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Lot Essay
Important pass issued for the final round of medal play at Augusta National during the first Master’s Tournament in history. It is estimated that approximately a dozen or fewer badges issued for this historically significant contest have survived and a strong argument can be made that the offered example, having been signed by the winner, is the most desirable of them all.
This one-day 1934 Augusta National Invitation Tournament badge from Sunday, March 25, 1934 has remained within the family of the original recipient since the actual day of the tournament almost ninety years ago. Over the past 89 years, it has rarely if ever been seen in public, and when so, only by a handful of people.
A husband and wife team, life-long Augusta residents known as community and civic leaders, were present at that first tournament, and on that particular final round Sunday as Horton Smith won the tournament and walked off the 18th green as champion with the low round 284 (70-72-70-72). Smith was approached by the lovely lady serendipitously at the famed Live Oak Tree on the 18th green side of the clubhouse. The woman asked Smith to sign the prominent blue badge under the grand oak branches also known as the epicenter of the golf world, which he did. The family attended The Masters for over fifty consecutive years.
The badge has been signed on the front, “Horton Smith” in pencil rating a notably high condition grade at 9 out of 10. Badge itself displays some light/mild wear including a few surface creases and has been graded by PSA (Good 2). Smith was one of the leading players in the early years of the PGA Tour which was founded in 1934. In total, he accumulated (30) Tour titles with both of his Major Championships accounted for in Master’s wins (he would again claim the title in 1936). August National Golf Club was the brainchild of Bobby Jones who worked with famed green architect Alister MacKenzie to design its’ legendary features. Upon coming across the piece of land which they would transform, Jones is said to have remarked, “Perfect! And to think this ground has been lying here all these years waiting for someone to come along and lay a golf course upon it." It is one of the most storied and important courses in the history of the sport and has hosted many of the most memorable players and matches of all-time. Encapsulated by PSA/DNA (Autograph 9 MINT, Badge 2 GOOD)
This one-day 1934 Augusta National Invitation Tournament badge from Sunday, March 25, 1934 has remained within the family of the original recipient since the actual day of the tournament almost ninety years ago. Over the past 89 years, it has rarely if ever been seen in public, and when so, only by a handful of people.
A husband and wife team, life-long Augusta residents known as community and civic leaders, were present at that first tournament, and on that particular final round Sunday as Horton Smith won the tournament and walked off the 18th green as champion with the low round 284 (70-72-70-72). Smith was approached by the lovely lady serendipitously at the famed Live Oak Tree on the 18th green side of the clubhouse. The woman asked Smith to sign the prominent blue badge under the grand oak branches also known as the epicenter of the golf world, which he did. The family attended The Masters for over fifty consecutive years.
The badge has been signed on the front, “Horton Smith” in pencil rating a notably high condition grade at 9 out of 10. Badge itself displays some light/mild wear including a few surface creases and has been graded by PSA (Good 2). Smith was one of the leading players in the early years of the PGA Tour which was founded in 1934. In total, he accumulated (30) Tour titles with both of his Major Championships accounted for in Master’s wins (he would again claim the title in 1936). August National Golf Club was the brainchild of Bobby Jones who worked with famed green architect Alister MacKenzie to design its’ legendary features. Upon coming across the piece of land which they would transform, Jones is said to have remarked, “Perfect! And to think this ground has been lying here all these years waiting for someone to come along and lay a golf course upon it." It is one of the most storied and important courses in the history of the sport and has hosted many of the most memorable players and matches of all-time. Encapsulated by PSA/DNA (Autograph 9 MINT, Badge 2 GOOD)