seems to -me utterly improbable that in any ordinary wind which one encounters -on a golf links it would be possible to obtain on the rear half of a -golf ball a greater pressure than that on the forward spinning half, -or, to be more accurate, quarter of the ball. I cannot help thinking -that Professor Thomson in saying that in such a case as this the -greater pressure would be on the rear half of the ball is falling into -an error, for it seems to me that he is overlooking the tendency of -the ball to set up for itself something in the nature of a vacuum -which will undoubtedly tend to protect the rear portion of the ball -from the force which must assail it in front during its passage -through the air. - -Professor Thomson says that "the moral of this is that if the wind is -coming from the left we should play up into the wind and slice the -ball, while if it is coming from the right we should play up into it -and pull the ball." - -That is Professor Thomson's theory. I shall give my readers the -benefit of my practice, which is that whenever there is a cross wind -of any description whatever, hit the ball as straight as it is -possible for you to do it, right down the middle of the course from -the tee to the hole, and forget all about pulls or slices. On a windy -day avoid anything whatever in the nature of side-spin because once -you have applied it to a ball you never know where that ball is going -to end, and if you want any confirmation for this practice you may get -it from Harry Vardon in _The Complete Golfer_, for there can be very -little doubt that a side wind has nothing like the effect on the ball -that golfers seem to imagine, provided always, of course, that the -ball be hit cleanly and without appreciable spin. It is not given to -one golfer in a thousand to know how to use the pull and slice to -obtain assistance from the wind and also to be capable of executing -the strokes. As a matter of practical golf these strokes should, for -at least ninety-five per cent of golfers, be rigidly eschewed. - -At the beginning of Professor Thomson's article he said: - - I shall not attempt to deal with the many important questions - which arise when we consider the impact of the club with the - ball, but confine myself to the consideration of the flight - of the ball after it has left the club. - -It would, indeed, have been well if Professor Thomson had carried out -his expressed intention of leaving this matter alone, for in dealing -with it he has shown most conclusively that he has no practical grip -of the question which he has attempted to deal with. At page 15 of his -article he says: - - I have not time for more than a few words as to how the ball - acquires the spin from the club, but if you grasp the - principle that the action between the club and the ball - depends only on their _relative_ motion, and that it is the - same whether we have the ball fixed and move the club, or - have the club fixed and project the ball against it, the main - features are very easily understood. - -I can readily believe that this statement of Professor Thomson's is -absolutely accurate. The only thing which troubles me about it is that -I think the person of ordinary intellect will find it absolutely -impossible to "grasp the principle" which Professor Thomson lays down. -If we have the club fixed and project the ball against it, we know -quite well that the ball will rebound from the club, but if we are to -have the ball fixed and move the club against it, nothing will happen -unless we move the club fast enough, in which case we should simply -smash the club. - -This is a most amazing illustration of looseness of thought--such an -astonishing illustration that I should not have believed Professor -Thomson capable of it if it had not been published broadcast to the -world with his authority. Of course, I know perfectly well what -Professor Thomson means to say, but I have not to deal with that, and -as a matter of fact what he means to say is quite wrong, but it will -be sufficient for me to show that what he _does_ say is wrong. - -Professor Thomson then goes on to say: - - Suppose Fig. 27 represents the section of the head of a - lofted club moving horizontally forward from right to left, - the effect of the impact will be the same as if the club were - at rest and the ball were shot against it horizontally from - left to right. - -Here Professor Thomson shows that he is quite under a misapprehension -as to the production of the golf stroke. He pre-supposes that the -club is moving in a horizontal direction at the moment it hits the -ball. In a vast majority of instances, probably in about ninety per -cent of cases, the club is not moving in a horizontal direction--in -fact, it would be hardly too much to say that it never moves in a -horizontal direction. It is nearly always moving either upwards or -downwards in a curve at the moment it strikes the ball, so that it -stands to reason, especially when the club face is travelling upwards, -which is what it does in the great majority of cases, that the blow is -never delivered horizontally, but is always struck more or less upward -through the ball's centre of mass. - -Practical teachers of golf know how extremely hard it is to induce the -beginner, and for the matter of that many people who are far beyond -beginners, to trust the loft of the club to raise the ball from the -earth; so many players never get out of the habit of attempting to hit -upwards. - -It stands to reason that if the blow in golf were delivered as with a -billiard cue, any blow struck in that manner, provided the face of the -club had sufficient loft, would tend to produce back-spin, but -practically no blow in golf is struck in the manner described by -Professor Thomson; nor is the beneficial back-spin of golf obtained in -this manner, in fact the loft of the club has comparatively little to -do with producing the back-spin which so materially assists the length -of the carry. There can, of course, be no doubt that loft does assist -a person in producing this back-spin, or, as Professor Thomson calls -it, under-spin, but to nothing like the extent which is imagined by -the worthy Professor. The beneficial back-spin of golf is obtained by -striking the golf ball before the head of the club has reached the -lowest point in its swing; in other words, the back-spin is put on a -golf ball by downward cut--by the very reverse to that cut which is -put on a ball when a man tops it badly. In the one case it is up cut, -or, as it is called in lawn-tennis, top, which is a misleading term -which has led many people, besides Sir J. J. Thomson, astray, and in -the other case it is downward cut, which is exactly similar in its -effect to the chop at lawn-tennis. - -Professor Thomson, for the purpose of illustrating the fact that the -golf ball obtains the beneficial spin, which influences its carry so -materially, from the loft of the club, shows us a club face with a -loft much greater than that of a niblick, and proceeds to demonstrate -from this loft, which it is unnecessary to tell a golfer does not -exist on any club which is used for driving, that the ball acquires -its back-spin from the loft of the face of the club. - -I have already referred to the Professor's fundamental fallacy that -the golf stroke is delivered in a horizontal line--in effect that the -force of the blow proceeds horizontally, but he is guilty of another -very great error from the point of view of practical golf when he -shows a club such as he has done, in order to explain how the -beneficial back-spin of golf is obtained. Such a club as he shows -might be useful for getting out of a bunker, but it certainly would be -of no use whatever in practical golf for driving. As every golfer -knows, the face of the driver is, comparatively speaking, very -upright, and firing a ball at a wall built at the same angle as the -loft of a driver would certainly not produce on that ball much in the -way of back-spin. The idea of a modern golf ball which flattens very -considerably on the face of the club, rolling up the face of a driver -on account of its loft, is too ridiculous to be considered seriously -by a practical golfer. - -The trouble is that Professor Thomson always takes for his hypothesis -something which does not exist in golf, so that in the great majority -of cases it does not really matter to us what he proves. As a matter -of fact, there is in golf only one horizontal stroke, and that is the -stymie stroke introduced into the game by me, and which I have -hereinbefore fully described. This stroke shows us conclusively how -the power goes mostly into elevation instead of into propulsion. It is -an absolute answer, if one were required, to Professor Thomson's -theories. Professor Thomson's error is of such a fundamental nature -that I must quote his sentence again in giving my readers the full -paragraph wherein he exposes the delusion under which he is suffering. -He says: - - Suppose Fig. 27 represents the section of the head of a - lofted club moving horizontally forward from right to left, - the effect of the impact will be the same as if the club were - at rest and the ball were shot against it horizontally from - left to right. Evidently, however, in this case the ball - would tend to roll up the face, and would thus get spin about - a horizontal axis in the direction shown in the figure; this - is under-spin and produces the upward force which tends to - increase the carry of the ball. - -This is the rock upon which Professor Thomson has split. He is under -the impression that the beneficial back-spin of golf is obtained by -loft, whereas it is perfectly possible to obtain the beneficial -back-spin of golf with a club having a vertical face, and being at the -moment of impact in a vertical plane, but in order to do this it would -be necessary that the ball should be teed very high, as indeed one of -the most famous professionals in the world is in the habit of doing -when he is playing for a low ball against the wind. - -When in _Modern Golf_ I stated that a high tee for a low ball was -practical golf, it was considered revolutionary, if not incorrect, -doctrine, but players now understand that by using the high tee for a -low ball they are enabled to cut down beyond the ball more than they -could do if the ball were lying on the earth, and that they are, in -this manner, enabled to obtain much more of the back-spin which gives -the ball its extra carry, and also to play it with less loft. - -This is a very serious error for a man of Professor Thomson's -attainments to make, and indeed it is to me a wonder how he could -possibly make the mistake of thinking that the force in the blow at -golf is administered horizontally. This is one of the worst errors -which he has made, but the idea that the back-spin of golf is obtained -mainly by the loft of the club is utterly unsound and pernicious. It -is so unsound, and the correct understanding of the method of -producing this stroke is so important to golf, especially to the golf -of the future, that I must explain fully how this stroke is obtained. - -I have already shown that it is played by a downward glancing blow -which hits the ball before the club reaches the lowest point in its -swing, and I have already shown the delusion under which many players -labour, even including so eminent a player as Harry Vardon, that the -ball is struck down on to the earth. Although the ball is struck a -descending blow, there is in the blow much more of the forward motion -than the downward, so that all the ordinary principles with regard to -getting the ball up into the air, apply with equal force to this -stroke as to any other, and it is a matter of prime importance that -the ball must be struck below the centre of its mass--that the loft of -the club must get in underneath what is popularly called the middle of -the ball. If this does not take place the ball will not rise from the -earth, and to show as Harry Vardon does, at page 170 of _The Complete -Golfer_, that the ball must be struck at or above the centre of its -mass, and with, as he indicates at page 106, a vertical face, is -utterly unsound golf. - -I cannot emphasise too strongly that in this miscalled push shot, -which is answerable for all back-spin, the loft must be allowed to do -its work in the ordinary manner, otherwise the stroke will be a -failure. - -Having now made it perfectly clear how this stroke is obtained, I must -explain a little more clearly the wonderful character of this ball -which is without any doubt whatever, in my mind, the king of golf -strokes in so far as regards obtaining distance and accuracy and -direction. On account of the downward glancing blow the ball has been -struck, it leaves the club with a very great amount of back-spin. The -hands are always forward of the ball at the moment of impact in this -stroke when it is properly played. It stands to reason that this, to a -certain extent, decreases the loft of the club with which the stroke -is played. The result is that the ball goes away on the first portion -of its journey with a very low flight, keeping very close indeed to -the earth. All the time it is doing this, however, the ball, as we -know, is spinning backwards, which means that the lower portion of the -ball is spinning towards the hole, and that it is on the lower portion -of the ball that the motions of progression and revolution conspire. - -It is equally obvious that on the upper portion of the ball the -progression through the air is at the same rate, but in so far as -regards its frictional-producing result on the air, it is lessened by -the fact that the upper portion of the ball is revolving or spinning -backwardly towards the player. The result of this is that the ball is -getting much more friction on the lower portion than it is on the -top, but as speed can always dominate spin, this is not very apparent -until about two-thirds of the carry. - -As the speed of the ball begins to decrease, the friction of the spin -gets a better grip on the air, and the result is that with the -continual rubbing of the air on the lower portion of the ball, it is -forced upward and so it continues until the lifting power of the -combined propulsion and revolution is exhausted. By this time the ball -has arrived at the highest point of its trajectory and it then begins -in the natural order of things to fall towards the earth. - -It is obvious that by this time much of the back-spin will have been -exhausted, but there still remains a considerable amount of rotation, -and as the ball begins to fall towards the earth this back-spin which -has hitherto been used for forcing the ball upwards into the air, -still exerts its influence, and as it is travelling towards the earth -the remnant of the back-spin exerts its influence to extend the carry -of the ball, because the main frictional portion of the ball has, to a -certain extent, on account of the dropping of the ball, been altered -and shifted probably a little more towards the lower side of the ball. - -The result of all this is that by the time this ball, in a well played -drive, comes to earth, most of the beneficial back-spin which obtained -for it its long flight, will have been exhausted, and that portion -which remains and has not been exhausted will, in all probability, be -killed on impact, for the ball pitches on one point, and naturally the -top portion tends to throw forward so that the ball will run along the -course. It stands to reason that it would require an enormous amount -of back-spin to stay with the ball during the period of its low -flight, to lift the ball then to the highest point in its trajectory -near the end of its carry, to stay with it still in its descent, and -then to be strong enough to resist the shock of landing so as to check -the run of the ball. The result is that on account of the low -trajectory of this ball and of the phenomena explained by me, it is -frequently, when well played, and particularly in dry weather, a good -runner, so that we see that in this ball we have practically the ideal -golf drive; a drive with which no other can compare; a drive which is -as good, although it is called the wind-cheater, for a still day as in -a gale. - -From this explanation it will be seen what a poor chance anyone would -have who follows Professor Thomson's ideas of obtaining the beneficial -back-spin of golf from the loft of the club and a horizontal blow. - -Professor Thomson gives some illustrations of the pull and the slice. -In two of his figures he shows horizontal blows being produced in a -straight line with the line of flight. Both of these, I may say, are -absolutely impossible in golf. He shows a slice in Fig. 29 which would -be much more likely to result in a pull, and he shows a pull in Fig. -31 which would almost certainly result in a slice even if the shots -were possible, which, as he shows them, they are not. - -Professor Thomson shows by diagram an ordinary slice which he says is -produced by "such a motion as would be produced if the arms were -pulled in at the end of the stroke." This in itself is an utterly -loose definition. What Professor Thomson evidently means is if the -arms were pulled in during the stroke or at the moment of impact, but -as I have shown the slice is not produced by the arms being pulled in -at the moment of impact. It is produced by the club head travelling -across the ball at an angle to the intended line of flight of the -ball. Professor Thomson shows the slice in this case by diagram, and -correctly, but he says that if the club were fixed rigidly and the -ball were fired at the club down the same line as the club made in its -previous stroke, the ball would come off the club in exactly the same -manner as when it was hit by the club, but in this he is making a very -grave error, as I think I shall be able to show. - -I shall quote Professor Thomson with regard to this matter. His -proposition is so simple that although I give his indicating letters -it will not be necessary for me to reproduce his diagram. He says: - - Suppose, now, the face of the club is not square to its - direction of motion, but that looking down on the club its - line of motion when it strikes the ball is along P Q (Fig. - 28), such a motion as would be produced if the arms were - pulled in at the end of the stroke, the effect of the impact - now will be the same as if the club were at rest and the ball - projected along R S, the ball will endeavour to roll along - the face away from the striker; it will spin in the direction - shown in the figure about a vertical axis. This, as we have - seen, is the spin which produces a slice. - -This, as we have already seen, is not the spin which produces a slice, -but we need not waste any further time going into that matter. We can, -however, deal with what Professor Thomson meant to say when he wrote - - ... but if you grasp the principle that the action between - the club and the ball depends only on their _relative_ - motion, and that it is the same whether we have the ball - fixed and move the club or have the club fixed and project - the ball against it, the main features are very easily - understood. - -For the purpose of analysing what Professor Thomson evidently meant -when he wrote this, let us take the ordinary case of a slice. We all -know now quite well that a slice is produced by a glancing blow -coming inwardly across the intended line of flight, and Professor -Thomson tells us it is exactly the same thing whether we hit the ball -with the club or fire the ball against the club. Let us see how this -works out in the slice. - -We will consider, for the sake of argument, that the slice has been -produced by a stroke which has come across the intended line of flight -at an angle of 30 degrees. We shall now fasten our club rigidly and -fire the golf ball out of a catapult against its face so that it hits -it dead in the centre, and so that it travels down a line at an angle -of 30 degrees to the face. Now most of us know enough elementary -mechanics to know that in hitting a still object such as the face of -the golf club, the ball will come off it at the same angle at which it -hit it--in other words that the angle of reflection is the same as the -angle of incidence, allowing always, of course, for the slight -alteration which will be made by the loft of the club. In this case, -of course, we have one object which is absolutely still, and all the -motion during impact is confined to the ball. - -Now let us consider the impact in the slice. In this case the club -strikes the ball a violent blow. The ball, to a very great extent, -flattens on the face of the club, and both the ball and the club -travel together for a certain distance across the direct line of -flight to the hole, and during the time that they are thus travelling -together the club is imparting spin to the ball and influencing its -direction, so that instead of the ball doing anything whatever in the -nature of spinning off the face of the club at a natural angle, it is -driving, during its initial stages, very straightly for a long -distance before the spin begins to take effect. - -It seems to me that the slice may be taken as a very good illustration -showing that what Professor Thomson meant to explain is quite -incorrect from a golfing point of view. It is quite evident that -before we could accept as authoritative the explanations which have -been given by Professor Thomson of these somewhat abstruse problems, -it would be necessary for us to have, as he puts it, "a new dynamics." - -I have already dealt very fully both in England and America with this -remarkable lecture by Professor Thomson. I have criticised it in the -leading reviews and magazines of the world, and the authoritative -golfing paper of England--_Golf Illustrated_--in a leader, invited -Professor Thomson to make good his assertions, but he has not been -able to do so. One can understand fallacious matter being published -under the names of professional golfers when one knows quite well that -the majority of the work is done by journalists hired for the purpose, -but it is almost impossible to understand how such utterly false -doctrine could be put out by so eminent a man, and under the auspices -of the Royal Institution of Great Britain. - -The flight of the ball has always been a fascinating and for most -people a very mysterious subject, but except in one or two matters -there is no mystery whatever about the flight of the golf ball, but -even amongst practical golfers there is an amazing lack of accurate -information. For instance, we find Mr. Walter J. Travis, in _Practical -Golf_ at page 139, saying: - - With a very rapid swing, the force or energy stored up in the - gutta ball is greater than in the Haskell. The latter, by - reason of its greater comparative resiliency does not remain - in contact with the club head quite so long, and therefore - does not receive the full benefit of the greater velocity of - the stroke in the same proportion as the less resilient - gutta. It flies off the face too quickly to get the full - measure of energy imparted by a very swift stroke. This - responsiveness or resiliency, however, asserts itself in a - greater and more compensating degree in the case of the - shorter driver. It makes up, in his case, for the lack of - speed, and he finds his distance very sensibly increased. - -This is a remarkable error for a golfer like Mr. Travis to make. It is -abundantly plain that the rubber-cored ball stays on the face of the -club much longer than the old gutta-percha ball did. Provided that -there were such things in the world as incompressible balls, the -impact in the drive would be of the least possible duration with them, -but the more compressible the ball becomes the longer it will dwell on -the face of the golf club. - -That the rubber-cored ball does dwell for a greater period on the face -of the club is responsible, to a great extent, for the fact that the -modern ball swerves much more when sliced or pulled than did the old -guttie in similar circumstances, and the reason seems to be that on -account of the fact that the ball stays longer on the face of the club -during the time that the club is going across the intended line of -flight, it is able to impart to the ball a much greater spin. This -spin, as we know, exerts its influence principally towards the end of -the ball's flight, and in all probability it gets to work now -approximately at the same place where the spin in the old gutta-percha -ball began to assert itself, but probably a little further in the -carry. - -We all know that once the spin has begun to assert itself so as to -make the ball swerve, its deflection from the line, particularly with -a suitable wind, is extremely rapid, and we all know equally well that -the carry of the rubber-cored ball is much longer than that of the old -gutta-percha. It stands to reason that the ball having a much greater -distance wherein to swerve will execute a correspondingly larger -swerve than it would if its carry were shorter. - -We find some amazing statements made by authors who profess to deal -with golf. For instance at page 167 of _The Mystery of Golf_, we are -informed that - - ... another important thing about the follow-through, surely, - is this. As Mr. Travis has pointed out, such is the - resiliency of the rubber ball that club and ball are in - contact for an appreciable period of time--the impact, that - is, is not instantaneous. It is highly probable that the - trajectory of the ball is largely influenced by this period - of contact. If you follow through your club head travels in - precisely the same line as the ball, and the flight of the - ball is by this rendered straighter, steadier, and longer. - -This, truly, is a wonderful instance of analytical thought by one who -is attempting to explain the mystery of golf. He has come to the -conclusion that "it is highly probable that the trajectory of the ball -is largely influenced by this period of contact." - -I have seen many goals kicked at Rugby football, and have kicked a few -myself, and I am almost sure that in every case when a goal was scored -the boot had a good deal to do with the direction. Marvellous -_analysis_ this! - -We may, however, discard these wonderful efforts of analysis and deal -with the remark made by the author that "if you follow through, your -club head travels in precisely the same line as the ball," for this is -absolutely incorrect in the case of many strokes wherein one desires -to influence the flight of the ball by applying spin. For instance, at -practically no time of its travel, no matter how good the stroke is -and how perfect one's follow-through, is the club head in the slice or -the pull "in precisely the same line as the ball." This is merely one -of hundreds of instances of confused thought for which the poor golfer -has to suffer. - -I have before referred to the idea of pulling and slicing to -counteract wind. It is