We love all things golf:
Playing, Collecting, Preserving history
We are a family and you are invited.
For over 50 years our members have relished the thrill of the hunt, be it discovering and documenting an obscure bit of golf lore, tracking down an ancient artifact, obtaining a favorite player’s signature, or displaying our admission ticket to the Masters. There is joy and pride in “Holding History in Our Hands.”
Our members include collectors, authors, course architects and superintendents, and anyone interested in the game and its history. Seasoned collectors and writers network with other members, share their knowledge and frequently surface as recognized experts in their field. With the help of mentors and Society resources, finding your personal niche amongst untold options can be part of a wonderful journey. Fellow travelers within the GHS will appreciate your discoveries and encourage your pursuits.
Members Attend Regional Events
The GHS is divided into 10 Geographic regions (including International) each led by a director who serves on the board. Those frequent events are opportunities for local get-togethers in addition to the Nationals.
Recent visits to world renowned sites not otherwise accessible to the public include:
• Luncheon and a full tour of the Merion GC Clubhouse and Archives (left)- Next Visit 3-23-24
*18 holes of golf and reception at Arnold Palmer’s own Latrobe Country Club (right)
• Other recurring venues include Oakmont CC, Columbia CC, and Belleview CC
NEWS ALERTS
- The spring 2024 edition of The Golf has been posted to the Members Only section and is in the mail to members.
- Deadline for articles and news for the summer edition of The Golf is May 6.
foursomes are a part of masters history
This Masters feature comes from historian John Fischer III who looks at the start of the Masters including a foursomes match for all Masters invitees on the Wednesday before the start of the tournament proper. There’s also a bit on gambling at the Masters involving Cliff Roberts and Dwight Eisenhower.
Click here to see the story.
ghs classics from the Archives
The GHS quarterly journal, The Golf, and its long-lived predecessor, The Bulletin, had features that were – are – just plain fun to read. Below we are pleased to offer a “classic” from the past, a look at the collection of one of the Society’s long-time members.
the golf collection of tom Reinhardt
From the March 2015 edition of The Bulletin we share a feature on the collection of Tom Steinhardt, a Baltimore resident who is a long-time member of the GHS. Steinhardt has assembled a remarkable collection of memorabilia, photos, autographs, and letters from such golfers as Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones, John McDermott, and Babe Zaharias. He finds the history fascinating, brought to life by these personal glimpses into the legendary golfers. This feature gives us a little peek at Tom’s amazing collection. As we share these collection profiles, keep in mind that golf collecting is a fluid hobby and that collections change over the years as items are bought, sold and change hands. The collection you see here is a snapshot in time from March 2015.
Click here to read the article.
News / Features
June 14, 2023
By John Fischer III I am a collector of postcards (known as “deltiology”) with a golf theme. I’m usually looking for courses with some sort of history — early courses, courses which have hosted major events, ones in my hometown of Cincinnati, or ones which are interesting or pretty — and while postcards were very popular from the turn of […]
June 5, 2023
“I’m Sorry Sir, But Who Are You?” How a misinformed hotel concierge nearly barred Donald Ross from Los Angeles’ finest courses By David Moore For the first time in 75 years, golf’s biggest stage returns to the Hollywood lights with this year’s U.S. Open being hosted for the first time by Los Angeles Country Club. In just a few days […]
May 9, 2023
By David Moore In the coming days, the elite professional golfers will be descending upon Pittsford, N.Y. to compete in the 105th PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club, May 18-21, 2023. The historic Oak Hill was once called, “the best, fairest, and toughest championship golf course” by four-time major champion Ernie Els, and it looks to stay true to […]
April 11, 2023
Used golf stuff usually gathers dust in odd, shadowy corners of flea markets and antique stores. Some items, however, attain legendary status and fetch big collectible prices when their former users bear VIP golfing names such as Nicklaus, Palmer, Hogan, or Jones and so many others. None of them, at least at the moment, can boast ozone-layer collectible prices than […]
April 4, 2023
By John Fischer III Anyone who follows the Masters golf tournament has probably heard of the Champions Dinner held on Tuesday evening of the tournament week. The idea came from Ben Hogan in 1952 who sought permission to hold a dinner for all prior winners of the Masters. The group would constitute The Masters Club. Augusta National Golf Club Chairman, […]