PGA Reviews 1959 Gains and Makes Plans Lor Future
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Novak Ate Early; Toe Novak, tlie old expediter from Bel Air CC, Los Angeles, kept things Kept Banquet Moving moving so fast at the PGA Presidents Dinner that many suspected he must have had a snack before the festivities started. Joe was on his feet right through the dessert course introducing notables at the affair. When Pies. Harold Sargent got up to present the plaques and silver- ware tn those who were honored for their 1959 or prior accomplishments, Joe had the introductions out of the way. That, in itself, should rate some kind of a plaque. Art Wall, Jr., the plaver-of-the-year, and Boh Rosburg, the 1959 PGA Cham- pion, were grateful but not loquacious upon receiving their awards. Jock Hutchison, Sr., Paul Runyan and Harry Cooper all agreed that the disappoint- ments they may have had to endure in their golfing lives were erased when Jock Hutchison, Sr., is congratulated by they were notified that they had been Harold Sargent, PGA pres. elected to the Hall of Fame. Eddie Duino, who got the home pro-of-the-year award, threatened to outtalk Horton Smith, the well known Michigan orator, but after making an emotion-tinged ac- ceptance of the honor, decided not to try for two titles in the same year. So, everyone left early. est in history, but that Akron, O., is work- PGA Reviews 1959 ing hard to make the 1960 renewal at Fire- stone CC greater still, A community-wide effort in Akron, Gains and Makes headed by Loren W. Tibbals, general chmn. of the PGA Championship and ex- ecutive sports editor of the Akron Beacon- Plans lor Future Journal, has produced the biggest pre- Christmas sale of tickets in the history of "ITVURING tlie eight-day conference of the tournament. In general, the format the PGA in the Ft. Harrison Hotel in which proved to be so successful at Min- Clearwater, Fla., plans were made and, neapolis in 1959 will be followed in 1960. where necessary, legislation was enacted May 16 was set as the date for allot- to insure continuation of progress which ment of qualifying places to the PGA has distinguished the activities of the pro- sections. June 20 was set as the date for fessionals' organization in the postwar era. qualifying in the sections. However, qual- Highlights of 1959 include the growth ifying may be held on any day from June of the assn. to nearly 4,500 members, the 20 through 27, inclusive, without special expansion of its tournament program to authorization. $1,500,000 in prize money, and a reorgan- Entry Fees to Sections ization of the merchandise program. One The executive committee voted to per- of the most important developments of the mit the local sections to retain entry fees year was the new boom in filmed golf se- for the PGA Championship. This money ries for television. will be used to help pay the expenses of Pres. Harold Sargent reported that the sectional qualifiers to the national Cham- 1959 PGA Championship at Minneapolis pionship. GC in St, Louis Park, Minn., was the great- Discussions as to the part the city of Charley Lorms (left fareg round), Columbus (O.) CC pro for 37 years was feted by 250 golfing friends when he announced his retirement in Dec. Pros. Norton Smith, Gene March le, Francis MarzolF, Wilbur Brandenberg and Don Shock were among those present when lortns bowed out. Known as "The Coach," Charley worked under Walter Hagen at Detroit's Oakland Hitls in 1955, later was at Inverness in Toledo far four years and went to Columbus in 1P22. He played in seven of eight Opens he attempted to qualify for but although a great tee to green performer, his play suffered because of his putting, Charley was one of the founders of the PGA in 1916 when it had only 90 members. Don Shock is [(>''111 successor. Dnnedin, Fla,, and National Golf Club are ed for the 44th annual meeting next year. going to play in tbe association's future However, the second week in Nov. was are to be found elsewhere in this issue. tentatively chosen as the time for the con- J. Edwin Carter, national tournament vention, dir., told the executive committee that the Hudson's Work Recognized future of the tournament program is ex- The PGA extended an official vote of ceedingly bright. "More than 100 cities thanks to Robert A. Hudson of Portland, are interested in being included on the Ore., for his work in connection with the PGA Tour," Carter revealed, "The pro- Ryder Cup Matches from 1947 through gram today is bigger than ever and it's 1959. He was instrumental in