This awkwardness and lack of the feeling of power have condemned the grip to many who have tried it superficially and unadvisedly, but if they had realized what a remarkably clever invention it is to carry a golfer over the difficult spots in the swing, they would never discard it, especially with such a criticism as I have heard frequently: "oh, I could never get any power in my swing with that grip." This very remark shows the mental picture of such a player's stroke. He gets his power principally, from his forearms and misses the freedom he gets with the orthodox grip.

Various reasons have been given to explain why Vardon, taylor, braid, and others, use this grip, but I have heard most frequently the one that because their hands are so large they are compelled by that fact to adopt the grip.

If it is so beneficial to a man with large hands, I fail to see the logic in the inference that it would not be beneficial to a man with small hands as well. A man with small hands is presumed to have less strength in them than the man with large hands. A firmer grip would seem to be a decided benefit.

It is when you come to play the irons that you will find the "Vardon grip" of the greatest benefit. The more perfect control of the club and the restraining action on the freedom of the wrists from turning over too freely will give material results when you are trying to keep a good line.

As an illustration of the better control of the Vardon grip and ability to place and direct the club with accuracy, make the following experiment: take a nail and drive it into a board until it will hold its position. Then take your cleek and at-tempt to drive that nail farther into the board with the bottom of the club with each grip. You will observe the better control of the overlapped grip if you will strike a good, firm blow on the nail. With the left thumb down the shaft, as in the Vardon grip, the club shaft and left arm are more in line and form one continuous shaft from the shoulder to the club head, and the left arm is the arm to watch in golf. Practice this well and you'll soon have the right grip pressure for golf.