ke sure of hitting the ball
exactly at the spot indicated, but the stroke when properly made is an
excellent and most satisfying one. After striking the ball in this way,
the club head should continue its descent for an instant so that it
grazes the turf for the first time two or three inches in front of the
spot where the ball was. The passage of the club through the ball, as it
were, is the same as in the case of the push shot with the cleek, and
therefore reference may usefully be made to the diagram on page 106,
which illustrates it. A natural result of the stance and the way the
stroke is played is that the arms are more extended than usual after the
impact, and in the follow-through the club head keeps nearer to the
turf. So excellent are the results obtained when the stroke is properly
played, that there are many fine players, having a complete command over
it, who systematically play it from the tee whether there is a wind to
contend against or not, simply because of the length and accuracy which
they secure from it. Braid is one of them. If the teeing ground offers
any choice of gradient, a tee with a hanging lie should be selected, and
the ball is then kept so low for the first forty or fifty yards that it
is practically impossible for the wind to take it off the line, for it
must be remembered that even when the wind comes dead from the front, if
there is the slightest slice or pull on the ball to start with, it will
be increased to a disconcerting extent before the breeze has done with
it.

[Illustration: _PLATE XX._ DRIVER AND BRASSY. STANCE FOR A LOW BALL
AGAINST THE WIND]

[Illustration: _PLATE XXI._ DRIVER AND BRASSY. STANCE FOR A HIGH BALL
WITH THE WIND]

When the wind is at the back of the player blowing hard towards the
hole, the situation presents no difficulty and needs very little
consideration. The object in this case is to lift the ball well up
towards the clouds so that it may get the full benefit of the wind,
though care must be taken that plenty of driving length is put into the
stroke at the same time. Therefore tee the ball rather higher than
usual, and bring your left foot more in a line with it than you would
if you were playing in the absence of wind, at the same time moving both
feet slightly nearer the ball. Plate XXI. will make the details of this
stance quite clear. The ball being teed unusually high, the golfer must
be careful not to make any unconscious allowance for the fact in