Golf Writers Name Tufts Their Man of the Year 1949 Golf Equipment

pie to grasp, and in most cases would be program possibilities that are unworked. boring to the listeners. Our Golf Doctor We in golf need to make a fresh ap- program has exactly one minute of in- proach to the radio and TV possibilities and begin getting the customers into our struction, and that is all. To produce a act. golf program successfully one must re- gard the matter as a theatrical venture in miniature. Good direction, script writ- Golf Writers Name Tufts ing, and timing are essential. Add to that Their Man of the Year humor, drama, fact, and fiction, and you Richard S. (Dick) Tufts, pres., Pine- have a real little show. We of course have hurst, Inc., was elected by the Golf been lucky to have such outstanding stars Writers Assn. as the man who did most for golf in 1950. Dick's nomination was of the theatre and radio as Jimmy Du- by 618 votes from the 161 of the Writers' rante, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Danny membership who voted. Writers were al- Kaye, and many others. But as well as lowed to name four men with 5 points they we have Olin Dutra, Ben Hogan, going to the first named. Mayor Jim Tommy Armour, and lots more. Rhodes of Columbus, O., was second with Some people seem to have the idea that 487. all you have to do to have a golf radio Tuft's service through his USGA work program is to have on the air Hogan, as chmn. of championship, green, imple- Snead, Mangrum, Nelson or some other ments and ball, handicap and junior cham- headliners. That of course is nonsense, pionship committees plainly identified him even if all had sparkling showmanship as a top working man for the good of golf. and vivid personalities. A radio program His understanding of the problems of the should be fit for all people to listen to game, his wide acquaintance among ama- whatever the subject. teurs, pros, greenkeepers and golf writers As we made our program I began to and his helpfulness to them all, should learn why it was that the big names were have made Dick one of the nation's lead- the big names. To give you an idea of ing candidates for ulcers but by virtue of what I mean: it took Jimmy Durante two a grand disposition, clean living and keep- hours to cut 15 minutes for us. He would ing regular hours — qualities highly rated not give his O.K. till he had got it perfect. by golf writers — he receives the Bill Linda Darnell made four records before Richardson memorial award for the past she was satisfied. year. Previous winners of the award are I am told that there are in America Bob Hudson, Scotty Fessenden and Bing nearly five million people who play or have Crosby. played golf. From a commercial point of view that is a huge public to attack. 1949 Golf Equipment Sales But the point is that these people will not listen unless the program is enter- Over $30 Million tainment as well as instruction, and that Total sales of golf equipment for the is why golf programs often miss fire. Even year 1949 amounted to $30,751,418, 34 per when Hollywood made the Bobby Jones cent of the $88,832,576 total sales of all movies they brought in film stars to add athletic and sporting goods equipment, to the attraction, and so with television according to a census report recently com- today golf will appeal to the public when pleted by the Athletic Goods Manufac- it is wrapped in something besides golf. turing Assn. Let some enterprising person take a A summary of golf equipment sales camera to the strong room at St. An- based on the factory selling price exclu- drews and make a film of all the historic sive of excise tax shows: implements of play throughout the ages. 1,919,560 irons $8,110,946 You will see old golf balls, old golf clubs; 1,081,609 woods 6,633,704 all the ancient implements of play that introduced the game to the stubborn Eng- 3,001,169 golf clubs 14,744,650 2,248,745 dozen golf balls 12,695,061 lish, who refused to play the game at all 457,703 golf bags 2,986,232 until the king of Scotland forced them to. Other golf equipment 325,475 Let the same camera take a picture of the modern golf ball factory, then those who Total $30,751,418 watch the television will wonder why they Totals of other sporting goods sales can't hit the ball further! They bounce were: so beautifully when they are being tested. Baseball equipment $20,312,555 The vast range of personal interest in Inflated goods 7,556,147 golf, its technicalities which are such that Tennis equipment 4,015,970 almost every golfer who can shoot 100 Helmets, pads, etc. 2,548,452 immediately appoints himself instructor Athletic shoes 12,803,214 for the 105 shooter, and the fact that it's Miscellaneous items 10,844320 for young and old, male and female, give Total $88,832,576 golf a multitude of radio and television .

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