Exhibitions and Artifacts

The USGA Museum showcases the nation’s largest and most significant collection of golf artifacts and documents. The interactive multi-media exhibits tell the story of the game’s development in the United States, highlighting the greatest moments in the game's history, with a particular focus on USGA champions and championships.

The truly unique collections of the USGA Museum are showcased in the new Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History, which opened its doors on June 3, 2008. Here, more than 2,000 artifacts are displayed, many for the first time in the Museum’s history.

The Spirit of Championship Golf

A six-minute introductory film—The Spirit of Championship Golf—brings visitors into the world of USGA championships, exploring the physical, mental, and emotional skills required to excel at the game’s highest level. The program comprises interviews with USGA National Champions, including some of the game’s most popular players-such as Hale Irwin, Peter Jacobsen, Nancy Lopez, Arnold Palmer, and Annika Sorenstam, to name just a few.

The Hall of Champions

The Hall of Champions, the signature architectural space in the Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History, celebrates every USGA champion and championship to date. The oval rotunda, illuminated by a clerestory, houses all 13 USGA national championship trophies, while the names of every USGA champion are inscribed on bronze panels that encircle the room.

The Permanent Galleries

The Permanent Galleries in the USGA Museum tell the story of golf in America, from the late 19th century to the present. Each gallery focuses on an iconic moment—champions and events in the game’s history that are pivotal for understanding the growth, evolution, and significance of the game in our nation’s history. These moments include:

  • Francis Ouimet’s historic victory in the 1913 U.S. Open
  • Bob Jones’ Grand Slam achievement in 1930
  • The Great Depression and its impact on democratizing the game
  • The heroic comebacks of Ben Hogan at the 1950 U.S. Open and Babe Didrikson Zaharias at the 1954 U.S. Women’s Open
  • The rivalry between Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus in the 1960 and 1962 U.S. Opens
  • Tiger Woods’s victory at the 2000 U.S. Open and the emergence of a global game

Also displayed throughout the galleries is the USGA Museum’s extensive collection of artifacts, like Bob Jones’ famous putter "Calamity Jane II," and Ben Hogan's 1-iron from the 1950 U.S. Open, as well as items from Annika Sorenstam, Payne Stewart, Tiger Woods, and many other stars of today’s game.

The John Russell Pope House

The original John Russell Pope House, completed in 1919 and home to the USGA Museum since 1972, has recently been renovated. The Pope House is now home to the Arnold Palmer Room, Bob Jones Room, and Ben Hogan Room—special galleries that document the remarkable accomplishments of these three legendary golfers, both on and off the course.


The first exhibit that visitors encounter in the Arnold Palmer Room is a remarkable portrait comprised of 22,000 words. A touch-screen interactive helps visitors explore this amazing image.


The Hall of Champions is home to the USGA’s 13 original championship trophies. The names of every USGA champion since 1895 are inscribed on bronze panels that line the walls.


The Ben Hogan Room at the USGA Museum displays many treasures from the career of the four-time U.S. Open champion.