Lesson # 1

Mastery of golf's fundamentals is the first step toward better golf and consistent iron play. The fundamentals form the framework and the foun¬dation upon which the entire swing is constructed.Actually, building a swing is much like an architect building a house. If he builds it hurriedly—without. . .

THE CHIP SHOT

The chip shot, like the pitch shot, can save you many strokes a round if properly executed. The major differences between the chip shot and the pitch shot are in the club selection and the manner in which the stroke is played.THE CLUBS TO USE. Normally, the best clubs for pitching the ball are th. . .

About Your Equipment

Selecting the proper equipment is a big step toward playing better golf. This phase of golf is so often overlooked that I feel impelled to discuss it here at length, not only to clear up certain misconceptions concerning golf clubs, but to point out how important it is to have clubs that fit you . . .

PITCHING AND CHIPPING FOR ACCURACY

AIMING THE SHOT. In order to hit the ball straight toward the target, you must first aim toward the hole and then you must hit toward it. These two factors, when combined into a workable procedure, will produce amazing results for you whether you are hitting a pitch or a chip shot.When lining up . . .

The Fundamentals

Mastery of golf's fundamentals is the first step toward better golf and consistent iron play. The fundamentals form the framework and the foun¬dation upon which the entire swing is constructed.Actually, building a swing is much like an architect building a house. If he builds it hurriedly—without. . .

How To Grip the Club

Good iron play requires a good grip. Without such a grip it is virtually impossible to control your shots to the green and score with any degree of consistency. Most golfers, particularly beginners, fail to appreciate the importance of the grip and its influence on the over-all swing.TYPES OF GRI. . .

The Medium Irons

I have always liked the medium irons, the four-, five-, and six-, for they are the clubs which come into use so often in tournament play. Also, the five-iron is the dividing iron between the medium and short irons, and it is an excellent club to practice with when learning the iron game. It has j. . .

The Address and Basic Stances

The more skilled a player becomes, the more he realizes the importance of aligning himself properly with the ball. This technique involves more than just stepping up to the ball and hitting it down the fairway or toward a distant green. It involves knowing how to address the ball and where to add. . .

The Short Irons

The short irons are the offensive weapons in your arsenal of golfing shots. They are the clubs which you use to attack a golf course, to set up those all-important birdies for low-scoring rounds, and to help get you out of trouble when your tee shots stray off line.DISTANCEThe short irons are the. . .

How To Hit the Woods

If you have a good grip and a fundamental understanding of the basic swing, wood shots should not give you too much trouble. The full swing is employed in hitting both the fairway woods and the driver, but there is a distinct difference and, as a result, a different feeling between hitting a ball. . .

Reviewing the Swing

After having played, practiced, and experimented with my own swing over a period of some 30 years, I have reached some rather definite conclu¬sions concerning the swing and its execution. These conclusions, which I have boiled down into four categories, have been tried and tested under all condit. . .

THE HIGH PITCH SHOT.

In this shot, also called a lob or popshot, the ball is pitched high into the air with a pitching wedge or a sand wedge. For this shot, the ball is positioned opposite the inside of the left heel with the hands just over the ball. The weight is slightly on the left side of the address position. . .

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UPHILL AND DOWNHILL LIES

THE UPHILL LIE.Since most courses have rolling fairways, you will always have a shot or two during a round when the ball is slightly uphill. The important thing to remember here is to play the ball a bit farther forward at the address and take a club at least one number longer than you would if t. . .

Playing the Trouble Shots

Every golfer, regardless of his skill, should learn to play trouble shots. They invariably come up during a round of golf, usually when you least expect them, and, if you have the experience and good judgment to cope with them, they shouldn't cause you too much concern.I would say that about 95 p. . .

THE FAIRWAY WOODS.

In playing the fairway woods, the hands should be slightly ahead of the ball at address. This will not only help you take the clubhead away from the ball smoothly and to the inside of the line of flight going back, but it will also help you hit slightly down on the ball in the hitting area.Aside . . .

Driving for Power

The ball is positioned just inside the left heel and the hands are just over, if not slightly behind, the ball at the address. The stance is slightly closed in order to permit a full, free turn of the shoulders and hips on the back-swing. Note in Fig. 84 the full extension of the left arm, while . . .

The Long Irons

Al Balding, one of the greatest professionals ever to come out of Canada and a truly fine iron player, regards the long irons as his "bread and butter" clubs."There's something wrong with your swing if you can't hit the long irons," Balding once observed. "The way they stretch the holes out in to. . .

THE PITCH-AND-RUN SHOT.

The pitch-and-run shot is an excellent one to master, particularly on courses which have large greens where the ball has a lot of running area. When hitting this shot, play the ball a bit farther back toward the right foot. This will ensure that your hands will be well ahead of the ball at addre. . .

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