For all golfers but particularly for high-and medium-handicap players

As a rule, golfers don't pay enough attention to the face of the club. The face of the golf club is so small that few golfers realize how important it is in correct shot-making for that face to be square to the ball throughout the swing.

A surprisingly large number of golfers don't even start their swing with the face square. They think they do, but somewhere these golfers have picked up the erroneous notion that it is the top line of the club face that one should refer to to determine if the face is square at address—that is, resting so that it is perpendicular to the intended line of flight. Now, that's not right. It's the bottom line of the face that determines whether the club is square or not.

One other thought on this matter. If the player rushes his back-swing, the club will change position in his hands. It's bound to—just the way a pitcher in baseball would lose control of the ball if he wound up like lightning. You must start square and control your swing so that you stay square.

from CLAUDE HARMON, pro at the Winged Foot Golf Club, Mamaroneck, N.Y.

TWO PHOTOS

ILLUSTRATION

correct (drawing at the left): bottom of club face square to line of flight

ILLUSTRATION

incorrect (drawing at the right): top of club face square to line of flight

NEXT WEEK'S GUEST PRO: TOD MENEFEE ON LEFT SIDE CONTROL