sign in sign up
<<
Home , Golf instruction, Harry Vardon

around by Herb Graffis

There's nobody in golf today Split will hurt golf merchandise market, which like the glamorous warrior and Players, not club pros accounts for a considerable sportsman, , amount of the star playing pro who died in New Rochelle revenue. With few exceptions (N.Y.) hospital Sept. 11, two To the golfing public, the Profes- now, the playing pro names are weeks before his 72nd birth- sional Golf Assn.'s split between on the cheaper store lines of golf day . . . The Silver Scot was the home club pros and the tour- merchandise and are even on born in and won ing pros is something like the sex cheap T-shirts for kids. minor amateur championships of a porcupine: It is of no interest Annual revenue at pro shops is as a schoolboy before going except to another porcupine. 20 times the purse, exhibition and into WW1 ... He was badly Since golf is primarily a play- testimonial income of the playing pros. It'll be interesting to see burned, lost one lung and tem- ing sport, the golf spectator gets what effect, if any, the PGA split porarily his sight, in an early the worst deal of any sports cus- has on the sale at pro shops of gas attack ... He regained tomer. He has to run for position, goods endorsed by players who sight of his right eye ... He is crowded and corralled in back have split away from the PGA. won the French amateur in of ropes, is forbidden to use his Home pros maintain they have far 1920, came to the U.S. and •camera and pays a stiff admission more control of the quality club turned pro in 1924, won the fee and high prices for food and and ball market than the tourna- National Open in 1927, the drinks on the course . . . Some- ment pros, regardless of how British Open in 1931, the PGA times he is barred from the club- much testimonial advertising is in 1930, the Western Open in house of a first class club that is done on what tournament winners 1929, in 1927, hosting a tournament. Sometimes wear and the equipment they use. 1930 and 1934 and numerous he sits on a plank bordering a This issue is getting hot. other titles ... He was pro at green. He sees perhaps two or Nobody's sure what the split is Medinah CC andat Boca Raton three dozen shots by all the con- about, and both sides to the mys- when it was a private club and testants in a tournament. He's terious controversy have been had club jobs at Congressional charged a dollar for parking a long secretive, in a little boy sort of in Washington and Tam O' way from the course, gets sun- way. They didn't know enough burned, chilled or drenched, and Shanter in Detroit . . . At Boca about first class business to issue then is sternly rebuked for sneez- Raton in the winter he got informative publicity, and so ing by a haughty player. If his $50 for an hour lesson ... He missed a chance to make friends club hosts the tourney, he is also raised the standard and rates among the amateur golfers, who for golf instruction and got expected to sell tickets, devote pay the bills, the tournament recognition for competent pro considerable time to tournament sponsors and the press. And the instructors . . . His instruction affairs, buy a program and tour- split was badly timed. It was an- feature "Play Better Golf" ran nament uniforms for both his wife nounced the day after a sports 11 years for the Chicago Tri- and himself, volunteer his wife to page feature about the beating bune-New York Daily News chauffeur players and give up his the networks were taking on the Syndicate . . . His books, How course for a week. televising of pro football, and that to Play Your Best Golf All The So you shouldn't expect the time is being sold at cut prices. Time, A Round of Golf with Good Provider from Whom all Outside of Shell's Wonderful Tommy Armour and Tommy blessings flow to the playing pros World of Golf, the Masters and the Armour's ABC of Golf set the to wail in anguish and share the National Open, golf hasn't had sales record for golf books . . . sorrow of performers who have much of an audience rating. So if football's action isn't paying on His widow, Estelle, did de- been so badly treated by the PGA TV, tourney golfers can't expect tailed planning and correspon- that a wandering boy can get only to get rich on television. dence that got the tournament $5,000 to $50,000 for four days' circuit established . . . His work a week. In the past 10 years, Now the tournament group has greater responsibilities and risks brother Alexander (Sandy), 15 underpriviledged, touring PGA than before and will be held ac- long in pro golf, also survives members have wonfrom$350,570 countable to the paying