As the club meets the ground the tendency of the head of the club is to turn away to the right. This must be overcome by turning the club face in more than you are accustomed to by turning the wrists over harder when you meet the ball. You will find that your ball goes a little more to the left than you have been used to, but by facing the club more to the right, as shown in position 1, this is easily overcome.

Then when the ball is struck the club head moves along almost parallel with the angle of rise and you have no need of hitting so hard, because you are tilting the face of your club at an angle equivalent to the loft on a mid-iron.

This is the simplest shot with the mashie, be-cause it gives the greatest amount of leeway, and does not require such accuracy as does the average player's theory. It is as though the ball were teed up when you strike at it, with more room to get under it. By facing the club to the right in the address the face comes at perfect right angles to the desired line at the instant the ball leaves it, as shown in position 2.

In order to be sure of this the hands must be turned hard, or the club will feed too deep into the turf, killing the distance and spoiling the direction. This shot enables the player to strike with more confidence and freedom, which is much to be desired. The purpose in the player's mind must be to drive the ball down along the same line as shown by the dotted line running from the center of the ball in position 1.

Never give a thought to the ball getting up or you will start to turn the wrists up and spoil the shot.

In every iron shot the purpose in the player's mind must be to hit down if he is going to get the ball up. The club will take care of the rise. If you do not have that purpose in your mind you will top your shot nine times out of ten. By noting the incline of the club shaft you will see that the hands must not be stopped when your club reaches the ball, but must sweep along with the club. Also there should be a good deal of a drag in the shot, with the left elbow pointing out at the flag and the right hand pushed forward with the hand bent backward very much.

As such details, however, are apt to be confusing, I recommend that the player make his club head act as shown in the cut, and thrash out his own method of doing it. The important thing is to keep the club in contact with the ball, because that is what affects the ball's flight.