McKays GOLF

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 5 August 1931, Page 9

McKays

GOLF

THE NELSON CLUBS NOTES FROM VARIOUS SOURCES The Week’s Fixtures. Friday: Ladies, bogey match. Saturday: Men, 4tli round Encounter Shield. Encounter Shield. The fourth round of the Encounter Shield will be played on Saturday. There are onlv a few points difference between the leading competitors. Moore=Reid Cup. The Marlborough representatives retained the Moore-Rcid Cup against a strong Nelson team, and are to be congratulated on their very fine performance. Jeffries the No. 1 player for the visitors, was playing well to defeat Huggins by 5 and 4. Gibbs and Rout were also beaten by Mitchell and Masefield respectively. The cup will now bo held by Marlborough until it is competed for again next season.

The Championship Course. A good deal of criticism, says the “Post”, has been levelled at the Shirley ■our.se questioning its fitness for tlie New Zealand champioiishin meeting, and it is probably true that a great deal of it was justified three months ago, when the links were certainly not at all at their best from a variety of causes, including drought and various turf maladies. It is the opinion of recent visitors who are good judges .that a great improvement has taken place, however, and they see no reason why Shirley should not be in perfect order for the championship meeting. No pains are being spared to that end. Pressing. Pressing is not hitting too hard, says an American instructor; it is hitting too soon. Good golfers hit with all they have, but they do not press. The good player holds back bis power during (lie down-swing by keeping the wrists cocked until the hands are about ir. front of the right leg. Then they put on all they have. There are three circles to a golf swing—tlie left shoulder, hands and club-head. If one were to measure the distance that the shoulder, hands and club-head revolve on the backswing, he would find that the left shoulder has about a twelve-inch turn, tho hands about two yards, and the clubhead about five and one-half yards. To get the proper timing, tlie left shoulder, hands and club-head must be back at their proper stations at tlie moment of impact. One must concentrate and remember that this long circle of the club-head must catch up with the short circles of the hands, and shoulder. If this is accomplished, you will find yourself hitting a longer ball. Don’t Underclub. The delicate difference between players of seemingly equal ability is determined by choice of clubs. Nothing haunts one more than using a certain club when another might have produced better results, says Charles Evans, jun., pointing out that the tightness and grim determination of a shot when underclubbed makes for half the mistakes in golf. Any golfer who purposely overclubs during this season will play bettor golf than he played last season, no matter what his swine' is, lie says. That is vvliat I think of over-clubbing. Suppose you do go over a green or into a trap or rough once in a while, you will have learned to swing easily and smoothly, letting the club-head do its large part of the shot. There is no better aid to good golf. But I do not wish you ever to spare shots, for the perfect swing lets all your strength of hands, wrists, and body go into the shot. Favouring overclubbing will teach you not to .depend too much on a certain club. “Play no favourites” is a good slogan. Overclub when you have doubt for a shot with probable forcing. Three Points. The study of the swing of any firstclass golfer will always bring out the following essential features : —(1) The left shoulder pushes the club back and around. (2) The left arm is straight and close to the body in the back swing, the left wrist is cocked, and the right elbow is close in to the side. (3) On tlie down swing tho wrists remain cocked until the hands are almost waist high, at which point the left heel has been placed on the ground and the left side braced ready for the impact.