SINCE 1893 By VAL FLOOD . . . being an outline of the history and development of golf playing equipment.

HEN Val Flood's seventieth birthdayi driver, "long spoon" for the brassie, "mid- was observed at Shuttle Meadow CC- spoon," "short spoon" and "baffy spoon," last year there was a lot of publicity on for approaching. It is remarkable how the game played by the able and active Dublin lad and the other Connecticut vet- well some of the old timers did with such eran, Bob Pryde. The boys played the crude equipment. Shuttle Meadow course with old clubs Cleeks —some of them older than either Val Give Impetus or Bob. The long side of the course was played with the old gutty ball and the Later came the lofter and cleek. They shorter side with the earlier feather ball. formed a very great improvement to the set. Of the cleek, I think it was Sir Wal- On match play scoring the contest was ter Simpson who said, "No one shall know halved. On medal play, the score: Flood— 53-51—10W, Pryde—60-52—112. all the glories of golf until he can play a cleek well." That saying did more to The week before the birthday party, Val revolutionize the old type of club and played b5 holes at Shuttle Meadow in 75-76-36, which gives basis for the convic- bring it up to the standards of today than tion that the difference between his 10U any other thing. with the relics and his regular rounds Cleek-makers became famous. Of course with modern equipment represents the they made lofters, and later niblicks. Still scoring benefits of up-to-date clubs and later, the famous Willie Park goose-neck balls. putter. Val himself believes in that angle of pro The introduction of balls began with a merchandising so deeply that he is satis- ball made like a small baseball, having a fied a pro does members a valuable service leather cover stuffed with feathers. These by selling the latest improvements just as could be driven 150 yards and met great soon as the pro is convinced these im- provements are sound. Progress in club favor with golfers of that time. and ball construction is persistent, al- Club-making and ball-making became though from year to year it may not be quite a business both in England and Scot- conspicuously noticeable, points out Flood. land. About 1848, the gutta displaced the He has observed golf playing equipment feather ball. At first it was made with a development carefully since 1893 when he smooth cover, and it was observed that it became pro at the Halcyon club in Dutch- flew better after it had been hacked and ess County, N. Y. chipped up. So the old masters hand-ham- For a time Bob was with Spaldings as mered their own. Later moulds were made one of that company's early clubmakers. with indentations in them, which stabilized According to Val's experience, a histo- the flight of the ball. rical background of golf playing equip- Club-making also improved, and midirons ment is a helpful factor in selling golf were added to the set as well as various merchandise; and to give some of the types of mashies. younger fellows a picture of the develop- ments he has written for GOLFDOM the About 1888, golf started here in Amer- following outline of club and ball develop- ica and clubs were imported from Eng- ment. land and Scotland in small lots. In 1895, And now for Val Flood's highlight re- A. G. Spalding & Bros, started as manu- view : facturer of golf goods, beginning where Europe had left off, and cooperating with ^HE first real golf clubs were made anyone whose work showed merit. They about 250 years ago and resembled climbed the ladder of fame but still the hockey sticks. The heads were made of process goes on. The sciences of chemis- beech, very long and narrow, in sets of try, aero-dynamics and ballistics, plus me- five or six clubs, including the putter, chanical skill as accurate as the finest which also had a beech head. They were watchmaker, have all contributed and are spliced, glued and bound onto hickory still contributing to the best American shafts. The clubs had various degrees of goods. loft, and were named "play club" for the Consider some of the improvements in the implements of golf. First, the ball. About 1897 was produced the Vardon "Flyer," which had a tremendous vogue until about 1902 when the Haskell rubber core ball appeared. This was patented April 11, 1899. The core was made of rubber thread or tape wound under ten- sion. In 1905, the Spalding "White" ap- peared—a ball without paint. In 1907, Spalding produced the famous "Glory Dimple"—with a core of bunched rubber thread, moulded in a dimple mould, which Spaldings controlled under license from Taylor of England. Introduction of the Sinker Previous to about 1909 all balls were A SANITARY POOL approximately one size and weight—that The popularity of any swimming pool de- is they were all light, floating and large. pends largely on the condition of its water. If you plan a new pool or to remodel an The first change took place when Spald- old one, get the Graver book on Sanitary ing introduced the "Baby Dimple." To Pool Water, also information on modern de- sign, construction and operation of indoor secure greater distance balls were made and outdoor pools. Graver has equipped heavier and smaller. The "Baby Dimple" hundreds of successful private, club and municipal pools. was 1.65 inches in size and 1.52 ounces in weight and did not float. Send for Free Book Today In 1915, the "Red Honor" ball appeared, GRAVER TANK & MFG. CO.. Inc. 1.67 ounces in weight and 1.67 inches in New York, N. Y. Catasauqua, Pa. size, at which time golf ball manufactur- Chicago. 