Category Archives: Oral History

Oral History

Edgar Oakman Interview

Project Name:     Australian Golf Heritage Society Oral History Project
For further information and a project brief, please contact:
Curator/Collection Manager
Australian Golf Heritage Society
Interview Length 01:38:34 – edited
01:40:38 – archival
Interview Number No.3 of series
Timed log X
Name of interviewee Edgar Oakman
Date of Birth 28/08/1930
Date of Interview 22/4/2013
Place of Interview Interviewee’s home/Bowral, NSW Australia

Technical Data – Sound Files

Brand and Model of Digital Recorder Zoom H4N
Brand and type of microphones used
(with split cable adapter) 		Sony Condenser
Sound Storage Medium used – USB, CD – client History Herstory has back-up copies
Location of Back-up Home – various and Dropbox
Digital Recording Rate     Uncompressed WAV 24 bit 48 kHz  archivalCD (WAV – 44.1/16) and MP3 – edited
Sound Field Stereo

 Technical Data – Photographs/Images

Full Title of each item Edgar Oakman portraits
Place/location where photograph was taken Bowral
Creator Interviewer
Source Access/Restrictions/Copyright Nil restrictions
Model of Digital Camera Canon Digital SLR EOS 500D
File Format (eg JPEG, TIFF, RAW) JPEG
Pixel dimension 12
No. of Images 1

Documentation

Signed Conditions of Interview Use Form X
Signed release form for photos provided by interviewee X
List of other relevant documentation NA

