Francis Ouimet Collection

No single person has had a greater impact on the game of golf in America than Francis Ouimet. Though gaining in popularity, golf was still a fringe sport until a 20 year old Francis Ouimet shocked the world by winning the 1913 US Open. It was front page news throughout the country. Ten years after Ouimet’s surprise victory, the number of golfers in the United States had tripled, and hundreds of new courses had been built. 

All it took was a largely unknown caddie from Brookline, Massachusetts defeating the greatest golfers in the world. 

Ouimet’s collection of golf medals, trophies, and memorabilia was acquired by the Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund after Ouimet’s death in 1967. The collection has remained in the Ouimet Fund’s possession ever since – some relics displayed, but many others simply sitting in storage for decades. Collectors often point to the dearth of quality Ouimet memorabilia in the collecting market. Well, that’s about to change...

Now, approximately 50 years after it first took possession, the Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund has chosen to auction a few select pieces of memorabilia from its vast collection. Francis Ouimet himself often said “…of all the things I have accomplished, I am proudest of the establishment of the Ouimet Scholarship Fund.” Money raised by this sale will go towards the Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund’s primary objective - providing scholarships so that deserving young men and women who have worked at golf courses can obtain a college education.

Since the Ouimet Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, a portion of each winning bid may be eligible for a tax write-off. So bid often and let’s raise money for the largest independent scholarship fund in New England.

Francis Ouimet’s Personal Golf Ball

When we visited the Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund, we were delighted to dig through the contents of Ouimet’s personal shag bag. Included with the heavily used balls from numerous manufacturers was this gem - a Spalding Dot golf ball adorned with the name “Francis Ouimet.” We just had to have it for the auction.

Offered here is a personal golf ball of Francis Ouimet straight from Ouimet’s own shag bag - the contents of which had been largely undisturbed over the past several decades. 

Letter of Provenance from the Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund