Talk of the Town

Another incident that took place several years later gives us added insight into Jones the man and the power of his image in the minds of the golfing public, especially the knowledgeable fans of St. Andrews. When Jones first visited the Old Course as a young man, he had torn up his score card and left the sacred turf in a fit of anger, without completing his round.

Over the years, however, he came to love this cradle of the game, and the city of St. Andrews returned the affection and adopted him as one of their own.In 1936, some six years after his retirement from competitive golf, Jones and some friends were staying at Gleneagles, a fabulous 54-hole golf resort a few hours by road from St. Andrews. On their last day, the group decided they would play the Old Course. Jones and his party arrived unannounced, but were, not surprisingly, quickly accommodated with a tee time.

By the time he and his group had reached the first green, word had spread through the town like wildfire. Young and old alike, townspeople stopped one another in the street to pass the word, "Bobby's back!" On the second hole the crowd already numbered some 2,000 people and soon thereafter the entire town, to all intents and purposes, had shut down for the day!

Bobby Jones later wrote that it was during the festival atmosphere of this enjoyable round that he was paid the greatest and most sincere compliment of his life. Who complimented him in such a memorable fashion? A famous opponent? A beautiful woman? Could it have been the Lord Mayor of St. Andrews himself? None of these. It was a 12 year-old boy. Faced with a difficult recovery shot on the 12th hole, Jones played a majestic 4-iron shot into the heart of the green. His young caddie looked at him with awe and said in his strong Scottish accent,

"Mister but ye're a wonder!"


The Importance Of The Legs

Some long hitters attribute their length off the tee primarily to their legs. They may feel this, but it's a misconception that the legs serve as the primary power generator in the swing. The function of the legs in the golf swing is to provide a solid platform for balancing the trunk and swinging of the arms.

Without the stability of the right foot and leg anchoring the swing, the power which comes from the motion of the arms, the rotation of the body and the ability of the wrists to hinge and release would be greatly diminished.

Please contact the golf shop to learn how to put this technique to work for your game today!