TIMED INTERVIEW SUMMARY

Time Subjects Proper Names
0:00  Project introduction – born 1930 AGHS –Australian Golf Heritage Society
0:03:57 Extensive overview of professional career. Left High school in war years. Caddied at 8 years of age at Pymble golf Club where Kel Nagle worked. Scouted balls in the depression years. Played as a youngster with Kel Nagle who advised Edgar to continue with golf. At Avondale golf club behind PLC he got an apprenticeship with Keith Clark, son of Carnegie Clark who had 6 professionals working with him in Rose Bay golf factory – outstanding golf equipment manufacturer / associated with Rose Bay Golf Club. Edgar moved from Avondale to the factory as business was booming and he stayed there for 7 and a half years and could not turn professional because of rules re turning professional at the time. Edgar was a good golf tradesman as well as a good golfer. After 7 and a half years he worked for Jimmy McGuiness – pro at Killara Golf Club. Stayed there 2 years then won Rose Bay golf tournament. Other tournament successes as well. Then moved to Moss Vale Golf Club in the Southern Highlands as pro. Disaster at Moss Vale because of the very low numbers of golfers (20) players – couldn’t make a living / also terrible weather conditions. As a result Edgar had a nervous breakdown. Jim Eve, Secretary of PGA offered him opportunity at Rabaul Golf Club in New Guinea – had to be a pro and manage the bar – previously alcohol was stolen. The club had to show a profit because they had to service 16 golf mowers because the grass grew so quickly – daily mowing. Edgar and his wife loved the ‘natives’, loved Rabaul, banked 32 pounds weekly. Flew with Qantas to New Island, Booker Passage and Guadalcanal to teach/service. Left after 4 years as Edgar had been losing weight because of the conditions. Returned to Sydney but there was no work so then he went to Dunedin in New Zealand. Stayed there for 9 months without his family. Didn’t really like NZ – harsh Conditions. Moved from there to Katoomba Golf Club in Blue Mountains as first ever professional and stayed for 10 years – 5 day a week job. Weekends consisted of 1 day gardening and 1 day exploring region. Then moved to Nelson Bay as a professional. He had a good reputation because he was reliable, didn’t drink, was good at golf and didn’t associate with members (always a tricky issue because of jealousies between club members) – stayed 4 years. Then moved back to the Blue Mountains to Wentworth Falls Golf Course. Excellent new club house, introduction of Chinese cuisine / best job he ever had at Wentworth Falls. Bought Wycherly – created outstanding garden of Japanese influence. Moved from there to Tilga, near Secret Place and stayed for 6 years then again to Wentworth Falls before finally moving to Bowral. Edgar’s wife Joan passed away about 3 or 4 years ago. PLC – Pymble Ladies College Dudley Jones – President Rabaul Golf Club Jim Parry – Qantas pilot Interviewer’s note: Edgar Oakman is a highly respected and accomplished gardener.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
31:00 In 1947 was 17 years old when he started. Had a 73 at Pymble when he was 13 years old and working as a caddie.  
32:46 Club Professional work – maintained the course, Edgar diverts here to his time in New Guinea – climate/grass/ PNG workers / Employment conditions / Levers company/winning the New Britain Open 4 years in a row / ‘you black bastard’/going back to New Guinea. Lever Brothers – soap manufacturers
36:24 Role of golf professional / Conditions in Australia / attitudes. Professionals were not allowed in the Golf houses. Gary Player’s wife was not allowed in the clubhouse – mid 60s. Professionals were looked down upon – kept in their place / treated as second class citizens. Jimmy Adams left Australia because of the way his wife was a treated when she went in the club house. Jim / Jimmy Adams UK professional
37:50 Caddies were kept in a compound at Pymble Golf Club, 1938 at end of Depression /even 40 year old men, not allowed out until they had a job.  
38:33 Golf Collection. Donated over 100 clubs. The best and oldest club was a one off club which cost 10 shillings at an auction in Springwood. Made by Auchterlonie in Scotland – intact, good condition / mid 60s. He treated all his acquisitions using correct protocol for old hand crafted/hand forged items. Carnoustie, near St Andrews. All pros could make golf clubs. Carnegie Clark items – most expensive/ best at time/differences between ladies/men. No matched clubs/ clubs were tailor made. Names stamped on clubs. Tommy /Tom Moore AGHS Museum Ouchterlonie – unsure of spelling – please check the spelling on the club in the museum.
44:52 1956/1957 / When Fred Popplewell resigned from Rose Bay (just before Jimmy Adams came out from England) the old clubs of deceased members were no longer required. All the old golf clubs were burnt because no realised the significance of the clubs. Steel shafts had come in. Fred Popplewell Australian Open championTom Popp
