Show I I Golf Golf Pro Is Sucker Says Gene By HENRY McLEMORE 1 United Press Sports Writer NEW YORK April 30 The 30 The biggest suckers in all aU the world of sport are those nomads of f the niblick the golf professionals who ho are ever on the move from t tournament to tournament They start poor they're poor Inthe Inthe In the middle and they end poor This despite the fact that of at all the men who ho work at nt games ames for a living they ley are the tho most skillful This appraisal of the touring rolf golf professional belongs to Gene of their leaders leaders- one one and was given to mo me 1 recently bythe by bythe the he tacky stocky Italian before a 8 southern southern south south- ern em tournament You anI have bave to look at me me to realize what suckers the traveling professionals are said Im m the biggest money winner Inthe in inthe the le history of golf but if I had hadad had ad to depend on my y prize money since 1923 say I would bo be sitting In n the poor house right now And Andin Andin in n a II back room too The dough Ive I've won on wouldn't come anywhere near covering my expenses The liThe golf pros give more and get less ess than any other skilled athletes In n the world Let me show you what I mean with a few v figures Take the 10 first four tournaments down here The total prize money w was but more than of it vas was contributed by tho pros themselves them them- selves elves in entry fees leaving an ac- ac teal total of at To compete for this about ISO professionals came from the he cast Lets Let's see what it cost them hem Transportation n was roughly rough- rough ly y Room and board was as about 50 a week eek which means ZOO for the month Caddy fees vere easily 10 a week and there vas as 5 IS' IS ISmore more a week for balls That means each pro spent at least east during the month even if he didn't buy a drink have a shirt lirt laundered or get a haircut Multiply that by and you have the pros paid for the right to compete for a fourth of that amount And nd dont don't forget the publicity they gave ave the places place they played And what chance chanco did any anyone one professional have of at winning a decent de de- cent ent sized chunk of the prize money Durn little for competition Is so ao hot lot now that you have to be Warmer warm- warm er Cr r than a five alarm fire to finish anywhere in tho the money If It you dont don't believe me just remember that lat a II score of which is six under even fours was fours was good for no better etter than fifteenth place in the Saras Sarasota ta open To aid the professionals whom professionals whom ho lie describes s as ns those gypsies of the fairways who live for the day and ind let Jet tomorrow worry for Itself hn has hu organized the Idem Idea for an annual golf sweepstakes sweep sweep lt stakes kea which h would serve as the Kentucky derby of ot golf olf This tournament would be played late lato in iii December of each year one ana year in the cast cat the tho next in tho the west vest Tho The prize money would be 7 And Ill I'll tell you where the money would come como from said laid lIt It would come from the combined entry fees of all professional tournaments tournaments tour tour- during the year Theres There's no sense lense in the sponsors of the tournaments tour tour- getting the money Let the entry fees be placed In a kitty and played for in the great sweepstakes tournament The way tournaments are run now everybody benefits but the professionals Let me explain Say Wahoo Center wants wanta to put on a tournament for tor a little lilUe publicity Doe oes it cost Wahoo Center any anything any any- U thing ng NoThey NoThey No S They get of the professional suckers to enter and pay 10 each cacho That makes 2000 With any sort of ot gate Wahoo Center chamber o of 5 commerce can raise tho the extra roo to make up tho 2500 purse it hasso has baa so 50 o proudly announced In short the thew w way y tournaments are run now the poor professionals professionals' travel all over the he country playing for their own money Its It's a racket Copyright 1936 by United Press |