Hudson motorcars, golf and the Maroubra Speedway

This dramatic photograph of a 1928 Hudson Super Six sedan (Fig. 1) on the steep banked concrete track at the Maroubra Speedway (Marboubra NSW) is copied from the 5 April 1928 (p.25) edition of Golf Australia.

While working on a research project on landscape design and golf courses published in the book Leisure Space. The Transformation of Sydney 1945-1970. (UNSW Press, 2014), the literature review began with a survey of golfing publications and the lively Golf in Australia (1923-1971) published by the NSW Golf Council featured prominently in the project.

Golf in Australia’s editorial policy included a well-honed sense of humour on golfing matters and against expectations, consistent and respectful coverage of women’s’ golf (including observations on sport fashions) and generous advertising from motoring interests (car hire, lubricants, motorcar sales). The handmaiden of print advertising is “advertorial” and this explains why the Dalgety and Co. Ltd.’s 75 mph 1928 Hudson Super Six features so prominently. The editorial accompanying the photograph states without embarrassment, “There is no doubt that the new Hudson is a wonderful performer, but it is now also in the economy car class.”

Golf’s associations with motoring are persistent and feature in the booklet accompanying the launch of the 1948 GM-Holden (and later the 1958 GM-Holden promotion as well Fig. 2). Perhaps golfing was once understood as an aspirational goal for potential motorcar purchasers?

Michael Bogle is a design historian with a working interest in the development of Australian modernism in architecture and design.

Figure 1. The published caption reads, “The photograph from which this illustration was reproduced was taken at the Maroubra Speedway, Sydney. It shows a Hudson Sedan car travelling on the track at a speed of 75 miles per hour. This is a very fine performance considering that the closed car is not intended for high speeds.”

Figure 2. Golfing and motoring. “Australia’s Own Car.” GM-Holden booklet, 1958, detail, unpaginated.