Miniature Golf Aid to Lumber

The creation of miniature golf courses bids fair to utilize the three-quarters of a million or million dollars worth of lumber now being required for incidental framing of greens and fairways on these recreation centers. The N, L. M. A. Trade Extension Department believes the lumber industry will push this opportunity into the millions with a drive to permanently house-in these courses and make them useable the year round.

In order to put local retailers in a position to realize this opportunity and to take advantage of it a new bulletin in the N. L. M. A. Trade Extension "Lumber Facts" series will give dealers all the information necessary to make a drive for such business. The Pony Golf Course issue will tellof the present use of lumber in the laying out of the courses and will suggest many ways in which this lumber bill can be increased. It will suggest amusement enterprises that can be combined with the golf play and housed under one roof for profitable 12-month operation. It will tell of various patented lumber roof construction types, such as the Lamella, the Notrus, the Dome and other trussless types that leave lgng, wide, unobstructed floor areas and that can be so built as to permit open side walls during parts of the year as well as extensive ventilation and extensive lighting areas the year round.

It is estimated that this season there have been built 15,000 of these miniature golf courses and this number is increasing daily. It is believed that at least several thou- sand of these new recreation centers will see their way clear toward developing themselves into community center amusement resorts.

According to recent advice from L. S. Turnbull, assistant sales manager of The McCloud River Lumber Co., miniature golfing has taken Southern California by storm. Hundreds of these small courses have been built in Southern California.

Additional investments for housing-in the miniature courses will probably average about six to eight thousand dollars per center, and will involve extensive use of lumber. The N. L. M. A. Trade Extension Department is actively behind the program to develop the sale of lumber beyond the present estimated needs of $1,000,000 worth of wood construction to $50,000,000 worth, and even more. if lumbermen cooDerate,

Although-every course owner will not be a prospect for a permanent, housed-in athletic center, probably at least several thousand of these new recreation centers will see their rvay clear toward developing themselves into community center amusement resorts. Skating rinks, Little Theatres, comfort stations, markets, oil-fi1ling stations, information bureaus, indoor tennis courts, basket ball fields, bowling centers, and numerous other uses can be put to the space, comfortably housed for these miniature golf courses if and when a change in recreation is desired, or the location can be utilized for a different type of civic need.