GOLFERS WANT NEW BALLS

Chronicle (Levin), 9 April 1946, Page 8

GOLFERS WANT NEW BALLS

Tliere are 30,000 golfers in New Zenland. For several years now tliey've been playing with balls that are whimsically referred to as "smiling. " Players wax mawlcishly sentirnental over their battered repaints — which approximate, in shape and resilience, kidnevs. The situation is Jikelv to continue: that is, uriless, oflicialdom adopts a more sympathetic attitude in respect to the import of golf balls state Sports Post. Tennis players were allowed pretty well all the tennis-balls they wantad during the siuniner. The aforcmerttioned 30,000 golfers may sense that a niee clistinction is l>eing drawn between tennis plavors and golfers, who simpiy cannot get golf balls. They '11' want to know why. It is abundantly elear that those in authority still think of golfers in terrns of chainpagne and sleek limousines. But golf is no longer a game only for men of substantial means, men whom the avthorities evidentlv consider can look after tliemselves. Thousands of young men, lads from colleges — vou might say just average wage-earners — play g'Oif nowadays. To describe the golf-ball shortage as aeutc would be a gross understatemeut. The situation eouldn 't be worse — and ii coincides with what might very well be the lieaviest programme of golf for any one season in this country. Locally and nationallv, the game is going to boom — if tliere are golf balls. " "'Tlie Wellington Melropolitan Golf Association at its annual meeting this* v/eek expressed particular eoncer.n about the golf-ball shortage. The success of the game, it was stated, hingei on the future supply of balls. The New Zealand Golf Council is to be asked t3 press tlie Goyernment for the importa- ' tion of golf balls.