It would appear that to hold a golf club in the hands would be the simplest and most natural act in the world, but from the endless discussion that there has been on the subject it seems that it is not. For reasons best known to themselves, many persons have spent a great deal of time trying to exaggerate the difficulties of golf. There is no one who will deny that golf is a difficult game, but it is the practice and not the principles of the game that brings despair to the aspiring player. A very little thought and study will make any even fairly intelligent person thoroughly conversant with all the simple science of standing, holding, and swinging the club, and hitting the ball. It is the skill to put the theory into effect that is difficult to acquire. After a player has read a helpful book on golf, or has culled the best points from several books, she proceeds to the links feeling within herself the ability to play as never before. When she finds that her score is perhaps not so good as it was on her previous round she feels disgusted and discouraged. If she has changed her method of playing in some respect, having been convinced by her reading that she had been playing wrongly, she is apt to declare that the old way suits her and that she cannot do differently even though her reason tells her she is mistaken. Nothing is more fatal to one's game than to keep changing about, trying first one thing and then another, but, on the other hand, when the test of pure reason has been applied to a principle and it has been found good, it is foolish to stick to mistaken methods because, through habit, they have become easy. If every player would apply this test of reason to every theory she hears or reads about and would discard all those that do not bear the test triumphantly, she would lighten her mind of much useless junk. After having freed my mind to a certain extent by this digression we shall now consider the grip of the club. It may be well to state here that what I say applies to all other strokes as well as to putting, as I believe that any obvious change in the position of the hands, while changing from one club to another, has an unsettling effect on the play. The only variation in the usual grip that may be advantageous for the shorter and more delicate put is the dropping of the shaft a little more into the fingers than is proper for shots requiring strength for distance. This variation is merely a suggestion and its adoption may well be left to the inclination of the player.

The grip that is used by most professional players and is most generally advocated among men is the overlapping or Vardon grip. This grip is accomplished by holding the shaft of the club, not in the palm of the hand, but well down toward the fingers, the right hand overlapping the left so that the left thumb is buried beneath the right palm and the little ringer of the right hand hooks over the forefinger of the left. It will be seen that thus disposed, the hands act practically as one and the wrists are brought so closely together that they will of necessity bend in unison. These are the two great points of advantage in the Vardon grip, but there is an objection to the Vardon grip that has prevented its adoption becoming universal. This objection is that the right hand is pried away from the shaft of the club by the underlying left, and consequently the hold of the right hand is considerably weakened. A man with exceedingly powerful hands may be able to spare a little strength, but not all men can afford the loss and few, if any, women.

Such well-known players as Mr. Harold H. Hilton and Mr. John Ball do not use the overlapping grip. James Sherlock says of it that, "Its effectiveness depends entirely on the strength of the fingers and forearm. It would be useless for players to attempt it who have no more power in their wrists and fingers than I have." Further on, "New Book of Golf," page 190, he adds, "There is no need to think, however, that the overlapping grip has any particular value over any other grip."

It is interesting to note that whereas Sherlock frankly admits that his hands and wrist are not strong enough to make it desirable for him to use the Vardon grip, George Duncan insists that it should be adopted by women players. In his second article on "Golf for Women" in "Golf Illustrated," he says: "The overlapping finger grip will give all the power that is needed, and it has the overwhelming advantage of allowing the player to hold the club firmly without stiffening the wrist and the forearm. In my opinion, therefore, it is impossible to attach too much importance to this particular point."

When eminent players disagree about such a fundamental point in the game as this, it is rather discouraging to the beginner; surrounded by so much diversity of opinion she does not know where to pin her faith. The majority of professional players among men use the overlapping grip, but, on the other hand, a number of very successful ones do not. Among her own sex there is Miss Rav-enscroft, the famous English golfer, who places her hands on the club shaft in such a way that they hardly touch each other at all.

In order to consider this problem of the grip intelligently it is necessary to decide first what is the prime essential of a correct hold upon the club. There can be no doubt that having the hands close together and the fingers so disposed as to give them the advantage of all their strength is absolutely necessary to women players. To this end a modification of the Vardon grip may be adopted. All four fingers of the right hand must be firmly placed upon the club, and the little fingers immediately against the forefinger of the left hand. The thumb of the left hand, however, may safely remain under the right hand as there is a natural groove at the base of the palm that will allow the presence of the thumb without loosening the hold of the right upon the club. By careful study of this method of holding the club it will be seen to have practically all the advantages and none of the disadvantages of the overlapping grip, and I would strongly urge its adoption by all women who do not at present use it.