You’re here to inquire about famous golf trophies? Great.

That’s a specialty of mine. You’ve come to the right place.

The Claret Jug? He’s the elder statesman of our group. The R&A has been giving him out to the winner of the (British) Open Championship since 1873. Talk about shelf life. All of us have tons of respect for ‘Jug.’

Every golfer wants a Green Jacket, but the Masters trophy? That guy is majestic. Someone told me it took 900 pieces of sterling silver to build the rendition of the Augusta National Clubhouse on his base. Prettiest trophy in the game in my opinion.

Fire has been real tough on the boys in Far Hills, N.J. The original U.S. Open Trophy and Havemeyer Trophy, the one they give to the United States Amateur Champion, those went up in flames in two separate fires years ago. Tragic? You bet. But the boys the USGA replaced them with look great don’t they?

Since we’re reminiscing, I recall this one time in 1963. There was no fire, but the Wannamaker Trophy? He got so hot sitting in the blazing sun at the Dallas Athletic Club, that Jack Nicklaus, the PGA Champion that year, had to wrap a towel around the guy just to hold him. Lots of funny trophy stories like that one.

Me? Well, I’ve been a fixture here at the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum for a long time. Can’t say I’m as famous as any of those other trophies. Matter of fact, a lot of people don’t even know I exist. That’s okay. Last time they played golf in the Olympics was 1904. Tough to be relevant when you’ve been away more than a century right? That’s a long time out of the spotlight. But guess what? With golf returning to the Games in Rio next summer, I’ve been enjoying quite the resurgence. Seems lots of people suddenly are interested in me again. It’s been the same for the fella who won me, George S. Lyon. Talented player. Beat Chandler Egan to win me and the Olympic gold medal in pouring rain at Glen Echo Country Club in St. Louis that year. George has been gone since 1938, but with the International Olympic Committee reinstating golf to the Games, he’s been a hot commodity. Lots of people want to know about him and his career.

Like who? Well, Golf Channel for one. They flew up to see me here in Oakville a few weeks ago. Took all kinds of footage, did a photo shoot, talked to the Hall Curator Meggan Gardner about George and me. It was an exhausting day.

Since then, I’ve been on tour. Golf Canada had me on display at Glen Abbey during the RBC Canadian Open. That was fun. Even had my picture taken with Graeme McDowell and Nick Taylor.

The very next week Alyssa Reynolds, the museum’s assistant, drove me to Akron, Ohio for the WGC Bridgestone Invitational. Nice folks at Bridgestone. Paid all our expenses for five days. In return I did a bunch of personal appearances for them. They even put me in the room during a ‘One Year before Golf Return’s to the Olympics’ news conference with Matt Kuchar, Byeong-Hun An and Henrik Stenson. Those guys are funny. Took a bunch of ‘selfies’ for social media. Cool stuff, huh?

Right after that I was back on the road. Yup, Golf Canada flew me to Vancouver for the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open. Boy was I a hit with those LPGA players. They all wanted a picture. Funny how some of them wouldn’t pick me up. How come? Superstitious I guess. Don’t want to jinx their chances of being on their respective country’s Olympic teams. Can’t say I blame them.

What’s next for me? Well, it will be 112 years since golf was in the Olympics, but Canada will be the defending gold medalist next summer. They tell me because of it I’ll be in high demand leading up to the Games in Rio. That means more television, media and personal appearances with lots of questions about George and his 1904 victory.

Am I up for it? Definitely. As I was telling the other trophies here just this morning, you know, it’s kind of nice being relevant again.

Lambton Golf and Country Club, home of George S. Lyon, was proud to host a special day on Thursday, September 24 to honour Mr. Lyon.   This marked the 111th anniversary to the day that he won the last golf gold medal at the 1904 Olympics.

Three of his descendants joined in for the celebration and it was a special moment as the trio gathered around the Olympic Cup for pictures.

His granddaughter, Mary Lou Morgan, remembers her grandfather fondly and recalls the joy she felt on her family’s usual visits for Sunday tea.  She remembers her grandfather’s diabetes and his need for insulin injections as she and her sister looked on with curiosity.

George S. Lyon played a very important role in the development of Lambton – he was one of eight members on the original committee to fund, build and attract members to Lambton Golf and Country Club.  George would work half-days at his insurance business downtown and then head to Lambton where he would work tirelessly with Willie Dunn, a top UK golf designer of the time, to oversee construction of the course.  George was golf captain for 23 years and was a key opinion leader and icon throughout that time.

