Polo Players' Edition is the official publication of the U.S. Polo Association. Dedicated to the sport of polo, it features player profiles, game strategy, horse care, playing tips, polo club news and tournament results.
Issue link: https://polo.epubxp.com/i/31965
INS TR UCT ORS F OR UM BY TOM GOODSPEED SNAP A slightly whippy mallet and a good grip will add loft M ost of you probably have seen players pick a mallet up off the ground, or off a rack at a mallet store, hold it by the handle and shake it back and forth with rigid strokes like they were trying to shake the dust off. If you were wondering what they were doing, they were checking how much whip the mallet had. Most players like a little bit of whip down by the lower section of the cane as it joins the mallet head. The natural whip of the mallet helps give a little more snap in your strokes. The snap of the mallet, added to the snapping action in your shoulder and hip rotation when swinging, that I wrote about last month, will produce more snap through the ball and get the mallet head thru a bit quicker with a little more force. That action also helps get the ball up in the air. If the mallet whip is mid-cane or higher, it is too whippy and becomes a little like a wet noodle. The mallet isn’t as easily controlled and the head of the mallet often comes through too late. Now, if all you ever use are whippy mallets, you would begin to adjust your timing, swinging even earlier, and possibly adapt, but the mallet would still be a little weak in hooks, breaking easier, and tougher to control. On the other hand, if the mallet is too stiff, there may be no whip, denying you that added kick to help you with loft. Now, when I was in college (UConn- ‘73 and ‘74 National Champions, thank you very much) 12 POLO PLAYERS EDITION my teammates and I would drive down to Grays, that old, famous mallet shop in Long Island, and pick out some mallets with what seemed like tree trunk-sized canes and hammer-heavy heads in 48- and 49-inch lengths. What did we know, we were in college. Well, I still have a couple of In my own experience, they usually don’t last long enough to worry about hanging from head or sling and a lot of players just leave them in mallet bags. But, if they are exposed to moisture or extreme heat, they may lose their shape. Sometimes, when the cane is bent by either stroking the ball or more commonly from getting hooked, you can easily bend it back. But, once they have been bent a few times, they tend not to hold their shape as well. A firm grip on the mallet, The whip in Hilario Ulloa’s mallet allows him to avoid the hook and gives him more loft when hitting. those mallets. I feel like I can’t lift them with both hands. I sure hope I never hit anything with one of them. Those mallets never gave me much loft, but lasted over three decades. Later, I learned that 52s and 53s were my friends, right along with a little whip in the cane and a little less weight overall. To make your mallets last, keep them dry and in even temperatures. If you leave them in the back of your pickup, they are not going to fare as well. I have heard different schools of thought when hanging them by either their heads or the slings. using the base of your hand, is also important for loft. I have watched a lot of good swings collapse at the impact of the mallet and ball. The culprit most often can be traced back to a loose grip, meaning you are not holding the mallet firmly enough. I once had someone, I think it may have been Joe Barry, tell me to squeeze the grip a bit at the start of each swing. You can’t reasonably hold the mallet grip tightly for the whole match because your wrist would tire, but take a firm hold when you start your stroke. If your grip is loose, at the moment of impact of mallet head to ball, the ball will control the position of the mallet head instead of the other way around. This is especially troublesome when you hit off center. A good, strong grip allows you to control the mallet head a bit better even when you are off center a tad. Most will agree that the grip comes mostly from the base of your hand and fingers. Your index finger is ALEX PACHECO
