could come by guessing. Of course the pre- Sales Records Surprising ceding fellow may have made some mis- But in studying sales of clubs many pros takes in buying and selling but at least the will find their records surprising. Our sales- figures give a better indication of demand men, and I believe the salesmen of other than a rank guess would be. club manufacturers, have found during the past two seasons that pros often order Watch Your Investment more wood than iron clubs. It hasn't been A pro these days has to figure that he much of an error so far as there is a ready has to have in cash and salable merchan- demand for whatever of the good brands dise that he has carried over from the pre- can be delivered. But close examination of vious season a rather substantial invest- representative pro shop sales records over ment in his business. Say that he has a period of normal pre-war years reveals $5,000 in his investment for doing business that the sets of irons outsell sets of woods at a club. He must realize that this $5,000 about 3 to 2. has to have a four time turnover during his One thing pros often find by planning season to give him a $20,000 volume for the this coordination of inventory and sales is season and that's a very moderate figure that they have ordered too little to take for operations necessary to meet the pro's advantage of such demand as there was share of a pro department payroll and come this year and which seems virtually certain through with a merchandising profit in a for 1948. For example, one pro at a live comparatively short season. If more club club of 250 active members ordered 40 sets officials realized what the pro is up of woods last year. His sales showed 20 against in this matter of shop investment sets sold in May, 12 in June and 8 in July. and turnover in supplying the members He could have sold more if stock had been with the best and wide choice of equipment on display and inviting. This was no year there would be larger guarantees given to for getting rush deliveries from any manu- pros by clubs. facturer. But—and let us be frank about it—if a You may be out of pro shop selling busi- pro doesn't know and watch the relation- ness when the leaves fall and the snow ship between inventory and sales and keep comes down but you're never out of think- this ratio under close inspection as sales in ing business if you're a Class A pro busi- various categories fluctuate by months, nessman. Get yourself a coordinated in- how should a club official be expected to ventory and sales record as your operating know what the pro's business problem is ? basis for 1948 and you'll think yourself into Buy to Month's Demand a bigger profit. The pro must buy carefully to the month in which he is selling as the demand for RYDER CUP TEAM SELECTED items changes with the months and with Personnel of the team representing the unexpected weather. United States in the seventh renewal of He can't buy the same amount of the the Ryder Cup matches to be played over same items each month. He has to have a the fairways of the Portland Golf Club written record of sales experience as his after ten long years of war time suspension guide. And even with such a record he have been selected for the first time by the must be vigilant so that the peculiar con- PGA on a point basis. The American team ditions of the postwar period don't knock will be composed of: Ben Hogan, Jimmy his estimates suddenly cock-eyed. Demaret, Herman Keiser, Byron Nelson, Sales figures for 1946 and 1947 have been Sam Snead, Lloyd Mangrum, Ed Oliver, unusual. Probably the 1940 and 1941 sales Herman Barron, E. J. Harrison, and Lew figures plus 20% might be a safe guide in Worsham. most cases but in going over sales records A certain number of specified points with many a canny, successful pro busi- were awarded any player finishing among nessman I have repeatedly seen that only the first ten in any PGA co-sponsored tour- one's intimate knowledge of a club mem- nament, the National Open and PGA bership as considered along with the sales Championship, the higher the player finish- record can determine helpful inventory and ing, the higher the number of points, be- sales quotas. tween January 1, 1946 and September 1, Careful study should be given by pros to 1947. ratio of brands in inventory and sales. He Each of the players listed above were is finding that his business is growing in among the leading money winners in 1946 great volume beyond the strictly playing and are among the leaders again this sea- items. He will learn, about shirts for in- son with the exception of Byron Nelson who stance, that the size range varies from that has a sufficient number of points by virtue carried by stores. There is more of a de- of his 1946 triumphs. mand for the larger sizes at pro shops. He will learn, in most cases, that shirt sales are about four times those of rain jackets. NEED SUPPLIES? SEE PAGE101 37 .