The New York herald., 1921-12-10
GOLF BALL PRICE
CUTPUZZLES PROS.
See Increased Sales, but Won
der What They Are to Do
With Old Stock.
By KERR n. PETR1E.

While one might readily suppose that
the pending drop in the price of golf
equipment made possible by the reduc-
tion of the tax on sporting goods would
be received with acclaim and unqualified
JOY up and down and across
the land the professionals are not all
waxing enthusiastic just as yet. Scme
who are able to lift the veil and peer
into the future believe that a 75 cent
ball eventually will about double their
sales. Others again are too occupied
with the fact that they are caught with
a stock of dollar balls which they may
soon have to dispose OF at rs per cent.
Off
It was in vain yesterday that the rep
resentative of manufacturer Of sport
ing equipment endeavored to bring
home to a certain professional located
not 100 miles from the Brooklyn Bridge
that he soon would benefit from the
drop. The pro had sixsdozen balls In
hand at the time that the snow began
to fall the other day and he was Won
dering II he would still have them on
January /, when the new price list goes
into effect His complaint was TO the
effect that he is having trouble dispos-
ing of these dollar balls even now be-
cause, having heard vaguely about a
cut, the players believe 1t already has
gone into effect
Then the representative led the COM
planning pro into the storeroom and
showed him a rack full of ribbed
mashies and niblicks which his firm has
cut by about so per cent. and cannot
dispose of at any price. There has been
so much talk about the ban Of st. An
drews on these implements and the
probability Of the United States Coli
Association following suit at an early
date that the public simply does not
want them.
There are several large cases Of the
same clubs In the cellar" said the rep
resentative. perhaps you think we
don't have our own troubles"
Some of the pros are bound to be
caught, 1t Is believed, but it is thought.
on the other hand, that they will reap
the benefit in the long run. Sporting
goods skyrocketed In price during the
war and they have remained at the peak
almost ever since. showing little or no
tendency to come down. The falling
price of raw rubber and the reduction of
the war tax on sporting goods Is be-
leved to have been the signal for a
start In the long looked for price cut
ting. ,,c.
whether golf will actually cost less
next year remains to be seen. Certain
1t is that player will get more for his
money, but when one can purchase two
articles for the old price of ione, espec-
tally when these happen to be golf balls,
there Is going to be a rush of those who
wish to avail themselves Of the extra
ammunition.
And that golfers have been conserv-
irg their resources since rubber cores
went to a dollar is very evident. One
FRO yesterday complained that on re-
cent good golfing day he sold just twelve
balls TO a field OF nearly one hundred
and fifty players.
Frank Barton, secretary of the Lake.
wood Country Club, intimates that the
links OF that organization is to be Kept
open right along. and that il Is the in
tention to hold tournament every week
end for visiting players and members.
I'VE VIII have on view at the club
house at least twelve valuable and use
full prizes" write Barton. "These will
lie on the table continuously so that the
winner every week can choose his own
prize. 1 think this will be an incentive
for competition in our tournaments. as
Prior 20 this golfer was required to
take one prize selected by the club"
Mike Brady is to forsake the ranks of
the freelance professionals this winter.
Mike, il is understood. is to take the
r;ace formerly occupied by Charlie
Thorn at Miami. At that the Oakland
Hills expert probably will be seen. in
several of the Southern open tourna-
nents.