C.O.C.A. Times

In 1938, The Superior Confection Company produced the Superior Golf Ball Vendor in Co-
lumbus, Ohio. Machines produced by Superior usually feature art deco style and vibrant colors as
attention getters. This one literally explodes! The Superior Golf Ball Vendor was built exclusively
for country clubs. It operates on a quarter and was designed to pay out in combinations ranging
from one to four golf balls. It was marketed with the promise of increasing golf ball sales 400-
500%. It also has a futurity feature insuring a win every l 0th play. In addition a silver award could
also be won and redeemed for 10 golf balls or $7.50 in cash or merchandise. Today, only a hand
full of these magnificent Superiors are known to exist.
Mills Novelty Company of Chicago, by far the largest manufacturer
of coin-operated machines, produced their Extraordinary Floor Model
Golf Ball Vender in 1938. This tall wood console 3-wheel slot machine
had a capacity for 114 golf balls. It originally held up to 150 golf balls but
after jamming, the capacity was quickly reduced to a manageable 114.
The machine, only less than fifty of which are known today, was built
with a beautiful walnut cabinet and a large display window to showcase
the golf balls. The premium golf balls on display were for show only. The
real golf balls that the players received came from hidden tubes inside
the machine and were usually of a lower quality. It was produced in both
dime and quarter play with awards of up to twenty golf balls.
The Jennings Golfa-Rola Gambler's Top has the largest golf ball dis-
play of any golf ball machine. This machine was based on the original
Jennings Ciga-Rola, a large console that was reated as a slot machine that
paid off in packs of cigarettes. Jennings converted the cigarette payout to
golf balls in response to the great success of the Mills Extraordinary Golf
Ball Vender. Only two Gamblers Tops are know to exist today.
Golf ball slot machines began to really push the creative envelope in
the 1940's. A perfect example is the 1940 Golfa-Rola Model 35 made
by O.D. Jennings & Company. The Golfa-Rola offers duel action play.
A player may deposit l O cents to spin the reels and have a chance to
win from one to ten balls, or may deposit 35 cents and make an outright
purchase of one golf ball. In either case, the player selects the brand of
the ball preferred. Another noteworthy feature of the Golfa-Rola Model
35 is that players are actually able to see the quality of the ball that will
be received. This unique trait was considered a critical sales building
feature when compared to the Mills machines. Although reproductions
are rumored to exist only three originals are known.
Golf ball slot machines were a commonly found and highly appreciated item in golf shops in
the l 930's and l 940's, with a few still making money even into the l 970's. Now they are consid-
ered highly collectable pieces of history. The Second World War, the rising price of golf balls and
public pressure to reduce gambling led to their demise. Today, the only place to see an example
of all eight machines all I none place is the home of Ed and Paulette Rymer.
Special thanks to Brooke Rymer and Bill Petrochuk who helped write and edit this article and to the late Richard Bue-
schel for his years of research and writings that were an invaluable resource of the history of these fine machines. Also,
Thank You to Don Creekmore, Larry Debaugh, Johnny Duckworth, Jeff Frahm and Alan Sax for all of their assistance.
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