Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-10-13
GOLF GOSSIP

III II Y 4
An experiment was tried recently in
England TO limit the gallery at big ex-
hibition matches, by charging q fee. A
good deal of discussion has resulted
and George Philpot was asked by the
World of Golf 70 state his opinion as
one likely to voice the ideas OF most
professionals. He did so as follows: :
"A comparatively new feature Of pro-
fessional exhibition matches is the
charging of gate money. The gen.
eral public will be admitted at Is. 3D..
per head" or words to this effect. are.
however, becoming quite common in
announcements of new course openings
where the star players are billed to APP
pear. Such q practise opens up new
development altogether in the history
of golf, and this being the case pro-
fessional golfers would do well to give
the matter their attention. Years ago,
before the game had attained to any
thing like its present popularity, spec
tators at golf matches were confined
to a few ardent deyotees who, realiz-
ing what magnificent game golf was.
never failed to avail themselves Of the
comparatively few opportunities that
from time to time arose of seeing the
foremost players of the day In opposi-
ton. In those distant days gate money
was a thing unthought of--the mere
hint of It would have brought the OPP
position Of all golfers on the proposer
Indeed q club was very pleased to Sc
cure the patronage OF spectators, ire
spective of whether they happened TO
be golfers or not, 50 that decent
crowd might greet the famous players
who had been engaged to play.
But In modern times all this has
changed The tremendous boom IN the
game. plus q legftimate curiosity OF
golfers to see how great players per-
form, has brought about q complete
reversal. Nowadays the announce
ment OF an exhibition match by our
leading players is followed by q big
rush for tickets, with the result that
the course on which the stars are APP
bearing becomes too crowded with
promiscuous following of the, clubs
members, members from other clubs,
and people who knowing nothing what
ever about golf, come to see the sport
i,lst ont of curiosity's sake-the whole
making the comfortable witnessing Of
the play matter Of sheer impossibil-
fly. With view to preventing undue
.erowding on the course many OF the
clubs have begun the practise OF charg-
ing SO much for admission to svery
one save its own particular members.
and while this procedure is perfectly
.proper -heiag simply smother phase IN
the Eaff1e's e4elopnleiit one cannot'
but deprecate the thin end Of the
wedge of commercialism which the
.leyying of gate money has created.
II is easy to foresee one does not
require much prophetic instinct TOR the
job-tiat the gate money idea VIII
grow rapidly in the near future II
win catch ON just as quickly as the
game itself is catching On. Some Of
the clubs which now charge an en-
trance fee merely with the honest idea
OF keeping the crowd within manage
able numbers, may conceive the idea
of charging an entrance Tee with
view to making money out Of it, The
transitions from one to the other may
be 4 one almost unconsciousiy. but as
sure as fate 1t will be done-n not by
clubs y:aenterprfsing' individuals out
tor make hit Then 1t will be that
a coli professional win be engaged TO
play exhibition matches In order to-
make money for someone else: He
will become of certain commercial
value. after the fashion of the profess
sional fo0tballer. The professional
with the greatest drawing power will
get the most engagements, and his
skill as golfer will become of secon-
Diary Importance.
Z The chief question affecting profess
SIGNALS concerning this matter is. Will
they, in the event of the gate money
proving considerable sum, be jnsti-
fed In demanding good deal more
for their services thsn Is at present
the case? say alphabetically, yes! IL
exhibition matches come to be worth
thanks to the gate money hundreds
of pounds to their promoters, ] say
most decidedly that professionals will
be foolish If they do not see to II
that a. fair share Of the profits goes
into their own pockets. The usual fee
for exhibition matches will be quite
inadequate, and 1t il up to profession
al golfers to see that they are not
bound down IN the same fashion as
professional footbalIers. In other
words, we must not let things Just
slide: we must keep sharp lookout
so that our interests In SO far az they
are fair and just may be properly gafe-
guarded. To borrow q phrase from Ho-
ratio B6ttemley's notable pennywortli,
lwe-mfst keep our eye on gate money
and the developments It is likeiy 70
lead to!N =. = = = z 2