46:35 Purchased Lithograph at auction of 4 women on first tee on course in England. Bought it because of the horse and cart in the distance of the lithograph. The horse and cart would make a rut when fertilising with seaweed. So, a rutter club was created during this period to get balls out of ruts made by the wheels of the carts on the sandy fairways. The specially shaped rutter was the forerunner of the sand iron. Edgar donated 4 English rutters to the AGHS. Rutters were used in Australia prior to sand iron. Donated lithograph to AGHS museum Rutters – phonetic interpretation for how the word would be spelled
49:17 Unusual clubs  
50:00 Starting collection / Edgar scouted balls for Fred Popplewell / he had to replace 25 golf balls from Fred’s bag used when he taught students. If Fred didn’t collect 25 balls he had to search until he got 25 balls. On the second tee at Rose Bay Golf Club on the short course Fred found numerous old balls in the flax that had been left behind about 50 years previously. Rose Bay was built on land that had been a Chinese market garden. Balls could be identified by the markings and all in good condition because of the flax. Wealthy people from Rose Bay would have collected the balls as they travelled the world from USA, Scotland and England, Ireland and Canada. Donated about 60 balls. Now Royal Sydney Golf Club
54:00 Oldest ball was just after a featherie. No featheries were found by Edgar as they were about 30 years previous to Edgar’s time. Also, featheries were very fragile. Clarks made featheries in Australia.  
56:10 Haskell Balls – excellent balls but of no interest to Edgar because they were mass produced. Edgar describes structure of Haskell balls.  
57:26 Tees. During and prior to the war as an 8 year old he had to tee up for players – Edgar describes the process of using sand and water before wood and plastic tees. GK Whiskey (1938/39, during war years) – (Australian company) made a special tee that would not fly away – ‘keepers’ / red and white in colour – donated to AGHS. Not a lot of emphasis on tees. Laura Davies – current UK professional does not use a tee.
1:01 Caddie wages in Australia. Story of generosity of visiting recreational American player of particular significance to a family of 11 children during the Depression years. Each caddie working an18 holes round earned 2 and threepence. Edgar could take home 5 shillings to his mother. The American player gave Edgar as a 12 year old some gum, cigarettes and a ten shilling note – an amazing amount. Edgar’s mum was so astounded at the amount she phoned Tom Popple to check the veracity of the payment. Yanks
01:05 Golf bags – Sunday bags (only used on a Sunday so held fewer clubs and smaller than normal golf bags) – donated 2 old bags from the 30s made by Plotkin – Australian manufacturer, made of canvas and very light. Edgar diverts to unsafe, unhealthy factory conditions when he worked in the golf factory at Rose Bay.  
01:07 Golf Buggies – an American player came back with nylon rainwear and a ‘Bagboy’ (collapsible aluminium buggy) – took it to Avondale. The buggy replaced the caddie.  
01:10 USA a stronger influence on golf in Australia than Scotland. USA more inventive than Scots who were more traditional. USA had advantage as well because of their huge population and willingness to experiment for the golf market. Carnegie Clark Senior’s son (very difficult man) threw a vice (just missed!) at Edgar when Edgar suggested some golf club design changes. General comments about Carnegie family men. Rose Bay Club guys who went to America – Norman Von Nida, Peter Thomson and Kel Nagle, Bruce Devlin, Bruce Crampton all brought back MacGregor clubs from the USA because they were better. Carnegie Clark – Scottish – introduced golf to Australia.
01:14 Golf Clothing. Edgar didn’t collect clothing. Talks about everyone watching ‘The Von’. Clothing comments about Kel Nagle and Peter Thomson. Norman Von Nida was ‘The Von”
01:15 Guttie era balls – description of how the guttie was developed. Edgar gave Tom his only, very rare gutta percha – a ball prior to the Haskell. Someone gave him 3 or 4 balls without realising its significance. Modern balls in Edgar’s opinion ‘ruined everything’ – reasons given for his thoughts on the ramifications for golf of modern balls. Gutta Percha
01:19 Many American magazines donated to AGHS Museum including 2 very informative and rare pre-war magazines.  
01:21 Sam Snead’s amusing comments on how golf should be played.  
01:21:45 Comments and philosophy on golf teaching techniques, comments about Bobby Locke, The Von, Tom Popplewell and an amateur named Davidson. ‘Painting a picture’ for the student / simple approach to teaching / had great success as a teacher. Teaching with ‘hands’.  
01:26 PGA – Edgar has not been involved since he retired. Carnegie Clark started the PGA at the pro shop in Rose Bay. Discusses the Sun 500 pound tournament – prior to war. Edgar not really ever involved in PGA because he was in the country or overseas. Tom Moore – outstanding – all excellent presidents. Still teaches at 83. Played until he was 70 when illness forced him to stop. Comment about runner up in 2013 USA Masters – playing with his ‘hands’/ talks about new teaching approaches. PGA – Professional Golf AssociationAdam Scott (Scotty) – winner/AustralianAngel Cabrera – runner-up/ Argentinian
01: 34 Edgar’s daughter did not play golf  
01:35 Why is golf a funny game? – It’s contrary to nature; eg you have to hit down to get the ball to go up.  
01:36 Concluding comments / high costs of modern golf / joys of the game of golf.  

 

Oral History

Dan Cullen Interview

Project Name :    Australian Golf Heritage Society Oral History Project
For further information and a project brief, please contact:
Curator/Collection Manager
Australian Golf Heritage Society
Interview Length 01:08:54 – edited
01:32:23 – archival
Interview Number No.2 of series
Timed log X
Name of interviewee Dan Cullen
Date of Birth 15/11/1914
Date of Interview 28/3/2013
Place of Interview Interviewee’s home/Little Bay, NSW Australia

Technical Data – Sound Files

Brand and Model of Digital Recorder Zoom H4N
Brand and type of microphones used
(with split cable adapter) 		Sony Condenser
Sound Storage Medium used – USB, CD – client History Herstory has back-up copies
Location of Back-up Home – various and Dropbox
Digital Recording Rate     Uncompressed WAV 24 bit 48 kHz  archivalCD (WAV – 44.1/16) and MP3 – edited
Sound Field Stereo

 

Technical Data – Photographs/Images

Full Title of each item Dan Cullen portraits
Place/location where photograph was taken Little Bay
Creator Interviewer
Source Access/Restrictions/Copyright Nil restrictions
Model of Digital Camera Canon Digital SLR EOS 500D
File Format (eg JPEG, TIFF, RAW) JPEG
Pixel dimension 12
No. of Images 1

Documentation

Signed Conditions of Interview Use Form X
Signed release form for photos provided by interviewee X
List of other relevant documentation NA

