"Hagen Day" Plans and Clinic Feature Michigan Pro Meet

By JOEL BENNETT

Michigan PGA's spring meeting was tion and it affords the best opportunity yet rated the most practical session the as- presented for a study of the stars—Nelson. sociation ever held. But despite the in- Hogan, Snead, Harbert, Demaret, Craig tensely practical character of the progress Wood, Jimmy Thomson, Lloyd Mangrum a sentimental event was planned, a state- and others. wide observance to be known as Walter Before the movie was shown the Edu- Hagen day. cation and Promotion committee suggested Perhaps the planned and over-due honor- to the members that they watch for and ing of the Haig is not an entirely senti- study 4 parts of the swings they were mental performance although the Michi- about to see as they were the 4 points to gan pros consider Walter their own parti- be especially discussed. cular pride and joy. Pres. Frank Sprogell, in announcing the Hagen Day, brought out Those 4 points and the consensus of what is in the mind of every pro who opinion: knows the history of his business when First—PIVOT—Is that the right word to Frank referred to The Haig's tremendous use ? Do these players pivot, turn or shift pioneering job in leading the golf profes- or is it a combination of these 3 ? sionals into a new era. The golf profes- The conclusion is: Pivot is not a word sionals in giving the public a conception to be used in describing a golf move or posi- of the status and character of the profes- tion. Turn is the better word and even it sional athlete different than the traditional should be used sparingly. The swing should old country idea opened a new field of start in one piece with the club moving earnings and esteem for all professional straight back away from the ball, and athletes worthy of recognition. when the turn does come it should come It seems to the Michigan pros that pro without being manufactured. golf nationally should exhibit their promo- Second—Is "hit down on the ball" a good tion and publicity good judgment and their term? Did these players in the movie hit gratitude toward the dean of America's down on the ball ? great pro playing stars by making Hagen We concluded: "Hit down on the ball" Day nation-wide. But regardless of what should be eliminated, and in its place goes action is taken to organize Hagen Day on "the swing should be directed thru the a national basis it is going to be a great ball." Never onto or to the ball—but "thru celebration in Walter's adopted state of the ball. Michigan. The stars in the film appeared to be tak- Clinic Made History ing a divot with an ascending motion." Third—Is keeping the head down a good The 75 pros attending the meeting con- term? Did the players in the film keep sidered that the discussion following the their heads down? presentation of the new picture "PGA Stars in Action" was the most valuable in- The discussion following brought out struction session they had attended. In these opinions: "Keeping the head down" their opinion it was a history-making affair is not a good term. The players kept their in defining principles that will give the eyes on the ball at all times and their Michigan golfing public an idea of pro heads in position. We all had noted that standardization on fundamentals and will just as many shots in golf were missed by do much to clear away the widespread pub- players trying to keep their heads down lic misconception that there is confusion after impact as by the players looking up. and disagreement between the qualified Fourth—Do the players change the ball golf teachers. around or do they change their position ? Frank Walsh, chairman of the Education What we concluded should be sweet and Promotion committee, presented the music to the golfing public. The players questions on the film to the Michigan meet- do not move the ball back or forward for ing, with the expert collaboration of Hor- each shot. They leave the ball in the same ton Smith, A1 Watrous, Sam Byrd, Leo place. They don't move the ball back to- Conroy, Chick Rutan, Tommy Shannon of ward the right foot, they narrow the stance the home team and Craig Wood as a by moving the right foot closer to the left visitor. and as they use shorter clubs they natur- This movie is in