vince ourselves,
the ball must be at its highest point when it is just half-way to the
hole. But we may borrow from the slope in another way than by running
straight up it and straight down again. If we put cut on the ball, it
will of itself be fighting against the hill the whole way, and though if
the angle is at all pronounced it may not be able to contend against it
without any extra borrow, much less will be required than in the case of
the simple putt up the hill and down again. Now it must be borne in mind
that it is a purely artificial force, as it were, that keeps the ball
from running down the slope, and as soon as the run on the ball is being
exhausted and the spin at the same time, the tendency will be not for
the ball to run gradually down the slope--as it did in the case of the
simple putt without cut--but to surrender to it completely and run
almost straight down. Our plan of campaign is now indicated. Instead of
going a long way up the hill out of our straight line, and having but a
very vague idea of what is going to be the end of it all, we will
neutralise the effect of the slope as far as possible by using the cut
and aim to a point much lower down the hill--how much lower can only be
determined with knowledge of the particular circumstances, and after the
golfer has thoroughly practised the stroke and knows what he can do with
it. And instead of settling upon a point half-way along the line of the
putt as the highest that the ball shall reach, this summit of the ascent
will now be very much nearer to the hole, quite close to it in fact. We
putt up to this point with all the spin we can get on the ball, and when
it reaches it the forward motion and the rotation die away at the same
time, and the ball drops away down the hill, and, as we hope, into the
hole that is waiting for it close by. Now, after all this explanation,
it may really seem that by using the cut in a case of this kind we are
going about the job in the most difficult manner, but when once the
golfer has made himself master of this cut stroke, and has practised
this manner of attacking slopes, he will speedily convince himself that
it is the easier and more reliable method--certainly more reliable. It
seems to be a great advantage to be able to keep closer to the straight
line, and the strength can be more accurately gauged. The diagram which
I have drawn on this page shows relatively the courses taken by balls
played in the two different s