astonishing how deeply rooted this idea is. At -page 53 of _Concerning Golf_ Mr. John L. Low says: "There is no shot -which produces such straight results as the sliced shot against a -right hand breeze," to which I reply that there is no shot which gives -such straight results as the straight shot in itself without slice or -pull of any description whatever, and that as a matter of fact it is -practically impossible to calculate within twenty yards, and that -means double the distance, where one will land if one starts pulling -and slicing in a cross wind. - - [Illustration: PLATE XII. GEORGE DUNCAN - - A characteristic stroke, showing Duncan's perfect finish in - the drive.] - -This is a matter of such importance that I must quote Harry Vardon in -support of my statement. He says at page 92 of _The Complete Golfer_: - - Now, however, that this question is raised, I feel it - desirable to say, without any hesitation, that the majority - of golfers possess vastly exaggerated notions of the effect - of strong cross winds on the flight of their ball. They - greatly over-estimate the capabilities of a breeze. To judge - by their observations on the tee, one concludes that a wind - from the left is often sufficient to carry the ball away at - an angle of 45 degrees, and indeed sometimes when it does - take such an exasperating course and finishes on the journey - some fifty yards away from the point from which it was - desired to despatch it, there is an impatient exclamation - from the disappointed golfer, "Confound this wind! Who on - earth can play in a hurricane!" or words to that effect. Now - I have quite satisfied myself that only a very strong wind - indeed will carry a properly driven ball more than a very few - yards out of its course, and in proof of this I may say that - it is very seldom when I have to deal with a cross wind that - I do anything but play straight at the hole without any - pulling or slicing or making allowances in any way. - - If golfers will only bring themselves to ignore the wind, - then it, in turn, will almost entirely ignore their straight - ball. When you find your ball at rest the afore-mentioned - forty or fifty yards from the point which you desired to send - it, make up your mind, however unpleasant it may be to do so, - that the trouble is due to an unintentional pull or slice, - and you may get what consolation you can from the fact that - the slightest of these variations from the ordinary drive is - seized upon with delight by any wind, and its features - exaggerated to an enormous extent. It is quite possible - therefore that a slice which would have taken the ball only - twenty yards from the line when there was no wind, will take - it forty yards away with the kind assistance of its friend - and ally. - -These are, unquestionably, words of wisdom. There can be no doubt -whatever that the straight ball is the ball all the time in golf, and -it is absolutely certain that what Vardon says about the effect of the -wind on the golf ball is true. Wind has remarkably little effect on -the golf ball which is driven without spin. I have had no doubt on -this subject for at least seventeen years. I had my lesson in one ball -during the course of a match played over my home links in New Zealand. -One of the holes was on top of a volcanic mountain at a place where -New Zealand is only a few miles wide, and there was a howling gale -raging from ocean to ocean right across the island. I can remember as -if it were yesterday, the champion of New Zealand, as he was then, -playing this hole. He drove a very high and perfectly straight ball -from tee to green, and the ball travelled to all appearances as -directly as if there had been no wind whatever, whereas had there been -the least slice on the ball it would have been picked up by the wind -and carried away into the crater which lay sixty or a hundred yards -off the course. - -Speaking of Mr. Low reminds me that he makes some extraordinary -statements with regard to spin. At page 35 of _Concerning Golf_ he -says: "I have said that a ball with left to right spin swings in the -air towards the left in exactly the opposite direction from a sliced -ball and from contrary causes." It is obvious that this is wrong, for -the spin of the slice is from left to right, and of course, as every -one knows, that spin makes the ball swerve towards the right, which is -the swerve of the slice. - -At page 32 Mr. Low makes the same error. He says there: "Now a pulled -ball comes round to the left because the sphere is rotating from left -to right, or in the direction contrary to the hands of a watch." This, -of course, is a contradiction, for the hands of a watch as we look at -them do rotate from left to right, but in any case Mr. Low's -explanation is quite incorrect, because the spin of the ball is not in -a direction contrary to the hands of a watch laid face upwards on the -ground, as Mr. Low affirms. - -Mr. Low says at page 31: - - Every child nowadays seems to know how to slice a ball; you - have only to ask the question and the answer will come - quickly enough, "Oh, draw the hands in when you are hitting," - or, in other words, spin the ball in the direction of the - hands of a watch laid face upwards on the ground. The ball - advancing with this spin finds it is resisted most strongly - by the atmosphere on its left side, and therefore goes - towards the right in the direction of least resistance. The - converse is the case with a pulled ball in the sense of a - ball which curves in the air from right to left. - -We have already shown in dealing with Professor Thomson's article that -this statement is quite incorrect. In passing I may also refer to the -fact that Mr. Low's idea of the production of the slice, viz. by -drawing the hands in when one is hitting, is also wrong. There is no -drawing in of the hands at the moment of impact in the properly -played slice. It is the drawing in, if we may use the term, of the -head of the club in its travel across the intended line of flight, but -not anything which is done intentionally during impact. However, that -is by the way. - -Mr. Low is evidently under the impression, as was Professor Thomson, -that the spin of the ball in the slice is about a vertical axis. This -is an error in itself, as we have shown, but it is not nearly so bad -an error as it is to say that the pull is the converse of the slice in -this respect, for, as we have seen, if the ball were merely spinning -about a vertical axis it could not possibly have the running powers -which it possesses, to say nothing of its low flight. Although Mr. Low -has got somewhat mixed in describing his rotation, it is evident from -his reference to the hands of the clock that his ideas are correct in -so far as regards the general direction of spin, but where he is at -fault is in stating the axis of rotation of his ball. - -If we accept Mr. Low's statement about the axis of rotation we shall -have the pulled ball, when it lands, striking the earth with a spin -equivalent to a sleeping top, but that is not what we want in the -pulled ball, for neither would it give us the low trajectory which we -desire so much, nor would it give us, on landing, the running which we -desire, if anything, still more. The spin which we desire to produce -and which we must have in our minds to produce when we are playing the -stroke, is such a spin as will give us, when the ball lands, -approximately the spin of a disc top as it falls to earth when its -spin is nearly exhausted. I am speaking now, of course, not of the -question of degree, but of the plane of spin. We must have our ball -spinning in such a plane that when it touches the earth it will behave -in the same manner as the disc top does when its side comes into -contact with the floor. - -In dealing with "The Science of the Stroke," James Braid in _Advanced -Golf_ goes into an analysis of the effect of spin on flight. He says -early in the chapter: - - At the present time most players know how they ought to be - standing, and what the exact movements of their arms, wrists, - and body should be in order to swing the club in the right - way and make the ball travel as far as possible, but they do - not all know, and in few cases one suspects have ever - troubled to think, what is the process by which these - movements, when properly executed, bring about the desired - effect. - -I do not know how Braid can truthfully say that at the present time -most players know how they ought to be standing, when we are -confronted with the fact that his own book, _Advanced Golf_, and -practically every book which has been published on the game, tells the -unfortunate golfer to stand as he ought not to be standing instead of -giving him the simple truth and sound golf, and it is incomprehensible -to me how Braid can say that they know "what the exact movements of -their arms, wrists, and body should be in order to swing the club in -the right way," when he himself has confessed in _Advanced Golf_ that, -particularly with regard to the wrists, which unquestionably have a -most important function to fulfil in the golf drive, he absolutely -does not know where they come in. It is useless in a work on _Advanced -Golf_ to assume on the part of one's readers a knowledge superior to -that which the author of the book himself has given as his own -limitations. Braid says: - - They have the cause and also the effect, but they do not - often see the connection between the two. Of course, the ball - in a ball game moves always according to scientific laws, but - it has seemed to those who have studied these matters that - the scientific problems involved in the flight of the golf - ball are more intricate, but at the same time more - interesting, than in many other cases. - -Of course this is quite stupid, because, as I have frequently -explained, there is no special set of mechanical laws for golf--or the -golf ball. - -The golf ball follows in all respects exactly the same laws as those -which govern the flight and run of any other ball. The only difference -in connection with the golf ball is that it is probably the most -unscientifically constructed ball in the world of sport. Braid -continues: - - The chief matter of this kind that it is desirable the golfer - should understand is that concerning the character and effect - of the spin that is given to the golf ball when it leaves the - club. This spin is at the root of all the difficulties and - all the delights of the game, and yet there are some - players--one might even say many--who do not even know that - their ball spins at all as they hit it from the tee. - -I may pause here to note that James Braid says that spin is at the -root of all the difficulties and all the delights of golf. This is in -many respects quite an exaggeration, but I am giving it exactly as he -says it, for the simple reason that it emphasises the fact which I -have always insisted on, that a proper knowledge of the application of -spin to the golf ball is essential for one who would attain to the -greatest success or who would obtain the greatest enjoyment from the -game. - -Braid quotes the work of the late Professor Tait very extensively. -Referring to the most important subject of back-spin, he says: - - It appears to be the proper regulation of the under-spin - given to the ball when applying it from the tee and through - the green, at all events when length is what is most - required, that makes success, and it is in this way that - players of inferior physical power must make up for their - deficiency and drive long balls. - -I may say at once that any idea whatever of the proper regulation of -back-spin in the drive is, from the point of view of practical golf, -merely nonsense. In so far as regards obtaining extra distance by -driving a low ball with back-spin, whose properties I have already -fully described, there is nothing whatever to be done but to get -back-spin and as much of it as one possibly can. The golfer has yet to -be born who in driving can obtain too much back-spin. Braid says: - - It is in the long drive that the principles of spin are most - interesting and important, but it must be remembered also - that they are very prominent in their action upon the flight - of the ball in the case of many other shots, and the - peculiarities of different trajectories can generally be - traced to this cause after a very little thought by one who - has a knowledge of the scientific side of the matter, as - explained by Professor Tait. This is particularly the case - with high lofted approach shots. - -One may remark here, perhaps, that there is no more unsuitable stroke -in which to study the peculiarity of the application of back-spin to -the trajectory of the ball than in the high lofted approach shots, for -it is in such shots as these practically an impossibility, if one may -so express it, to locate the influence of the spin on the flight of -the ball. It is quite a different thing in the wind-cheater class of -stroke where one sees the ball travelling low across the turf and can -absolutely mark the place where the back-spin begins to get to work -and give the ball its upward tendency towards the end of the drive, -and, when the velocity of the ball has become sufficiently reduced, to -allow the back-spin to exert its lifting power. - -I now come to a matter which is of very great importance in the -application of back-spin to the ball. It is quite evident to me that -Braid is falling into the same error as that which was originally made -by Professor Tait, and followed fifteen years later by Professor Sir -J. J. Thomson. On page 226 he says: - - Therefore the great authority concluded that good driving - lies not merely in powerful hitting, but "in the proper - apportionment of quite good hitting with such a knack as - gives the right amount of under-spin to the ball"; and one of - his calculations was to the effect that, in certain - circumstances, a man who imparted under-spin to his ball when - driving it might get a carry of about thirty yards more than - that obtained by another man who hit as hard but made no - under-spin. There would, of course, be a great difference in - the comparative trajectories of the two balls. In the case of - the short one there is no resistance to gravity, and - consequently, in order to get any sort of flight at all, the - ball must be directed upwards when it is hit from the tee, - or, to use a scientific term, there must be "initial - elevation." This may be only very slight, but it is quite - distinguishable, and in fact a player, who is only at the - beginning of his practice, and has little knowledge of the - principles of the game, will generally be found trying to hit - his ball in an upward direction, and by that means will make - it travel farther than it would have done otherwise. On the - other hand, the ball that is properly driven by a good player - is not only not consciously aimed upwards, but, according to - Professor Tait, is not hit upwards. For some distance after - it has left the tee it follows a line nearly parallel with - the ground, and eventually rises as the result of the - under-spin which is forcing it upwards all the time. - -We may pause here to consider a few of the statements in this -remarkable passage. I may say again that the idea of driving a ball -with the "proper apportionment of quite good hitting with such a knack -as gives the right amount of under-spin to the ball" is simply a wild -guess at what takes place during the execution of a correct drive with -back-spin. The proper playing of this stroke is a matter of very -considerable difficulty, and it is practically a certainty that no -golfer has ever lived or ever will live who could regulate his -back-spin in the drive to any appreciable extent; all that he ever -thinks of doing--all that he is ever likely to do--is to obtain his -back-spin, _and as much of it as he can_. - -It is, of course, quite wrong to say that in the ball hit without -back-spin there is "no resistance to gravity," for if there were no -resistance to gravity the ball would be on the earth. However, we know -quite well what is meant, although, when we are dealing with a matter -which is absolutely a matter of science, we do not expect such loose -statements as these. I should probably have passed this remark, but -for the fact that it is emphasised by the statement that in order to -get any sort of flight at all the ball must be directed upwards when -it is hit from the tee, which again, as a matter of practical golf, is -what nine of ten golfers do, although we are told that "a player who -is only at the beginning of his practice, and has little knowledge of -the principles of the game, will generally be found trying to hit his -ball in an upward direction." - -It is astonishing how few players, even of quite a good class, are -content to leave the question of elevation entirely to the club. It -probably would be no exaggeration to say that quite ninety per cent of -the players make an attempt, however extremely slight it may be, to -assist the club in lifting the ball from the earth. According to the -best theory in golf, this is quite wrong, for the blow should be at -least in a horizontal direction, which practically it never is, and -preferably in the line of the arc formed by the club head in its -travel through the air on its downward path. The latter case, of -course, would produce back-spin, and a considerable amount of it. The -former would probably produce slight back-spin, but a very slight -amount. However, the very great majority of golfing hits are at the -moment of impact proceeding upwardly, and it is this fact which puts -any idea whatever of the unconscious application of back-spin by the -ordinary golfer quite beyond serious consideration. The amount of -back-spin which is unconsciously applied to the golf ball is -practically negligible. - -We see that, according to Professor Tait, the ball which is properly -driven by a good player is not only not consciously aimed upwards, but -that it is actually not hit upwards. Indeed we are told that for some -distance after it has left the tee it follows a line nearly parallel -with the ground and eventually rises as the result of the under-spin -that is forcing it upwards all the time. This statement is not in -accordance with the experience of practical golfers. It is evident -that Professor Tait was under the impression, in which, as I have -stated before and now emphasise, he has been followed by Professor Sir -J. J. Thomson, that the beneficial back-spin in golf is obtained by -the loft of the club. There can be no doubt whatever that if a golf -ball were struck a blow by a golf club having any considerable degree -of loft and proceeding at the moment of impact in a straight line, the -result would be to impart some degree of back-spin, but this is not -what happens in practical golf. At no portion of the travel of the -head of the club in the golf drive is it proceeding in a horizontal -direction, and in the vast majority of cases, at the moment of impact, -even with the very best of stroke players, the club is going upward. -If this were not so it would be impossible for many of our greatest -drivers to get the trajectories they do with the comparatively -straight-faced clubs which they use. - -Braid quotes an experiment which was made by Professor Tait in the -course of his investigations with regard to the qualities of -under-spin. It appears that the Professor laid a ball to the string of -a crossbow, the string being just below the middle of the ball, so -that when it was let go it would impart a certain amount of under-spin -to it. When he shot the ball in this way he made it fly straight to a -mark that was thirty yards distant; but when he shot it a second time, -pulling the string to the same extent and laying it to the middle of -the ball so that no under-spin would be given to it, the ball fell -eight feet short of the same mark. - -It is impossible to accept such a rough and crude experiment as this -as evidence in any way whatever of the influence of back-spin in the -drive; rather it would seem to show beyond a shadow of doubt that the -extra carry was obtained because the power of propulsion was applied -to the ball at a lower portion, and therefore tended to give it a -greater trajectory. It should be obvious that this result would be -obtained even disregarding the question of back-spin, which in such an -extremely short flight as thirty yards would certainly not have any -opportunity whatever to make such a difference in the length of carry -as that suggested. - -It is, however, when we come to deal with questions of practical golf -that we find that the ideas of the late Professor Tait will not bear -looking into. - -Braid says: - - However, it is well to bear in mind one thing that the - Professor said, "The pace which the player can give the club - head at the moment of impact depends to a very considerable - extent on the relative motion of his two hands (to which is - due the 'nip') during the immediately preceding two-hundredth - of a second, while the amount of beneficial spin is seriously - diminished by even a trifling upward concavity of the path of - the head during the ten-thousandth of a second occupied by - the blow." - -Here we have plain evidence of the fact that Professor Tait is under -the impression that there is some particular snap which he calls "nip" -imported into the stroke immediately before impact. We have already -dealt fully with this matter. We remember what Vardon has said in -condemning the idea, and we know that Braid himself has confessed that -he knows nothing about the matter, so it will not seem disrespectful -if we come to the conclusion that we can disregard this vague -statement about the "nip" in the blow. We can then proceed to notice -the really important remark made that "the amount of beneficial spin -is seriously diminished by even a trifling upward concavity of the -path of the head during the ten-thousandth of a second occupied by the -blow." It seems to me that this last statement is absolutely accurate, -and it is the thing which I have always contended for in dealing with -the practical side of golf driving, as contradistinguished from the -purely theoretical, which has been put before us by Professor Tait, -and following him, by Professor Sir J. J. Thomson. It will be observed -that Professor Tait said that the amount of beneficial spin is -"seriously diminished by even a trifling upward concavity of the path -of the head during the ten-thousandth of a second occupied by the -blow." - -Some of my readers may remember that when I was dealing with Professor -Sir J. J. Thomson's lecture before the Royal Society in an article -which appeared in _The English Review_ in February 1911, I stated that -what actually did happen was that there took place in practically -every drive at golf exactly this "trifling upward concavity of the -path of the head during the ten-thousandth of a second occupied by the -blow," and that therefore the amount of beneficial back-spin obtained -from the loft of the club was practically negligible. - -It is quite clear that Professor Tait was under the impression that -back-spin was got from the loft of the club proceeding in a horizontal -direction, but it is well known now to golfers who give the science of -the game any attention whatever, that back-spin is not obtained in -this manner, and that back-spin so obtained would be practically -ineffectual as an aid to distance, for the loft of the driver and the -brassy is not sufficient, even if the golf drive were played in the -manner suggested, to produce any considerable amount of back-spin. As -we have already seen, the beneficial back-spin in the golf drive is -obtained by the club striking the ball _long before the beginning_ of -the "upward concavity of the path of the head," that is to say, in its -arc _as it is proceeding downwards_ to the lowest point in the swing -from which it then starts that "upward concavity." - -I have emphasised and re-emphasised this matter, for it is evident -that when famous men like Professors Tait and Thomson start out with -an absolutely erroneous idea, an idea which is _fundamentally_ wrong, -it is quite natural for less gifted men to be led astray. Braid says, -and it must be remembered that this is in _Advanced Golf_ (page 229): -"So far as I know, it cannot be stated in accurate scientific terms -and figures, and by lines drawn on paper, what is the proper -scientific swing in order to get the best drive." This seems to me, -especially in a book like this, to be a wonderful statement, -particularly when we are dealing with the scientific results arrived -at by men of the greatest eminence, results which I may say have been -known for more than two hundred and fifty years. - -There is no doubt whatever which is the best way to swing in order to -get the best drive, and it can be explained in scientific language -and shown by diagram and by figures, and in fact it has been so shown -again and again. - -Braid says: - - What golfers have done, therefore, in the past has been to - find out gradually which is the best way in which to hit the - ball in order to make it travel far, and thus they have - groped their way to the stances and swings which, if the - truth were known, would probably be set out by science as the - best possible ones for the purpose. - -This very well expresses what has taken place. The golfers have -"groped their way" to what they have found out, without a glimmering -of the scientific reasons for doing it, and the consequence is that, -as they got their practice first, and were not informed of what they -were doing by that theory which is the best of all theory, the -concentrated essence of the practice of experts, they have signally -failed to impart their science to those who have come after them. - -At page 229 Braid says: - - However, there are certain things that the player should know - about his drive when it is right, and which he should aim at - producing, and they have been very well set forth by - Professor Tait as the result of his investigations into the - trajectories of golf balls hit under varying conditions of - club-force, wind, and so forth. One of the first things to - say, and this is really important in estimating their chances - of making certain carries that are constantly set to them in - the course of their play, is that some golfers have a - delusion to the effect that the ball is at its highest point - in the middle of its flight--that is to say, they think that - just about half-way between the point from which it was hit - and the point at which it will touch the ground again, the - ball is at its highest, and after that commences to fall - again. In this belief when they have, say, a 140 yards' carry - to make, they will reckon that their ball must then be coming - down very fast towards the turf, having been at its highest, - some 50 or 60 yards before. They may think