slow and ultra-slow mo- (Continued on page 100) formation and proof of the ace and the Walter for 4 years sports publicity director of the Uni- Hägen personally autographed certificate will be versity of Michigan, has served as publicity direc- forthcoming. tor of the Detroit Lions football club since 1944. He will continue with the Lions as well as handle the PGA job. SPORTS AREA CHART —Wilson Sporting Goods Co. has supplied sports depts. of news- papers with a wall poster showing official dimen- DAVIS CATALOG IS BUYERS' AID—New sions of sports fields and courts. It's a very inter- catalog of course equipment and supplies handled esting and informative chart. The chart would be by George A. Davis, Inc., 5440 Northwest High- a much consulted feature in some pro shops and way, Chicago, is an exceedingly practical and at- lockerrooms. tractive job. Consise data and clear illustrations cover a wide range of equipment and supplies and Tam O'Shanter CC (Chicago dist.) supplies make the book a valuable item in the greenkeeper's members with an inch square sticker on which is library. A copy will be sent on request to green- printed a T. The sticker, pasted in a corner of keepers or green-chairmen who have not been $ the windshield of a member's car, saves delays in supplied. being identified by the watchman at the club gate. Michigan Pro Clinic "SKOR", NEW GRIP SOLUTION — Skor, (Continued from page 87) a new rub-on paste that insures full grip-power on hands wet from perspiration or on wet club and ally move in closer to the ball. So in regard racquet handles, is being sold by the national dis- to the position of the ball with the left foot, tributors, Cohan, Olson and Co., 404 N. Wells you might very well play it off your left St., Chicago 10. Skor is manufactured by the heel for a drive or for a niblic. The change Durasol Chemical Co. of Boston, and is packaged is that of moving in closer to the ball and in individual tubes to retail for 98 cents. Skor is the right foot drawing close to your left. delivered to pro shops on attractive three-color 9 x At this point we all went into a discus- 13V2 inch display cards each carrying a dozen sion on present day golf vs. the swings of yesteryear. tubes. Dealer price is $7.00 per card of 12 tubes in lots of 2 cards. The new paste contains lanolin The first thing we agreed on is that and keeps dry hands soft and flexible. Users may present day golf in "big time" is played apply it to the hands before starting a game, from "right to left." washing off any excess. As soon as hands or Secondly, this is accomplished by a great handle become wet, Skor gives a "tackiness"—but number of the players having the left never stickiness—to the hands, preventing the hand in what must be referred to as a club from slipping. Its grip-power lasts several weak position, i.e., on the side of the club hours. It is harmless to the hands and handle. —not on top—and that the right hand was Skor is greaseless and stainless and has a slight also on the side of the club—not on top in perfume odor. It will not deteriorate in the tube a strong positive position—and that and is easily carried. present day players use their right hand a great deal. They hold the club with the Selected coaches, players and professionals have left and hit with right, just as Byron Nel- tested Skor and have acclaimed it unanimously. son has remarked. Dealers may order from their jobbers or write to Cohan, Olson and Company, 404 North Wells The new term "Reroute" was used more Street, Chicago 10, Illinois. Customer folders than "inside out." The film showed the will be supplied with shipments. players at the top of the backswing have a little action that starts to close the club face at the very top of the backswing. We MICHIGAN PGA HIRES EXECUTIVE agreed that this is the action they have in SEC.—Michigan PGA has hired Fred H. DeLano their method that permits them from a as executive secretary. DeLano will aid officers weak left hand position at the start of the in their administrative functions as well as co- swing to be able to burn in a low strong ordinate publicity and information. DeLano, right to left shot. This action at the top former Detroit and Chicago newspaperman and was titled—Rerouting the Club Pace.

