Smart Range Operation Is Big Nursery for Golf

AN MCDONALD can furnish a lot of profitable operations and made customers D proof that the golf range business for club pros but has given new golfers properly handled is not only a profitable the best sort of a start. venture for the first-class pro business- His shop is laid out for business. The man, but is a tremendous developer of range customer has to come into the shop business for everyone in golf. to get a pail of balls and when inside sees McDonald formerly had two ranges in a large and attractive display of golf Florida in winter and his 75 tee range in clubs, bags, carts and other equipment. Melrose Park, west of Chicago, from April McDonald modernized and enlarged his X to Oct. 1, Now he's concentrating on shop not long ago, putting in knotty pine the Chicago district range in the summer trimming and arranging a large stock of and is operating the municipal course at merchandise to attract inspection, Dan Arcadia, Fla., in the winter. wants prospective customers to get their He is a golf business promoter. He hands on what they'd like to have, then figures that about 40 per cent of the the rest of the selling is much easier. customers at his Melrose Park range are A "bargain" section of odd clubs is a beginners. He sees that they get com- big business-getter in the shop. petent pro advice right from the start. Along with expert club fitting service Dan figures he has planted the "consult the McDonald operation allows the pro- your pro" habit with thousands of golfei'3 spective purchaser to try out the clubs who are playing pay-as-you-play courses with shots on a tee. or who have joined private clubs. He says Active in Promotion his emphasis on pro advice in club buying Dan has been constantly at work pro- and pro service in instruction has not only moting more play and recruiting new been an important factor in his own players using every possible means of The "Odd Clubs" rack in one wing of McDonald's shop does large volume In new clubs and gets many beginners started in buying their own clubs at low prices. publicity that good management can af- frontage and 900 ft. depth. It's very well ford. He's also strong for promotion located on a main highway and Dan stunts. makes sure everybody passing knows his Every Monday night is a prize night. range is there by having several large Then each customer, along with a pail of neon signs that catch attention. balls, has an opportunity to get a bag, The extent of his play may be judged two woods and five irons as a bonus. That by his use of 70,000 balls a season. idea has converted Monday night from an His automatic vending machines for off night into one of the big nights of the soft drinks pay a profit of $1000 yearly. week. He figures that It has increased Monday night business about 25 per cent Spreads Traffic Load and brings many out notwithstanding Since the Melrose Park range opened threatening weather. He also conducts in 1946 Dan and brother Tom and their a big hole-in-one contest with a Plymouth staff have been constantly at work trying auto as first prize. to spread the traffic throughout the day. His Melrose Park range has 600 ft. instead of having by far the greater part

This partial view of the McDonald range was taken at 10 a.m., showing that a lot of morning business can be developed Instead of crowding traffic into evening hours. of the business at night. At 10 most The Board's plan also involves interest- mornings his range is fairly well crowded. ing insurance companies and individuals He has free golf clinics for women to buy clubs that want to sell and operate every Thursday at 2 p.m. and the park- the courses on a guaranteed income to ing of baby carriages while young county basis. Courses acquired under this mothers are learning golf gives a preview plan are to carry 4% per cent interest and of business for courses that have facili- amortize themselves. ties for caring for children while young On that basis A. T. Jergins, oil magnate parents are playing rounds. and golf enthusiast, agreed to buy Ingle - McDonald also has free junior clinics wood CC for approximately $900,000, The and that's paying off in day-time pay Golf Advisory Board is working on a deal business of youngsters. It's a good thing to save Western Ave. GC from subdivision. for community recreation, too, as parents First of four courses to be built in Sepul- of the kids are pleased to know their veda basin of San Fernando valley has sons and daughters are around a range been graded and watering system is being where conduct, supervision and safety installed. Course should be ready for play are always in the operator's mind. in summer, 1954, Second and other courses Funny thing about this kid play {and of the project will be constructed as profits a good thing for golf promotion) is the from L, A, municipal courses become avail- way kids will act like grown-ups on able. courses and give free advice to some other kid who is hitting balls. McDonald's range is lighted every 50 ft. with each of ten poles carrying 3 PGA Names IS as Ryder 1,500 watt Westinghouse glass-covered Team Candidates floodlights. The parking space has a Points gathered in tournament victories lighting installation of 7000 watts. have determined 15 candidates for PGA He uses special equipment for insect of America team which plays abatement and plenty of yellow light the British PGA team at Wentworth, Eng., bulbs around the place to further dis- Oct. 2-3. courage bug attendance. A fairly high percentage of players , Jack Burke, Jr., Lloyd Man- bring their own clubs to the range. For grum, , , Ben them Dan plans a coin-operated club Hogan, , , Jim cleaning machine. He figures this gets the Turnesa, , , Jr., users more conscious of club care and Jerry Barber, , Lew Wor- more quickly aware of their need of new, sham and Marty Furgol are the 15 names. late model clubs. The display of new From them nine will be chosen for the clubs in the shop does the rest. Trade-in team. As the PGA champion automati- allowances spur business and the market cally becomes a team member, Walter Bur- among beginners always is good for the kemo is in without having played any of trade-ins. the circuit events to qualify on the point system. Fled Corcoran will manage the team Los Angeles County Has Plan abroad. Joe Novak is going across as to Save Courses PGA executive representative. Maurie Luxford of the Los Angeles The team will play a warm-up match at County Golf Advisory Board advises that Reading, Pa„ Sept. 18-20 against a team the Board is progressing in achievement of U. S. pros not eligible for the Ryder of its objectives, which are (1) to save Cup team. courses in distress mainly because of tax A team event against continental Euro- situation, (2) to save golf clubs facing pean pros is slated for Paris after the sale for subdividing, and (3) to purchase Ryder Cup matches. vacant tracts for future golf development. Captain of the Ryder Cup team is to be Los Angeles County owns a large piece selected by the players. of land at Passaic, on which there is an has not definitely decided honor prison faim. The county receives whether he'll go to Britain and compete. approximately $900,000 annually in oil roy- After his victory in the U. S. Open he said alties from wells at the site. This money he wouldn't make the trip as two trips to has been ear-marked for the golf pur- Britain this year would be too much of a poses previously stated. schedule for him.