To drive a ball so that it will get distance, one must swing the club properly, which can only be done by having a proper stance. All golfers know what "a proper swing" means, and those who have not played the game from infancy know how next to impossible it is to get this swing. If it were only necessary to make the club head describe a circle, it would be an easy thing to do, but the St. Andrews golfers long ago demonstrated that an ellipse gives the longest swing and consequently puts the greatest amount of momentum into the stroke.

Driving

a - beginning of forward swing. b - end of forward swing. a b c d - the forward swing in a circle before the concussion with the ball. a b e d - the forward swing in an ellipse before the concussion with the ball. The distance a b e d is greater than a b c d.

To swing the club head, so that it will describe an ellipse, one must not only stand in a certain position but must so hold the shaft in the hands that the rhythmical motion of the body, the arms and the legs will not be disturbed. It is because of these different attributes of a golfing swing, each one of which must come naturally and as an unconscious part of the whole, that it is so difficult to master. The eye cannot be watching the different movements, but must be on the ball. The mind cannot be considering any of them or the rhythm of some part will be lost. Everything must be automatic and the swing made with so much art that it conceals the art. To learn it, a dozen years may be necessary and a dozen more to forget that it has been learned; therefore, unless one is willing to give such an endless amount of practice to acquiring it, so that it becomes a second nature, one need never expect to be a golfer.

Position of the Feet. 15

The Proper Distance to stand from the Ball

With every player the distance varies according to the length of his club. If one stands too near, the swing is cramped and if too far away, one loses accuracy by being obliged to bend forward. For a beginner a good rule to follow is to stand at such a distance from the ball that, when holding the end of the shaft against the left knee, the toe of the club will touch the ball. This distance will vary but little from the one naturally taken when one takes the position instinctively.

The Position of the Feet in Reference to the Line of Flight

The feet should be far enough apart for one to feel that he is standing firmly on the ground, some golfers standing with both feet the same distance from the line of flight, which is known as "standing square;" some with the right foot nearer the line of flight, which is known as "standing open;" and some with the left foot nearer the line of flight, which is known as "standing in front."

Standing square.

Standing open.

Standing in front.

In taking the stance, the further back the right foot is from the line of flight the longer will be the backward swing, and consequently greater momentum. Further, with the right foot back of the left, when the weight of the body shifts, with the backward swing, from the left to the right foot, the lifting of the left heel, in order to get as long a backward swing as possible, comes as a natural sequence and a part of the rhythm of the swing; while with the weight equally on both feet, or partly on the right foot, the raising of the left heel becomes a separate movement, and may not be in rhythm with the swing. Further, by standing square or standing open the club in the backward swing has to come up more vertically as the arms cannot stretch out as far as when standing in front, and with the forward swing the club head consequently travels a less distance along the line of flight. The correct position, then, is to have the left foot nearer the line of flight than the right.

But whichever position is taken, the ball should be hit squarely, and the swing made not by swaying the body, but by turning it; the head not moving, because the vertical position of the body, if once changed by swaying backward with the backward swing, will not, when the ball is struck, be in the position which was taken when addressing the ball. See, therefore, during the swing, that the head is held as if bolted and riveted in the position taken when the stroke began.

Turning the Feet Out

With the backward swing, the weight of the body shifts from the left leg to the right. If therefore one stands with the left foot at a right angle to the line of flight, the left heel as it lifts with the turning of the body turns from the body, and, as this outward turning of the heel allows the left leg to stretch, it gives the body an opportunity to sway a little with the backward swing without disturbing the equilibrium. This slight swaying movement, because unconscious, is fatal to the swing as it changes the arc of the ellipse enough to prevent hitting the ball true. But with the left foot pointing towards the hole, there can be no swaying as the left leg cannot stretch with the backward swing without losing the equilibrium. Further, with the left foot pointing towards the hole, the weight of the body as it overbalances with the forward swing, comes naturally upon the ball of the foot and not upon the side of the foot and ankle, which, because unnatural, is liable to affect the rhythmical movement of the swing. For the same reason the right foot should be pointing well to the right, so that with the backward swing the right ankle will not get an unnatural twist.

The Position of the Ball in reference to the Feet

Some golfers stand with the ball opposite the right foot, others with it opposite the centre of the bodv, others with it opposite the left foot and others with it to the left of the left foot.

Whichever position is taken, the club head in swinging in an ellipse travels along the ground a considerable distance before it passes the body, and the ball, whether it is opposite the right foot or to the left of the left foot, will be hit while the club head is moving along the line of flight. With the ball to the left of the left foot, however, the club head travels the greatest distance before it reaches the ball; and the ball, consequently, will receive the greatest amount of momentum. Further, with the ball in this position, if one swings properly and at the moment the club is passing the body the left leg is carrying the weight of the body, the momentum of the swing will be sufficient to throw the body forward without an effort. Every real golfer knows what this delicate overbalancing of the body means; and, to appreciate how great this additional power is, one need only recall with what force the body can be thrown against a closed door to open it. Indeed, Willie Park, the senior, one of the longest drivers that ever lived, used to throw his body forward to such an extent that to regain his balance it was necessary for him to step forward on the right foot. Further, by standing with the ball to the left of the left foot, one keeps the ball low, as the ball is struck as the club head is rising from the ground and in this way it is given that forward spin which keeps it from going-into the air.

The figures in this and the following diagrams are only to show the approximate distances for the average player and the relative distances for the different positions.

Forward spin given the ball.

The correct position, then, is to stand with the ball to the left of the left foot. To hit the ball squarely, however, when standing in this position, is a difficult thing to do; because, if the body, as it loses its balance, does not keep the same relative position, the ball will be either heeled or toed, topped or sclaffed, sliced or pulled. On the other hand, if the ball is opposite the right foot, one is apt to top it. The safest position, then, is to stand with the ball opposite the centre of the body.

Summary of the Stance

The true stance, then, is to have the ball to the left of the left foot, the feet firmly planted on the ground, the left foot nearer the line of flight than the right, both feet pointing well out, and the knees bending a little so that the suppleness of the body will give more elasticity to the swing and add power to the stroke.

The proper stance.