Chester Pollard Play Golf

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ddstoys
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Chester Pollard Play Golf

Post by ddstoys »

Well gents it’s been a while since I added anything new to the collection... well worthy enough to post, but this morning this happened.

A collector in Sydney spotted it 15 minutes away from my house and sent me the link. It’s always been a grail machine but never seen one for sale. Sent the lady a message and she said it’s mine, but wasn’t able to collect till the next morning.

Sleepless night I can tell you. Common practice over here lately, people will swoop in and offer more money etc. and I end up losing the sale, but this lady was an absolute gem. Kept her word and she was so happy she did. She could see the excitement in my face plus I was practically dry humping the machine.

Small world, as it turned out this machine was owned by the local operator who I’d wag school and follow his tech around learning how to fix pinballs.

I’m a very happy man indeed. Sadly the wife doesn’t share my excitement - keeps sooking about spending our spending money for our holiday next week on a machine while I’m unemployed. Something like that, I wasn’t really listening. 😂😂😂
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bryans fan
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Re: Chester pollard Play golf

Post by bryans fan »

Well done you! You must be over the moon, it's a once in a lifetime, great find.
Definitely the right thing to spend your money on! !!YIPPEE!!
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ddstoys
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Re: Chester pollard Play golf

Post by ddstoys »

Sure, am seriously driving there to pick it up. I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. My chest was pounding and my head was thinking, 'is this actually happening'?
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gameswat
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Re: Chester pollard Play golf

Post by gameswat »

Looks great Dan. Very clean, so I assume formerly restored? I was offered one years ago in Qld but it had been butchered with the later pinball playfield revamp done in the US once pins had taken off in the mid '30s. The golfer no longer turns, just shoots the ball. It had a poker theme to it and the idea was to make good hands for gambling purposes. Passed on that one as too expensive for a project with no way to restore without a lot of trouble. Similar to this one restored by John Papa.
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ddstoys
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Re: Chester pollard Play golf

Post by ddstoys »

Yeah mate, previously restored I'm told. I couldn’t get many details. The seller was a little emotional and wouldn’t answer questions, which is sad, because I knew her dad 20 years ago and was really excited to have a chat.

The few details I got from her before she walked away was it was originally operated in Geelong and was in the father's house since then. Still has the original 3d three pence instruction card, so my guess, it was removed from use before 1966.
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ddstoys
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Re: Chester pollard Play golf

Post by ddstoys »

And I just confirmed it’s never been modified to suit 5c coins. Only takes 3d.
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bryans fan
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Re: Chester pollard Play golf

Post by bryans fan »

Just for comparison, here is another one. I saved the pictures from an Auction catalogue, (possibly Morphys?)

How could anyone replace the game with a pin table playfield? I know which one I prefer.
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ddstoys
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Re: Chester pollard Play golf

Post by ddstoys »

Thanks. They are some great pics. I’m stealing them for references for sure.
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gameswat
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Re: Chester Pollard Play Golf

Post by gameswat »

Hey Dan, was searching old emails but hadn't even bothered saving pics of the Golf/bagatelle conversion I was offered in Qld. But amazingly did find an email that reminded me I was also offered another re-vamped example on a US trip in 2007! John Papa goes on about his restored example as being this super rarity and considered part of the Chester Pollard series - I say they're crap! '!' All that real estate taken up with a boring as hell super basic bagatelle game. He dates the conversions at 1935 which makes it even worse as by that time there were some very imaginative and exciting pinballs being made that were far from being called bagatelles anymore.
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ddstoys
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Re: Chester Pollard Play Golf

Post by ddstoys »

Yeah disgusting conversion that pinball one. I've also seen them with extra lose holes drilled into the playfield so you lose faster.

Thankfully, none of that going on with mine.
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arrgee
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Re: Chester Pollard Play Golf

Post by arrgee »

Never played on this game. Are most of those holes losing holes?
pennymachines
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Re: Chester Pollard Play Golf

Post by pennymachines »

The altered example ddstoys posted has extra lose holes drilled into the greens, but normally (as I understand it) the only 'lose' holes are in the brook.







Clearly the idea is to complete the three holes using the three balls with the minimum strokes (6 strokes = par).
The ''hotel model' in the video above actually keeps count of your strokes on a dial.
Balls successfully holed are not returned, so it's impossible to complete the course if you lose one.
Obviously you're supposed to complete holes 1-3 in order.
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ddstoys
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Re: Chester Pollard Play Golf

Post by ddstoys »

Some great videos Pennymachines. Interesting that he only thinks there were 50-60 Play Golfs made.

And yes, looking at my playfield, the only holes in the table are the 3 main holes and the few holes in the brook. I’ll try get some photos of the internals next rime it’s open.
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arrgee
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Re: Chester Pollard Play Golf

Post by arrgee »

Thanks Mr PM, very interesting videos.
ddstoys wrote:Interesting that he only thinks there were 50-60 Play Golfs made
Also interesting that there were a couple of 'knock-off' copies of the game and that Chester Pollard lost their case when they sued Hoot-Mon Golf for an almost exact copy !
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gameswat
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Re: Chester Pollard Play Golf

Post by gameswat »

50 to 60 seems very low. It is a rare game compared to the Play Football, but I've seen 8 to 10 in person on my travels and know of at least 4 that were in Aust. Bob Klepner traded a burnt one to New Zealand and later sold his beautiful example to the US. That would mean a huge survival percentage compared to pretty much every other machine in existence! Richard Beuschel had been keeping serial number data for decades and 30 years ago came up with a survival figure of between 1% to 3% for vintage coin-ops, which I've always felt to be pretty much spot on.
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ddstoys
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Re: Chester Pollard Play Golf

Post by ddstoys »

Bob knew about this one I remember him telling me about it and saying he tried to buy it but it was never for sale. Well I’m assuming it’s this one as I couldn’t imagine there being two in My area
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Re: Chester Pollard Play Golf

Post by ddstoys »

I currently know of 3 in oz. ones at mine ones at the penny arcade in Echuca and ones in QLD
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