The Swing. - N.B. The "swing" here described is that designed to suit the open stance; the other with the left foot in front of the right necessarily involves the describing of a "circle" having a greater disposition to the vertical plane.

The first step in the swing is the "waggle." This is to the unsophisticated onlooker a piece of affectation, but, in reality, it is an essential part of the "address." A few players attempt no preliminary display, others exhibit an undue extravagance both in the character of the flourish and in its duration. But experience goes to show that this little bit of apparently spectacular parade serves a useful purpose. It helps to fix the position of the player for a correct sweep of the ball from the tee with the club by establishing that ease of general posture and proper loosening of the limbs and joints so necessary for free movement and harmonious co-operation. The club is now slowly taken back close to the turf with, at first, a wrist movement only, as shown in the accompanying diagrams.

It will be noticed that the wrong method involves a change of position of the hands and arms; this must be sedulously avoided, for the wrist action should begin at the first.

1. RIGHT.                                                                 2. WRONG

Note in 1. that the hands are in the same position as at the address, although the club has been well taken back by the action of the wrist.

stage of the swing. Then the upward path of the club-head begins with the gradual raising of the right shoulder and the consequent slight dropping of the left which comes round to the front, as a result of the rotation of the trunk on the imaginary axis already noted, until it rests just under a line passing from the left eye to the ball. In the meantime, the right elbow should be kept fairly close to the side while the club is travelling in its circular path. The object is to bring the club into a horizontal position behind the head just about the eye-level. (It is well to practise this in front of a mirror.) It will be seen that the wrists, during this process, are bent towards the right side, and at the end of the swing the right forearm is almost horizontal, while the left upper arm presses gently against the chest. During the trunk and arm movement the weight of the body is gradually transferred to the right leg, which becomes quite rigid at the end of the swing; with the uplifting of the club by the arms and the rotation of the trunk there is a natural dip of the left knee towards the right leg, the left heel coming off the ground and the foot pivoting round on the side of the big toe. It needs to be borne in mind that this rhythmic movement is a natural one and should therefore be involuntary; moreover, it is more conducive to a proper leverage and balance to let the left foot turn on the side rather than on the end of the toe (see dark part of the diagram)

It may occur to the reader at this point that the swing of some players is much fuller than that just described. That is so, especially with young players, who occasionally create the impression that the acrobatic feat of tying the human form into a knot is being attempted. Such exaggeration is to be discouraged on the ground of loss of control of the club, which is bound to imperil the successful issue of the stroke. The adoption of the open stance, however, provides a safe-guard against over-swing.

The club has now accomplished one half of its journey, and, in doing so, has described the greater part of the circumference of a circle. It will now return naturally in the same path. In making the stroke, the beginner must be very careful not to pause at the end of the swing; else the element of a jerk may be introduced into the down-ward stroke with mischievous results. As the club returns, the player's head being kept absolutely motionless and the body pivoting reversely on its imaginary axis, its rate of speed should be accelerated until, at the moment of striking the ball, its maximum velocity is reached. This accurate "timing" of the stroke is essential to good length. The club should sweep, and not hit the ball away, and its progress after impact must, on no account, be checked. It must follow through, unrestrained, in the direction intended for the ball to travel with the arms following forward clear of the body until they spontaneously come to rest. There must be no abandonment of the arms - no flinging them away from the body; and the tendency to "pull up" the stroke, so to speak, leaving the club in a vertical position in the air must be carefully guarded against. At the end of the stroke the shaft should lie in a position over the left shoulder almost identical with that at the end of the upswing. During the forward movement the weight of the body is gradually shifted from the right to the left leg; at the moment of impact the whole body assumes (or should do so) the position taken up at the beginning of the stroke, while, at the finish, the left leg is rigid, with the toe pointing outwards; the right leg, knee and toe have, in a somewhat freer manner, followed the example set by the left in the up-swing; and the shoulder and head face the line of flight of the ball. At the moment of impact, and a little after, the eye should be looking over the right shoulder. The cultivation of this habit will check the temptation to lift the eye before the ball is struck.

1. End of top swing for the Drive.

2. Finish of swing for the Drive

The finish of a correct swing should find the body remaining in perfect equipoise; a test of this condition is the absence of any effort or inclination to preserve the balance of the body by either a forward or a backward step. It is true, however, that a few long drivers of the best class check the forward momentum consequent upon their stroke by an advance of the right foot, but these are exceptions deserving our admiration rather than our imitation stroke by an advance of the right foot, but these are exceptions deserving our admiration rather than our imitation.

In conclusion, let it be accepted as an established principle that as is the back-swing, so will the forward swing be. Take care of the up-swing then; the down-swing will then take care of itself. But remember always, and let the mind be set on it, that there must be no suspicion of any checking of the club's impetus after the ball has been struck from its resting-place.