WHEN I am engaged in playing the approach shot I have spoken of as being within the hundred yards' limit, my position is taken up somewhat nearer the ball than when playing a longer shot with an iron. My right foot is also brought forward in a greater degree, in comparison with my left, the ball itself being in an imaginary line that might be drawn a foot and a half directly in front of my right toe. That is my position - one rendered necessary by reason of the club shaft not being so lengthy.

The grip of the club when playing the stroke is naturally important, for it will make all the difference in the world. My own grasp finds a place near the lower end of the leather on the shaft, a few inches of the latter being allowed to project above my hands when my fingers have closed into position.

My reason for selecting thi's position for the grip is that the club hills into a natural balance, which is essential, as any golfer will admit. The billiard player who studies the game and makes it a matter of brain power, not the mere act of knocking the balls about, invariably possesses a cue specially calculated to favour his style of play. Why does he exercise all this care? Simply because the balance suits him. As with a billiard cue, so with a golf club - the balance must be evenly distributed and as near perfection as possible, or the game will suffer.

The golfer must also be careful in another matter concerning the holding and position of the club. His arms must not be held in a cramped manner, and his hands must be kept low down, to ensure the heel of the club touching the ground just a fraction of a second before the toe. The former bites through the turf without any check or difficulty being felt, but the toe does not carry the same weight or power, and if it is allowed to come in contact with the ground first, then the shot is robbed of the whole or the greater part of its force.

After the position, the swing. In swinging I draw the club backward, until it has reached a point somewhat over half-way between the horizontal and perpendicular. This causes it to point over in the direction of the right shoulder, my right elbow being close in to my side and my left knee just a little inclined to turn inward toward the right There is nothing approaching awkwardness in this position, and the great thing is that it gives a firm grip of the ground, or, rather, it allows a firm stand to be taken by the feet.

In doing this both feet must be perfectly steady and firmly planted into the turf. Any degree of looseness is fatal to the stroke being carried through properly.

Then, as I carry the club back, my left wrist turns under and in, in the direction of the right side, but it continues to be taut, and must not be allowed to loosen involuntarily. This turning in of the wrists has, as its result, the turning of the toe of the club until it points in a direction indicated by a line drawn around the shoulder rather than one inclining to a perpendicular position. This action is not an altogether easy one. It needs considerable practice, but once learnt it is never forgotten.

As the club is brought down in the direction of the ball again the circling action is similarly described, but it must not be confounded with the ordinary sweeping stroke as practised when handling the driver. It is accomplished almost entirely by the action of the wrists ; it is more or less like a hit, and this is how the cut is imparted to the ball.

Many of those with whom I have spoken of this cut have laboured under the impression that it is imparted by drawing the club across the ball. I might point out that this is really far from being the actual case, for the cut is made up by the movement of the wrists with a verve and snap. When the stroke has been carried through it will be found that the club is pendent over the left shoulder, with its toe pointing toward the ground. Provided this stroke is performed properly, then the run of the ball is checked when it touches the ground after its semicircular sweep through the air, and it goes but a very short distance after it drops. That is the object of the stroke I have described, and it cannot be practised in too carefully studied a manner.

In putting cut upon the ball when I am using a mashie I generally wait until I am within sixty to seventy yards of the hole To accomplish it I take up a different position from the one just discussed, and I bring my face in a more direct line with the hole, the impression thus given being that I am aiming at a point lying somewhat to my left. But it is an impression only. The face of the club is turned to the outside, the real position being that while I appear to be going to the left of the hole, my club is aiming in the opposite direction. To the uninitiated possibly this description may appear to be slightly involved, but with a club in hand a player would be in a position clearly to see what I have indicated. My left wrist turns to a certain degree during the time I am bringing the club back, while the head describes a circle that takes it away from the hole, although as I bring my swing down toward the ground again, it trends round to the left of the hole.

It might be thought the ball would also travel to the left of the hole, but that does not happen, owing to the fact that the face of the club is inclined to the right.

Then, as I draw nearer the hole, I make another alteration in my style of playing an approach shot, until when I am but forty or fifty yards distant the ball is exactly opposite the heel of my left foot, my knees are bent in a greater degree, and my face is turned toward the hole itself in a more complete manner.

In bringing the club back for the swing I push it farther away from my body, raising it until the head has reached a point just above the horizontal line, this being the prelude to the swing down again - a swing to be carried out in exactly the same manner as the one I have just pre\iously described. At the finish the club will be in a horizontal position, but with this difference, that the head is now pointing toward the left, but in an upward direction.