in such - circumstances that they ought to hit up a little more and try - to hit harder to make up for doing so. They would be wrong - entirely, and that because they did not know what the - under-spin was that they gave to the ball, or what effect it - had on its flight. Thus in the case just quoted, assuming - that the ball had a total carry of from 150 to 160 yards, it - would be at its highest point when it had travelled about 130 - yards, and there would be no occasion to hit up, unless the - object to be carried were very high. - -It is obvious that in such a case as that given no practical golfer -would in any way whatever consider the question of the _amount_ of -back-spin on his ball, for he would know that he has no possibility -whatever of gauging its effect in the air in such a shot, and he will -leave that to regulate itself and to act when the ball strikes the -earth. - -It is unquestionable that theoretically this may be done, and it is -well known that I am a strong advocate of the use of back-spin, but in -the case quoted by Braid there is nothing whatever to show that the -ball has been played in such a manner as to produce an appreciable -quantity of serviceable back-spin, or that such a method of play is -necessary or advisable. - -Braid continues: - - The fact is that a well-driven ball that has a total - carry--that is, from the tee to the point where it touches - the turf again, and not the distance of the obstacle that it - clears--of about 165 yards, under normal conditions of wind - and weather, is at its highest about 135 yards from the point - where it was struck, and after that it begins to fall - rapidly. This is chiefly the result of the under-spin which - is given to it when it is struck by the driver in the proper - way, and it shows the importance of under-spin to the golfer, - for if there were none, then all our courses would have to be - shortened, hazards brought closer to the tee, and the - principles upon which the game is played would have to be - altered in many respects. If there were no under-spin, then - the ball would have no help against the force of gravity, and - the result would be that the highest point of its flight - would be half-way between the point from which it was driven - and that at which it alighted. - -We see here again strong evidence of the fact that Braid is under the -same impression as Professor Tait, and that is that the back-spin of -golf is obtained from the loft of the club, whereas the loft of the -club has one function, and that is to raise the ball from the earth, -and there will be no particular necessity to alter our courses, for in -ordinary every-day golf, back-spin is practically not used, except -when it is intentionally applied by the golfer by means of the stroke -suitable for its production. - -Braid gives a series of diagrams taken from Professor Tait's lecture -which illustrate various trajectories of golf balls driven in varying -circumstances. Many of these are so entirely theoretical that I need -not consider them, but in referring to one of them Braid says: - - The ball which has travelled farthest, or rather the one that - has been given most carry, is that which has been hit in the - right way, and to which has therefore been imparted the right - amount of under-spin. This is, in fact, the ideal trajectory - of a well-driven ball. It starts low, rises very slowly and - gradually, the line of flight bending upwards slightly, and - does not come down too quickly after the vertex has been - reached. - -This is, on the whole, a sound but very general description of an -accurately played wind-cheater, but the remarkable thing is that -although Braid expresses himself in such terms of admiration for this -particular ball he does not anywhere in _Advanced Golf_ show us how to -produce the stroke which gives this beneficial back-spin. This surely -is a very great oversight. Nor so far as I have been able to see does -he explain clearly how the beneficial back-spin of golf is obtained. - -Braid shows clearly by his quotation from Professor Tait's article -that in the Professor's mind was the deep-rooted idea that it was -possible to drive golf balls by a stroke delivered at the moment of -impact in the same manner as is a blow from a billiard cue, but, -needless to say, this is in the golf drive utterly impracticable. -Professor Tait, in his paper, used a considerable number of diagrams -to show that too much back-spin is bad in the drive, but as I have -already pointed out, although this is very well in mere theory, it -does not work out in the slightest degree in golf. It is easy to take -light balloons and give them back-spin and show that it influences -their trajectories to such an extent that they will go behind the -point where they were struck, but a golf ball is a very small, hard, -and heavy thing, and by the time that its back-spin begins to exert -its influence in a marked manner on its flight it has travelled a -considerable distance and the rate of spin will have materially -diminished, so that no golfer need ever be afraid of applying too much -back-spin to his drive. - -Braid proceeds: - - Of course, as already indicated, the golfer does not know, - and in one sense does not care exactly how much under-spin he - gives to his ball when he drives it, only being aware that he - has given too much or too little according to results, and - knowing also that in either case excess or otherwise was due - to faulty stance or swing--most frequently this--or both. In - the present case of this high trajectory, the exact amount of - under-spin given to the ball is half as much again as that - given to the properly driven ball, and under the same normal - conditions these would be the relative flights of the two - balls. - -Now it is obvious that if Professor Tait was under the impression -that the beneficial back-spin of golf was obtained merely from the -horizontal blow delivered through the centre of the ball's mass, so -that the ball took some slight spin by its roll up the face of the -club, he had no very accurate idea of the rate of spin of that ball at -the moment it left the face of the club, so that any attempt whatever -on his part to measure the respective rates of spin of the different -flight of these balls must be received with very great caution. As a -matter of fact the rate of spin of the golf ball at the moment it -leaves the club in a well-played drive with back-spin would be -immeasurably faster than anything supposed by Professor Tait, who -based his calculations on the ball obtaining this back-spin _from the -loft of the club_, which is undoubtedly a grave error, and Braid -wholly subscribes to this error, which is not to be wondered at, for -Professor Sir J. J. Thomson, one of the most eminent scientists, has -fallen into the same trap. - -Professors Tait and Thomson and James Braid talk much about the -possibility of obtaining too much back-spin in the drive. This is -scarcely theoretically possible in golf, and it is practically -impossible. I will give an example taken from practical golf which -will, I believe, quite convince any golfer that the possibility of -obtaining too much back-spin in the drive need never be considered. - -Let us imagine a very badly sliced ball. By a badly sliced ball I do -not necessarily mean an extremely quick slice where the ball leaves -the line of flight to the hole quite suddenly, nor do I mean a ball -pushed away to the right of the line to the hole; what I do mean is a -ball which has been so sliced that it takes a tremendous curve from -left to right, beginning to develop that slice in a pronounced manner -at, say, half to two-thirds of its carry, which is quite bad enough -for a slice. We frequently see in such a case, particularly on a windy -day, and even on a still one, the great power which the spin has to -deflect the ball from the line to the hole. It must be remembered that -in this curve the spin is assisted by gravity--the ball is falling -much of the time as it is being edged away--and even then it will be -apparent that it is easy to get much greater spin in the slice than it -is in the wind-cheater, for the simple reason that in the slice one -has an unrestricted cut across the ball, whereas one has not this -opportunity with the wind-cheater, for one hits the ground immediately -one passes the ball. - -Now although it is possible to apply an infinitely greater cut to the -slice than one can possibly do to the wind-cheater, the deflection -from the line, except on a very windy day, is, comparatively speaking, -gradual. That is to say that if, for the sake of argument, the -trajectory of the slice could be turned upwards there would be no -possibility whatever of the ball showing such a thing as a curl -backwards towards the hole, which is shown by Professor Tait and, -following him, by Professor Thomson. This is clearly so in any slice -which is not an extremely exaggerated specimen, so it stands to reason -that in the wind-cheater, where one's opportunity for applying cut is -so restricted, and where the ball in its effort to climb upwards has -to fight the direct pull of gravity, there is no possible chance of -applying too much back-spin to the ball. - -At page 239 Braid says: "It may be of interest to mention that -Professor Tait found that a well-driven ball turns once in every 2-1/2 -feet at the beginning of its journey." If Professor Tait found that a -golf ball, obtaining this back-spin in the way in which he thought it -did, turns "once in every 2-1/2 feet at the beginning of its -journey," he would probably have found, if he had realised how -back-spin really is obtained, that the number of revolutions at the -moment that the ball is leaving the club are at least three or four -times as many as he asserted. It is unnecessary to enlarge upon the -fact that this would mean a lifting capacity infinitely beyond -anything that Professors Tait and Thomson ever ascribed to back-spin -in the drive. - -Braid continues: - - We have so far only been considering the effect of the - spinning of the ball in the case of long shots with wooden - clubs. As a matter of fact, and as suggested at the outset, - it has also very great influence on the play in the case of - the shorter shots with iron clubs, as may be understood after - a very little consideration of the circumstances. It is the - excessive under-spin that is given to the ball by the angle - at which the face of the club is laid back, and the peculiar - way in which the stroke is played, that make the ball rise so - quickly and so high in the case of a short pitched approach, - and then make it stop comparatively dead when it comes to the - ground again. - -It is obvious here that Braid is under the impression that the loft of -the club is largely responsible for the back-spin in the approach -shots, but this is quite an error, for not one player in a hundred -does apply back-spin to his lofted approaches unless he has been -specially taught how to do it, for, curiously enough, the more lofted -the club is, the greater chance is there that the player will at the -moment of impact impart into his stroke that little bit of "upward -concavity" which Professor Tait says, and truly says, is the enemy of -back-spin. The fact is that very little under-spin, or, as I always -prefer to call it, back-spin, is obtained from the loft of the club -unless the blow is delivered as the club is travelling downward. That -is the whole essence of the secret of back-spin, but it is not -mentioned by Professors Tait or Thomson, or by James Braid. Any -attempt whatever to obtain back-spin from the loft of the club will be -practically useless. It must be obtained by the method of playing the -shot, and the only way to obtain it effectually is to hit the ball -before the club has arrived at the lowest point in its swing. By this -means, and this means alone, is it possible to obtain the beneficial -back-spin of golf, and I cannot say too often or too emphatically that -anyone who trusts to the loft of the club to produce back-spin will be -disappointed. - -Braid seems to have a glimmering of this, for he says: - - However much a club were laid back it would be impossible to - play these shots properly if no under-spin were given to the - ball, and it seems to be a great advantage of having the - faces of iron clubs grooved or dotted that it helps the club - to grasp the ball thoroughly while this under-spin is being - imparted to it, so that the full amount is given to it, and - none is wasted through the ball slipping on the face. - -This is unquestionably sound mechanics. But even here, although Braid -is so close to the heart of the matter--although he says, as I have -shown repeatedly in many places, that "however much a club were laid -back it would be impossible to play these shots properly if no -under-spin were given to the ball," thus stating explicitly that -something more remains to be done to produce back-spin than merely to -hit the ball with a lofted club,--he does not get really to the -essence of the stroke and show that it must be played by the club _as -it is descending_. - -There is a very important matter which Braid refers to in this chapter -on the science of the stroke. Speaking of the follow-through and the -impact, he says: - - One or two other calculations that were made by Professor - Tait may be briefly mentioned at the close of this chapter, - each of them seeming to convey an idea to the golfer. The - first is, that owing to the speed at which the ball leaves - the club, the total length of time during which ball and club - are in contact with each other is between one five thousandth - and one ten thousandth of a second, and the total length of - that part of the swing when the two are together--the length - of impact--is half an inch. It has been pointed out that it - by no means follows from this that because the time and space - of impact are so short that follow-through is of no real - account, after all, in the making of the drive. When the - follow-through is properly performed it shows that the work - was properly done during that half an inch of the swing that - was all-important. If the follow-through were short and wrong - it would indicate that the work during the impact was wrong - too. What it comes to is this, that it is impossible for any - man to swing his club round with so much force and regulate - exactly what he will do, and be conscious of the fact that he - is doing it as he regulated, during such a short space of - time as from one five thousandth to one ten thousandth of a - second. That is quite clear. What the golfer has to do, then, - is to make sure that his swing is right at the beginning, - that is, in the back-swing and the down-swing, and also in - the follow-through. He knows from instruction and experience - that if all these things are properly done the ball will go - off well; and what it amounts to is that the beginning being - right and the end being right, control being exercised over - each, the middle is right also, though in this case there is - no control over it. - -This quotation emphasises strongly the fact which I have always -insisted on, that the matter of impact with the golf ball is an -incident in the travel of the head of the club, and that it is -practically impossible for the player to consciously perform anything -which will affect the flight of the golf ball during impact. Braid has -insisted upon this in other places, and it should quite settle any -idea which many people have, of juggling with the golf ball during -impact, but it is a remarkable thing to see James Braid claiming that -at the moment of impact there is "no control over" the swing although -there is both in the downward swing and the follow-through! I need not -criticise this. - -The point, however, which I wish to refer to here specifically is in -connection with the follow-through. Braid says, finally: - - What the golfer has to do, then, is to make sure that his - swing is right at the beginning, that is, in the back-swing - and the down-swing, and also in the follow-through. He knows - from instruction and experience that if all these things are - properly done the ball will go off well; and what it amounts - to is that the beginning being right and the end being right, - control being exercised over each, the middle is right also, - though in this case there is no control over it. - -This, it seems to me, is a very bad presentment of the case. Although -we admit that the impact is merely an incident in the travel of the -club head, it is the most important incident, and it is on that -incident that the mind should be concentrated, so that the idea of -cumbering one's mind with any thought of the follow-through is very -bad golf. The only portion of the stroke which should be on the -player's mind at all is that which leads up to impact, for it is -obvious that if that has been correctly performed, one need not -trouble much about the follow-through, as that will come quite -naturally. Also we will observe that Braid says here "control being -exercised over each." This, of course, includes the follow-through -over which Braid now speaks of exercising control, but it will be -fresh in our minds that in describing the moment of impact, he says -"Crack! everything is let go," and that really is what should happen -after impact has taken place. There should be no thought whatever of -the follow-through. That should produce itself, if one may so -express it, and the player who encumbers his mind by any thought -whatever as to how his club is going to end is simply adding another -anxiety to his game. - - [Illustration: PLATE XIII. J. SHERLOCK - - This plate shows Sherlock's stance and address in his - favourite iron-shot. He addresses the ball so that it is - nearly opposite his right heel.] - -Braid explained most graphically how the follow-through should be -allowed to take care of itself, so that I cannot understand why he -should now endeavour to split his pupils' mental idea of the golf -stroke into halves with the golf ball in between. This is surely a bad -conception of the stroke, and one which is likely to lead the pupil -into grave error, for it shifts his mind forward on to the finish of -the stroke, whereas it has no business to be anywhere else but on the -ball. - -Before concluding this chapter I must refer to what Braid has to say -with regard to a topped stroke. At page 238 he says: - - A final thing to remember in connection with this question of - the rotation of the ball is, that when the ball is what we - call topped, the stroke is applied in such a way that a - motion exactly the reverse of under-spin is applied to it, - that is to say, the front part of the ball is made to move in - a downward direction. On the principle already explained, - there is then an extra air-pressure upon that ball from the - top, pressing it down, so that even if the ball that is - topped is somehow got up into the air from the tee, as - happens, it cannot stay there long, but comes down very - suddenly--"ducks," as it is called. However, a ball that - ducks for this reason nevertheless gets some benefit from - this over-spin when it does come down, for the spin acts in - just the same way as "top" does in the case of a billiard - stroke, that is to say, it makes the ball run more. If there - were no rough grass and no bunkers between the tee and the - hole this over-spin might be an exceedingly useful thing, and - the principles upon which the game of golf is played might be - entirely different from what they are; but as there is rough - in front of the tee, and generally a bunker at no great - distance from it, topping and over-spin are more frequently - fatal than not, the ball coming to grief either in the rough - or the bunker. - -This quotation makes it quite evident, I think, that James Braid is -not very well acquainted with the principles which govern the flight -and run of the golf ball. If this were his "knowledge" which we are -considering, I should be more loath to deal with it so plainly as I am -doing, but as he expressly states that he is indebted to another for -much of his "knowledge" on this subject I have no hesitation whatever -in criticising it and showing that it is absolutely impracticable from -a golfing point of view. - -It is not too much to say that top-spin has absolutely no place in -golf, for it is there utterly useless, and would be so were golf links -like billiard tables, for no ball with top on it can travel any -appreciable distance through the air, and to speak of a ball being -driven with top is simply to show one's utter ignorance of the game, -for even if there were no rough grass and no bunkers between the tee -and the hole, this over-spin could never be "an exceedingly useful -thing," nor could it ever, by the greatest stretch of one's -imagination, alter the principles upon which the game of golf is -played, for no stroke in golf could ever supplant the drive with -back-spin. - -It is nonsense such as this which does much harm to the game. To speak -of the possibility of over-spin being such that the "principles upon -which the game of golf is played might be entirely different from what -they are if the course had no rough grass and no bunkers" is one of -the greatest absurdities which I have ever seen put in any book, and -when one finds matter of this sort in a book called _Advanced Golf_, -it calls for the severest possible criticism. - -The nearest approach to top-spin which exists in golf is the spin of -the pull, and there because the axis of spin is turned over to a -certain extent, we get the beneficial run at the end of the drive, -but anyone who knows the first principles of the flight and run of the -ball would know that if the golfer in his drive obtained pure top -instead of this much modified over-spin, his drive would be entirely -ruined, for the thing which produces the low flight of the ball is -that the ball does its ducking sideways, if we may so express it, and -the chances are that quite frequently the shock of landing alters the -plane of its spin, so that it is converted into pure running, but this -latter point, of course, is a matter which we can only theorise about -and regard as almost proved from the nature of the run of the ball on -many occasions. - -We need not here bother about top-spin. The only place where top (not -top-spin) is of any use in golf, so far as I can remember, is on the -putting-green, and there it is unquestionably useful, and it is not -used so much as it should be. The point of outstanding importance, -which I venture to think is made fairly clear by this chapter on the -flight of the ball, is that the beneficial back-spin of golf is by far -the most important spin which it is possible for a golfer to apply to -his ball, and that that spin is not obtained in the manner stated by -Professor Tait and, after him, by Professor Thomson, but is obtained -by the method which I have indicated, viz. by a downward glancing -blow, and, so far as regards this statement, we have the corroboration -of James Braid to the extent that he says that "no matter what the -loft is upon the club, it is impossible to obtain by loft alone the -back-spin which one requires in golf." - -It may seem that I have been unnecessarily emphatic in dealing with -this question, but as a matter of practical golf it is absolutely -impossible to lay too much stress upon the value of a complete -understanding of the method of obtaining this most valuable and -serviceable spin, and unless a player most perfectly understands the -theory of the stroke, it is the greatest certainty possible that he -will waste many years of his life endeavouring to acquire the -practice, whereas if he knows perfectly well what he is trying to do, -he may acquire it in as many months as he would otherwise waste years -in not getting it. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -THE GOLF BALL - - -It is remarkable, when one considers the vast number of scientific men -who play golf, how little attention has been directed by them to the -form and make of the golf ball. Many golfers are under the impression -that the golf ball which is now used represents the limit of man's -inventive genius. Probably the leading maker of the best feather ball -in the days before the gutta-percha ball was known would have thought -the same. As a matter of ascertained fact the vast majority of golf -balls which are made to-day are imperfect in a variety of ways. There -can be no doubt whatever that the ball which is marked by what are -commonly called pimples, or bramble marking, is a most imperfect -production. - -If one were to suggest to a billiard player that it would improve the -run of the balls if they were covered with little excrescences similar -to those which are on many golf balls, he would be pitied or -maltreated, yet Mid-Surrey greens are not many removes from a billiard -table, and putting is quite half the game of golf, as I think has been -remarked by a great number of people, but is nevertheless not -sufficiently considered by golfers, especially in the matter of -choosing golf balls. - -It is not necessary, in considering the question of the golf ball, to -bore people, as is usually done, with the history of the evolution of -the golf ball, from the time when prehistoric men used a knuckle bone -or something like that, right down through the feather ball period up -to the present time. It will not be necessary for me to go back any -further than the period of the gutta-percha ball. Most golfers will -remember that the guttie was not a perfectly smooth ball; it was -marked with grooved lines running round it. These crossed each other -at various angles, producing, generally speaking, squares, although, -naturally, some of the markings, where the lines did not cross at -right angles, were irregular, but the principle of the marking was by -indentation. - -The bramble marking, or marking by excrescence, is an idea which has -obtained a hold more recently, and it is certain, from a practical and -scientific point of view, that it is a very imperfect marking. - -It is a curious thing that in golf, where a very great amount of -accuracy is demanded, particularly when one is playing a short put on -a fiery green, the ball should be, so far as I am aware, the only ball -which is deliberately constructed on principles which if applied to a -billiard ball would make the ball what billiard players call "foul," -that is, a ball which runs untruly. - -It is unquestionable that sufficient thought has not been given to -this matter. Very few people understand that it is practically -impossible to place a ball with bramble markings on a perfectly true -surface so that it will remain in the exact place where it was put, -even if it were deposited on this spot by mechanical means. It is not -hard to understand that this is natural when we remember that a golf -ball which is marked by the excrescences called pimples or brambles -comes to rest on a tripod of excrescences, and indeed it sometimes -requires to find a base of four of these excrescences before it -settles down. - -Any thinking golfer will be able to understand very easily that this -must make for instability, and he will see clearly what it means when -a ball is rolling very slowly. Let us imagine, for instance, that a -golfer is playing an approach put of twenty yards. It is evident that -while the main force of the blow is behind the ball it will enable it -to overcome much of the untrueness of the ball, but it is equally -apparent that as the force is dying away at the critical time when one -wishes the ball to run truly on its course to the hole, it is most -prone to waver. It is at times like this that the golfer blames the -"beastly green," whereas if he knew as much as he should about the -make of a golf ball he would know that he had only himself to thank -for playing with such an extremely imperfect thing as the golf ball -which is marked by excrescences. - -It is of course clear that on a putting-green the ball with -excrescences sinks into the turf, and whilst it is running with any -considerable force behind it, it makes for itself what may be termed a -trough to run in, which is equivalent in depth practically to the hole -which the ball would make when lying at rest on the green. This is the -only thing which saves the ball marked with excrescences from being a -much worse failure than it is. It is, however, when one comes to put -with it over a hard, keen, or bare green that its wonderful -imperfection is shown. - -Many golfers, on account of the fact that an ordinary putting-green -does assist this imperfect ball to this extent, are inclined to -maintain that the ball is sufficient for the needs of golf. They -forget, of course, that a ball with these excrescences must -necessarily be more inaccurate off the face of the putter than would -be a ball marked by indentation, for when a ball is marked by -indentation, either of the dimple pattern, which has come into vogue -more recently, or of the lines which were used in the old days, it -undoubtedly will run more truly than if marked by excrescences, for -the reason that the indentation is bridged in such a manner that it is -not felt to the same extent as is an excrescence. - -I may illustrate this by applying the marking of an old guttie to a -billiard ball. Let us consider for a moment that the billiard ball has -been marked by having lines sawn in it similar to those on a -gutta-percha ball; these lines would not affect the trueness of the -running of a billiard ball to a very great extent. But let us, on the -other hand, imagine that instead of lines being sunk in the ball, -these lines had been put in a network on the ball, so that they were -raised from the surface of the billiard ball. It is obvious that such -a ball would be absolutely impossible, and it would be an extremely -foul-running ball. - -There is another point to be considered in connection with this matter -of marking by indentation or by excrescences. It would be almost a -matter of impossibility to stand a ball marked by excrescences so that -it balanced on the point of one of the pimples. On the other hand it -would be perfectly natural for a ball marked by a dimple of -corresponding diameter to the base of the pimple, to come to rest on -the "ring" formed by that dimple. We have already seen that the ball -marked by excrescences requires three or four of those excrescences to -rest on before it becomes stationary. Roughly, therefore, the -instability of the ball marked by excrescences is at least three times -as great as that of the ball marked by indentation, and if we -contrast the ball marked by excrescences with the ball marked by the -old gutta-percha marking, the difference would probably be very much -greater against the bramble marking. - -We have already seen that the putting-green assists, to a certain -extent, to make up for the defects of the ball with bramble marking, -but it must not be forgotten that although the putting-green does -this, the greater tendency to instability is there the whole time, and -must put the golfer who uses the bramble-marked ball at a -disadvantage. - -Putting, especially near the hole, is a very delicate operation, and -it is apparent that in many cases the blow will be delivered on the -point of one of these excrescences. It is equally apparent that in -many cases that excrescence will not be in such a line with regard to -the putter that the force of the blow will pass clean through the -centre thereof, and also through the centre of the ball's mass in a -line to the hole. When it does not do this it is certain that there is -an element of inaccuracy introduced into the put (particularly the -short put) which the wise golfer will not have in his stroke, for not -only is the ball with excrescences more inaccurate off the face of the -putter, but it is, particularly for short puts and on keen greens, -much more inaccurate in its run than is the ball which is marked by -indentations. - -This question of hitting one of the pimples of the golf ball might be -considered to be theoretical, but it is a matter of the most -absolutely practical golf, and I have seen the force of it exemplified -not only in golf, but in lawn-tennis. I must give here a very -interesting illustration of the point which I am making. - -Some time ago a lawn-tennis racket was produced which had a knot at -the intersection of the strings. The idea of this knot was that it -would enable the racket to get a better grip on the ball, and so to -produce a much greater spin. This, to a certain extent, was correct. -There was no doubt that the racket did get a very good grip on the -ball, although personally, as a matter of practical lawn-tennis, I -never regarded the invention very seriously; but it was useful in -emphasising the point which I am now making with regard to the marking -by excrescences of the golf ball. It was found that when one attempted -to play delicate volleys with this racket that it was impossible to -regulate the direction, for the simple reason that the ball, on many -occasions, was struck by one of the knots on the racket, and this -frequently spoilt the direction of the stroke. - -What happened with that racket and the lawn-tennis ball is what is -happening every day on hundreds of greens with the golf balls which -are marked by excrescences, and the golfer who is wise will have -nothing whatever to do with any ball which is marked otherwise than by -indentations. - -It was in the year 1908 that I first put forward these ideas in an -article in _The Evening Standard and St. James's Gazette_. I had -written many articles which were of much greater importance to the -game from the scientific point of view, but this particular article -eclipsed them all in interest. I had started the idea that the golf -ball should be made much smoother than it was at that time, and for -four months the controversy as to the merits of the rough ball or the -smoother raged. I caused the leading manufacturers of golf balls to be -interviewed. The manager of Messrs. A. G. Spalding & Bros., the -well-known manufacturers, gave it as his opinion that the idea was -perfectly ridiculous. He was quite convinced that the rough ball was -the better ball. The manager of another company was of opinion that -the smoother ball would not drive straight. Many of them traced this -to the fact that a smooth ball would not fly straight, but we were not -concerned with the question as to whether the smooth ball would fly -straight or not; golfers, generally, are well aware of the fact, and -even in 1908 were well aware of the fact, that a perfectly smooth ball -will not fly straight. The whole point of the discussion was to -ascertain if it would not be better to have a much smoother ball than -that with the bramble marking. - -I was interested in having the opinion of the golf ball manufacturers, -for I have never thought that they have dealt with the matter in a -scientific manner. It seemed to me that the evolution of the marking -of the golf ball had been entirely haphazard, and it is, I believe, -still in the same condition, but it certainly shows some signs of -improving. - -In order to put the matter beyond doubt I asked Mr. Rupert Ayres, of -the famous firm of F. H. Ayres, Ltd., to have made for me a golf ball -with an extremely fine marking; in fact I gave instructions for the -ball to be marked with what I considered the least possible -indentations which were likely to be serviceable. Mr. Ayres took a -very great amount of trouble in connection with this matter, and he -produced for me a ball similar, in all respects, to that which I -wanted, with the slight exception that the marking was finer than I -had desired. The result was that when the ball was painted the -interstices were filled up to a very considerable extent, so much so -indeed that I doubted if the ball was sufficiently marked to ensure -its flying correctly. I tried this ball at Hanger Hill, both -personally and by submitting it to a considerable number of drives by -George Duncan, and it always gave unsatisfactory results--indeed its -flight was so remarkable that it might well have been christened "the -butterfly." It zigzagged and soared and ducked in a most remarkable, -and to a very great extent, inexplicable manner. - -I knew, of course, that what I had to do was to increase the -indentations a little in depth, for my object was to obtain the mean -between no marking whatever and the ridiculously exaggerated marking -by excrescences which is now so common, and my experiments were not in -the direction of obtaining any marking whatever by excrescences, for I -was following on the lines which were accidentally discovered by those -who found that the old feather balls, and particularly the -gutta-percha balls, flew better after they had been indented by the -golf clubs. My idea, therefore, was, starting from the least possible -indentation, to proceed by marking the ball more deeply and yet more -deeply until I found that it would fly as accurately as a ball marked -by excrescences. - -Mr. Ayres helped me in my experiments with remarkable patience and -ability. I found that there are a hundred and one different markings, -all of which are practically of equal service in so far as regards -affecting the flight of the ball, but in every case I came to the -conclusion that the marking by indentation is the best. This led me to -get Mr. Ayres to produce for me a ball which he ultimately put on the -market under my name, which was marked in identically the same manner -as the old guttie. I believe "The Vaile" was the first rubber-cored -ball with the old guttie marking to be placed on the market, and this -marking was found to be satisfactory in every respect. The ball, as -indeed one might imagine, both flew and ran perfectly, but it was met -by golfers with a strange objection. They said it was too much like -the old guttie. Personally, I did not care what they said about it. I -had not caused the ball to be made from any commercial interest I had -in the matter. - -It had been stated that a ball marked like this would not be so good -for golf as a ball marked with excrescences. I had proved beyond a -shadow of doubt that the ball was better for golf than the ball which -was marked by excrescences, and I was content to leave it at that, -although as a matter of fact later on Messrs. Ayres did produce for me -a ball with a more distinctive marking which gave us equally good -results in so far as regards flight and run, but which I did not like -nearly so well as the old guttie marking. - -At the time this ball was produced I stated emphatically that I -believed that the result of the agitation and discussion would be to -knock the pimples off the golf ball. This statement was, of course, -ridiculed by the makers of golf balls, and quite wisely too, for they -had tens of thousands of pimply golf balls which they had to dispose -of, and it was not their business to agree with my ideas of altering -the make of the golf ball until they had disposed of their stock. They -have, however, now no prejudice whatever in the matter, and the -leading manufacturers both here and in America are pushing balls which -are marked by indentation. They certainly were a long time after my -manufacturers in realising the importance of the principle, but they -are now endeavouring to make up for lost time. One firm, Messrs. A. G. -Spalding & Bros., is pushing three balls as their leading lines. These -are the Glory Dimple, the Midget Dimple, and the Domino Dimple. All -these balls are what are now called dimple balls, and they meet with -great favour in many quarters, although there are still a number of -golfers who swear by the bramble-marking. - -During the course of this long controversy I suggested that it would -be a good idea if the balls which were marked by excrescences and -those which were marked by indentations were subjected to a test by -being mechanically propelled. Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey, the famous -wild-fowler and author of _The Projectile Throwing Engines of the -Ancients_, wrote to me and very kindly volunteered to carry out the -experiment if I would send him the balls I wished him to test. I -naturally accepted his very kind offer, and sent him a variety of golf -balls to be tested. Sir Ralph is the possessor of some very remarkable -catapults built on the principles of the old Roman engines of war, and -with these he conducted a series of experiments, which were so -interesting that they deserve to be permanently recorded for the -benefit of future generations. His conclusions were published in two -articles which occupied about three columns of _The Times_, and they -are of such an instructive nature that I propose to quote somewhat -fully from them. - -Sir Ralph showed quite clearly that in a very great number of cases -the centre of gravity of the ball is untrue. Quite a number of golfers -would think that it is not a matter of very great importance if the -centre of gravity of a golf ball is untrue. Anyone who thinks this may -speedily undeceive himself by a small experiment suggested by Sir -Ralph. Let him cut a hole in the side of a golf ball, insert a piece -of lead or half a dozen shot and fill the hole up with wax or soap and -then put with that ball. He will be astonished to find what a peculiar -course it takes. - -Of course, not many golf balls are loaded like this, but it is beyond -any doubt whatever that in many cases the gutta-percha covering of -the rubber-core is of very uneven thickness. This in itself and quite -apart from the defect of marking by excrescences which I have already -referred to, is sufficient to account for the very bad running of many -golf balls. - -I may say, too, that I believe this untrueness of the centre of -gravity is responsible for the double swerve which one frequently sees -in a truly hit golf ball. A swerve which is obtained from the -application of spin to the golf ball, almost invariably is continuous -and in the one direction, but I have frequently seen well-hit drives -by the most famous players swerve to the right, back again to the left -and resume their original course. This has happened with such perfect -regularity in many cases that there must unquestionably be a definite -reason for it, apart from rotation applied by contact with the club, -and the only explanation which I can give of it in any way at all is -that it is caused by an untrue centre. - -The shape, resiliency, and centre of gravity of the golf ball are of -vital importance to the player, but the golfer accepts all these -matters with a blind faith which is touching in the extreme. A golfer -should not accept from a golf ball manufacturer a ball which is not -truly spherical, or one which does not fly truly when truly hit, but -as a matter of fact almost fifty per cent of the golf balls supplied -by the leading makers come within this category. One may take fifty -golf balls of any specific sort, and test these for shape, centre of -gravity, and weight, and it is an even chance that twenty-five of them -will be quite different from the other twenty-five. - -It is very easy indeed to test the rubber-cored balls as regards the -correctness of their centre of gravity. Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey found -that none of the rubber-cored balls was correct as to its centre of -gravity, though some were much more incorrect than others, and he -found that not one of them was truly spherical in shape. I may say -that in a large number of cases I have verified his experiments. Sir -Ralph Payne-Gallwey's method of testing them for correctness of centre -of gravity is so simple that I may give it here for the benefit of any -player who desires to see that he is getting a ball which will serve -him truly in so far as regards this important particular. - -Sir Ralph placed the ball which he desired to test in a basin of water -and waited until it came to rest. When the ball had come to rest, -there was naturally a small portion of it protruding from the water. -Sir Ralph marked the centre of this spot with a pencil dot and he -found that however carelessly he put the same ball into the water, -however much it was rolled about, that the portion of the ball marked -with the pencil dot always came upwards out of the water again, and -that the actual spot with the pencil mark on it always came to exactly -the same place. It was evident from this that the centre of gravity of -the balls tested in this manner was considerably untrue. - -Sir Ralph found, as might be expected, that the old guttie ball was -much truer as regards its centre of gravity than the rubber-cored -balls. He tested the gutta-percha ball and the miniature ball which -would not float in plain water, in a solution of salt and water. - -The experiments which he conducted in connection with these balls were -really quite exhaustive. He found that with some of the balls, -especially the smaller ones, the dot appeared in two seconds, while -some of the others took from four to six seconds to come upward. He -arrived at a comparative idea of the error in centre of gravity by -placing the dot downwards in the water, and then noting with a -stop-watch the time occupied by it in appearing out of the water on -top of the ball. He thus took the time in each case from the moment of -release to the moment that the pencil dot again came uppermost, and by -these means he obtained as accurately as he could with a stop-watch -the comparative error of one ball with another in regard to its centre -of gravity. - -The testing of the balls for true spherical shape was, of course, -easy, and was done by means of callipers. It can be done either by -callipers or by a parallel vice which may be opened just wide enough -to allow a ball to be passed between its jaws. If one has not a vice -or callipers available, it is, of course, easy to cut a circle in a -piece of cardboard and gradually increase the size of the circle until -a ball will just get through. The circle, of course, must be made -truly, but this can easily be done by a pin and a string if compasses -are not available. - -Of course, it would be advisable in testing a golf ball through a ring -such as this to obtain in the first case a ball which is as near a -true sphere as any rubber-cored ball can be. This may be done by -fixing any two objects in a similar position to that suggested for the -jaws of a vice, as for instance the opening of a drawer. One may open -a drawer and fix the drawer firmly so that the ball can just pass in -at the opening. Once this is done, it is almost as effectual as either -callipers or the jaws of a vice. - -Sir Ralph found that the gutties were as near true spheres as -possible, and also that these balls showed very slight error in centre -of gravity. This, of course, from the solidity of the matter and their -original formation in the mould might naturally have been expected, -for in the nature of the modern ball it stands to reason that its -centre of gravity could never be so consistent as that of a ball which -is made entirely in the one piece as was the old gutta-percha ball. - -Sir Ralph has some remarkable projectile engines which gave him -exceptional facilities for testing the flight of the golf balls which -I sent him. He has one engine which weighs about two tons and is -capable of casting a stone ball of twelve pounds a distance of a -quarter of a mile. The catapult which he used for the purpose is a -small reproduction of this big engine. His small model of this engine -weighs about forty pounds and will pitch a golf ball from 180 to 200 -yards, the distance of course depending upon the amount of tension -used and the angle of elevation. - -The power of the engine is obtained from twisted cord, and the arm of -the machine used by Sir Ralph is two feet eight inches long, and is -provided with a cup at its upper end to hold the ball. It is so -arranged that the balls can be thrown any intermediate distance -required up to 200 yards, and at any elevation. Sir Ralph conducted -experiments with balls thrown by the catapult, and also with balls hit -away by it in a manner similar to a golf club, and, as might be -expected, no spin whatever was imparted to the ball. It was thrown in -a straight line every time with unvarying accuracy, and there was not -the slightest sign whatever of slice, pull, or cut. This, of course, -is exactly what one who knows the principle of the catapult would -expect. - -Sir Ralph found, however, that the accuracy of flight of the ball was -very remarkable, and he gives as an instance the fact that a ball -which had been marked as having a particularly accurate flight was -pitched twenty times in succession within a few feet of a stick stuck -in the ground 180 yards from the machine. - -It is interesting to note the weights of the balls used in these -experiments. They varied from 22 drachms to 23 drachms avoirdupois, -and their diameters from 53 to 54 thirty-seconds of an inch. The -guttie ball used by Sir Ralph weighed 24-1/2 drachms, and one of the -miniature balls 24 drachms 6 grains. Sir Ralph threw a dozen balls of -various makes from his small engine at a mark 160 yards distant, and -he threw each ball twenty times before another was tried. He employed -a fore-caddie to mark the indentations each ball made where it fell. A -peg was put in at the spot where each ball landed, and these distances -were all subsequently measured, and the records kept for purposes of -comparison. - -After this had been done with one ball the same was done with another, -and it is almost unnecessary to say that the angle of elevation and -the force used in each case was the same. Sir Ralph found that in -propelling the balls with the wind there was very little difference in -the length of carry or the steadiness of the flight, though, as might -have been expected, the guttie beat all of them in distance, being six -times in its first series of twenty throws a few yards farther than -the longest carry made by any of the other balls. This, of course, was -quite natural, for the old guttie was heavier, harder, a more correct -sphere and more correctly marked than the ball which is now in common -use. Therefore it was quite reasonable to expect that it would go -farther when propelled from the catapult. It is, of course, just as -easy to understand that this superiority would not exist when the -ball was struck with a golf club, for then the question of resiliency -comes into the matter. - -It is interesting to note that Sir Ralph found that the miniature golf -ball more nearly approximated to the guttie than to the rubber-cored -balls. The miniature being harder and heavier than the other -rubber-cores, when thrown by the engine gave the longest flight of all -the rubber-cores, although it did not get so far as the guttie. Its -superiority, however, when struck from the engine in a manner as -nearly as possible resembling the blow with a golf club, was -non-existent, and its carry was then found to be the shortest of all -the rubber-cores, and the guttie ball was, when hit away by the -machine, shorter yet than the miniature golf ball. - -Sir Ralph found, as I had confidently asserted would be the case, that -against the wind the balls with the roughest markings always carried -the shortest distance, and that they tended to rise too much in their -flight. This was most apparent at about two-thirds of the carry. Sir -Ralph found that there was a distinct difference in this matter of -soaring between the very roughly marked balls and those which were a -little less so. He proved to demonstration the fact which I had -confidently maintained, that the less roughly marked balls, owing to -the small amount of air friction which they set up, and naturally in -consequence thereof, their lower parabola, always carried farther -against the wind. - -I have referred elsewhere to Harry Vardon's remark about not -attempting to regulate the flight of the ball in a cross wind, or -indeed, for the matter of that, in any other wind by applying spin to -it. Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey's experiment put this matter beyond a -shadow of doubt, so that we may be absolutely certain that the idea of -trying to slice against a wind to get a straight ball, or to pull into -a wind to get an extra run, is for ninety-five per cent of players not -practical golf. Sir Ralph found that with a fresh side wind from the -left, all the balls, except the guttie, landed from eight to twelve -yards to the right of the mark at a range of 130 yards. He states -emphatically that in this case it was clearly shown that the more -roughly marked balls consistently showed the greatest deviation from -the correct line of flight. We have, however, gained a very strong -argument in favour of the ball with the less pronounced marking. - -Sir Ralph also discovered another thing which is of very great -importance indeed to the practical golfer, but a thing which is not -considered in the slightest degree by one golfer in ten thousand, and -that is that the balls which were most untrue in regard to their -centre of gravity, not only always dropped the farthest to the right, -that is, were most affected by the cross wind, but that they also ran -at a more acute angle in the same direction after contact with the -ground. Thus we see that in 130 yards the most roughly-marked ball in -a cross wind is deflected twelve yards. We see also that this ball was -the one which was most incorrect as regards its centre of gravity. We -therefore have a specimen of the worst ball which could be used for -this purpose being carried twelve yards off its line, and we may -reasonably take this to be the extreme of error for that distance. - -It is easy to understand when we consider such an illustration as this -what a tremendous handicap the golfer is suffering from when he uses -the ball which allows the wind to get such a grip of it as the -bramble-marked ball does, and moreover one with a centre of gravity -which is so bad that it assists the work of the wind in carrying the -ball away as it does, and not only assists the wind to this extent, -but even carries its vices to the extent of still further fighting -against the player by exaggerating its error when it lands by running -away from the line. - -These are all bad enough, but we must remember that there is also to -be considered the error which is unquestionably a matter to be -reckoned with, which inevitably takes place when the ball marked by -excrescences is struck by a club. - -I had sent Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey the ball which I had had made for -experimental purposes with very slight marking, and he was good enough -to experiment with this for me. He says of it: "This ball was quite -smooth, as smooth indeed as a billiard ball, the idea being that -having no markings on its outside it would not present so frictional a -surface to the air in its flight, as a ball with markings, and that -being without this it would also be very accurate from the putter. I -tried this smooth ball from the engine, and it 'ducked' every time in -an extraordinary manner, its length of carry being seldom more than -eighty yards." - -Sir Ralph is most accurate, generally speaking, but he is in error by -stating that this ball is as smooth as a billiard ball. The ball which -I sent Sir Ralph was called by me "The Ruff," merely as a distinctive -name, for it was the nearest approach to a perfectly smooth ball that -I could make. It is evident from Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey's description -of it that it is, as compared with the golf balls now in use, very -smooth, but it is pitted all over with remarkably small indentations -so that it appears to be chased, but, as I explained, the paint to a -certain extent covered up the interstices so as to prevent the ball -giving me the test which I expected to get from it. It is, however, -not accurate to say that this ball is perfectly smooth. - -It is obvious that from this I was trying to work to the mean which I -felt perfectly certain existed between the old golf ball, whose -erratic flight was well known, and the modern golf ball with its -exaggerated marking. - -Sir Ralph thought that the form of this ball might not, for some -unknown reason, suit a projectile engine. He continues: - - ... and as I could not drive it further than about eighty - yards with a golf club, I engaged the well-known - professional, Edward Ray, to play a round of the green with - this ball at Ganton. As Ray is an exceptionally long and - accurate player with driver and cleek I felt the ball would - have a fair chance of going, if it could go. From the first - tee the ball did not carry a hundred yards, though, to all - appearances, struck clean and hard. I thought that for once - in a way Ray had missed his drive, but as the same thing - occurred from every tee and through the green for the next - six holes, there was no disputing that a smooth ball was - quite useless for golf. - - I then proceeded to nick the ball slightly with the point of - a knife, spacing the small raised nicks about one-third of an - inch apart, the ball being still a very smooth one in - comparison to any of the usual kinds. After this slight - alteration the ball flew splendidly, whether off wood or iron - clubs, neither too high nor too low, but quite straight, and - with the very slight rise towards the end of its carry that - is the essence of perfect flight in a golf ball, some of the - carries when measured from the tee being well over two - hundred yards. - -Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey continues that when he returned home he shot -this ball from the small engine, and it then several times -out-distanced the best records made by any of the balls previously -tested. After this he chipped up many more little raised nicks on the -same smooth ball as a further experiment, but he then found that this -not only reduced its length of flight by several yards, but also -caused it to soar too much upwards when projected against a head wind -as is the case with the ordinary rough-marked golf ball. - -It will be seen here that Sir Ralph continued with the ball sent by me -to him, the experiment, which I had started, as it was my intention to -proceed from a ball as nearly as could be, smooth, towards the present -exaggerated ball, by the least possible steps, so that the moment that -I had arrived at a ball so marked that it would not give me any extra -carry, I should desist at once. - -Sir Ralph's summing up is as follows. He says: "From such practical -tests it is evident that the surface of a golf ball is far too rough, -and that it would fly with more accuracy and farther, especially with -a head or a side wind, had it much less numerous and prominent -markings on its cover." This is exactly what I contended for in my -original article on the subject, and it is exactly what has to be -realised by the makers of the golf ball of the future. Many of the -balls which are now being produced with the dimple marking are moving -in the right direction, but they still have the grave errors of bad -centre of gravity and excessive marking. When these two matters have -been adjusted we shall have a very much better ball. - -It will be interesting now to refer to the results which Sir Ralph -Payne-Gallwey obtained when he fitted his catapult with an arm -provided with an enlarged head similar in shape to the head of a golf -driver. Sir Ralph says: - - This striking arm hit the ball away just as it is hit by a - golf club. The ball I suspended by gossamer silk from the - projecting beam of a little gallows fixed over the engine, - and so positioned that the enlarged upper end of the arm - struck the ball fair and true and with its full force and at - the same angle every time. - -I was not present when Sir Ralph made these experiments. He, however, -was kind enough to send me a copy of his most interesting work -entitled _The Projectile Throwing Engines of the Ancients_. This book -gives many illustrations of the catapults used by the Romans and -others. - -I find it somewhat difficult to follow Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey when he -says: "This striking arm hit the ball away just as it is hit by a golf -club," for it seems to me that as the ball was suspended above the -striking face of the club which was fixed to the upper end of the arm, -that the arc described by the arm of the catapult would be exactly -opposite to that described by the head of the golf club, and it is of -course conceivable that this would in some way affect the carry of -golf balls struck by the machine in this manner. - -I need not, however, go into that here, for whatever the results -obtained by Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey were each ball was hit in exactly -the same manner, and therefore we have, in so far as regards distance -and the effect of the side wind, fairly accurate comparative tests. -Sir Ralph says: "Though I could not obtain the same length of carry by -making the engine strike the ball as I could when the ball was thrown -by it--not by about fifteen yards--yet the individual results in -distance and in deviation with a side wind exactly corresponded with -the behaviour of the various balls when they were thrown and when -carries of from 180 to 200 yards were obtained from them." - -Sir Ralph found that in this experiment the carry of the guttie was -invariably about eighteen yards shorter than that of the ordinary -rubber-cored balls. He therefore carried out an interesting experiment -by fixing a pad of rubber on the face of the head of the arm, and the -guttie, when struck by this, travelled as far as any of the balls. He -found, as I have previously indicated, that of the rubber-cored balls -the small one carried the shortest distance when struck by the engine, -and he found also that its length of flight was not increased by using -the rubber pad. This, of course, is what we might have expected. - -There is one very interesting matter which Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey -notes. He says: "Another curious thing, the ball with the most untrue -centre of gravity usually made one, and occasionally even two, swerves -in the air when hit against the wind, though this eccentricity in its -line of flight was less noticeable when it was thrown from the -engine." This is a very interesting statement to anyone who devotes -attention to the flight of the ball, and it goes very far indeed to -confirm my own impression that the double swerve of the golf ball -which I have noticed so frequently, is produced by defective centre of -gravity. - - [Illustration: PLATE XIV. J. SHERLOCK - - Top of swing in iron-shot. Note the position of the ball, and - the upright swing of the club.] - -These experiments are of very great value, and should be carefully -noted by golf ball makers, but Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey was not content -with testing the golf balls for their flight. After having put in -several days doing this, and having fired fully 500 shots, he -continued his experiments with these balls with the object of -ascertaining their relative merits on the putting-green. He says: - - I obtained a piece of lead three-quarters of an inch thick, - two inches wide, and three feet long, in which I cut a - straight and smooth groove one inch wide. One end of this - piece of lead I rested on the cushion at the baulk end of a - billiard table, and directed its other end towards the spot - on which the red ball is placed in the game of billiards. - The forward end of the grooved lead I tapered off so that a - ball ran evenly and smoothly from the groove on to the table - without any drop or deviation as it left the piece of lead, - which from its weight, when once set, could not change its - position. I now placed a thimble on the spot at the far end - of the table and rolled an accurately-turned wooden ball the - same size as a golf ball down the sloping groove. After a - little adjustment of the lead piece its line of fire was - correct, and I was able to knock the thimble off the spot - fifty times in succession. The ball travelled with sufficient - speed just to reach the cushion beyond the thimble when the - latter was moved aside, and the shot at the thimble nicely - represented a slow put of eight feet in length. - -This is a most interesting way of testing the golf ball. I may say -that I have myself carried out experiments on similar lines, and that -the results which I obtained practically confirm the accuracy of those -which Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey got. He found that on testing various -golf balls the results were widely different. He tried each ball -several times in a series of twenty tries at the thimble. He found -that individually they seldom hit it more than three or four times in -a series, and that some of the balls, particularly those which he had -found to be incorrect so far as regards their centre of gravity, -rolled away from the thimble as much as two feet to the right or left, -and that they sometimes actually went into the corner pockets of the -table. This would seem to be incredible, but I can vouch for the -accuracy of Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey's statements. - -It is an amazing thing to think of, but it is perfectly true, that the -modern golf ball is so badly constructed that in a straight roll down -the middle of the table such as that described by Sir Ralph -Payne-Gallwey, the ball will absolutely roll as far off the line as -the corner pockets, and indeed sometimes farther even than this. That -is what the golfer has to contend with when he tries to put with a -bramble ball on a golf green, but, of course, as he does not know it, -he blames himself for an off day, or the green for being "beastly," -but he never by any chance whatever gives a thought to his horribly -defective golf ball. - -Sir Ralph says that the guttie was a notable exception to the -inaccuracy of the rubber cores. He found that in its different series -of twenty tries it often struck the thimble from fourteen to fifteen -times, and when it missed was usually within an inch of the mark. This -shows clearly the wonderful difference which I have already emphasised -between marking by indentation and marking by excrescence. Sir Ralph -also emphasises a point to which I had already directed attention as -to the ball marked by excrescences running truly when hit hard. It is -when the ball has no great propulsive force behind it that its -inherent vice is most surely shown. Sir Ralph says: - - Any of the balls if played fairly hard from a cue could be - made to strike the thimble every time; but then such a hard - hit ball would go far beyond the hole in golf, and probably - overrun the putting green! The smooth billiard-table cloth - may be taken to represent the hard, bare and fast putting - green of a dry summer. - -That is a very fair comparison, with the exception that the hard, bare -and fast putting-green of a dry summer would present infinitely -greater inaccuracies to the already sufficiently inaccurate golf ball -than would the billiard table. Let the unthinking golfer ruminate a -little on this subject, and the day is not far distant when we shall -never see such a thing as an excrescence on a golf ball. - -Sir Ralph was very ingenious and thorough in his experiments. He -desired to obtain the nearest possible approximation which he could to -a natural putting-green, so he stretched a strip of rough green baize -on the billiard table and tested the balls on this. He made a chalk -mark on which to place the thimble, and its distance from the lead -gutter was the same as in his other experiments. He then found that -the balls, with the exception of those which had been marked as having -their centre of gravity much out of place, ran with far greater -accuracy. Most of them hit the thimble from eight to ten times in -their individual series of twenty shots, but the guttie was, as usual, -an easy winner. Sir Ralph found that on the billiard table if the -balls were played fairly hard from a cue, although too hard for golf, -the thimble could be knocked over every time. - -I consider that these experiments prove beyond a shadow of doubt, as I -personally never doubted, that the ordinary bramble-marked golf ball -will not run truly unless it has a considerable amount of force behind -it, and that for short puts, and particularly on anything like a fast -green, it is a most treacherous ball. Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey says: - - All this goes to prove that, although a ball may be of - inaccurate make, it keeps its line to near the end of its - course when hit hard along the ground, as for instance, in a - long running up approach to the hole from the edge of a - putting green. It is also clear that a ball with an incorrect - centre of gravity will very seldom run true off the putter if - the ground is hard, fast and smooth and the distance it is - required to travel is only a few feet. For this reason - manufacturers should consider the accuracy of a ball for - short puts--accuracy that can only be gained by making it a - perfect sphere with its centre of gravity in the exact centre - of the ball; for short puts must lose many more matches than - short drives. - -As Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey truly says, with a badly balanced ball the -easiest of short puts may fail, especially on a downward slope, though -the player rarely suspects that his ball and not his skill is to -blame. - -It is not, as I have already pointed out, only the question of the -badly balanced ball which is of such vital importance in short puts, -but it is the question of the untrue running of the ball marked by -excrescences; also there is the equally important matter, which I have -referred to, of the untrueness of the ball marked by excrescences in -coming off the face of the putter. I am firmly convinced that there is -no more perfect marking for a golf ball than that used for the old -guttie ball, that is a marking by indented lines, but even here I -believe that equally good results, both in flight and run, would be -obtained if the gutta-percha ball were marked in a similar manner but -with fewer lines. - -Some of Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey's conclusions are important. He -suggests that a golfer should carefully test a ball before using it in -an important match, and this is, unquestionably, from a scientific -point of view, a very sound and good suggestion. I have already -indicated his method of testing a ball for its centre of gravity, and -I have shown how the ball may be tested for its spherical shape. There -is no necessity to apply any test whatever to the ball in so far as -regards its marking. There is one maxim with regard to that--avoid -anything in the shape of a golf ball marked by excrescences. - -Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey's advice to golfers with regard to the balls -need not be given here in full, valuable as I believe it to be in the -main. But there is one matter which is worth repeating. He says: - - Select a ball with as smooth a cover as you can find, for - though all golf balls require to be roughened in order to - steady their flight, those most deeply scored travel the - shortest distance, and are most affected by a head or side - wind. - -This is very sound and important advice, and it should receive the -attention not only of golfers, but of the golf ball manufacturers, for -even those balls which are now marked by indentation are, in my -opinion, too freely marked, and I am inclined to think that the -dimples on the golf balls which are so marked, are, if anything, too -large and too frequent. I think it is extremely probable that the -balls which are so marked would fly and run better than they do now if -they were marked by lines as the old guttie was marked, but with fewer -of these lines. Probably if they were marked with one-third of the -number of lines which were used on the old guttie, we should have a -perfect flying and running ball. - -Before closing this chapter on the make of the golf ball, it will be -interesting to refer once again to the results obtained by Sir Ralph -Payne-Gallwey when throwing the smooth ball from his machine and also -when having it driven by Edward Ray. He obtained results similar in -all respects to those which George Duncan and I obtained when trying -"The Ruff." It is very curious indeed that so far there have not been -any definite scientific experiments made to show exactly where the -serviceable degree of roughness ends and the prejudicial begins, -though much has certainly been done since I started the controversy -about the relative merits of a smoother ball. - -Some golf ball makers have gone so far as to produce a dimple ball -with a small pimple in the dimple. This, in effect, reduced the dimple -to a ring, and these balls have been found to fly and run very well, -but all that has been so far done has been a matter of experiment, of -rule of thumb work. I do not think that there is a firm of golf ball -makers in England which is in possession of a proper mechanical -driver. We are assured that at least one firm in America is in -possession of such a machine, but so far as I am aware there is no -efficient machine of such a nature in England. This is very -remarkable, as with such a machine a firm of golf ball manufacturers -could obtain results which would probably give them a big advantage -over their competitors. - -I was quite astonished to see it stated by a firm of golf ball makers -the other day that, although they were making a ball marked by -indentations, they had come to the conclusion after much experimenting -that the bramble pattern was the best for all-round excellence. In the -face of the remarkably conclusive experiments conducted by Sir Ralph -Payne-Gallwey, whose results I may say bore out up to the hilt -everything which I had said about the defective construction of the -golf ball, I should like to know how this manufacturer comes to the -conclusion that the bramble marking is the best. - -One point which has not been made very strongly is that it was not -necessary for the old balls to be badly knocked about before they -would fly well. Comparatively little damage improved the flight of the -ball. This, in itself, should be sufficient to convince manufacturers -that they are still in many ways marking their balls excessively. It -is quite evident that no particular kind of marking is required on the -golf ball, although it is conceivable that a certain kind of marking -might possess some slight advantage over another. It would be -interesting if an exhaustive set of experiments on the lines of those -already conducted by Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey could be carried out -under proper supervision by some eminent scientist or by a leading -firm of golf ball makers, or by some prominent paper interested in -golf. The matter would undoubtedly be of very great interest to -golfers generally, and would probably result in a great improvement of -the balls at present on the market. - -The phenomenon of the uneven flight of the smooth golf ball has never, -so far as I am aware, been satisfactorily explained. We all know, of -course, that practically nothing which has not a tail flies well. A -tail is necessary for an arrow, for an aeroplane, for a bird to steer -itself with, and even the rifle bullet would not fly well until it -was, in effect, provided with a tail. It has always seemed to me that -there was a possibility of an explanation of the defective flight of -the smooth golf ball in this fact. It stands to reason that in the -passage of the ball through the atmosphere there is a considerable -compression of the air in front of the ball, and it is equally obvious -that this compressed air is, if we may so express it, flowing -backwards over the ball, and therefore running between the bramble -markings. Of course, we are aware that it is not really a question of -the air flowing backwards, but of the ball driving through the -atmosphere, but we have merely to consider what may possibly be the -effect of this action. - -It seems to me that the air, in passing back and round the ball in the -manner described, is also in a state of compression until it has -passed backwards and, to a slight extent, behind the golf ball, so -that we have, if we may so express it, attached to the ball a tail of -compressed air which is constantly striving to resume its normal -density at a slightly varying distance behind the ball in its passage -through the air. - -If my idea, which is expressed now in an extremely unscientific and -popular form, is correct, it would seem that the roughened ball holds -more straightly into this tail of compressed air than it would be -possible for a smooth ball to do; in other words, it seems to me that -there would be a greater possibility of the smooth ball slipping the -pressure which would be accentuated on that portion of the ball which -Professor Thomson describes as its nose, and it seems feasible, -although I do not care to be dogmatic on this point, that if the -centre of gravity of the smooth ball were untrue, as indeed the centre -of gravity of nearly every smooth ball is, the effect of the pressure -of the condensed air on the front of the ball would be much more -pronounced with the smooth ball than it would in the case of the ball -marked by excrescences or indentations. - -I am aware that this idea of mine is open to argument, and I do not -say for one moment that it is absolutely correct. It is undoubted that -there is much uncertainty in the minds of extremely scientific men as -to the cause for the uncertain flight of the smooth golf ball. Even so -distinguished a scientific inquirer as Professor Sir J. J. Thomson -assured me that he did not understand the reason for the erratic -behaviour of the smooth ball. There is possibly another explanation, -but again I put this forward tentatively. Even when a ball is driven -by a golf club without appreciable spin, as indeed most golf balls -are, it seems to me quite possible, especially in the case of the -balls with defective centres, that before they have gone far on their -journey they will proceed to acquire spin on account of the tendency -of one side to lag more than the other. - -It seems, then, that if this spin is set up in the manner which I -described, it may, and indeed quite likely will, influence the path of -the ball sufficiently to deflect it from the original line of flight, -but as this spin has no very great power behind it, it seems quite -likely that when it has deflected the ball from the line of flight it -may be checked to such an extent that the atmosphere has a chance to -get to work on the ball again and produce that which is practically a -reverse spin. In this way, and in this way alone, can I see any reason -for the double swerve which I have already referred to, in the carry -of the golf ball. It must be understood that in the case of double -swerve which I am referring to, the deflection from the straight line -has always occurred at a point in the carry where one would not expect -to see it if it had been occasioned by spin administered by the club, -and it is always very much less indeed than the swerve would be if it -had been obtained by spin produced by the club. - -Also there is this other fact against the hypothesis that the swerve -is produced by spin imparted at the moment of impact. In the swerve -which I am referring to, both the first swerve and the return swerve -which takes the ball back again into the line of flight are very -slight, and in most cases practically of the same length and degree. -If the original deflection from the straight line were due to rotation -of the ball acquired at the moment of impact, the swerve and return to -the straight line, if there were any such return, would never be so -symmetrical as they are. - -I can quite easily understand the double swerve of a golf ball from -spin produced by the contact between the club and the ball, although I -must admit that I have never seen a swerve of this nature in golf -which I could put down unhesitatingly to spin acquired at the moment -of impact. I must, however, when I say this, except one instance. This -was in the case of a ball hit with back-spin, and although it is in a -sense improper to refer to it as double swerve because it only -affected the trajectory and did not alter the plane of the ball's -flight in any way, it was, in a sense, a case of double swerve. It was -a wind-cheater struck by a very good player at Hanger Hill. The ball -flew very low and looked as though it was about to hit a bunker, when -suddenly, on account of the tremendous amount of back-spin which the -player had put on his ball, it rose with the ordinary rise of the -wind-cheater and soared straight away for thirty or forty yards, when -it began to tower in the ordinary manner of the wind-cheater. This was -such an extraordinary shot that I illustrated it in _Modern Golf_, but -I have never, in the course of fifteen years' acquaintance with the -game, seen another shot of the same description. - -There is no doubt whatever that double swerves may be obtained by the -axis of rotation of the ball altering during the flight of the ball. I -can remember quite clearly at a meeting of the All-England Lawn-tennis -Club at Wimbledon, a player informing me quite seriously that a -lawn-tennis ball would swerve two ways in the air. At that time I was -under the impression that I knew all there was to be known about the -flight of the ball. I did not contradict him, but inwardly I pitied -him; but at the same time I made up my mind to watch for this -phenomenon, little as I expected to see it, for in the course of at -least seventeen years' practical acquaintance with the game of -lawn-tennis wherein one has a splendid opportunity of observing the -action of spin on the ball, I had never seen, or perhaps it would be -more correct to say I had never observed, any ball swerve two ways. - -It was not many days after this that I distinctly saw an American -service, delivered by one of the players in the All-England -Lawn-tennis Championship, swerve two ways. Since then I have looked -for this phenomenon, and I have seen it happen both in lawn-tennis and -golf, but I am satisfied that in golf it is not due to spin acquired -at the moment of impact, as undoubtedly it is in lawn-tennis. It seems -to me that with the lawn-tennis ball, which offers a very large -frictional area in proportion to its weight, that it is quite feasible -that during its travel, particularly in the American service, it may -alter its axis of rotation on account of encountering a heavier bank -of air, or for some other reason. It naturally follows that -immediately this takes place the arc of the original swerve is -interfered with, but in no case have I seen in lawn-tennis, as I have -in golf, the original swerve of the ball exactly compensated for by -the swerve back into the straight line, which is the peculiarity of -the double swerve at golf. - -There is no doubt that there is a considerable amount of mystery in -this matter. It may appear that it is not of much importance to -golfers, from a practical point of view, whether it is solved or not, -but it is hard indeed to say how useful a proper understanding of the -higher science of the game may be in the practice of it; and in the -experiments carried out by Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey with so much -patience and ability we have a very good example of the value to -golfers of the scientific investigation and consideration of matters -appertaining to the various implements of the game. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -THE CONSTRUCTION OF CLUBS - - -In my last chapter I dealt with the construction of the golf ball. In -many respects the golf club is more perfectly made than the golf ball, -although it is, of course, hard to compare two objects so entirely -dissimilar. In making the comparison I am, however, thinking mainly of -the amount of exactness which has been brought to bear on the -manufacture of the respective articles in so far as they have -developed in accordance with the best of modern thought. It cannot be -denied, however, that from a mechanical point of view, the golf club -is still a very imperfect implement, for the simple reason that the -striking point of the club is not in a line with the handle. This, of -course, is, from the point of view of one who desires to obtain the -maximum of strength and accuracy, a glaring fault. It has been -remedied to a very considerable extent in the Schenectady putter, to -which I shall have occasion again to refer. - -Golf is a very old game, and, as I have shown, it has been simply -festooned with the cobwebs of tradition, and in no respect, probably, -is this truer than it is in regard to the golf club. Originally, -almost every implement made for playing a game by striking a ball was -curved or so crooked that the ball was struck off the line of the -shaft. The cricket bat was originally a crooked implement, so was the -lawn-tennis racket, lacrosse, and even the billiard cue, but these -have all been straightened, so that at the moment of impact the ball -is in a straight line with the handle or shaft of the striking -implement. It would indeed seem exceedingly strange to see a batsman -furnished now with a curved bat, but that, in effect, is what we have -in golf. It is certain that to obtain the best result from one's -strength, it is necessary that the forearm, the ball, and the shaft of -the striking implement shall be, at the moment of impact, in one and -the same straight line or plane. This is a fundamental rule in -athletics which is too much ignored by many players, both at -lawn-tennis and in golf. - -Ignoring this principle in lawn-tennis has cost England her -supremacy--not only, indeed, has it cost her her supremacy, but it has -relegated her to the back ranks of the world's lawn-tennis players; -for instead of having the handle of the racket and the forearm in one -and the same straight line at the moment of impact, the English -player, both with the forehand and the backhand, introduces between -his racket and his forearm a considerable angle. He thus, instead of -confining his force to one line, diffuses it over a triangle, and -causes the weight of the blow to fall on his wrist in such a way that -it offers least resistance. - -The golf club, although naturally to a less extent, embodies this -fundamental error in mechanics, for instead of hitting the ball dead -in a line with the shaft, it gets it in the middle of the face which -projects from one side of the shaft. A moment's reflection will show -that this is a very imperfect method of striking the ball. - -It will, of course, be said by the slaves of tradition that it is a -horribly revolutionary thing to suggest any alteration in the shaft of -the golf club, but it must be borne in mind that the golf club has to -go through a process of evolution before it will become perfect, also -that it has for generations past been going through a process of -evolution which has materially altered its structure. Originally the -head of the golf club was much longer than it is now. Gradually the -head has been shortened so that the point of impact has come nearer to -the shaft, and no less an authority than Harry Vardon has said that -this tendency is well justified, for one can undoubtedly obtain -greater power and accuracy the nearer the blow is brought to the -shaft. - -Following Vardon's reasoning to its logical conclusion, we have very -little difficulty in arriving at a decision that we could undoubtedly -obtain better results if we struck the ball in a line with the shaft. -This seems at first glance a revolutionary idea, but, as a matter of -fact, it is nothing new in the game of golf. The old St. Andrews -putter, which had a pronounced curve in its shaft, was so built that -if the line of the upper half of the shaft were continued it would run -practically on to the centre of the face of the club. The lower -portion of the shaft curved very considerably. Sometimes, indeed, this -curve was spread over almost the full length of the shaft. The object -of this curve, which I may say is even now in the handle of all -scientifically constructed wooden putters, is to bring the hands in a -line with the point of impact at the moment of striking, but in this -year of grace, 1912, we find the Royal and Ancient Golf Club barring -on its own links, but, as it states now, _nowhere else_, such a well -known and proved club as the Schenectady putter. - -The Schenectady putter is not a centre shafted putter, and in my -opinion is open to several grave objections, for it is made with a -head shaped on the general principle of the wooden putter, which it -resembles more than it does the ordinary metal putter. I have a rooted -objection to any putter which has a broad sole, for it is simply -importing into the stroke an unnecessary element of error. If the -swing is untrue, there is much greater risk of soling with a -broad-soled putter than there is when one is using one of the metal -putters. - -I have besides this two other objections to the Schenectady putter. It -does not go far enough, in that it is not a centre shafted putter, and -therefore the point of impact and the shaft are not in the same -straight line; and thirdly, the shaft enters the head of the club some -distance back from the face of the club. - -Some years ago, when in America, I invented and patented the "Vaile" -clubs. These are centre shafted clubs and they are built exactly on -the principle of the time-hallowed St. Andrews putter. For example, -the only difference between the "Vaile" putter and the revered St. -Andrews putter in principle is that in my club, instead of spreading -the curve over the full length of the handle, I have gathered it all -at the neck, and instead of allowing the shaft to run into the head of -the club, as in the Schenectady, some distance from the face of the -club, I have turned the neck away in a curve to the heel of the club, -so that the club is much more like the ordinary golf club than is a -putter built on the lines of the Schenectady. The same principle is -used in the wooden clubs. - -Now it is absolutely incontestable that this principle is -scientifically more accurate and will deliver a stronger blow than the -golf clubs which are at present used. James Braid in 1901 said of this -putter: - - I consider this putter very good for direction, as, the shaft - being practically centred, you get the effect of the driver - headed putters with inserted shafts, without losing the - advantages which the ordinary putter head possesses over the - large headed clubs. The principle, from a scientific point of - view, is certainly right, and I have no doubt that any player - who suffers from bad direction will find this a valuable - club. - -In passing, I may draw attention to the fact that James Braid himself -considers that the ordinary putter possesses advantages over the large -headed clubs, and I think myself that there is very little doubt that -this is so for the vast majority of golfers. Arnaud Massy, in his -recent book _Le Golf_, says of my clubs: "Certes, au point de vue -scientifique, cette théorie est inattaquable." Notwithstanding the -opinion of three such men as Vardon, Braid, and Massy on a matter of -practical golf like this, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. -Andrews has declared that my clubs are illegal on their links, but in -response to questions which they have been asked with regard to this -matter they assert that the club is barred only on the links of the -Royal and Ancient Club! - -It seems a very great pity that this famous Club should have taken -this action with the Schenectady and the Vaile, for it has undoubtedly -led, as I pointed out in _The Contemporary Review_ for August 1910, -would be the case, to the passing of the great Club as a world power -in golf. It is impossible for any club or body of persons to stand in -the way of the progress of a great game such as golf, and anybody or -any club endeavouring to do so must inevitably, as I clearly indicated -at the time, pay the penalty for doing so. - -I have very little doubt that in the future, and at a by no means -distant date, golf will be played with clubs constructed on an -infinitely more scientific principle than those which are now used. -It is quite plain to anyone who gives the matter a little thought that -the longer the head of the club the greater must be the inaccuracy in -the stroke. It stands to reason that the inertia at the toe of the -club is greater than at the heel, and every fraction of an inch which -one goes farther from the shaft must increase the inertia in the head -of the club. It follows quite naturally that if one is using a whippy -shaft, the tendency must be for the head of the club, especially if it -is at all long, to exert a very considerable amount of torsional or -twisting strain on the shaft of the club in the downward swing. It has -been asserted that this torsional strain, by reason of the recovery of -the shaft at the moment of impact, adds something to the force of the -drive in golf, but this is quite an error, as at the moment of impact -the club is travelling at its fastest. It follows, therefore, that if -there is any inertia in the toe of the club, it will be very apparent -at the time when the club is travelling at its fastest, and the result -is that the torsional strain, instead of providing any beneficial -spring at the moment of impact, only tends to lay back the face of the -club and contribute materially towards slicing. It will, therefore, be -seen that it is very inadvisable to have a long head when one is using -a whippy shaft. - -I may, perhaps, illustrate this question of keeping the impact in a -line with the striking implement by instancing the sword cut. Most -people have seen at military tournaments the competition known as -lemon-cutting. In this event a mounted man gallops past a certain -number of lemons suspended on strings, and as he passes he endeavours -to sever them with his sword. It will be seen that at the moment when -his sword enters the lemons his forearm and the sword are, in both -cuts, in the same plane, and it seems so obvious as to need no -emphasising that if the line of his blade were even an inch or two off -the line of his forearm there would be introduced into his stroke a -very great degree of inaccuracy, but although this may be so obvious, -it is practically what we are doing every day in golf. - -If the golf club were made in such a manner that the point of impact -was absolutely in a line with the forearms at the moment of impact, -tradition, instead of being outraged, would really be honoured. Not -long ago a friend of mine came to me and showed me an old driver, -saying, "I cannot understand how it is, but I can always get twenty or -thirty yards farther with this driver than I can with any other." I -took the club and ran my eye down the shaft. I noticed at once that it -was warped considerably so that it threw the shaft inwards in such a -manner that it resembled very much the shaft of an old St. Andrews -putter--in other words, it put the golfer's hands and forearms in a -line with the shaft of his club and the shaft of his club in a line -with the point of impact at the moment the stroke was played. I -pointed out to him that his club was, in effect, a centre-shafted -club, and that this was the reason why he was getting a longer and, as -he stated, a straighter ball with this club than with any other club -he used. - -While I am on this question of the construction of clubs, I may as -well state that under the recent ruling of the Royal and Ancient Golf -Club there is not a legal golf club in use in England to-day, for one -of the essentials of a legal club now is that the head must be all on -one side of the shaft of the club. Passing by, as too technical an -objection, the question as to whether a circular object may be said to -have a side, we are confronted with the fact that many of the -best-known clubs have the shaft inserted in the head. All the socketed -clubs technically are illegal, because the head is certainly not all -on one side of the shaft. Many cleeks are illegal because the shaft -goes through the socket and right through the heel of the club to the -sole thereof, so that a considerable portion of the head of the club -is on the hither side of the shaft, and every ordinary golf club is so -constructed that it is more correct to say that the head of the club, -instead of being all on one side of the shaft, is either at the foot -of the shaft, or at least that there is, without any doubt, a -considerable portion of the head which goes beyond the one side of the -club whereon the head is supposed to be. - -It is a very great mistake indeed to attempt to introduce any standard -golf club or to lay down any regulation whatever as to how the golf -club shall be made. The good sense and sportsmanlike instincts of the -golfer should be sufficient to govern the question of what may and -what may not be used. It is an absolute certainty that if any man were -to endeavour to use an implement which was not in accordance with the -best spirit of the game, he would speedily provide his own punishment, -but it is a wonderful thing to find the greatest Club in the world -barring on its own links clubs which embody in their formation the -well-recognised principles of the most revered implements of the game. - -The principle which I have referred to of endeavouring to get the -point of impact as near to the shaft as possible is being shown also -in the hockey stick, which has not now anything like so great a curve -in it as it originally had, and the striking-point has been brought -much nearer to the shaft. The tennis racket, as distinct from the -lawn-tennis racket, has stood for many years as a lob-sided -instrument, but about eighteen months ago I was with a tennis player -who ordered from Messrs. F. H. Ayres, Ltd., six straight tennis -rackets, saying that he believed the soundness of the principle which -I am now advocating to be absolutely incontestable and of universal -application in ball games. - -I mention this matter because I believe it is of historical interest, -for I do not think that prior to the time mentioned by me, tennis -rackets were ever made straight. We all know how, when aiming a stone, -playing a billiard ball, firing a gun, shooting an arrow, or pulling a -catapult, one instinctively tries to get one's eye into the line of -flight of the object to be propelled. It is evident that one can aim -better thus. This is denied one in golf, where the ball is practically -the smallest played with, to a greater extent than in any other game. -It follows that a greater degree of mechanical accuracy is called for -in golf than is required in other games. Very few golfers realise that -they are deliberately handicapping themselves by playing with the -clubs at present used. The weight and leverage of the head of the club -is on one side of the shaft, and the angle of error is there. True, it -is small, but a very slight initial error in the flight of a golf ball -becomes in 200 yards serious, perhaps fatal. The golf club of the -future will inevitably follow the march of scientific construction, -and fall into line with the straight-handled implements wherewith the -ball is struck in a line with the shaft. - -It is clear that at the moment of impact with a golf club, as they are -now constructed, there is a very great tendency for the club to turn -in the hands. This is shown very clearly when one happens to hit with -the toe of the club a little lower than it ought to be, so that the -toe strikes the earth. This is absolutely fatal for the club will be -turned in the hand, but it is otherwise if by chance one happens to -strike the ground with the heel, for as the force of the club is -transmitted in a straight line down the shaft, the blow is very -frequently, particularly with iron clubs, not interfered with to any -very great extent. It is clear that if the club is centre shafted, -greater strength and accuracy are obtained, for the club has an equal -weight on each side of the shaft. There is thus no torsional or -twisting strain on the shaft as there is at present with every golf -club, and, as I have already shown, this torsional strain cannot be -considered as a negligible factor in a club. I must repeat, however, -that it is an error to think that this torsional strain can, by its -recovery, contribute anything to the length of the drive, for the -recovery from the torsional strain does not take place until long -after the impact has ceased and the ball has gone on its way. This, it -seems to me, even from a theoretical point of view, is undoubted, but -I have proved by practical experiment that one can obtain a longer -ball with a centre-shafted club than one can with an ordinary golf -club. - -There is another matter in connection with the construction of clubs -which should receive the attention of manufacturers. We know that the -clubs are of varying lengths, descending from the driver to the putter -according to the length of the shot which is required of them. The -difference between a driver and a mashie is frequently as much as six -inches. The difference between a mashie and a putter is roughly, say, -three inches. It has always seemed to me that in proportion to the -work demanded of it the putter does not continue in the decreasing -scale of length as it should, particularly for short puts. Many very -fine putters get quite low down to their put and grip the putter a -long way down the shaft. It is undeniable that for short puts there -is some advantage in this method, but it is open to the objection that -it leaves too much of the shaft free above the hands, thus not only -destroying the balance of the putter, but risking striking some -portion of the player's body with the free end of the shaft. - -I believe that the putter should, generally speaking, be made much -shorter, but, if this is not done for approach puts, I am sure that it -would be worth one's while to experiment with a short putter for short -puts. I have had such a putter made for me, and I have no hesitation -whatever in saying that it is a very valuable club and one that should -be better known than it is. It is necessary, of course, to readjust -the balance in such a club, but when that has been done, I firmly -believe that one is very much more accurate with this club than with -an ordinary putter when playing short puts. The putter which I am -referring to is, if I remember, little, if any, more than twenty-six -inches. - -While I am on the question of the construction of putters, I may say -that I am inclined to think that all these putters which are made with -heads such as the Schenectady, the ordinary wooden putter, or those -putters with aluminium heads, are a mistake. The sole of the club is -too broad, and to use such clubs as these is simply providing a -greater chance of error. There is nothing which can be done with one -of these large-headed putters which cannot be done as well, or better, -by an ordinary metal putter. - -There are many fearful and wonderful putters on the market at the -present time. Lately there has been produced a putter with a very -shallow face, which is now being largely used because a man who has -won the open championship frequently is using it. For ninety per cent -of golfers a putter with a narrow face is a very great mistake, and I -believe that in saying ninety per cent I am fixing the percentage low. -I do not think that any putter should be built whose face is so narrow -that at the moment of striking the ball properly with the putter the -top edge of the putter is below the top of the ball. I am firmly of -opinion that a putter which is so built that it delivers the main -portion of its force below the centre of the ball's mass is absolutely -defective. I go even so far as to say that I believe that in a -scientifically constructed putter the face should be made much broader -than the face of the average putter, and that the weight, instead of -being massed at or near the bottom of the putter, should be reversed, -and put, if anything, nearer the top. The whole essence of true -putting is that the ball shall be rolled up to the hole, and not at -any portion of its journey played with drag, or as one is sometimes -told to do, slid along the green. Any attempt whatever to put with -drag, or by tapping the ball, must cause inaccuracy. - -I saw, a short time ago, one of the finest golfers in England, Mr. A. -Mitchell, lose an important match on the putting-green, or, to be a -little more accurate, on quite a number of putting-greens. He was -then, and I believe still is, making the same mistake as James Braid -made when he was such a bad putter, viz. tapping his puts, and -finishing low down on the line after the ball. It is almost impossible -for anyone to be a good putter with this stroke, and his chance of -being a good putter is rendered remoter still if he attempts to do -putting of this nature with a shallow-faced putter. - -A putter should have very little loft indeed, if any. It is -questionable, from a scientific point of view, if the putter should be -lofted at all, but in practice a very slight degree of loft is -generally used, and there may be something to be said in favour of -this slight loft if one is playing the put as it should be played, as -nearly as possible by the wrists, for if that is done it stands to -reason that the putter with a very slight loft will tend, in, of -course, an extremely small degree, but still to such a degree as to be -perceptible, to deliver its blow upwardly through the ball's mass, and -this naturally tends to give the ball a truer roll off the club than -would be the case if the putter were perfectly vertical. - -If one were using a putter with a vertical face, it seems fairly clear -that at the moment of impact, when one is endeavouring to roll the -ball forward, it is held simultaneously at two points. There must -then, it seems, be some slight dragging on the face of the club and -also on the green, but when the putter has some small loft on it and -the blow is delivered, to a certain extent, upwardly, the ball will -naturally get a truer roll from it, and for this reason perhaps the -smallest degree of loft on a putter is advisable. - -Shallow faces and broad soles in putters have nothing whatever to -recommend them, and there is very little doubt that golfers will, in -due course, find this out, and will use a putter so made that it will -carry the weight where it is most wanted, and that certainly is not at -the base of the ball, for, unnecessary as it may seem to mention the -fact, the put is the one stroke in golf which we always desire to keep -as close to the green as possible. We know quite well that in all -other clubs, when we want to get the ball off the ground quickly, we -take a club which has its weight thrown into the sole, but as we want -exactly the opposite thing on the putting-green, it seems reasonable -to think that we should alter the adjustment of our weight when -constructing a putter which has any claim whatever to being -considered a scientifically made club. - -I have referred to the defect of the broad sole, and I have in a -previous chapter of this book indicated that the perfect put should -bear as close a resemblance to the swing of a pendulum as the player -can give it. Let us now for a moment imagine that we have as the -weight on the pendulum the head of an ordinary metal putter, and let -us