public. him as do his sons, Ben and to $981,941. Tough! The home pro's money-making John and Dr. Thomas Armour. The home pros, who established and built the PGA, also built the position is unaffected. Continued on page 1 A Graff is Continued from page 1 2 1898 to join his brother, Harry, best in every way: as a friend and who was pro at Glen View Club citizen, a family man, an expert Los Angeles municipal course in suburban Chicago. George went and helpful man in his profession rates have increased to $4 for 18 with his brother to Edgewater in . . . Jerry Dearie went to Medinah holes and to $2.25 for nine. The the Chicago district and later got from Edgewater in Chicago where $4 includes 50 cents for phone his own pro job at Calumet. he'd been eminently successful. reservation and a 50-cent sur- George had gone with Harry to He is survived by his widow, charge to pay for new courses . . . build the New Orleans CC, but daughters Debora and Nora, son Golf car rentals are now $7, re- didn't move there until 1915. He Gerald, Jr., his father, mother cently raised from $6. Golfers in was a fine teacher. His daughter and three sisters. Los Angeles howled at the rate Marion was 1928 Women's South- This certainly has been a boom hikes, which Mayor Yorty said ern champion. He is survived by year for irrigation installations at were required because the city sons George, Jr., John and Thomas small-town, nine-hole courses. council had cut $400,000 from S. Sr., and by daughters Mrs. Improved plastic pipes, moderate- the department of recreation and Marion McNaughton and Mrs. ly priced, reliable pumps and fast parks' budget. H.P. Beard man, six grandchildren trenching machinery have cut in- No need to use federal money and two great-grandchildren . . . stallation costs . . . Course equip- to build municipal course at Cody, George played in his first U.S. ment and supplies salesmen and Wyo. Glenn E. Nielson, chairman Open in 1900 at the Chicago GC, pro salesmen say some of the of the board of an oil company, which was won by Harry Vardon layouts changed from sand greens and his wife are donating land and for whom George caddied when to grass with the new watering paying for the course. They told Vardon won the 1896 British Open and are so far ahead of the old architect Bob Baldock to give the at . cow-pasture design that they are folks the best. Gerald F. Dearie, superinten- nearly metropolitan class. But George Turpie, 88, who died re- dent Medinah, 111., died recently think of the fellow who has to cently in New Orleans where he'd following a bee sting or other in- maintain the course with a staff been pro at New Orleans, Audu- sect sting while he was supervi- of member volunteer workers or bon and City Park courses, came sing work on Medinah's three a kid, and a budget of nickles. from St. Andrews, Scotland, in courses. He was one of the very , telling about win- ning the 1968 British Open at Carnoustie, said he had his wife bring from Johannesburg a blade he used in 1965 when he For substantial had a great year. He paid $50 for the putter in the United States, but didn't say to whom. The profits in golf seller sure was the Mer- chant of 1965 . . . Two weeks after Tommy Armour won the 1931 British Open at Carnoustie, his winning putter was missing so many putts, he gave it away. He GOLF-0-TRON forgot to whom he gave it, but mysteriously the putter turned up Computerized in his locker at Boca Raton, Fla., Keep business booming the year 'round with realistic, com- years later when he was pro there. puterized golf by GOLF-O-TRON, a superb medium for an 18 Big party at Salt Lake City CC hole round, for practice and for taking lessons. Day or night, honoring Branca for his 25 years as club's pro. Tee has been any weather, golfers will enjoy the thrill of playing the world's with the club for 40 years, start- great courses—Pinehurst, Winged Foot, The Dunes, Firestone, ing as a under Alex Hutton. Oahu, Royal Lahaina and others. GOLF-O-TRON will rapidly Branca's wife and two sons become a family affair and a major community activity. shared in the festivities. A great Truly an electronic wonder! Like the real thing! Use every column on Branca, written by club in the bag—see the ball in actual flight. Hack Miller in Deseret News, in- Don't miss this great opportunity. Call or write today for more cluded a cute poem by a woman club member. The lady rated Tee information. as more important to the club than the first 50 tourney circuit money G0LF-0-TR0N, Inc. winners. Dept. M, 17 W. 60th St., New York, N.Y. 10023 You can never tell about kids (212) CO 5-8585 or LT 1-0150 who win golf scholarships. Some who've won Western GA Chick