111. East Chicago, Ind. ing was placed on a scientific footing never before approached. At the same period, another small ball, the "Bullet Honor," 1.64 inches in size and 1.72 ounces in weight was introduced. In 1917, the "30" or Midget ball was perfected, 1.63 inches in size and 1.64 ounces in weight. This became standard Showing a aolld length of Bent turf to Illustrate its toughness and strength, made pnaslble only by size throughout the golf world. In 1918, the proper preparation of soil. famous "50" was perfected, 1.63 inches in CREEPING BENT TURF size and 1.69 ounces in weight. Our true Washington Strain Bent In solid turf form makes model greens. Also In stolon form. Withstand* The movement to increase specific grav- drouth like nothing else. Fully guaranteed. Used by hun- dreds ot clubs. Comes In rolla ready to lay down like • ity culminated in 1920, when balls were carpet Nursery grohrn blue grass sod also sold. Write for prices and sample« now. known to be as small as 1.62 inches and as heavy as 1.75 ounces—very powerful ILLINOIS GRASS CO. ^.JOTT, 746 18455 REIGEL ROAD (Near Chleaso) HOMEWOOD. ILL. ammunition indeed in the hands of a strong hitter. Ball Improved That Happy Combination of Quality and Economy it offered in our Rapidly in the Twenties New Broadmoor On&-Color On May 1, 1921, the Royal and Ancient in Britain, and the USGA, in an effort to curb this power, limited the ball to not Score Card under 1.62 inches in size and not over Produced by a New Proceas, ita price ia 1.62 ounces in weight. ¿21 for 5,000. The card, fully complete and comprehensive, is not small and the In 1921, experts developed a method by stock ia heavy. which a thin cover could be vulcanized to a low compression core that still would not Samples to clubs on request cut readily, yet retain distance. They JOHN H. VESTAL CO., Printers called it the Kro-Flite. 703 South La Salle Street - - - - Chicago The year 1928 brought the multi-dotted Reprinted from New York World-Telegram, July 7, 1936.

We admit: its the coming PEXFOLD! as usual... always one jump ahead! Now in our Hth Pro Only year! ••ENFOLD GOLF BALLS, Inc., II Park Place, New York Chicago: 218 S. Wabash Avenue Cleveland: 2000 West 14th Street ball. On Jan. 1, 1931, the standard ball and promote interest in the game. He was changed to 1.68 inches in size and brought his clubs from England. Copies 1.55 ounces in weight—the large, light were made of them and named "Vardon ball in America. Canada and England re- Flyer" golf clubs. mained under the same standardization Vardon's Clubs rulings as in 1921. Are Copied On Jan. 1, 1932, the standard ball was Messrs. Curtiss and the Reach boys got again changed to 1.68 inches in size and together and figured that even these fine 1.62 ounces in weight. This was done in clubs could be improved. With that end the US by the USGA, but in Canada and in view, dogwood was substituted for England the Royal and Ancient retained beech, and a leather face installed. Pig the same ruling as in 1921, namely, 1.62- skin was substituted for sheep skin for 1.62. A revival of the paintless ball the grip. This in turn gave way to calf came in 1932 in the Top-Flight. skin. Later persimmon was used for There have been all sorts of centers for heads, and has been used ever since. golf balls, including solid centers, soft Next the socket was used instead of bunched rubber thread, semi-liquid, a small the spliced head. From this point on, two hollow sphere, bag tied at neck and filled things were considered vital to the firm— with semi-liquid substance, dough, glass improvement and production. Ways and marbles, and cores of water, liquid ice, means to bring this about were started. honey, dry ice, mercury and innumerable The Reach brothers were put in control other substances. of the factory: The Gold Medal brand Having covered high sp^ts of ball de- was brought out in 1900—and what fine velopment, let us trace the progress that clubs they were! But W. F. Reach was has taken place in the last; 50 years in club not satisfied. In the back of his head was building. an idea—to bring about a matching of Let me conduct you through a