so adjust this metal head that in the swing of the pendulum it will -barely clear a marble slab placed underneath it. Let us now remove the -metal putter and substitute in its place such a club as one of the -ordinary aluminium-headed clubs, or a Schenectady, and hang this club -on the end of the pendulum so that when the pendulum is absolutely -vertical the front edge of the sole of the club clears the slab by -exactly the same space as the metal putter did when at rest. We shall -now find that this club will swing freely back in the same manner as -the metal putter did, but we shall get a very striking exemplification -of the fact that the breadth of the sole of this club will prevent it -swinging forward at all, for the rear portion of the sole will foul -the marble slab. This, of course, is sufficient to absolutely prevent -a proper follow-through, for even when this happens on a good green -the delicacy of the put is such that it is more than likely the stroke -will be ruined. - -This is an illustration of what I mean when I say that the golfer is -importing into his game an unnecessary risk when he uses a broad-soled -club. It will be seen from the example which I have given that there -is an infinitely greater danger of soling with such a club than there -is when one is playing with an ordinary metal putter. - -The same error with regard to breadth of sole is very frequently seen -in the mashie. Indeed, the sole of the mashie is so broad and taken -back at such an unscientific angle that very frequently the player -strikes with the back edge of the sole before the front. It stands to -reason that when he does this he is cocking up the front edge of his -club, and so robbing himself of a great portion of the loft of the -club. Many players lay the face of the mashie back in order to -increase the natural loft of the club. In nine cases of ten when they -do this, instead of increasing the usefulness of their clubs they -diminish it, for they insist then upon the front edge of the face of -the mashie striking the ball higher up than would be the case if they -played with the club in the ordinary way. - - [Illustration: PLATE XV. J. SHERLOCK - - Finish of iron-shot. Note carefully the upright finish - following the swing back, and the position of the hands, a - characteristic of the finish of this shot. Sherlock gets a - lower ball than the ordinary iron-shot.] - -Most mashies are constructed in a very unscientific manner. It is the -function of the mashie to get as far underneath the ball as possible. -To do this a mashie should always have its front edge very clearly -defined, and almost immediately the sole leaves the front edge it -should begin to curve upwardly--in other words, a mashie should -practically never have a sole. When the mashie is made like this it is -astonishing how much easier and more accurate it makes one's work with -the club. Not only does the curving sole to the mashie allow one to -get more in underneath the ball and prevent any jar of a square edge -behind the front edge of the sole, but if it is a question of taking -turf, which involves cutting down behind the ball, one is able to do -this with a mashie having the sharp edge and the curved sole such as I -describe, much more easily than one could with the flat sole, for the -simple reason that one is enabled to pass the ball on the downward -stroke much more rapidly than one could possibly do with the -broad-soled mashie. It is obvious that in playing a ball with heavy -back cut, the essence of obtaining that cut must be the speed at -which the mashie passes down behind the ball, and it must be also -equally apparent that if one is playing that shot with a club whose -sole is as broad as is that of the ordinary mashie, that the pace of -the blow must be arrested to a very great extent long before the club -has had an opportunity of absolutely clearing the ball. This means -that the club is hampered in the execution of its natural duty. - -While I am on the subject of the construction of the mashie, and -particularly with regard to the curving sole, I may mention that I -have such a club. It was made for me in accordance with a -specification which I furnished, but it did not in any way carry out -what I wanted; in fact, my instructions were very much exaggerated, -but the moment I saw that club I knew that it would be, for short -approaches and for playing stymies, a wonderful club; and so it has -proved. It would take a good deal more than its weight in silver to -induce me to part with it, for that club led to the making of history -in golf--in other words, its construction caused me to see the great -advantage which could be got by using it in playing the stymie shot -which I have described in a previous chapter, and it was while playing -this particular stymie shot that I came to the conclusion that for the -usual stymie shot at or about the hole the ordinary mashie is far too -long, as in the case of the short putter, because when one tries to -get down on the club as low as one really ought to do for playing a -shot of the delicacy required in these strokes, one finds that one has -too much free shaft above one's hands. If I had any doubt whatever as -to the advisability of having a short putter for short puts, I have -absolutely none with regard to the benefits which are to be obtained -from having a short mashie for playing close stymies, and I may say -that at the time of writing I have never handled such a club--I have -never seen such a club, nor have I ever heard of such a club, but -before this book is published I shall have one. - -Stymies were once upon a time a perfect terror to me, but with the -club which I have referred to, and whose construction was practically -an accident, they are no trouble, and I firmly believe that nine -stymies of ten would be no trouble to a golfer of ordinary skill if he -had the proper club with which to play them, but it seems not -unreasonable, when we consider the descending scale of the clubs which -I have before referred to, to think that a club which we use -frequently to get eighty yards with should not be the most suitable -implement for playing a stroke of nine inches to a foot. - -While I am on the subject of iron clubs, there is another matter which -I should like to refer to, and that is that, in my opinion, the -communion, if I may use the word, between the club and the ball is not -as intimate as it should be. In the lawn-tennis ball and racket one -gets a wonderfully firm grip, and it is astonishing with what accuracy -one can place a lawn-tennis ball by means of cut, but the vast -majority of iron clubs which are used are insufficiently and -unscientifically marked. I can remember the time when iron clubs, -generally speaking, were innocent of any indentation whatever on their -faces. Marking is fairly general now on iron clubs, but it is done in -an utterly unscientific manner. It is frequently done by great deep -straight lines, and, particularly in the mashie, nearly always by -lines which run from heel to toe. Now in the great majority of mashie -shots when one is putting on cut one requires lines running in an -exactly opposite direction. We do sometimes see, of course, lines on -these iron clubs running at right angles to each other, but in nearly -every case the marking is too large and too coarse to be of the -practical benefit which it ought to be. - -Quite recently I saw a very skilful golfer playing with rusty clubs, -and somebody who did not understand what it meant commented rather -strongly on his untidiness. He did not understand until he was told -that the idea of the man who was using these clubs in keeping them -rusty was that he got a better grip on his ball, and there can be no -doubt whatever that this is the case, but a scientific maker of iron -clubs would not be satisfied to leave it to his customer to make up -for his deficiency by allowing his clubs to become unsightly. He would -produce a club marked as nearly as might be in a similar manner to a -club which was heavily rusted. - -I have experimented with various means for establishing a better grip -between the club and the ball, and I have, I believe, found an almost -perfect medium for establishing effective contact. Let us consider for -a moment how little use the cue would be to us at billiards were it -not for the medium of contact which is commonly used; to wit, the -chalk. Now it is inconvenient, and, moreover, would be ineffective to -a great extent, to chalk one's iron clubs in golf, but it is an -absolute certainty that something which answers to the chalk should be -on the face of every iron used in golf. What that is to be we must -leave to the ingenuity of our scientific club makers, but it is an -absolute certainty that we shall see a very great improvement in this -particular matter within quite a short time. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -THE LITERATURE OF GOLF - - -It will be readily understood by those who have followed me that I -consider that golf has been badly served by those who have essayed to -teach it by books. The main, if not indeed the whole, cause of the -trouble is the manner in which writer after writer has allowed himself -to be influenced by the work of those who have preceded him. This is -neither amusing nor instructive. The essence of progress is research. -We cannot progress in anything by repeating parrot-like the fallacies -of those who have preceded us. - -I want to make it particularly plain that this book aims at absolutely -dispelling the fog and mist, the obscurity and the falseness which now -clusters about the game of golf. One dear old chap was explaining to -me how he tries to drive. He said, "When I get to the top of the swing -I have so many things to remember that I get all of a dither and mess -it up hopelessly." Could anyone express it better? - -About seventy-five per cent of the golfers who follow the usual -tuition are "all of a dither." The whole trouble is that they are -given too much to think of _during the stroke_. I am certain that the -secret of success in golf is to eliminate the necessity for thinking -_and theorising_ on the links. This, I contend, can be done by -_knowing_, not merely by _reading_, the contents of this book. - -So strongly do I feel in this matter that I consider that every -beginner who desires to succeed at golf should know what is here set -out, while every misguided golfer who has been jumping from his right -leg to his left, and putting his left hand in command instead of his -right, should lose no time in getting the truth and so revolutionising -his game. - -I have stated in my Preface that this book is a challenge. So, in -effect, it is. It stands for truth and practical golf, instead of the -nonsense which is generally published about one of the greatest and -simplest of games. - -I must here refer to a book entitled _Practical Golf_, published by -Mr. Walter J. Travis, the Australian who perfected his golf in America -and won the Amateur Championship of England. - -Mr. Travis' book is very interesting in many ways. He calls it -_Practical Golf_, and it ought to be, coming from him, but Mr. Travis -falls into nearly all the mistakes of those who have followed the -time-worn fetiches of the people who handed down to us "the traditions -of golf." I was much astonished at this, for Mr. Travis tells us -himself that he worked out his own salvation, at the same time as he -remarks that "as a general rule the average professional, while he may -be a good player, lacks the faculty of imparting proper information to -beginners." - -This, unquestionably, is true, but one cannot expect too much theory -from the professional, who is not, generally speaking, a very well -educated man, but from a man in Mr. Travis' position one has a right -to expect a fairly good grip of fundamental principles. He says that -"All good players work practically on the same basic principles." This -is, of course, right. The trouble is that most good golfers, like Mr. -Travis, work on the same correct basic principles, but advertise to -their unfortunate readers and pupils those which are utterly opposed -to their practice. - -Mr. Travis absolutely subscribes to the fundamental but common error -with regard to the distribution of weight. He says at page 30: "In the -upward swing it will be noticed that the body has been turned very -freely, with the natural transference of weight almost entirely to the -right foot." At page 7 he says: "The ease and rapidity with which the -weight of the body and arms is transferred from the left leg to the -right and back again, joined to wrist action--concerning which -reference will later be made--are largely, if not wholly, responsible -for long driving." - -It is obvious from this that Mr. Travis thinks that one's weight ought -to be on one's right leg at the top of the swing. It is also obvious -that he thinks he throws his weight about from one leg to another when -he is playing. It is, notwithstanding this, certain that he tells us, -as does every man who writes a book about golf, that the head must be -immovable during the operation of driving. We must wait for Mr. Travis -to tell us how this conundrum can be solved, as none of the famous -golfers of the world have yet been able to do it. If the stance has -once been taken with the weight equally distributed between the legs, -it is impossible, if the head be kept still, as Mr. Travis and -everybody else says it should be, to get the weight on to the right -leg at the top of the swing, but it is not impossible to get it on to -the left leg, where it should be, and where, indeed, it goes quite -naturally. - -In speaking about the palm grip Mr. Travis says: "This style is more -affected by cricketers and base ballers, but it is open to the -objection that it introduces a tendency to hit the ball with tautened -muscles, and discourages the proper follow-through." - -Personally, I cannot see that there is any objection whatever to -hitting the ball with tautened muscles--in fact, it absolutely must be -done in that way, and in no other, or the result will be dire failure. -James Braid himself says that at the moment of impact the muscles are -in a state of supreme tension, and as a matter of practical golf there -can be no doubt whatever that this is so. Mr. Travis also comes into -line with the general body of golfing opinion with regard to the -fetich of the left. He says on page 14: "As a general rule the left -hand should grip somewhat more firmly than the right." I may say that -Vardon and Taylor do not agree with Mr. Travis, and the mere idea of -putting the left to exert a firmer hold on the shaft is a reversion to -primeval fables. - -Mr. Travis tells us, speaking about the waggle: "Do not on any account -in this preliminary address _lift_ the club up. Lifting the club -pre-supposes stiffness and rigidity of muscles and the resultant -stroke cannot be thoroughly satisfactory." - -It will be obvious that as the club is at the lowest portion of its -arc it is necessary to lift the club. This is done by an easy action -of the wrists, and the waggle, of course, then becomes a swing worked -almost entirely from the wrists, but it is absolutely essential to -lift the club for the ordinary waggle. - -At page 19 Mr. Travis says: "When the top of the swing is reached, -without pausing, bring the arms and body around as swiftly as possible -and _swish_ the ball away." We see here that Mr. Travis is also an -adherent of the fetich of the sweep, but we must in his case call it -the fetich of the "swish." In golf it is now realised that the golf -drive is a hit of the very finest order. - -Mr. Travis says at the same page "Do not seek to artificially raise -the left foot on the toe. Strive rather to keep it rooted--the natural -turn of the shoulders and body rotating to the right will bring it up -and around. Keep the right leg as stiff and as straight as possible. -And whatever you do, do not move the head." If one is going to pivot -on the left toe in any way whatever, it is fatal to the rhythm of the -swing to wait until the arms pull the left heel off the earth. The -left heel should leave the earth almost simultaneously with the club -leaving the ball. If this is not done it will be impossible to -maintain the rhythm of the swing. Mr. Travis shows himself in nearly -every case pivoted on the _point_ of his left toe at the top of the -swing. This is now universally admitted to be bad form, as one should -put the weight on the ball of the toe, and forward from that at the -side of the shoe. - -It is, of course, possible to play the drive practically flat-footed, -in which case one's swing will naturally be much flatter than the -ordinary swing, but this is not generally done. For those who pivot on -the left toe, Mr. Travis' advice to wait for the arms to pull the heel -up is, I think, absolutely bad. His advice to keep the right leg stiff -and straight is quite good, and, of course, there can be no doubt of -the correctness of his advice when he says "do not move the head," but -will he tell us how, with a perfectly stiff and straight right leg, -and no movement whatever of the head, he is going to transfer his -weight to his right leg? for, as he truly says on page 20, "If the -head is kept still, no swaying of the body can be indulged in." - -There is a very remarkable statement on page 20. Mr. Travis says: "Any -doubt as to whether the head is moved may easily be satisfied by the -player assuming a position with the sun immediately at the back of -him, and watching the shadow of the head during the swing. If the -head is shown to move, the swing should be persistently practised -until this fault is remedied." If I were not now writing practical -golf myself, I might suggest putting in a peg on the ground to watch -whether one's shadow impinged on this peg or not, but as a matter of -practical golf if I considered anything of this nature necessary, I -should prefer a string stretched across by my right ear so that -swaying would be bound to make me touch it, but as a matter of -_intensely practical golf_ neither of these expedients is in the least -degree necessary if the player will only get it firmly rooted in his -mind that his weight must be on his left leg at the top of his swing, -and he will then find that he has no temptation whatever to sway. - -On page 23 Mr. Travis says: "It is not really the length alone of the -downward swing that contributes distance so much as the rapidity with -which the club head is moving at, and just after the moment of -impact." It is almost unnecessary to draw attention to the fact that -what happens "just after the moment of impact" does not much matter to -the ball. It is what happens during the impact which is of importance, -although it stands to reason that if the speed during impact has been -sufficient, just after impact it will still be the same, minus the -force expended on the golf ball. - -Mr. Travis makes a terrible error in _Practical Golf_ when he says, -speaking of the downward swing: "Let him resolve to centralise the -power of the stroke immediately the ball is reached." - -This is an idea fatal to good golf. As I have frequently pointed out, -and as James Braid in _How to Play Golf_ also emphasises, the meeting -between the ball and the club should be _merely an incident_. Any -attempt to try to do anything during impact in the drive is futile. - -Mr. Travis at page 24 makes the same error with regard to the speed of -the club after the ball has been hit. He says: "A great deal more -depends upon the maintenance of speed after the ball is struck than is -commonly supposed. This part of the stroke is known as the -follow-through, and plays a very important part in the length of the -drive as in straightness." Mr. Travis evidently does not perfectly -realise that the follow-through is of no importance whatever except as -the natural result of the correctly played first part of the stroke, -and the maintenance of speed after the ball has been struck is of no -importance provided that the first portion of the stroke has been -properly executed and at a sufficient pace. The only importance of the -maintenance of speed in any way whatever is that this indicates that -the first half has been correctly performed. - -Mr. Travis seems to be very hazy as to the causes of slicing and -pulling. A ball being hit slightly to the right of its centre would -not necessarily produce a slice, although it would probably deflect it -from its intended line of flight. A slice is produced by the amount of -rotation which is imparted to the ball by the glancing blow. He says: -"With a pulled ball it is just the opposite--the ball is hit to the -left of its centre, that is, nearer the player, producing a spin from -right to left." This is not in any way necessary. The ball may be hit -absolutely at the point farthest from the hole, and with the club at a -perfect right angle to the intended line of flight, but the point -which Mr. Travis does not mention is that the club is travelling -upward across the intended line of flight and outward from the player. -This it is which produces the beneficial spin of the ball in the -pull. - -At page 31, Mr. Travis says: "Every golfing stroke describes a circle, -or a segment of a circle." This is an egregious error, for the golf -stroke, quite naturally from the method of its production, bears a far -greater likeness to an oval than to a circle. Anyone endeavouring to -produce the golf stroke as a circle would certainly not get either a -very graceful or a very accurate result. Mr. Travis falls into the -astonishing error for a man who plays golf so well as he does, of -thinking that it is possible to juggle with the golf ball by means of -a golf club during impact. Speaking of brassy play, he says: "The -lofted face, joined to the slight whipping up of the hands at the -proper time--that is after the club meets the ball--will produce the -desired result. Don't on any account seek to bring the hands up too -quickly, otherwise a top will assuredly result." - -Mr. Travis here falls into the common error with regard to using the -wrists during impact. It will be observed that he avoided it in -dealing with the follow-through, but in this matter he makes the usual -error. This turning up of the wrists which he refers to comes long -after the ball has been hit, and is the natural turn up which follows -any slice or any cut played to raise a ball suddenly. - -At page 41 he makes the same error, for he says: "By striking the ball -slightly towards the heel of the club, and immediately after bringing -the arms somewhat in and finishing well out, a slight spin is imparted -to the ball which causes it to rise more quickly." Here it is clear -that he thinks that one may, after impact, do something with the hands -to affect the manner in which the ball leaves the club. There could -not possibly be any greater fallacy in golf than this. That this is a -rooted fallacy of Mr. Travis I shall show later on when I deal with -his remarks about bunker play. - -Mr. Travis says at page 49: "Hitting with the heel of the club meeting -the ground after the ball is struck will cause the ball to rise more, -and, joined to the spin imparted by drawing in the arms and turning -the wrists upward, will produce a very dead ball with hardly any run. -The science of the stroke consists in hitting very sharply, and -turning the wrists upward immediately after the ball is struck." - -Here we see the same delusion. The essence of this stroke is purely a -matter of practical golf which I have not seen mentioned in any book -or essay on golf. When one plays a ball off the heel of one's mashie, -it stands to reason that one gets the ball on the very narrowest -portion of the blade, and that therefore one hits the ball as far -beneath the centre of the ball's mass as it is possible to do--so much -so, in fact, that a very considerable portion of the ball overlaps the -top of the face of the club. This puts a tremendous amount of undercut -or stop on the ball. This is the practical golf of the shot which Mr. -Travis is attempting to describe, but his idea of putting cut on it by -juggling with it during impact is fatal. - -In speaking of approach puts, Mr. Travis gives some wonderful advice. -He says: "You should aim to hit the ball as if it were your intention -to drive it into the ground.... This will cause the ball to jump, due -to its contact with the ground immediately after being struck." This -is practical golf of a nature which we may very well pass without -discussion. I think that there are very few golfers who will desire to -bounce the ball off the earth when they can play it off the face of -the club. - -This is Mr. Travis' advice as to how to cut the put. At page 65 he -says: "Put cut on the ball by drawing the arms in a trifle just at the -moment of striking." The drawing of the arms across the ball is not to -be done at the moment of striking. It starts at the beginning of the -swing and finishes at the end thereof. This is how cut is put on a put -by practical golf. Mr. Travis advises for putting that people should -select "a particular blade of grass" on the line to the hole. He then -says: "Take your stance and square the face of the putter at perfect -right angles to the blade of grass you have picked out." As a matter -of practical golf I may remark that blades of grass have a remarkable -family likeness. - -Mr. Travis says: "Close observation of all missed puts discloses the -interesting fact that by far the large majority go to the left of the -hole, thereby indicating the presence of the pull, due to the arms -being slightly drawn in just after striking." This is what is called a -sliced put in England, but again as a matter of practical golf I may -say that many of these puts are simply misdirected, such misdirection -being due to the turning over of the wrists _too soon_ in the action -of striking the ball. Unless one determinedly follows through well -down the line the natural tendency is to hook one's put across the -line, but this does not indicate any pull. It merely indicates, if of -frequent occurrence, ignorance or carelessness. - -Speaking of stymies, Mr. Travis says: "Occasionally you will be -confronted with an absolutely dead stymie by having your opponent's -ball just on the edge of the cup, your own being so close, say seven -inches to a foot away, that it is impossible to negotiate the stroke -by either curling around or lofting. In such extremity there is only -one way of getting your ball in the hole unaccompanied by your -opponent's, and that is by what is technically known in billiards as -the follow shot." As a matter of practical golf the stymie stroke -introduced by me is far more likely to prove successful in this case -than the follow shot, for we are dealing with very tricky things when -we try to play billiards with golf balls covered with numerous -excrescences or dimples. If the stymie described by Mr. Travis is -played by my