The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1936-07-24
Montana
Tales
of other dags

This tale is about Joe Novak. Others
will be mentioned in the first W para
graphs, then Novak will hold the center
Of the stage.
Butte Country club has been the IN
cubator for brother caddy comblna-
tions.' some moving into he select
circle in the amateur ranks, n n
other group making good as pro1es-
SIGNALS. In a 3O-year span, n kallS,
John. Martin and Frank; the Noyaks,
Joe and Frank; the MerharS, Hank,
John, Rudy, Joe and Ed; the Seamans,
Steve and Frank; the Mallons, Jonn
and Joe; the kristovich group, Maui,
Pete, John, Jackie and Perro; the
Skedds, Russ and Lloyd, all packed
clubs and chased balls at the B. c. G:
Every man jack of them can play good
golf.
In the pro ranks we have the two
Novaks. three Merhar's, n Gall, n
Mallon. In the amateur ranks, two
Kalls, two Merhar's, two SkeddS, one
Seaman and a few of the Kristovich
boys. Nearly all of the brother lads
have won some title OF another in Mon
tana golf.
Joe Novak Butte's Best
Now for Mr.. Novak. If there ever was
an engaging youngster it was Joe No
yak, as a boy of IA, when he started
caddying. AS the years have rolled on,
Joe has taken on added personality
and ability. He is the ace of the Butte
caddy gang in acquiring fame and
shekels in his chosen profession. He is
and has been sitting pretty" for a
number of years.
Twenty-Five years ago Joe was caddy-
ing at the Butte club. He took to the
task like a duck to water and likewise
developed into a good player. He was
a favorite with all players, so was kept
h11Sv G11h mqmhQrS insisted on .Ina
playing with, as well as caddying for
them. He even instructed them. When
the days work was over, Joseph would
spend hours practicing stance and
swing.
A Pro At 16
After two years as caddy, Joe, then
IS, was engaged as pro of the Helena
Country club, becoming the youngest
full-fledged golf pro in the world. He
stayed at the Helena club for two sea-
sons, then received an offer to serve
as assistant to the professional at the
Butte club. He was giving lessons to the
members and taking them from the pro.
As the golf season in Montana was all
too short, Joe yearned to go to Cali
fornia, where golf is an all-year sport.
He correspondent with many clubs, seek
ing a job. The California club of San
Francisco hired him.
Joe found out that there was a World
war in 1917. He enlisted and saw service
overseas. Upon his return in 1919, he
landed the job as pro of the Spokane
Country, club, staying there for years.
play in tournaments, always making
and improving contacts, having in mind
landing another berth in a state where
golf can be played almost every day.
After four years at Spokane, Joe re-
ceived a call from the Berkeley Country
club, where he established an enviable
reputation not only as an instructor, but
as a first class competitor.
Invented All-in-One Club
The inventive mind of the young pro
brought out a whole-in-one club, a de-
vice that by the simple turn of the
wrist the n club would be converted
into either a midiron, mashie, niblick
or putter. He gave up his post at the
Berkeley club to supervise the manufac-
economy golf weapon has been & mild
success, and is still on the market.
The Ritzy Bellair club at Beverly
Hills offered such tempting bait to
Joseph that, eight years ago, he at
tached himself to that club as pro-
fessional. His clients are movie and
radio stars, as well as men and women
associated in those industries.
In 1928 Novak was runner-up in the
California open. He won the title in
1925. He qualified for the U. S. open
six times. Joe has gradually abandoned
active tournament competition in order
to do justice to his instructions. His
success as a first class instructor has
earned him recognition by several au-
thoritieS as one of the 10 best golf
teachers in the country.
One of Nations Best
Novak was the first pro to broadcast
golf instructions over the airlines. He
was also one of the first pros to utilize
movie film as an instruction medium.
The first golf prize ever won by Joe
Novak was a suit of clothes in a caddy
tourney at the Butte club Is years ago.
The caddy tourney committee was 50
the event that a suit that would fit
the more rotund John was purchased.
Joe "a content to win the title. He
never wore the suit because of the mis-
fit. The suit was sold to Kali for $40.
Today Joe Novak enjoys a good job,
good business, and good health. He
also wears good clothes. for even now,
as Is years ago, Joe insists that his
body be encased in proper-fitting gar
ments. Novak was ambitious to get
somewhere in golf when caddying. This
sentence is devoted to telling you that
Joe certainly made the grade.
One On Howard Ople
Howard Opie tells an amusing story
on himself. It happened in 1900. He was
boxing only a short time when the late
Jack Hoy decided to match him with
Kid Oglesby at Helena. Jack and Opie
left for Helena on the evening train.
Upon arrival at the Capital City they
went to the Grand Central hotel. Hoy
registered for the pair and instructed
the clerk to take Howard to his room,
telling Opie to climb into bed and get
a good nights rest so he would be in
good shape for the fight on the NOR
row
Howard was then 81 years old; he
had never left Butte since arriving as
an infant; he had never slept in any
bed but his own, and the grandeur Of
the Grand Central hotel had him
groggy. The clerk piloted him to his
room on the third floor. From this lofty
height, Howard gazed out of the win
dow and shuddered with dizziness,
Howard was alone in a strange room
in a strange city; his mother and broth
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