TIMED INTERVIEW SUMMARY

Time Subjects Proper Names
0:00  Project introduction AGHS –Australian Golf Heritage Society
1:03 Standard Genealogical information. Father was a schoolteacher – paid by exam results. Six sons in the family, 3 died in WW2. Born Bunbury in Western Australia
5:23 Dan does not come from a golfing family.  
5:38 First involvement was in WA at Stuart Hill golf course built in bushland by Mr Hardy and Mr Douglas. Dan used to go with his brother to a fig tree on the course and steal figs. They were caught and as a punishment had to weed some of the golf course – this turned into caddying for Mr Hardy and Mr Douglas at weekends. Dan spent all his free time playing golf. Putting at Stuart Hill Golf Course was against an ordinary house brick until a Welshman named Eric Albert redesigned the course.  
7:08 Dan did not like school and left school the day he turned 14. The next day started work as an apprentice at the Pro Shop at the Yokine golf course – now the Western Australia Golf Club. There for 3 years. For the next 4 years he rode 17 miles each day, 7 days a week to Cottlesloe Course. He earned 1 pound per week. Boss – Eric Albert
9:27 Joined Air Force for WW2 service at 28years at Woolloomooloo, Sydney NSW and found the arithmetic and algebra academically challenging but he persevered with his training and is extremely proud of getting through.  
11:30 Dan was 13 yo and his brother, James was 11yo when they stole figs.  
12:16 Won WA Open Championship in 1937 and 1938 at ages 22 and 23years. Became Nedlands Golf Pro, his first professional job. He followed his girlfriend Edith (still married to Edith) to Sydney in about 1940/1941. Bobby Locke had advised him to go to Sydney to develop his game/enhance his golfing career.  
14:08 During WW2 he played golf on leave at many courses including St Andrews in Scotland. Was an Officer and a Bomber Pilot.  
14:57 After WW2 applied for and got the Pro position at Roseville Golf Course and accepted the position despite not being allowed into the clubhouse. In the first week he played a game with Arthur Shoebridge (Road Commissioner), Gus Grayson and 2 other influential men who overturned the rule that Club Pros could not go into the clubhouse. At Roseville from 1946-1953.  
16:53 Very happy at Roseville. He secured the PGA to get played at Roseville – a coup / was assisted by Arthur Shoebridge. At this stage of his life Dan found that drink was a balm and a help for post war stress. No awareness of post war trauma or support offered to war veterans and he went downhill with drink while at Roseville. Leaving Roseville was mutually agreeable.  
18:46 Went to St Michaels as Golf Pro. Excellent golf Club and probably the best professional job for a Pro in Australia at the time. Was there for 23-24 years. Dan decided to build a golf range alongside the course. Sold the range in 2012 to St Michaels Club – was a good earner.  
19:53 Typical week at St Michaels. Monday – Catholic Clergy day, Tuesday – Ladies Day, Wednesday – ordinary day, ‘marker boys’ – a good crowd, Thursday – Competition Day, Friday – business men, lots of players. Sat and Sun – very busy.  
22:43 Taught on the 1st, 8th or 18th Fairway – risks of being hit so he started the driving range and taught there. Aboriginal boys used to wait in the bush and steal the golf balls so he carried a shotgun with him and fired it into the air to scare them away. Used to teach with the shotgun by his side. Made some handmade equipment and did repairs but manufactured clubs were much better. Used to buy ‘rough heads’ made of American persimmon – a head in a reasonable shape and used a rasp, file, another file then sandpaper to get a good head. Tools used were generic and not specific to golf.  
28:05 Playing career – loved the game, practised consistently. After winning the WA Championship twice he lived in Hurstville, NSW with Edith’s family but could not afford to play for 2 years and had no money to take up an offer to go to America. Very hard to be a Golf Pro and a playing professional. One of the paper boys suggested he play in the British Seniors; he played against Bobby Locke and came third. He went twice. He played in America twice for the Seniors and won money both times. Didn’t really take all the opportunities that were available to him. Went to the Far East Circuit with George Mansfield.  
34:21 Golf Pro in clubs role over the years. In Cottesloe in Perth he was treated very well as a boy but when he had to stay and sleep in the club he was given left over plate scraps reheated by the caterers for his meals. At Nedlands he was part of the ‘deal’. In Sydney, Mr Bourke at St Michaels and Lance McGowan were excellent – no letter writing, decisions were made verbally and promptly – no ‘bull dust’. Excellently run golf club.  
39:04 Changes in conditions for professional golfers – Boards had significant powers.  
32:09 Dan was chairman of the PGA and had a lot of contact with touring professionals – met them all – no disharmony between touring professionals and himself. Of latter years, Dan was aware there was discussion with some overseas players. Head of PGA for 3 years.  
42:50 Changes with clubs – hickory clubs – some broken every Saturday which usually had to be repaired overnight. Hickory could snap if it hit a bush. Drivers didn’t break as much. Less than 17/18 yo when steel shafts introduced. At the start repairers found it hard to fit the shafts, even the boss didn’t know what to do.  
46:40 Balls got better and better gradually. Top balls were Dunlop, Volley and balls from North British Rubber Company. 1934 costs were about 2 shillings; second grade was about 1/6d.  
42:47 Bags got bigger and bigger but in about 1986 players were allowed just 14 clubs. Dan talks about caddie duties when he was an assistant.  
50:10 Golf buggies – first one he ever saw was at Roseville after the war (WW2). Arthur Shoebridge – President of the club was the first he knew to own one. They became very popular.  
51:00 Asked Dan about role of caddies and Dan replied that he doesn’t really know.  
51:50 Golf clothing – as a young golfer Dan played in Plus Fours – ideal garment for golf in his opinion.  
52:56 Golf Course design has changed in that they are becoming more and more difficult with more hazards, more undulating greens – playing the ball out of a bunker is too hard. The game of golf is not as much fun as it was in the past.  
55:14 Consistent grass and better grass today. Couch fairways are best for our climate. Kikuyu not as good.  
56:40 Greenkeepers more knowledgeable now with better fairway mowers.  
57:15 Golf has been influenced by tournament players.  
57:46 Comments on PGA as a professional body and Golf Australia.  
59:00 Dan still teaches about 6 students at 98 years. For the last couple of years it has been getting more and more difficult as he can barely walk. Watches golf on TV. Philosophy on teaching – a golfer needs 3 qualifications: a pair of feet to stand on, a pair of hands to swing the club with and no brains. The golf swing has not changed much at all over the years in Dan’s opinion. Dan believes golf training has become too complicated. He taught everyday people. Bob Stanton was his most outstanding pupil (BS beat Arnold Palmer when he was about 18yo). Teaching gave Dan great satisfaction.  
1:05:03 Golf is spoken of as a funny game because it is unpredictable. Referred to Tiger Woods and his hard work and practice.  
1:07:05 Son and daughter both excellent competition standard players.  
1:07:53 Speaks of his 5 brothers – all outstanding sportsmen.  