stroke, it should be got five times out of six, and I -very much doubt if Mr. Travis or anybody else could get anything like -this with the run through stroke. - -Writing of "Playing out of hazards," Mr. Travis says: "Then bring it -down again on the same line with all the force you can controllably -command, consistent with accuracy. As it sinks into the sand its -course may then, but not until then, be slightly directed towards the -ball." - -Coming from a practical golfer this is an absolutely amazing -statement. The idea of attempting to deflect one's niblick from the -line originally mapped out for it as it enters the sand is too amazing -and too utterly unsound to merit any further comment or notice, except -to say that it would be impossible to deflect the club head from the -line of travel mapped out for it at this moment without materially -reducing the force of the blow, and when one is hitting into heavy -sand, to get underneath the ball and in many cases to get it out of -the bunker without even touching it with the club, every pound of -force that can be put into the club is necessary. - -There is another thing which Mr. Travis tells us that certainly is not -practical golf, and it does not seem to me to be practical carpentry, -but he says at page 126, speaking of the brassy: "The screws which -hold the blade sometimes work loose. This trouble may easily be -remedied by putting glue in the holes before inserting the screws." -One is never too old to learn, and I think that in any future efforts -I may make at amateur carpentry, I shall glue my nails! - -Mr. Travis makes a very remarkable statement at page 139, speaking of -the guttie ball as opposed to the Haskell: "The latter, by reason of -its greater comparative resiliency does not remain in contact with the -club head quite so long, and therefore does not receive the full -benefit of the greater velocity of the stroke in the same proportion -as the less resilient guttie"; but surely the greater the resiliency -of the ball the longer it will remain in contact with the club. It -should be obvious that one of the reasons for the greater swerve in -the sliced or pulled rubber-cored ball as compared with the guttie, is -that on account of the longer period of impact the ball acquires a -greater amount of spin. - -Speaking of the waggle, Mr. Travis is delightfully indefinite. He says -"With the club gripped pretty firmly with both hands in the manner -already described, it is well to see that the whole machinery is in -good working order by waggling the club a few times over the ball, -allowing the wrists to turn freely, without, however, relaxing the -grip. The waggle should be entirely free from any stiffness, which -simply means that the wrists should be brought into active play." - -This is certainly delightfully vague, and is not, I am afraid, of much -use to anyone as a matter of practical golf. The waggle is -unquestionably of importance in the game of golf, otherwise it is -quite improbable that we should see it employed by so many of the -famous players. The curious thing about this waggle is that it seems -to be confined to games wherein one plays a stationary ball. The same -operation is gone through at billiards with the cue, but is there -known as cueing at the ball. With a very great number of players the -waggle may be described as moral cowardice--an excuse for putting off -the evil moment. Many players convert the waggle into a performance -which is both tedious and stupid, and which instead of giving them a -better chance of hitting the ball, has a very great chance of -absolutely putting them off their stroke. - -I do not know that I have ever seen the necessity for the waggle -explained, nor have I seen the waggle of any of the famous players -illustrated. There can, however, be very little question that in the -majority of cases the address and waggle is unnecessarily exaggerated -and prolonged. - -In _Modern Golf_ I have illustrated George Duncan's waggle. So far as -I am aware, this is the only time that such a thing has been done. -Duncan is probably the quickest player living, so that it will not be -necessary for us to assume that every one will be satisfied with so -little preliminary work as Duncan puts in before hitting the ball. His -method of playing is to take his line to the hole as much as he can as -he approaches the ball. He then marches straight up to it and takes -his stance, at the same time swinging his club head out so that it is -roughly on a level with his waist and pointing towards the hole, but -being at the same time almost above the line of flight to the hole. He -then brings his club back to the ball, and addresses it in the usual -way, soling his club close behind the ball. Now he lifts the club -practically straight up for six or nine inches and carries it forward -of the ball in a gentle curve for about six inches. From here he -carries the club head back along the plane of flight produced through -the ball as far as it will go without turning his wrists over. The -club then is swung easily and naturally back to the ball almost in the -same manner as it would come to it in the drive, until it arrives -close behind the ball, but about two inches from the turf, when it -sinks to rest by dropping straight down behind the ball. It is now -soled again as in the original address. - -This sounds like a somewhat lengthy process, but as a matter of fact -it is probably the shortest waggle used by any golf player who is in -the front rank. In fact, so rapid is Duncan in his play, that very -frequently spectators who are not accustomed to his methods, do not -see him play the ball, as they allow for the more deliberate style -generally followed by the other leading professionals. In Duncan we -have a player who in my opinion is as good a golfer as anyone in the -world. We see clearly that he wastes very little time in addressing -his ball, either through the green or on the putting-green. On the -other hand, we see some men of greater fame than Duncan whose -deliberation is tedious in the extreme, although it must be admitted -that in so far as regards the waggle in the drive, the great players -do not overdo this nearly so much as do amateurs of an inferior class. - -I am not aware that anybody has yet explained the reason for the -waggle. It seems that it is a natural movement, or in some cases a -very unnatural movement, which players fall into in endeavouring to -readjust their distance from the ball and their position with regard -to the line of flight. Very many players who waggle, produce most -remarkable flourishes with their club. The club is made to describe -curves in the air which it could not possibly do in any other -operation at golf than the waggle. The whole object of the waggle -seems to be to allow the player to get his eye in, as it is commonly -called, at the ball, to loosen his joints, and, which is a point that -I have not seen previously made, in a measure to produce in -anticipation the motions of his wrists and club immediately before, -at, and after impact with the ball. - -If this view of the object of the waggle be accepted as correct, it is -obvious that in nine cases of ten the attempted waggle is force -hopelessly wasted--in fact, worse than wasted, for it has been -occupied in describing weird geometrical figures in the air, figures -which can have no possible reference whatever to the work which the -club is expected to do. In Duncan's waggle it will be observed that -firstly he swings his club head out down the line towards the hole, -and secondly that he carries it back for a considerable distance from -the ball in the plane of flight produced through the ball. It will be -seen from this that to a great extent he produces in the waggle the -same motions as his forearms and wrists go through immediately before, -at, and after impact with the ball. On examining the photographs of -Duncan's hands in the drive, we find that for the space of nearly two -feet before he reaches the ball, and probably for quite that distance -after the ball has been struck and he has continued the -follow-through, there is no turning over of the wrists--that during -this space of roughly three feet, the space wherein James Braid says -that the wrists _have it all their own way_, Duncan's wrists are -practically quiescent, and that during the whole of this time the club -is travelling at almost its maximum speed, but the arms and wrists are -doing very little more to it than to withstand the centrifugal force -developed in the earlier part of the swing and to keep themselves -braced to withstand the shock of impact. - -These are merely a few instances taken haphazard from a book called -_Practical Golf_ by one who is, undoubtedly, in so far as regards his -own play, a practical golfer. This does not, however, prevent him from -furnishing another and a very striking example of the curious fact -that nearly all good golfers teach the game in a manner entirely -different from that in which they play it, and that their tuition, if -followed out, must result in their followers learning to play in very -bad form, and probably also learning much which has to be painfully -unlearnt later on when they have discovered the truth. - - - - -AFTERWORD - - -It would be very easy for me now to begin to explain in the ordinary -manner of golf books how the game is played, but to do so would be -going outside the scope of this work, and interfering either with the -proper functions of the professional, or the proper practice of the -intelligent golfer. - -I have, in this book, taken my readers through all those matters which -are of the most vital importance to the game, and practically -everything which is contained between the covers of this book may be -better studied and digested by the golfer, be he a champion or a -beginner, in his arm-chair than on the links. He who wishes to know -golf to the core, must know what is in this book, all of which he can -thoroughly understand without taking a club in his hands. - -The whole fault of the false doctrine which has been so plentifully -published about golf in the past, is that it has given the unfortunate -people who have taken notice of it an incalculable number of things to -think about. The truest and best tuition in golf is that which -advances by a process of elimination and so proceeds that it gives the -learner a minimum number of separate circumstances to think about -during his game; in fact, if the tuition has been properly carried out -the golfer will have astonishingly little to think of at the moment -when he is making his stroke. This is the ideal condition of mind. -The remark which the puzzled golfer made to me that when he started on -his downward swing he had so many things to think of that he was "all -of a dither" expresses marvellously accurately the condition of mind -of about ninety per cent of golfers who think they have studied golf. - -The golfer who studies this book soundly and intelligently will learn -what he will learn from no other book on golf, and that is what a vast -number of things there are in connection with the golf stroke which it -is expedient to forget at the moment one is making it. - -Let me give an illustration of what I mean. The golfer is told now -that at the top of his swing he must get his weight on to his right -foot, and that he must keep his head still. The merest attempt to do -this produces a conflict at once. Then he is told that his left hand -must dominate the right: here is conflict again. But when he learns -that in order to keep his head still he must put his weight at the top -of his swing on his left foot, the conflict vanishes, he finds that it -is natural and easy to do; and he forgets to encumber his mind with -the fact that it has to be done, so that it becomes just as habitual -with him to put his weight in the right place as it is when he is -walking. The same thing applies with regard to the instructions which -he has always had drilled into him to allow the left hand and arm to -usurp the position of the right. Here again he is distinctly exhorted -to encourage these two members to enter into conflict during the -stroke. Although I explained to him most clearly that this idea about -the left being the more important member of the two is utterly wrong, -and that the right is, and always must be, the dominant member in the -golf swing, I did not tell him to remember this during the golf swing, -and he is indeed a very foolish person if he attempts to remember it. -All he has to do is to cut the false doctrine out of his mind, and -nature will attend to the rest. So it will be seen that when one has -grasped the truth in connection with golf one has advanced by such a -process of elimination that there is left for the happy golfer when he -addresses his ball very little to think of but hitting that ball. - -Golf in the past has suffered from the multiplicity of false -directions. It is by recognising these for what they are, and by -forgetting them that the golfer will ultimately arrive at _The Soul of -Golf_. - - - - -INDEX - - - Accelerating speed, Vardon on, 104 - - Address and impact similar, Braid on, 137 - - Address, Braid on, 133 - - Apportionment of back-spin, 263, 270, 271 - - Arm roll in stroke, 210 - - Arms measure distance, 46, 174 - - As you go up so you come down, 97, 219 - - Ayres, F. H., Ltd., 289, 324 - - Ayres, Mr. Rupert, 289-291 - - - Back-spin at impact, rate of, 272 - how obtained, 247 - Professor Tait's experiment, 225 - Professor Thomson's error, 246 - - Badminton _Golf_, 120, 158, 214, 218 - - _Badminton Magazine_, 222, 226 - - Ball, Mr. John, 153, 157 - - Ball, action of, during impact, 237 - brambly, inaccuracy off putter, 287 - centre of gravity, 292 - centre of gravity, test for, 294 - effect of marking, 302 - effect of untrue centre, 299 - flight parallel with earth, 265 - guttie, truth of, 294 - Haskell, 253 - indented or dimpled, 286 - instability of the golf, 284 - smooth, flight of, 289, 311 - tests, 296 - the golf, 283 - track of, on green, 286 - unscientifically made, 261 - - Balls, dimpled, 291 - - Base ball, spin in, 233 - - Beauty of flight, 3 - - Billiard balls, excrescences on, 283 - - Billiards, blind spot in, 175 - - Blackwell, Mr. Edward, 153 - - Blindfold golf, 164 - - Blind spot, 168, 169, 173 - - Blow in golf horizontal, Professor Tait, 265 - upward, 265 - - Body movement after impact, 167 - - Braid on distribution of weight, 119, 135 - on influence of club after impact, 101 - on putting, 50, 55, 58, 77 - - Braid's putting, 75, 76 - uncertainty about wrist work, 208 - - Bullet, drift of, 235 - - - Catapults, Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey's, 296 - - Cleek, push stroke with, 194 - Vardon's push shot with, 194 - - Clubs, all illegal, 322 - construction of, 316 - rusty, 333 - - _Contemporary Review_, 320 - - Corkscrew action in stroke, Braid on, 213 - - Croome, Mr. A. C. M., 198, 199 - - Cross-bow, Professor Tait's experiment, 266 - - Cross wind, Professor Thomson on, 240 - Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey on, 298 - Vardon on, 256 - - Cut, principles of, 89 - - Cutting round a stymie, 73 - - - Direction, demand for, 3 - - Downward swing, control of, 133, 278 - - Downward swing, Duncan and Vardon, 130 - - Drag for bolting puts, 62, 63 - in putting, 60 - - Drive, tension of muscles during, 38 - - Duncan, George, 7, 82 - and mashie stroke, 72, 82 - and smooth ball, 289, 309 - - Dynamical problems, Professor Thomson on, 228 - - - Elimination the secret of coaching, 352 - - English mental attitude towards games, 4 - - _English Review, The_, 267 - - _Evening Standard and St. James's Gazette_, 288 - - Eye, lifting the, 34, 35 - - Eyes, effect of, on weight, 167 - function of, 162, 163 - movement of, 166 - Vardon on movement of, 168 - - - Fallacies of golf, 95 - - Feet, movement of, Duncan, Vardon, and Braid, 134 - - "Flick" in golf stroke, 213 - - Flight of ball, 222 - - Follow-through, 128, 129 - control of, 278 - - Forearms, action of Duncan's, 210 - in stroke, roll of, 210 - - Freemasonry of golf, 6 - - _Fry's Magazine_, photographs in, 125, 138 - - - Golf books, unscrupulous practices, 10 - - _Golf Illustrated_, 197 - and Professor Thomson, 253 - - Golfers groping their way, Braid, 269 - - Grip, apportionment of power in, 150 - old, 152, 153 - overlapping, 152 - suggested new, 151 - - Gutta ball, Walter J. Travis on, 253 - - - Haskell ball, 253 - - Head, keeping still, 162, 163 - Taylor on position of, 171 - - High tee for low ball, 246 - - Hilton, Mr. H. H., 153 - - Hilton, Mr. H. H., in _Concerning Golf_, 160 - - Horizontal stroke, Professor Thomson's idea, 244 - - Hutchinson, Mr. Horace G., on distribution of weight, 120 - on top of swing, 158 - - - Impact, action during, 182 - and address similar, Braid on, 137, 277 - an incident of stroke, 45, 99, 100 - arc during, 244 - duration of, 165 - length of, 277 - muscles at time of, 30, 31 - "no control over," Braid, 278 - Professor Thomson on, 242 - Walter J. Travis on, 253 - - Impatience to play, 5 - - Instruction by elimination, 352 - - - Knee, left, Braid's action, 137 - left, not loose, 127 - right, and Vardon, 131 - - - Laws of swerve of universal application, 234 - - Left and right wrists together, Vardon, 216 - - Left arm, power of, 12, 140 - Braid on, 142, 143, 148 - Mr. Hutchinson on, 146 - Taylor on, 144, 145, 148 - Vardon on, 140, 141, 148, 149 - - Left hand, regulating grip, Vardon on, 150 - - Left wrist starts club down, Braid, 215 - - _Le Golf_, Arnaud Massy, 320 - - Literature of golf, 10, 334 - - Low, Mr. John L., _Concerning Golf_, 159, 256, 257 - - Low ball, high tee for, 246 - - - Mashie, cut shot, 26 - cut stroke, Vardon on, 191 - for stymies, 70 - stroke, Taylor's cut, 193 - - Mashies, short, for stymies, 330 - - Massy, Arnaud, 320 - - Master stroke, the, 178 - - Matter, definition of, 41 - - Mechanical accuracy demanded, 2 - - Mechanics of golf, 3 - - Mitchell, A., 327 - - _Modern Golf_, 59, 73, 83, 133, 210, 246 - - _Morning Post_, 198 - - Mystery, none in other games, 16 - - _Mystery of Golf_, 15, 125, 220 - - - Newton, on principles of swerve, 223, 235, 228 - - "Nip" at impact, Professor Tait, 266 - - "Nose" of golf ball, 231 - - - Palm grip, Mr. Horace G. Hutchinson on, 159 - - Payne-Gallwey, Sir Ralph, 292 - tests, 296 - - _Practical Golf_, 120, 335 _et seq._ - - Press, influence of, 33 - - Professionals and journalists, 10 - lacking in theory, 9 - - _Projectile Throwing Engines of the Ancients_, 292 - - Pull, the, 179 - axis of vertical, Professor Thomson on, 237 - Braid on, 188 - explanation of spin, 240 - Mr. John L. Low on, 258 - true axis of, 240 - Vardon on, 183 - - Push stroke, Vardon's, 194 - - Put, Braid on cutting the, 83 - not a wrist stroke, 67 - position of ball, 67 - run on, 69 - short grip for, 84 - Vardon on cutting the, 87 - - Put, short, the easiest stroke, 48 - Braid on the, 50 - should be taught first, 48 - Taylor on the, 50 - Vardon on the, 49 - - Putter, short, 326 - - Putting, 11, 47 - chief point in, 64 - fundamental principles of, 53 - importance of address in, 65 - mechanically simple, 57 - most important factor, 52 - off heel or toe, 64 - pendulum action in, 66 - tests, 304 - with drag, 60 - - - Ray, Edward, 301, 309 - - Roll of ball on club, 238, 245 - - "Ruff," the, golf ball, 300, 309 - - - St. Andrews, Royal and Ancient Golf Club of, 322 - - Schenectady putter, 320, 326 - - Self-consciousness, 20 - - Shaft, torsional strain of, 321 - - Simplicity of golf, 2 - - Slice, the, 179 - axis of, vertical, Professor Thomson, 237 - impact in, 252 - Mr. John L. Low on, 258 - pressure on rear of ball, Professor Thomson, 241 - Professor Thomson on, 250 - true axis of, 238 - Walter J. Travis on, 190 - - Slow back, 96 - - Smooth ball, uneven flight of, 311 - - Snap of wrists in drive, 205 - - Soles, broad, of clubs, 328 - - Spalding, A. G., & Bros., 291 - - Speed, gradually increasing, 29 - - Spin, 181 - effect on flight, Braid on, 260 - - Spread of golf, 6 - - Style, 19 - - Stymie, cutting round, 73 - run-through, 343 - - "Sweep," a hit with iron clubs, 109 - - Sweep, the, 12, 98 - - _Swerve, or the Flight of the Ball_, 224 - - Swerve, principles of, 223, 233 - - Swerve, double, 293 - Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey on, 305 - - Swing, premature teaching of, 5 - the short, 110 - top of, Mr. Horace G. Hutchinson on, 158 - - - Tait, late Professor, 223 - - Taylor on distribution of weight, 120, 171 - on putting, 50 - on the sweep, 103 - - Teaching by elimination, 352 - of golf unsound, 43 - - Temperament, golf the test of, 7 - - Tension during stroke, Braid on, 133 - of muscles during stroke, 38 - - Thomson, Professor, and smooth ball, 312 - - Thomson, Professor Sir J. J., 227 - - _Times, The_, 292 - - Topped ball, 279 - - Top-spin, alleged possibilities of, 280 - how obtained, 233 - in lawn-tennis, Professor Thomson on, 232 - nearest approach to, 280 - not used in golf, 280 - - Travis, Walter J., fallacies of, 335 _et seq._ - on distribution of weight, 120 - - - Under-spin not essential to long carry, 227 - Professor Thomson's error, 246 - properties of, 248 - - Upward concavity against back-spin, 267, 275 - - - Vaile golf ball, 290 - putter, 55 - stymie stroke, 70 - - Vardon and blind spot, 169 - on cross wind, 256 - on cutting a put, 87 - - Vardon on distribution of weight, 118, 124 - on follow-through, 131 - on putting, 50, 75 - - Vardon's weight in follow-through, 131 - - Vertical axis of slice and pull, Professor Thomson on, 237 - - - Waggle, the, 346 - Duncan's, 346 - - Waist, pivoting from, 122 - - Weight, distribution of, 13, 25, 27, 97, 117, 171 - - Weight distribution, Vardon on, 118, 124 - Braid on, 119, 121 - fallacy, origin explained, 138 - Horace Hutchinson on, 120 - Mr. Haultain's explanation, 125 - Taylor on, 120 - W. J. Travis on, 120 - - Weight on right leg, test for, 122 - - Wind-cheater, 3, 179 - - Wind, cross, 242, 256, 257 - - Wrists, action of, 202 - Mr. Horace Hutchinson on, 219 - speed of, 217 - turn over of, 107 - Vardon on action of, 203 - - - _Printed by_ R. & R. CLARK, LIMITED, _Edinburgh_. - - - * * * * * - - - THE MYSTERY OF GOLF - - BY ARNOLD HAULTAIN - - Second and Cheaper Edition. Crown 8vo. 2s. 6d. net. - - - Mr. HENRY LEACH in the _EVENING NEWS_.--"Mr. Haultain's book - answers to all the tests to which it may be submitted, and I - am strongly disposed to regard it as the best book of its kind - that has ever been written." - - Mr. J. SUTHERLAND in the _DAILY NEWS_.--"A short time ago I - was asked by a young aspirant ... to point out the book I - liked best. 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Extra crown 8vo. 6s. - net. - - - MACMILLAN AND CO., LTD., LONDON. - - * * * * * - -Transcriber's Notes: - -Obvious printer errors were repaired. - -Hyphenation variants retained as in original. - -Copyright page showed no date. - -Both "putts" (in quoted material) and "puts" (in author's voice) were -present in the original. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Soul of Golf, by Percy Adolphus Vaile - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SOUL OF GOLF *** - -***** This file should be named 41149-8.txt or 41149-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/1/1/4/41149/ - -Produced by Greg Bergquist, JoAnn Greenwood, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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A. Vaile. @@ -99,45 +99,7 @@ ul li {list-style-type: none;} </style> </head> <body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Soul of Golf, by Percy Adolphus Vaile - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: The Soul of Golf - -Author: Percy Adolphus Vaile - -Release Date: October 23, 2012 [EBook #41149] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SOUL OF GOLF *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Bergquist, JoAnn Greenwood, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - - - - - -</pre> - +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41149 ***</div> <div class="figcenter" style="width: 389px;"> <img src="images/frontcover.jpg" width="389" height="600" alt="" title="" /> @@ -154,13 +116,13 @@ by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) <p class="center"> MACMILLAN AND CO., <span class="smcap">Limited</span><br /> <br /> -<small>LONDON · BOMBAY · CALCUTTA<br /> +<small>LONDON · BOMBAY · CALCUTTA<br /> MELBOURNE</small><br /><br /> <br /> THE MACMILLAN COMPANY<br /> <br /> -<small>NEW YORK · BOSTON · CHICAGO<br /> -DALLAS · SAN FRANCISCO</small><br /><br /> +<small>NEW YORK · BOSTON · CHICAGO<br /> +DALLAS · SAN FRANCISCO</small><br /><br /> <br /> THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, <span class="smcap">Ltd.</span><br /> <br /> @@ -1457,7 +1419,7 @@ be news to most of us that it is the supreme duty of the eyes to do nothing but <i>look</i>.</p> <p>We are now face to face with this fact according to this analysis. The -author quotes the great psychologist, Höffding, as saying, "We must +author quotes the great psychologist, Höffding, as saying, "We must will to see, in order to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> see aright." We now, by a natural and logical process of reasoning, have the golfer settled at his ball, his address duly taken, his eye fixed on the ball, and he is in the act of @@ -2203,7 +2165,7 @@ that it can be very easily learned, provided always that the instructor has a proper idea of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> mechanics of the put. Generally speaking, when one uses the word "mechanics" a golfer is afraid that he is about to receive some abstruse lecture illustrated by diagrams -and mathematical formulæ, but it is not so. It is essential to a +and mathematical formulæ, but it is not so. It is essential to a thorough knowledge and enjoyment of the game of golf that the golfer should understand the mechanics of putting.</p> @@ -10736,7 +10698,7 @@ considers that the ordinary putter possesses advantages over the large headed clubs, and I think myself that there is very little doubt that this is so for the vast majority of golfers. Arnaud Massy, in his recent book <i>Le Golf</i>, says of my clubs: "Certes, au point de vue -scientifique, cette théorie est inattaquable." Notwithstanding the +scientifique, cette théorie est inattaquable." Notwithstanding the opinion of three such men as Vardon, Braid, and Massy on a matter of practical golf like this, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews has declared that my clubs are illegal on their links, but in @@ -12249,382 +12211,6 @@ net.</p> original.</p> </div> - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Soul of Golf, by Percy Adolphus Vaile - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SOUL OF GOLF *** - -***** This file should be named 41149-h.htm or 41149-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/1/1/4/41149/ - -Produced by Greg Bergquist, JoAnn Greenwood, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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