Life — March 25, 1926 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Mental Hazards—The High Cost of Golf Balls" This Life magazine cartoon satirizes the anxiety and financial burden of golf in the early 20th century. A golfer mid-swing displays exaggerated tension, eyes bulging with stress. A caddy watches nervously from the sideline. The "$100" prominently displayed suggests the monetary stakes—likely representing either lost balls, wagers, or the overall expense of playing golf at that time. The satire targets golf's psychological toll on players, particularly regarding the expense of losing expensive balls during play. The cartoon implies that golfers suffer real mental distress over money lost through errant shots. This mocks both the sport's costs and players' overwrought emotional responses to those costs, reflecting period anxieties about wealth and leisure spending.