For more information circle number 253 on card

14 • GOIFDOM 1968/OCT.—NOV Evans caddie scholarships now are highly successful in business, the professions and sciences, al- though not ballyhooed in print. Duane Monick, Sparta, Wise., four-letter athlete, on Luther Col- lege golf team, Decorah, Iowa, twice golf champion in his con- ference, was awarded $1,000 NCAA post-graduate scholarship to attend University of Iowa med- ical school. PGA Seniors championship now is sponsored by Ford division, Ford Motor Company. The pat- tern of sectional qualification will be unchanged, and Championship will be played at PGA National course January 26-29. Ford is also sponsoring PGA cham- pionship at PGA course, January 6-9. Seniors' purse from Ford is $40,000 and the stroke play purse $10,000. Fred Corcoran was awarded the trophy for 1968 by Golf Writers Assn. of America and British Golf Writers Assn. The annual award is made to the per- son who's done most in furthering American-British relations . . . Corcoran is tournament director of International Golf Assn., which began the Canada Cup (now ) international pro team and individual annual championships in 1953. He arranged a Ladies' PGA team tour of Britain and in- ternational golf writers' contests in Britain and Ireland and was a tournament bureau manager for the PGA. As manager of , he developed the first playing pro millionaire. He is publicity counselor for the PGA, tournament director of the $250,000 Westchester Classic and has promotion interests in golf and other sports. Men who are not very old in golf may remember when FDR won an election on sneers at the "country club" set. Nobody could do that now because the government is involved in the financing of enough country clubs to swing an election. During the past few years, golf courses built with government finances on FHA loans or other sources are in the COMFORT-CUT for largest class of new golf projects. ^ ACTION GOLF^ Next are courses built in con- Cl nection with real estate develop- UB and LEADING Continued on page 17 For more information circle number 270 on card GOLFDOM 1968/OCT—NOV. • 15 discussion, and has continued in- formally since, would seem to in- dicate a general trend toward acceptance of the changes in men's wear. In actual practice, clubs vary yo u a charg e — becaus it' s free . widely in what they will now accept. Most draw no hard line in the daytime. Some, including many "prestige" clubs, now per- mit turtlenecks and Nehru jackets in the evening as well; this is more frequent in the West. A few permit turtlenecks only if worn with full dress evening wear. It depends on what the members consider "prestige." • 0 Graff is Continued from page 15 yoursel f wit h a demonstration . Thi s shoul d giv e ments. Private country clubs and privately financed fee courses SW TC H T le tw o lf,n nd s trail. reduc, th s clf, c b o w batterie s t o ge tha secon d roun Yo u MUS T ' ° GASOLIN E POWERE D (w e n hav e a gol f ca r tha t wil l g o 7 2 hole s mor be - ^ak sam goo d reasons ) , yo u n ge twee n ¿harge s t o assur e gettin g 3 6 hole with - f f° S ™ CLU B CA R withou life . Expert s agre e batterie shoul d neve r b dis - course' s larges t singl e sourc o f income . Yo u CLU B CA R ar lastin g 2V 2 time longe r tha n the y onc e a day . Yo u can' t affor d o deep-cycl you r .,.