The sun., 1916-12-11
GOLF "PROS" NEED
BETTER ATTENTION
Club Instructors Entitled to
Income Derived From
Sale Of Balls.
LESSONS NAY BE COSTLY
~ JOHN q.

There aic ROT n few perauisites OF the
professional golfer which from time to
time have been usurpel by some of the
golf clubs In this country through their
committees. Members OF the golf COM
mit,ec. for instance. have felt that they
have done the club n great service in
taking over the sale % golf balls. and
nj a few clubs n general line OF golhng
supplies is kept for sale. much To the
defrlinent OF the professionals profits.
In n few cases the amour, OF money
which is lost by the professional IL
made up in an increased salary. hut
these instances are few indeed. I he.
iievo that II the golf ball sales are not
TO he given Ia She professional that tho
actual selling Of the balls should take
place In his shop or else an injustice IL
done the profession.
To begin with. every one must have a
certain number of golf balls IN order to
Play the game. Most golfers start out
with a new bali and the golf bail Harder
Is being replerishcd on almost every
trip 70 the links. Some Of the small
clubs may need the revenue which comes
from tho sale. but here Ia where. II the
sale takes place In the clubhouse. "a, the
cigar counter, as IL often the case. We
ind the professional losing a. to 80 per
cent. Of his usual trade.
sales Are Madr.
\ golfer strolis into tn, a.op t., 90,
three or q half dozen balls. and while
'lerc he sees a fine lot ~ clubs NIGEL,
polished and looking much better than
any IN his bag. interested, he picks w
one and makes y few swings Il feels
1000 10 his touch and In two cases out
OF five II" will buy the club and viii n.
pleased with his choice. ~ it may he
that. after seeing tho clubs all ~h!ned
up. looking spick and span. he decides
to have his bag in the professional shop
for the month. where fer n dollar all
this sort OF work is done.
Or further. he may decide that GER
tain OF IDS clubs need repairs md thep
~ the time to have them attended To.
Then there are the little suggested gol:
articles such as gripfast and new kind
of hobnalls. II fancy gloves and score
cards and pencils II pedoincters and
fancy grips. or even a line Of sweaters
and ahocs with newly arrived gol. bags
and storm umbrellas.
The mere visit to :he golfers sl,op in
cues; Of a few oalls brings trade and to
the professional who has bough. for tho
club members with this very thought in
mind Mud the pleasing part OF IL ali
~ that the members do not ioot upon
their expenditures for these other things
aS luNuries but rather as necessities ic
they would he IN style or prepar. tp
meet all other golfers upon even terms.
so IL does seem "A DIT unfair to the pro
to al the sale OF the golf balls away
from his shop even IL the money re-
c"ived from the sale OF balls goes 10 the
club.
COntentmcnt for Professional.
The contented professional. the paid
player who works his hardest for the
benefit Of the club members, IL the man
who has not been deprived OF this sale.
Many a professional would work for a
smaller salary and do 1t gladly II the
choice were left between the sale Of balls
in his shop or the sale by the cluh AT
some other place. And IN this profess
sion as in any other. to have "a con
tented pro should he the aim OF the
committee In charge.
The question as to the proper length
Of a lesson Is another which il being
discussed. In past years a full hour
was taken w n the pup!. losing in
terest In the last ten or fifteen minutes
has often undone all the good which had
been accomplished in the first three
quarters Of an hour The Introduction
u: indoor schools where lessons were
for a half hour only shed a new light on
the subject. There Il was seen tina the
attention of the pupil was Arm and con-
slant for the thirty minutes. eve though
the lack OF outdoor attraction and n
str!cter attention 20 business was pres
cnt.
The good results from a half hours
teaching seemed to 10 fully on a par n
not finer with that instruction spread
over sixty minutes n professionals al
-. -nA sAae $40 .x,,
should be prolonged owe three-quarters
of an hour unless the pupil is playing
round the course. Few golfers will find
fault with this conclusion.
LrasOns Are Costly.
II may bc interesting to note the
prices which ar" paid for instruction.
Withou, mentioning names II might he
said that one' professional in New York
State receives 1850 an hour for his
instruction, while there are half a dozen
VINO get So a lesson.
In the South during the winter months
a fec of 81 Il not uncommon, since the
for appointment hours Is very
great. Whether these lessons are worth
the money or not IL another question. .
The answer lies in the results obtained.
II the golf patient pays 81 n lesson
and does not improve. the lesson Is worth
about 80 cents II the player does I'M
prove even slightly the lesson is worth
the money. II the golfer gets such clear
instruction that his handicap Is lowered
then the amount paid Is n mere matter
OF custom. since II Is priceless.
How many lines have We heard golf
ers remark to tn" professional with
whom they are playing round. II will
give you 800 or 81 700 II you wI,llteach
me to get one drive in eighteen like that. ,
or II YOU Will teach me 20 play the mash
il shots with grace and God results"
These are no idle remarks. but every
word IL the echo Of a nope coming from
the heart. The keen desire to improve
In The nunN Of rn'f NM rnnse IN sh |