Players are apt to be so much impressed by another player's swing that they lose sight of the vital point, which is the way the club head meets the ball and acts while in contact with it. Do not hit hard, and above all else fix your attention, after you have mapped out your purpose, upon keeping your' head absolutely still, and you will become in a short time a first-class mashie player.

An important shot with the mashie is the high pitch. In offering my method of playing this shot I know that it differs from the usual theory in that I put no "cut" or back spin upon the ball whatever. I have found from experience that I can get the ball up quicker or at a more acute angle by my scheme than by the so-called "cut stroke," which is supposed to put a back spin upon the ball and stop it quickly.

I have made a drawing showing the principal stages of the club head and ball, and from them it will be seen that the angle of the club face is directly contrary to the usual idea, in which the club face is "laid back" or tilted with a still greater angle than that with which it was built.

The prevailing idea is to get under the ball and hit up. The principle in my method is to drive my club head, which is built like a wedge at the bottom, into the ground behind the ball in order to push up the ground upon which the ball is resting, and it is the combination of the two forces, one propelling the ball and turf forward, and the other driving the club down, which gives the desired rise to the ball.

In the diagram, position 1, you will see that the first effect of the club meeting the ball is to put a back spin upon it, but that is instantly stopped by the brake being applied by the turf and the result is a reaction, emphasizing the tendency of the ball to come up straight in the air.

As the turf slides up the face of the club, as shown in position 2, the ball is pushed up with it while both the turf and the ball are being driven forward by the general direction in which the club head is traveling.

By noting position 3 in the diagram you will see that the ball is rising at a greater angle than the angle of the club face, due to the fact that the turf is sliding up over the club face as the club head is driven deeper and forward and the ball is pushed up and forward with it.