Now although style cannot drive a ball, there is still a right and a wrong way of going at the problem, and the first thing is to clearly understand the conditions of that problem. Let the player imagine himself at the centre of a circle, the radius of which is the length of his arms plus the club shaft, and upon whose circumference is resting the ball that is to be swept away. Remember, too, that it is to be a swing and not a hit, that the club head should be treated as though it were a bit of lead attached to a string, and consequently dependent for its effectiveness on speed and not on weight. Obviously, if the circle in which it swings is not perfect, if at any point the string is suddenly lengthened or shortened, the ball will either be missed altogether or the force will be imperfectly applied, resulting in a loss of power. Take a piece of lead and a bit of string, and try the experiment for yourself. It will at least show you how clearly distinct the golf swing is from the hit of a baseball bat, and how speed may become equivalent to weight. It is customary to advise beginners to use clubs with very stiff shafts, but I am inclined to think that the reformed baseball-player will do better with a springy driver. With a very stiff club there is an irresistible inclination to _hit_ at the ball, and this is exactly what you must not do. You must be able to feel the club head swinging at the end of the shaft, as though it were really the bit of lead on a string. The instant that you attempt to hurry that swing you throw it out of time and true, and the result is failure. Weight and brute strength may drive a baseball, but for the golf-ball it is speed and accuracy that are needed. [Illustration: THE "ADDRESS."] Having determined, then, that the stroke shall lie a swing and not a jerk nor a hit, the first thing is to take up our position to the ball, technically called "addressing" it. Clubs are all about the same length, but they may vary in their "lie" or in the angle made by the club head and the shaft. Generally speaking, a tall player will need a more upright club than his shorter brother, in order that the sole of the club head may rest flatly on the ground. It is a rough-and-ready rule that when the club is placed with its _heel_ behind the ball the end of the handle should just touch the left knee of the player standing upright. Other authorities say that the club should be grounded with its _centre_ and not its _heel_ opposite to the ball. As a matter of fact, the difference of the inch involved amounts to nothing. You want to be far enough away to get in all the power of your swing and yet keep steady on your feet. No one can measure that distance for you; you must accustom yourself to take it without thinking about it.