having the going to continue to grow." international series resumed in 1947 after The impact of televised golf matches a decade of inactivity caused by World was discussed in tournament committee War II. He has played an active role in all and executive committee sessions. Dele- subsequent Ryder Cup Matches. gates later approved a resolution to per- The PGA national advisory committee mit the tournament bureau to represent the re-elected as its chmn., Bob Goldwater of players in connection with televised golf Phoenix, Ariz. It also re-elected Bob Lea- shows. cox of Kansas City, Mo., vice chmn. and Members of the Executive Committee Harry E. Radix, Chicago, secy. selected Clearwater as the site of the mid- New members of the Advisory Commit- year meeting. Sessions will be held in the tee, appointed for one-year terms are: Fort Harrison Hotel May 3-4 and continue William T. Black II of Greensboro, N. C.; into May 5, if necessary. No site was select- {Continued on page 68) Giles T, Crowell of Lexington, N. C.; was almost as great. He took that one John C. Jester of Dallas, Tex,; James L. four times. He also captured the North- O'Keefe of Chicago; Frank Pace of Wash- South and Virginia Beach Opens twice ington, D. C., and H. Franklin Waltz of and numerous others once. Toledo, O. Known as "Little Poison", Paul weighed Plans for the PGA's two national only about 140 lbs. in his heydey. Now pro courses in golf professional education were at La Jolla (Calif.) CC, Runyan is just discussed by the executive committee and about as trim as he was back in the '30s delegates. The fourth annual PGA Busi- and early '40s when he was knocking off ness School for assistant pros will be held the big men. Last year, playing in his first Jan, 10-16 in the Fort Harrison Hotel in PC A Seniors, he showed that he hadn't Clearwater. The second annual PGA West lost the once golden touch, finishing with Coast Business Training School will be Duke Gibson and Denny Shute as runners- held Feb, 0-12 in tbe Ambassador Hotel Lip to Willie Goggin. in Los Angeles. Harry Cooper For more than 30 years, Harry Cooper Hutchison, Runyan and has been travelling behind the name with Cooper Entries Increase which the late Damon Runyan dubbed him — Light horse. That has made the fans Hall of Fame Roll to 23 remember him, if nothing else, but Harry is a man who should be primarily remem- {Photos on page 26) bered for his fine record. His greatest year With the selection of Jock Hutchison, came in 1937 when he won the first Var- Sr., Paul Runyan and Harry Cooper last don Trophy, earned more than 14,000 De- year, the PGA brought the enrollment in its pression dollars and claimed victory in the Hall of Fame to 23. The honor society for L. A., Houston, St. Petersburg, True Tem- golfs greats was started in 1940, per, Oakland, Crescent City and Canadian Jock Hutchison, Sr. Opens. The year before that he finished The 75-year old Hutchison came to the second to Tony Manero in the USGA U. S. in 1904, being in tbe early wave of Open. In the 1927 Open, Harry thought Scot pros who transferred their allegiance he had the honors all sewed up until Tom- to this country. His name didn't become my Armour caught him in the regulation generally known to American golf follow- distance and then beat him in the playoff. ers until more than a decade later. But in Cooper won the Canadian Open of 1932 1916, everybody started talking about in addition to the 1937 renewal, the West- Jock as he finished as runnerup that year ern Open of 1934 and the first Los Angeles in both the Open and PGA Championship. Open in 1926, In his time, he held at least Chick Evans outlasted him in the Open 20 course records. Harry is summertime and Jim Barnes defeated him in the PGA. pro at Metropolis CC, White Plains, N, Y., In 1917, Jock won the equivalent of the and in the winter conducts Caribbean golf Open, the Open Patriotic tournament, cruises. when the big event was cancelled because of the war. Hutchison won further acclaim in 1920 when he took the Western Open West Coast PGA School but it wasn't until the following yeaT that to be Held Feb. 9-12 he reached the zenith of his career. That The PGA's West Coast Business School, came when he won the British Open, the which is expected to become a permanent first American citizen to do so. institution, will be held at the Ambassador In 1923, Hutchison regained the West- Hotel, Los Angeles, Feb. 9-12, This is the ern Open title and in 1937, he won tbe second year for the school which was held first PGA Seniors Championship.