for an
infinitesimal portion of a second, the golfer should scarcely be
conscious of it. He must be careful to avoid a sudden jerk, but if he
dwells at the top of the stroke for only a second, or half that short
period of time, his upward swing in all its perfection will have been
completely wasted, and his stroke will be made under precisely the same
circumstances and with exactly the same disadvantages as if the club had
been poised in this position at the start, and there had been no attempt
at swinging of any description. In such circumstances a long ball is an
impossibility, and a straight one a matter of exceeding doubt. The odds
are not very greatly in favour of the ball being rolled off the teeing
ground. So don't dwell at the turn; come back again with the club.

The club should gradually gain in speed from the moment of the turn
until it is in contact with the ball, so that at the moment of impact
its head is travelling at its fastest pace. After the impact, the club
head should be allowed to follow the ball straight in the line of the
flag as far as the arms will let it go, and then, having done everything
that is possible, it swings itself out at the other side of the
shoulders. The entire movement must be perfectly smooth and rhythmical;
in the downward swing, while the club is gaining speed, there must not
be the semblance of a jerk anywhere such as would cause a jump, or a
double swing, or what might be called a cricket stroke. That, in a few
lines, is the whole story of the downward swing; but it needs some
little elaboration of detail. In the first place, avoid the
tendency--which is to some extent natural--to let the arms go out or
away from the body as soon as the downward movement begins. When they
are permitted to do so the club head escapes from its proper line, and a
fault is committed which cannot be remedied before the ball is struck.
Knowing by instinct that you are outside the proper course, you make a
great effort at correction, the face of the club is drawn across the
ball, and there is one more slice. The arms should be kept fairly well
in during the latter half of the downward swing, both elbows almost
grazing the body. If they are properly attended to when the club is
going up, there is much more likelihood of their coming down all right.

The head is still kept motionless and the body pivots easily at the
waist; but when the club is half-way down, the left hip is allowed to go
forward a