Lesson #17 PLAYING THE SHORT IRONS
These irons with their shorter shafts and deeper blades should be even easier to
play than those favorite mashies,-and they will be too if we don't tighten up and
try to give the ball just that right amount of pover and steer them for the pin.
Of course I am speaking of the full shot with the #7 or #8 iron and not the
run up or chip shot, and more of these shots are ruined by bubied shots than from
any other cause. So play them boldly and depend more on the lofts to take care of
distance, but don't let those lofts induce you to scoop for this shot is more
decidely a downwardly hit shot than even the mashies were, and always play them
right on the pin and your downwardly struck bail won't roll away.
To correctly play this shot place your feet as your Pro has advised ~- remember
about ni or open stance and by all means apply it here, for your arms
must have a clear path to go down and through. Be sure your feet are comfortably
Close together so thet your weight is evenly distributed on both feet.

The ball should be well back towards the right foot; align the ball carefully

  

See

on the pin and with a straight left arm start the club head back. Allow the left

 

knee to vend slightly, but do not cip it or throw the prevoncerance of weight on
the right leg, for this is a hand and arm shot and very little turn or pivot is
needed. Keep the right elbow well into the body and when the backward swing starts

eee,

to pull the elbow out start cocking the wrists; your hands on. Ane ey peels =

“enienis EPO PIR HU AN Nae ttar en gap

do not nest to go. above..the shoulder.
“RRs eget “mss rey reNCaRS,

So peciberiaus to hit down anc through and to finish the shot by letting the
club head go on through, you may start your downward stroke by starting to brace
the left leg and to bring the right elbow into the body - the wrists uncock - you
lash into the ball.

Right here's where many otherwise perfectly hit approach shots go wrong - so
reac this carefully:

No one has ever invented a self returning golf ball so there's just no percen-
tage in your looking wp to see how close you are. Just keep those shoulders and head
right down where they were until the momentum of the follow through pulls them up,
anc don't try to stop that club head either, let it fly on through and you'll do

all right.