Evening star., 1938-05-17
BUFFERS FED Up
WITH PRO SHOWS
Exhibition Racket Also Is
Hard Hit by Free Links
Circus Now on Road.
By FRANCIS J. POWERS.


LOS ANGELES, Calf, May IT,
John Montague-no longer myster-
tous-is at last going to show his
highly advertised golf shots to all and
sundry who wish to see him swing a
17-ounce driver and are willing to
pay for the privilege.
Reports hereabout are that John will
team up with George Won Elm. the
former national amateur champion,
in a country-wid exhibition tour.
Since the reports were accompanied
BY a photograph layout in one OF the
local prints, there must be some truth
to the story.
Mr.. Montague will find the golf ex-
hibition racket a very tough business,
even for fellow who received more
publicity than any mashie swinger
since Bobby Jones. The exhibition
racket is far from what it was in the
days when Robert Harlow trucked
walter Hagen and Joe Kirkwood
around the country. The 'Haig" and
his partner made much money on
their tours. for they trouped soon after
the war. when golf was just enjoying
its greatest popularity in this country.
Free Golf Circus Hits Pros.
OF recent years. the duffer has
shown little inclination to pay one or
two dollars to see some star make
sucker Of par The duffer-if he had
one or two dollars-would rather spend
it on the necessaries of his own
eame-and such favorites as Gene
Sarazen and Ralph Guldahl found
that trouping hardly paid more than
expenses.
Another wallop to the exhibition
racket is the travelling circus spon-
sored by one Of the leading manufac-
turers Of golf equipment. This circus
consists Of Harry Cooper. Horton
Smith. Jimmy Thomson and Lawson
Little and plays almost daily matches
without cost to the public.
These fellows play public. daily fee
and college courses and give f1ne
instruction before going on the fair
vays, 50 there is little or no market
for independent exhibitors. If the
public remembers Montague at all. he
may draw some fair crowds. but
chances are the tour will bring no
great remuneration.
George Won Elm, who will be re-
membered as the fellow who beat
Bobby Jones in the 1926 national
amateur and who tied for the 1881
national open, has not been playing
much competitive golf Of late.
Won Elm Still Potent Player.
However. the one-time blond Uhlan
still is q potent player and certainly
one of the best in Southern Call
fornia. Won Elm became the first OF
the business men golfers" quitting
the amateur field Immediately after
the 1880 amateur championship.
George picked a rather poor time
for his Jump, as Bobby Jones left the
amateur ranks soon thereafter, and,
had George remained simon-pure, he
would have been tops in that field, at
least until Lawson Little came along.
Won Elm was. and still is, one of the
grittiest players ever to swing a club
and he has lost little of the great
iron play that made him outstanding
more than a decade ago.
Montague. one is told, has been
working diligently on his game and
has regained much of the form that
made him notable during the years
when he was the mystery man of the
Lakeside c. c. If the fellow fully
regains his skill. such spectators as 60
to his exhibitions will see drives and
bunker shots the like Of which few
men can make.