The Golf Heritage Society

02/06/2026

02/03/2026

Golf Heritage Society members are personally invited to a day at Merion GC to view the clubhouse, historical archives, visualize Hogan's famed shot from the marker in the 18th fairway, with a wonderful luncheon and camaraderie on March 28, 2026. See the events page for details at golfheritage.org

11/26/2025

This rare painted smooth gutta percha golf ball was purchased at the recent GHS Convention Trade Show in Nashville. The image shows the ball overlying one of the definitive books on collecting golf balls whose cover image includes this very ball. Gutta percha golf balls began to replace the feather filled type of golf ball c.1848. Because of lack of lift, the smooth gutta percha balls were very short lived and were soon created with surface markings.

11/26/2025

During the recent Golf Heritage Society Convention Trade Show in Nashville, all participants were able to pose with the British Open trophy presented to Todd Hamilton, winner of the 2004 Open at Troon besting Ernie Els in a playoff. So much to see, buy or sell for we golf historians and collectors.

07/15/2025

A snippet from THE GHS NEWSWIRE:
When Young Tom Morris won his fourth Open Championship in 1872, he was the first to receive a gold medal for his efforts. The Claret Jug trophy was not yet ready. From that year until 1891, the medals were large ovals with a shield and crossed clubs design. An example is the 1874 medal shown at left, won by Mungo Park at Musselburgh Links.

In 1892, when the Open was first played at Muirfield, the medal presented to winner Harold Hilton was a one-off (center). It was created in the same form as the Honorable Company's club championship medal.

The modern circular medal was introduced in 1893. The example shown at right was won by Bobby Locke in 1949 at Royal St George's, the first of his four Open victories. As a side note, the '49 Open came to be known as the "Broken Bottle Open." That story on our website via search function. Enjoy.

03/30/2025

First Family Membership for the GHS! ?
Jon, Carolyn and young Emma ALL have expressed their interest after visiting historic Merion Golf Club as guests of Archivist and Curator, John Capers lll. It was a wonderful lunch visit and a great opportunity to learn some golf history.
Thank you Mr Capers!

03/30/2025

Another wonderful opportunity to visit the famous Merion Golf Club, hosted by the incomparable John Capers. GHS’s # 3
On a perfect day we enjoyed John’s overview of Merion and a discussion about Ben Hogans famous approach shot to the 18th at the US Open.

06/14/2024

GHS members are offering a rare chance to play on private US Open Venue greens. Choose your dream course, be it Oakmont, Cherry Hills, Secession, Scioto, Brae Burn, Columbia, or Canterbury. Visit Memberforaday.com and bid by June 16th. Proceeds will help the GHS mission. Share this post with a friend with a Bucket List. Thank you.

06/13/2024

NOTHING like playing a world famous course!⭐️
Don’t miss out on this opportunity!🙏🏻

SUPPORT THE GOLF HERITAGE SOCIETY!

YOUR CHANCE TO PLAY 23 US OPEN SITES & MANY OTHER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS, RYDER CUPS AND 8 FUTURE US OPENS.

This is a great reason to join Golf Heritage Society to be involved with these types of activities, learning & sharing golf history and being a part of keeping our
Golf Heritage alive in America.

Go HERE for Auction 1 week only right now!!! US OPEN WEEK!

https://www.memberforaday.com/

Join GHS (Golf Heritage Society) @ https://www.golfheritage.org/membership-join/

Oakmont CC (9 US Opens/20 Total National Championships & 4 coming US Opens)
Colorado GC & Cherry Hills (3 US Opens)
Secession GC (US Open Qualifier Venue)
Canterbury GC – (2 US Opens & 1 PGA Championship & 4 other Championships)
Scioto CC – (US Open, Ryder Cup, PGA & US Amateur + 2 Senior US Opens)
Brae Burn CC and Worcester CC – (Both US Open Sites & Multiple Championships)
Columbia CC – (US Open Site and multiple other Championships)
Dormie Network Membership - $10,001 Great price with proceeds to GHS

Stand Alone Auction to Benefit Golf Heritage Society
Merion GC – (5 US Opens & 19 National Championships & 3 coming US Opens – 30, 40, 50)

Join the GHS GHS membership benefits in all categories include: Invitations to our many regional events and the annual National Convention Access to the celebrated quarterly magazine The Golf Online access to archives of 50 years of past issues of The Bulletin. Copies of the annual GHS Membership Di...

01/23/2024

The GHS will participate at the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) Conference and Trade Show Jan 29 -Feb1, always endeavoring to expand the game at every level. GHS board members Taba Dale, Glenn Haueisen, and Dr. Bern Bernacki along with Priscilla and Robert Curtis will promote golf and the GHS firsthand there in Phoenix, AZ.