GOLF.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3598, 10 August 1912, Page 10

GOLF.

(By “Niblick.”) The Championship, The second round of the Poverty Bay Golf Club’s Championship Tournament will be played on the local links this afternoon, when the following players will oppose aecli other: G M. Dcdg.shuu plays P. H. Hamilton. A. Paku plays AY. H. Irvine. E. M. Hutchinson plays N. Bull. The other, game in the second round was played on Monday, when P. Keiha defeated J. Howie by 9 up and 7 to play. Keiha a-parently is playing as well as ever he did this season. He defeated G. AY. AYillock on Saturday by 2 up, and followed this by overwhelming Howie on Monday. Keiha left- for a brief holiday in the South on AA’ednesday evening, but- will return in time to participate in the semi-finals to-day week. Pare. The game between E. M. Hutchinson and X. Bull should provide an exciting contest this afternon. * * * Bull is playing in fine form at present, and did an 86 in his match with his father last Saturday. a « * If Hutchinson can reproduce the form he showed against F. Traill last Saturday, he should win. A strong factor in his favor is that he possesses an ideal temperament for match play, and is never so determined as when playing an uphill "amp. Bull bass hown a tendency to be affected by nerves in the past, but doubtless experience is teaching him that this is net good for winning matches. * * * In any case, the match this afternon should be well worth seeing. Dodgshun should dispose of I’. H. Hamilton, though the latter is probably the most improved player in the Club this season, and put up a good performance in defeating AY. R. Barker in the first round. # * * A. Paku, the colt, should come through in his match with AY. H. Irvine, though the latter may be relied upon to give him a- good game. * « The Junior Championship will also be continued this afternoon, when the second round will be played. ADDRESSING THE BALL. (By Silver Sand, in •■'Golfing.' ) There is no .more amusing study for the unfortunate golfer, hung ui> at the first tee on a Saturday afternoon until the Jong string of couples in front of him have played, than the extraordinarily varied methods of addressing the ball adopted by his duomates. Between the disciple of Duncan, who picks up his driver and piomptly lets fly without addressing the ball at all, and the careful veteran who takes a score of preliminary waggles with his driver and then resolves to take Ilia bnisrie instead, there are an infinite number of varieties. The beginner may well be puzzled by the difficulty of deciding which, style to imitate.

Why Waggle at all? But let him consider for a moment what reason there is for addressing the ball at all. It is simply to asc-ei-tain that lie is standing in the right position and at the right distance awav, and should not be prolonged any further than is necessary for this purpose. The is oet ; as uiciny golfers seem to imagine, a. means, of winding their feeble courage up to the sticking point of letting fly, nor is its purpose to let the player fidget himself into position. The golfer should accustom himself to gauge his distance from the ball by means of "his driver shaft, and learn to judge- at once when he addresses the ball whether he is in his usual position.

In this the slight swing of the club

head over the top of the ball, called by the vulgar “'the waggle,” is of some assistance, since it is apparently more easy to gauge distance then than when the club is held stiffly. Besides, it is possible—although I doubt it-—that the waggle helps to loosen the wrists for the stroke that is to come. Beyond this the waggle is useless, and if it is exaggerated beyond two or three swings it is attended by two dangers. The muscles of the arms are apt to become ever so slightly stiff if they are kept stretched out in the act of holding the club, and the swing loses that freedom that is necessary to lengau. And again, the eyes get tiled of keeping “on the ball,” and perhaps are distracted by the swinging club head, and in consequence the stroke is apt to be not quite so accurate.

Dressing the Bali. In addressing the c-lub head to >-ue ball it is to he observed that the centre of the club face should always be placed opposite the ball. I have seen many good players who did not follow this rule, but it is nevertheless a very good one. For the main idea of addressing the ball is to outline to yourself the position, which, you wish to bring the club back to, and therefore the ball ought to be opposite the part of the club fare with which you intend to strike it.

I have observed many players who break this rule purposely. Finding for stance, that they suffered from a tendency to draw the club in towards them and* so! strike the ball with the toe, they endeavor to allow for this by addressing the ball with the heel of the club. This is not good. io. only confirms the player in his fault, and although it may be efficacious enough so far as it goes, it usually fails altogether to get rid of the other consequences of the player’s fault, but by encouraging that farm rather tends to magnify its results. For instance, in the case I have mentioned the player will never manage by facing the ball with the heel of his club to get rid of the slicing which is the almost inevitable accompaniment of drawing the club in towards his body. The simplest and most natural method of addressing the ball is in every respect the best. The Lie of the Club.

Further, as long as the ground is level and there is nothing in the lie of the hall to call for a departure from normal methods, the club in addressing the ball should be so placed that the lower edge of the face lies flat along the ground—again on the principle that that is the position to which you Avisli to bring it back in making the stroke. I haA-e. indeed, seen it seriously argued that the player at any rate in using his iron clubs Avas better to have the toe of the club rather cocked up off the ground. Because then if the player took turt too soon there Avas the least possible leverage to turn the face of the club, and so there was not the same chance of the ball being played out of line. Tin’s is perfectly true, but it sacrifices all chance of doing a good stroke in order to minimise the ill effect of the had ones. And I can only add that the player atlio calculates upon doing-bad strokes aa' ill rawer improve, his golf. I say that it precludes all possibility of a realy good stroke, and for this reason- The player can never hit the ball so far, nor judge his shot so accurately, if he does not hit it with the proper part of his club, the centre of the blade. But if the heel of the club is just- touching the ground and the toe is slightly raised, it follows that the middle part of the blade must be slightly raised also. The consequence is that the ball is struck by a great deal of power and accuracy is lost-. For although it is sometimes forgotten, the fact remains that it is just as bad to hit the ball with too high or too low- a part of the blade as it is to hit it too near the toe or too near the heel. Lastly.

In conclusion, let me say that addressing the ball .should never be done carelessly. The ball' ought never to be actually touched lest it move and the fatal penalty of a stroke be incurred. On the other hand the more closely tlio. club head can bo laid to tho ball -without actually touching it the more chance is there of a successful stroke.