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Madison 1, Wisconsin THE GREENS ARE THE FOUNDATION OF ALL SUCCESSFUL GOLF COURSES The PGA stars don't "grip" the club, struction at the Recreation Park course they "place their hands on the club." since he took over the job in 1936, and And we came to the unanimous conclu- that in addition no fewer than 250 free sion that a point that has been missed in mass instruction classes at night, in which the past that present day professionals he has been assisted by fellow pros in the have come up with is that the right elbow vicinity, have had an average of 100 in is away from the body at the top of the each class. backswing and when it starts to move on The return trade has been among leading the down swing all of the motion is not reasons why Long Beach's municipal toward the body. The elbow moves for- course netted more than $30,000 last year ward some and as it moves it closes the —and has for more than a decade—with club face. The right has an all important play increasing to such a pitch that the little task to perform other than just city's 27 municipally-owned holes cannot hurrying back to the side. handle all the customers. The Michigan section was assisted by "Stress is laid in all cases," Lake con- Ohio section pros including PGA 5th dist. tinues, "on the basic fundamentals of golf VP Harry Moffett; Leonard Schmutte, VP instruction, so that the foundation for both Northern Ohio; Marty Cromb, Sec. North- juniors and adults is sound. ern Ohio; and James Cromb of Toledo. "After the lessons, our plan for competi- CHIPS FROM MICHIGAN tion and tournaments brings out the desire Buck White, 1946 Memphis Open winner to improve. It encourages practice, more and loser to Jug McSpaden for a Tam lessons and better equipment, and is, no O'Shanter All-Amayrican victory, is new doubt, considering the junior series, one of pro at Battle Creek CC. . . Bill Wright the basic reasons why so many fine junior goes from Lakepointe to succeed the late golfers have begun in Long Beach." Jimmy Millar at Klinger Lake. . . Emerick Woodrow Wilson High of Long Beach, Koscis is signed as pro by Marshall CC. . . one of George's prep instruction groups, Jack Orlick will handle the pro job at West has, since 1929, won the Southern Cali- Shore GC. . . Don Soper has John Cosmos fornia interscholastic team championship as his new asst. . . Bob Gajda has been 12 times in 17 years, while Long Beach added to the pro staff at Red Run. . . Bob Poly and Huntington Beach High (then ob- Reith has been hired by Horton Smith for taining free lessons from Lake in 1935) have each won the title once. Horton's staff at Detroit CC. Over that time, rarely has been the sea- A 10-match team match for the Bob son that Wilson High didn't have a golf Howell trophy will be played between pro squad of 35 to 50 candidates (this year and amateur stars of Michigan at a club they had 74), and from five to 15 capable and date to be announced. . . Caddies Wel- of shooting consistently in the low 70s. fare of the Michigan PGA will hold a cad- die tournament this year. . . Club and date Out of George's school and junior clinics to be set. . . State is divided into 4 sections. have come such nationally known "boys" . . In charge at Detroit is Jack Orlick. . . In as Joe Nichols, runner-up for the 1931 Na- tional Publinx title at St. Paul; Doug Mac- Monroe section, Warren Orlick who also is Kay, who beat Nichols for the Chicago chmn. of this committee. . . In Saginaw, City open title that same year; Ernie Don Soper. . . In Grand Rapids section, Combs, Jr., dandy of Pacific Coast resort Danny Nowack. . . Winners in the junior golf in the mid-30s; Bobby Judson, now pro and senior caddie classes will be sent to at Fircrest in Spokane; Curtis Williams, National Caddie Assn. tournament at Les Hensley, Jackson Bradley, now assist- Columbus, O. ants to Jimmy Hines at North Shore Club, Joe Devaney, veteran pro at Grosse lie, Chicago; Ted Richards and others who is practically a university. . . Look at the have ruled Pacific Coast junior golf for list of pros and fine assistants who got their nearly 2 decades; Jimmy Clark, winner of training working for Joe. . . Jack Orlick, the world record medalist honor and the Warren Orlick, Ben Orlick, Don Soper, Jim A. S. Kerry "Sportsmanship Award" at Murray, Hal Whittington, Walter Nagun- Spokane during the national publinx cham- ski and Pete Osach. pionships in 1942 ; Willard McCay of U. of California and Frank Newell of U.C.L.A., Lake's Lessons Pay Off Pacific Coast intercollegiate champions of 1937-38-39; Delbert Walker and a host of (Continued from page 27) others who can look back on some phase clubs to suit the individual, and many club of the free instruction clinics as aiding in sales result from such a promotion. their early golf development. "Those who can afford individual lessons, after obtaining the free ones we give them "The clinic appears to have great value in a mass instruction class, form our re- to all concerned," Lake concludes, "both in turn trade, which in most cases far sur- aiding health and fitness for the individual, passes our initial outlay in time, effort while the result in business for the profes- and materials." sionals within the area can hardly be George estimates that between 8,000 and measured in dollars and cents, but I know 10,000 persons have been given free in- it's there just the same."