Oral History

Tom Moore Interview

Project Name: Australian Golf Heritage Society Oral History Project
For further information and a project brief,
please contact: Curator/Collection Manager
Australian Golf Heritage Society: 9637 4720
museum@australiangolfheritage.org.au
Interview Length 01:07:15 – edited
01:19:45 – archival
Interview Number No.1 of series
Timed log X
Name of interviewee Tom Moore
Date of Birth 7/1/1931
Date of Interview 15/3/2013
Place of Interview Interviewee’s home/North Rocks NSW Australia

Technical Data – Sound Files

Brand and Model of Digital Recorder Zoom H4N
Brand and type of microphones used
(with split cable adapter) 		Sony Condenser
Sound Storage Medium used – USB, CD – client History Herstory has back-up copies
Location of Back-up Home – various and Dropbox
Digital Recording Rate     Uncompressed WAV 24 bit 48 kHz  archival
CD (WAV – 44.1/16) and MP3 – edited
Sound Field Stereo

Technical Data – Photographs/Images

Full Title of each item Tom Moore portraits
Place/location where photograph was taken North Rocks
Creator Interviewer
Source Access/Restrictions/Copyright Nil restrictions
Model of Digital Camera Canon Digital SLR EOS 500D
File Format (eg JPEG, TIFF, RAW) JPEG
Pixel dimension 12
No. of Images  

Documentation

Signed Conditions of Interview Use Form X
Signed release form for photos provided by interviewee X
List of other relevant documentation NA