factory size and shape, and to have consecutive and note the changes that are taking place. pitches in exact gradation whereby there It is 1897. Harry Vardbn joined A. G. was a club for every shot. The clubs were Spalding to tour America^ give exhibitions matched in swinging weights, with a dis- 34 GOLFDOM tinctive face marking. This marking was show one of the most popular and suc- suggested by the fact that a majority of cessful entertainment features ever put on players had the habit of addressing the at the club; successful because of the ball with the top line of the blade set for business it brought to the club and the direction, a hooked ball resulting. It was pleasure it gave the women members and two-colored, the lower half of the blade their guests. The crowd packed all avail- being blackened and in a line paralleling able space. the sole. This blackened half blade so Show was put on through arrangements captured the eye that the club was auto- Duncan made with one of the leading matically properly lined up, setting the women's shops in Detroit. The shop co- direction as the crow flies, and suggest- operated willingly, for a fashion show at ing the name Kro-Flite. a class club is a display opportunity a The next thing was to have these clubs live shop doesn't want to miss. Apparel registered. Blades, shafts and grips were was selected to suit every sports and so- all weighed and then fabricated so as to cial occasion at Pine Lake. The array have them all feel the same, and when was enough to make any husband's wallet finished they were put in a testing ma- punch-drunk. There were displayed cos- chine to prove that principle. Then a tumes for golf, tennis, riding, beach, bath- number was given to each club so that if ing and boating. Next in order of display one was broken or lost an exact dupli- was spectator costumes. The show closed cate could be furnished. Of course this with displays of summer formal gowns. applied to the matched sets of irons as Tommy figures the bang of the show well as the woods. came from displaying the costumes in A standard grip was built into each club their proper setting at the club. Models so that one could take any club in his parading through Pine Lake's glass-en- hands and feel that the only place that closed dining room which faces the lake, he could grip it comfortably was the cor- and along the terrace, made the show rect place. aces with women who have been ringsiders Now let us look at the steel shaft. at fashion from the Rue de la Paix, Paree, The Knight patent on steel shafts was to Lac du Pine, Mich. Orchestral music issued November 22, 1910 but it did not went with the march of the mannequins. come into any real popularity until about Manager of the store cooperating has 1922. This was marketed by the Horton advised Duncan the Pine Lake show was Mfg. Co. of Bristol, Conn. It was known the most successful display the store ever as the Bristol Gold Medal Shaft. It was put on, in sales and in accounts opened. first legalized by the Western GA, later Storeman attributes the way the show by the USGA. clicked to the gowns being worn in the The Bristol company, under the leader- absolutely correct stage setting and at- ship of Herbert Lagerblade, a professional mosphere and to the fact that spectators golfer, continued a long list of experi- of the show were lunching leisurely and in ments that helped to bring the splendid the right mood for buying reaction. shaft we have today. Others entered the field and are making fine shafts. To Her- Do You Talk Yourself bert Lagerblade must go credit for the Out of Ball Sales? earliest research work. The steel shaft By J. C. BRYDON, V.-P., was inevitable and helpful in golf because The Worthington Ball Co. it is uniform; everyone starts equal, COME pros sell more golf balls than other whereas in the case of hickory only a few pros with a comparable opportunity. got the cream of those shafts. With the same number of members and about the same type and financial status, there is a wide difference in volume and in Tommy Duncan, Pine Lake Manager, profit. Let us see why, for greater sales is Rates Fashion Show As Ace Feature the goal we are all seeking. The answer goes to the roots of success- jyjANAGERS of first class country clubs ful selling—the finding and appealing to who are making a smart play for the most effective sales incentive for that women's business and want to score can particular product. Not necessarily the take the tip of Thomas E. Duncan, man- most obvious or the most spectacular or ager of the swanky Pine Lake CC (De- the most talked of; in fact, the most ef- fective buying appeal is often one little troit district), and put on a woman's considered and exploited. fashion show. The correct answer is to be found only Duncan considers the Pine Lake fashion in studying the psychology of the buyer.