„„ „ _ «-nr» > / j ou t dischargin g batterie s belo w th e critica l 50 % " S * Pj 8™ ?' a t thi s poin us e V 2 cycl an d giv x 400 , o r 80 0 CA N PLA Y I ON E DAY ? Gol f ca r batterie s contai n abou t 40 0 cycle o charge d belo w a 50 % reserve . Batterie s charges . I t take s 4 time mor e ou o f batterie deep-cycl e the m belo w a 50 % reserve . I f yo u operat e gol f car s whe n th batterie sho w a spe - cifi c gravit y readin g o f 1.21 0 r lowe yo u los e the y mus t b e replace d a cos o f abou $12 5 PROFI T I S TH E NAM O F GAM an d CLU B WH Y 7 2 HOLES , I F 3 6 HOLE S AL L YO U 2 ful l cycle s an d afte r onl y 20 0 batter charge pe r gol f car . CA R ha s prove n t o b e th profi machin y goin g tw o an d on e hal f time s furthe r betwee n Those Big Men you hear or read about as Great Promoters can take lessons from the charm- ing and brilliant businesswoman Carol McCue, who is executive secretary or director of something of the Chicago District GA. Pres- ident Lennox HaJdeman, Ralph Peterson, Merritt Lovett, Bill Pailey, Morton Eldon, Jim O'Keefe and other male officials of the CDGA, when the association's eight-day golf air junkets for Span- ish golf were discussed as a ser- vice to its members, said, "Let's see what Carol can do." Already 20 of the planned 25 charter plane trips, from October 11 to March 28, are filled. The $350 price tag includes transportation, hotels, meals and golf. Looks like our Carol has made golf business his- tory. She's not only smart, but very pretty. She arranges the CDGA annual air trips to the Masters. winning the Ra- dix trophy for PGA tournament LEAS T 7 2 GOLFIN G HOLE S BETWEE N BATTER Y CHARGE can' t affor d a gol f ca r tha n b e rente onl y wil l i an othe cars . YO U CAN' T AFFOR D ELECTRIC CAR S THA WON G O A LET' B E PRACTICAL . Gol f ca r rental s ar e a charge tha n an y othe gol car Th batterie i scoring low average for 1967, and for the fourth time, with a Continued on page 107 SPECIALISTS IN TAT Graffis Continued from page 17 COLD WATER SIGNS DRINKING Extremely smart looking signs 70.188 average for 85 official tournament rounds, is a solid EQUIPMENT with self fastening stakes. GAS-FIRED Drinking Fountains Signs 50c & 75c indication that the spectacular and Water Coolers Stakes 25c & 30c Arnie isn't over the hill. Hogan ELECTRIC Drinking Fountains won the Radix award five times No Moving Parts to Wear Out... Shipped in 24 hours from 1940 through 1948 . . . Pal- No Motors to Burn Out! Write for Free Brochure mer's first win was in 1961. SAFARMDEPT. G) TAT GOLF SIGNS Radix was the greatest pro golf 591 N.E. 5th Street, Pompano Beach Florida 33060 BOX 1, DUNEDIN, FLORIDA 33528 fan we ever knew. (His award Phone (305) 942-8076 is similar to the For more information circle number 186 on card For more information circle number 182 on card of the PGA.) Radix spent more money making long distance tele- «mw> phone calls, and having his sec- retary spend time looking for jobs for pros, than any other golf amateur. Planf Again, I've got to say Golf USE THIS GANG of Course Superintendent Reporter One tractor and operator pulls three edited by Charles Calhoun for PIXTONEs-triples area covered. Unique Iowa GCSA, does a marvelous revolving arm and rake mechanism pick stone % to 9" dia., pulverizes, aerates, job of getting into superinten- COLONIAL MGARDENS GOLF COURSE CONTRACTORS leaves perfect seedbed. Hundreds in use dents' heads stories such as those by landscapes, parks, golf courses, con- on Herb Klotz, Ted Smith, Norm write or call: W. W. Ullman, Consultant tractors. Write for complete details.. COLONIAL GARDENS INC. BRIDGEPORT IMPLEMENT WORKS, Inc. Westfall and others. It makes you P. O. Box 435 • Marietta, Ohio 45750 Box 491G Stratford, Conn. 06497 think you're reading biographies Phone -614 373 2188 Phone: (203) 378-0060 of dedicated artists. • ror more information circle number 179 on card For more information circle number 212 on card

General Golf 4401 SAN FERNANDO ROAD • GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA 91204 • (213) 245-6841

PIONEERS and SPECIALISTS in 3 and EXECUTIVE nite lited GOLF COURSES DESIGN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

"THE COUNTRY'S LEADING OWNERS

AND OPERATORS"

OWNER of Arroyo Seco G.C. Domínguez G.C. 0 Twin Lakes G.C. ^ Van Nuys G.C General Golf LANE-LOHMAN, 4401 SAN FERNANDO RD., GLENDALE, CALIF. 91204