TIMED INTERVIEW SUMMARY

Time Subjects Proper Names
0:00 -1:00  Project introduction AGHS –Australian Golf Heritage Society
1:03 Standard Genealogical information  
3:55 – 6:29 Tom Moore’s summary of his life in golf – as a Golf Professional and as a player.  
6:30 – Life as a 12 year old caddie in 1943+, golfers he caddied for were leaders in the community, very respectful men, golf balls in WW2, great spirit showed by the players. Rules of golf very fairly applied and this taught him life-long values. Jimmy Banks – creator of Ginger Meggs’ cartoonDan Dwyer – second in charge to General Blamey and the Head of the Johnson and Johnson pharmaceutical company.
8:45 Tom’s training as an accountant at Business College after leaving High School and early work in Accountancy at The Australian Glass Manufacturers factory at Waterloo, started at 15 years. Left in 1950 at 19yo.  
9:50 Professional golf career began as an amateur at Asquith Golf Club started at 16 in 1947. Difference between amateurs and professionals / Golf professionals ‘glorified caddies’. Caddies were called by their surname. The amateur was ‘king’. No touring professionals. Amateur games written up by the newspapers /professionals had little publicity. 1930s Norman Von Nida – changes occurred for professionals because of him and because of Exhibition matches of overseas professionals.  
12:50 Muirfield Golf Club appointment as golf professional. When Tom started the club was bankrupt. Golf at the time was a ‘winter’ game. Golf started in the first week in March each year and stopped last week of November. Golf became a year round sport because of the advent of television in 1956.  
14:33 Exhibition Matches USA and British players – not fabulous pay / ‘collection of the crowd’ for the exhibition players. 1954 when Peter Thomson won the British Open, Australian touring professionals had more opportunities to make a living from the game. Peter Thomson
15:59 The role of a golf club professional in 1950s and 1960s – received a small stipend, free rent on golf shop. Teaching, Committee influence, shop open 7 days. Christmas Day only day closed.  
18:02 Learning the art of making golf clubs and golf club assembly. Use of persimmon wood. Danger of persimmon wood running out. Laminating, plastic woods, aluminium alloys, titanium. No Australian woods suitable. Stopped working with persimmon in the 1970s. At Muirfield Golf Club for 23 and a half years, left at age 46 years.  
20:47 Events played in Australia and overseas. Not possible to be a player and a golf touring professional.  
21:28 American influences. USA active in promoting tournament golf/USA tax breaks/ use of charities to raise money for golf.  
22:12 Moved to Auburn Golf Club – much better work and salary conditions for golf professionals. Role of golf professional much the same in the 70s and 80s. Professional business attitudes in the running of the club. Review of reasons for leaving Muirfield. Equipment now mainly made in factories.  
25:46 Very few golf professionals like Tom had careers other than golf based like Tom’s accountancy qualifications because he had a gap between leaving school and starting work as a Golf Professional. Tom’s training in Accountancy helped him in his work. Golf professionals who were not passionate did not keep their jobs. Some golf professionals could not play golf well but they were in the minority and clubs got rid of them.  
28:44 Caddie work in the clubs finished after the war.  
29:37 Photographic science changed training approaches. Golf balls improved.  
30:26 Instruction manuals, books, magazines – Tom had to read them all. Cigarette cards very popular in the 1930s. Tom did not use film to analyse his trainees.  
32:09 Golf gizmos and gadgets – Tom a traditional trainer. The sort of people he trained. He trained touring professionals such as Jack Newton. Betty Cuthbert, Jack Newton.
34:00 In the 1970s – setting up golf contracts / minimum standards of pay – new initiative. Setting up of a Provident Fund.  
35:56 Interaction between touring and club professionals. Two separate camps – Club Professionals qualifying School. Tournament professionals. Touring professionals ‘looked down’ on Club Professionals even though club professionals were often excellent players. Now can be a member of both ‘camps’.  
38:05 Hickory shafts/Steel shafts/ USA influences on changeover from hickory to steel. UK followed suit. Buying set of golf clubs. (1930s). There were some matched sets of hickory golf clubs.  
41:28 Golf balls – advances. Wound golf balls. Best golf balls still made in similar fashion to the balls used when Tom started as a 12yo. The start of re-covering golf balls so they could be reused – very profitable, started during WW2. Costs of balls. In 1970 a superior quality golf ball cost $1. Rubber for golf balls in the WW2 war years. Players always aim, then and now, for the best quality they can afford for all golf equipment. Balata
45:21 Graphite shafts / lightweight steel – manufacturers now make almost all clubs, no longer a role for Club Professionals. Names, numbers of golf clubs.  
47:30 Golf bags / Golf Buggies – changes over the years up to the 1970s – significant changes. Advent of wheeled buggies for bags.  
48:47 Tees pre-war/ up to 1939 – made out of sand with an egg-cup shaped container filled from sand buckets. Caddies built the sand tees and knew the type of tee the golfer they caddied for wanted – no such thing as the tee used today – this came in in the 1930s.  
50:19 Roll of caddies – Jack Nicklaus established the role of the modern day caddie. Golfers now use range finders. Modern day caddie is a good asset to a touring professional – caddies have excellent work conditions including very high rates of pay. Caddie knows a lot about golf but not necessarily a good player. Jack Nicklaus
52:08 Original golf clothing – Plus Fours / reasons for Plus Fours. Golf clothing today, men and women.  
53:17 Females in golf – up until WW2 females were tolerated but had different conditions imposed upon them in golf clubs.  
54:19 Golf course design – golf ‘along the ground’/ Arial golf. Modern golf is different because of golf course design especially with the introduction of water features.  
55:25 Grass – early courses tried to copy Scotland – didn’t work in Australia because of climate apart from the golf courses in Melbourne which has an excellent climate for golf grass and has the best courses in Australia.  
56:25 Green keepers then and now. Were glorified labourers in the past.  
57:13 Major influences on Australian golf – UK or USA. American influences predominant on Australian golfing despite our historical links to Scotland. USA has the population to produce the champions.  
58:08 PGA – then and now.  
59:18 PGA as compared to Golf Australia. Was a lot of disharmony in the past, now a lot more cooperation.  
1:00:28 Golf since retiring – very active in all aspects.  
1:01:27 Attendance at tournaments – promoting the work of the AGHS and the history of golf.  
1:02:08 Why is golf a funny game? Funny peculiar not funny ha ha.  
1:02:40 Tom’s definition of a fine golfer – personality and overall attitude. Some golfers are not nice people. Mention of Norman Von Nida – very nice man  
  Tom’s favourite golfers – Norman Von Nida and Kel Nagle  
1:05:03 Additional comments / lovely life in golf/ wonderful wife/ Boy Scout/ bush walking/ politics. Tom’s children/ grandchildren – all can play golf but they choose not to play golf – Tom never pushed golf onto his children or grandchildren as he witnessed the damage pushy parents can do.