Coming now to the swing proper, it is a safe rule not to attempt too much at first. If you watch a professional making a full drive, you will see his body turn and his left heel come well off the ground, while the club will appear to wind completely around him. But if you attempt to imitate him you will soon find yourself in difficulty. Instead of turning your body, you will be inclined to sway it over the right leg; rising on the left toe will throw you off your balance, and you will only be able to get a long swing back by bending your wrists. Now all these things are wrong, and tend to inaccuracy and feebleness. The thing for you to do is to take a short or half-swing back, and trust to practice to lengthen it. It is very important that your up swing should be slow, so that the arms may go freely out from the body. "Slow back," as it is called, is a cardinal principle. Otherwise you are sure to make the swing too straight up and down. Let the swing finish itself out, as the fly fisherman does when casting, and let the return be swift and even. Keep your shoulders loose and your body firm, and as your swing lengthens your body will turn to accommodate it. But it must turn on its own axis, as does a rudder-post, and not sway from side to side after the fashion of a boom. And all the time you must have your eyes fixed upon the ball or you will never hit it cleanly.
END OF FULL SWING.
It is a poor practice to make one or two false swings, pulling up short just before reaching the ball. It is certain to get you in the bad habit of "nipping," or not following through after the ball. This after-swing is fully as important as the first part, although no one knows exactly why. Let the club swing through and with the arms freely flung out from the body.
Make your tees low. There is no advantage in perching the ball upon a pyramid of sand that resembles a chicken croquette, and it will incline you to "top" (hitting the ball above the centre instead of below it) from the ordinary lies of the green.
You will say that it is impossible to remember all these things, and you are right. But if you will read over what I have said with attention, it will help you to understand the few absolutely indispensable conditions upon which good driving depends. Here they are:
1. Stand firm.
2. Don't sway your body.
3. Keep the left wrist taut, and grip hard with that hand.
4. Ground your club close behind the ball before swinging.