In first-class golf there are three different methods of transferring the weight of the body during the swing. There is first the sudden pivoting of Braid. Then there is Ray's double body movement. This consists of a half sway to the right during the first half of the up-swing and then a half sway forward to adjust the balance while the swing is being completed. Thirdly, there is Herd's swing. Herd's method consists in starting with most of his weight on the left foot and then transferring it to the right. In all cases this is the easiest way to get there in the up-swing, as there is little screwing up of the body from the hips to be done ; but it is the most dangerous also, as every golfer knows that a sway when not properly timed is fatal.

Ray's double sway and half screw of the body is to be recommended rather than the complete sway. Here again timing is a more vital factor than in Braid's method of screwing up the body in the same amount of space that it occupied during his address. I much prefer to see a player 'standing up 'to hit the ball. By that I mean I like to see a player make his upswing without using any more space than he takes up during his address. Taylor and Mitchell have this merit: as I call it, they 'stay there.' Remember, however, that the great thing is this : in whatever way these various players arrive at the top of the swing, they always maintain their balance. Some men have the gift of balance, and poise at the top of the swing comes fairly easy to them. Whether it comes easily or with difficulty it is enormously important.

Every good golfer unless he is a swayer addresses the ball with most of the weight on the right leg, and it is a perfectly natural procedure on account of the right hand being below the left. This pulls the right shoulder down and the extra weight on the right leg follows, unless it is fought against by an unnatural squaring of the shoulders.

A good swing is made as much with the body as it is with arms and wrists, and here the great difficulty arises. First of all, most of the weight being on the right leg is already ahead of the club, and this has to be got 'inside' as soon as possible, so that the levering of the bodily weight can work against the club and so help it to the top. It is essential that the club-head should lead : I mean by this that the club-head should pass and get ahead of the hands at once. Simultaneously with the movement of the club-head the left shoulder and right hip should begin to turn and the left heel leave the ground. I have said before, and say emphatically again, that at the start of the swing the right hand must not be allowed to overpower the left. If it does so the left shoulder, which is the main factor in making the up-swing, is left behind, the club-head does not pass the hands easily enough, and long before the club-head reaches the ball the swing is ruined.

Lots of nice smooth swings are entirely one-handed-that is, left-handed on the way up ; the right hand is simply on the club waiting to put in the blow coming down. This sort of swing is made by a slow turning of the wrist, but one never sees swingers of this kind very long hitters, though as a rule they hit the ball straight. Should the left hand be allowed to make the whole of the up-swing, speed is lacking : in fact the whole movement is slow, and speed means distance.

In the two-handed swing, which is the natural method and is adopted by nearly all good players, an immediate turning of the left wrist is not necessary provided that the left hand is held sufficiently over the shaft ; the natural half roll of the left forearm is enough during the first half of the up-swing. It is from that point onwards that the left wrist begins to turn and work its way under the club-shaft. I should rather say that it works its way towards that position, as I do not recommend the left wrist actually under the shaft for driving. The only turning that the right wrist does is when the club has got three-quarters of the way up ; then the right wrist makes a half turn towards the head. This is a very important movement, for if this is done the club is in such a position that it must hit the ball from the inside.

When I say that, I am thinking particularly of those players who do not pivot very much, either because it is their natural method not to do so, or because they find it physically difficult. They may be too old or too stiff or even too fat. In the case of those who pivot freely, the turn of the shoulders naturally brings the club at the top of the swing to the right position from which to start the downward blow. With a restricted pivot this position is not reached naturally, and then this little half-turn of the right wrist is valuable in getting the club there. If you try a swing with very little pivoting you will see that this is so. You will realise that you want the turn of the right wrist in order to feel that you are comfortable and can hit out. Without it you will feel that you are going to hit across the ball on the way down.

I can think of one very fine player who had this half-turn of the right wrist in a very marked degree. This is James Hepburn, who is now in America. He stood remarkably fast-footed in his up-swing and so did not pivot much, but he had to perfection this knack of turning the wrist so as to get the club to the right place to hit from. Massy has something of the same thing. It is this wrist-turn which causes the little flourish of the club which used always to be called his 'pig's-tail twiddle '; but he has a good deal of pivoting and freedom as well.

The releasing of the left heel simultaneously with the club-head starting on the upward journey should be a gradual movement. One should be careful always to feel the weight that has been taken off the left heel being transferred to the ball of the great toe. The weight passes gradually up the right side until the up-swing is half accomplished. Then the left side starts to take charge of the weight in the levering process, and continues to do so until the uptake is completed, when the ball of the left great toe will be carrying its maximum amount of weight ; the maximum allowable,'that is to say, but not all the weight.