Try as I might, I couldn't seem to get the idea across to D.M.—that his clubhead ought to be closed on the backswing. When I asked him to keep the club closed on the backswing I was only asking him to keep the club square with the line of flight as he took it back.

D.M. complained that his fingers were short, that his hands were thick and fat, and that it was impossible for him to take the club back as I suggested.

"D.M.," I pleaded, "I'm not asking you to perform a miracle. I'm only asking you to keep the club in position as you swing it up and down. This is something that you must do with your hands. Your number three motion, in¬stead of being started with the left hand, which rolls the club away from the ball, should be actually started with the right hand; then your left hand instead of pronating could do the reverse, supinate, and the club face would be kept closed or square through the swing.

"In fact," I urged, "if you will do this on the back-swing, when you reach the top of the swing you will have control of the club with your left hand as you ought to. Then and only then will you be able to come through with the left arm and the left side, and only then will you meet the ball squarely and drive it down the middle."

No amount of explanation seemed to break up D.M.'s faulty hand action until we were in our fourth lesson. At this point, having exhausted about all the suggestions I had, I suddenly came out with this statement:

"D.M., why do you insist on playing with the back of the club, when it's so much easier to play with the front of it?"

It suddenly happened! D.M., instead of thinking of his hands, began thinking of the club—thinking of what he should do with the club—and very soon he learned the difference between what he should not be doing, opening the club on the backswing, and what he should do, close it on the backswing or at least keep it square.