In 2010/11, Rees Jones, the “Open Doctor”, completely redesigned the Championship course with state-of-the-art grasses, bunkers and sub-air systems. However, one tree on hole #9 was sacrosanct.  Referred to as the “Lyon Oak”, the tree has been a proud tribute to George S. Lyon honouring the days when George used to fly his ball over this grand old oak as he went for birdie.

This past August, when Lambton co-hosted the Canadian Amateur, hole #9 played the hardest for the impressive field of players and the Lyon Oak continued to cause top players to re-think their strategy.

Gerry McLeod, Sandy Somers, Mary Lou Morgan, Ross Wigle and Bob Beaumont (Wendy Boyd/ Lambton Golf and Country Club)

It was a special moment indeed when Mr. Lyon’s granddaughter, Mary Lou Morgan and his two great-grandsons, Ross Wigle and Sandy Somers, gathered in front of the Lyon Oak, alongside Lambton President Bob Beaumont and Vice-President Gerry McLeod, to celebrate George S. Lyon’s extraordinary character and varied accomplishments.

Antiques Roadshow. Auction Hunters. Storage Wars. If these shows have taught us anything, it’s that value can be found almost anywhere and in almost anything. While you consider that dusty hand-me-down of a family heirloom to be priceless…it almost certainly is not and half the fun lies in finally knowing.

While owning that buried treasure is one thing; going out and discovering that hidden gem is a completely different matter. Whether you’re a treasure hunter, hoarder or hawker, the Golf Historical Society of Canada’s (GHSC) annual Trade Show and Auction will offer something for everyone. And whether they’re your great uncle’s clubs or a small town trophy from another era, the GHSC wants to see it. Hosted at the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum on April 19, appraisers and collectors will be on-hand to separate the studs from the duds.

With a keen eye for a diamond in the rough, the GHSC’s members and historians will take the time to evaluate and identify your golf collectibles. From clubs to tees; balls to trophies; books to photographs – show off your valuables and we’ll show you what they’re worth.

New to the collectibles game? Starting your search for the perfect Father’s Day gift? Vendors will showcase their stashes to help you round out any collection with the rarest of relics.

Shop. Share. Bid. Banter. Come enjoy an afternoon of golf history and discovery. This event is open to the public. Admission and parking are free.

Doors open at 10 a.m. and the auction takes centre stage at 2 p.m. All are welcome to participate.

The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum is located on the grounds of Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.

1333 Dorval Dr.
Oakville, Ont.
L6M 4X7

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at 1-800-263-0009 ext. 411 or via email at mgardner@golfcanada.ca.

It is fitting that Sandra Post has made her own moment in history as she prepares to oversee a committee tasked with honouring individuals who have made their own indelible marks on the game of golf.

After having served as a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame’s selection committee for 12 years, Sandra has been selected by her peers to be the committee’s next chair. She becomes the first honoured member, as well as the first female, to head the committee.

Sandra assumes the role vacated by Ian Clarke – president of the PGA of Canada from 1997-1998. A Chair is selected through the Hall of Fame Nominating Committee. Chairpersons who step down from their position then take a seat on the Nominating Committee to assist in appointing their successor.

When asked about the committee’s new chair, Clarke was quick to praise Post. “Sandra’s passion for golf and her commitment to its growth in Canada are matched only by her appreciation of its past. She has the utmost respect for the builders who have laid its foundation and she will work tirelessly to recognize those individuals.”

“I am very proud to become the first honoured member and the first female to chair this committee,” said Post. “The mandate of the Hall of Fame Selection Committee is a responsibility that I take very seriously. There are so many individuals who have shaped this game and we owe it to the sport to honour their legacies.

“The Hall enshrines players – both amateur and professional – and those who have helped to shape the game in this country, including architects, teachers, administrators, and journalists.  We will continue to ensure that the most exceptional achievers are acknowledged nationally for their many contributions.”

Nominations to the Hall are due July 31. All nominations require a nominator and a seconder.

For additional information on the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, please visit its official website.

Past Chairs of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame Selection Committee:

• Ian Clarke (2012-2014)
• Dave Shaw (2008-2011)
• Worden Teasdale (2006-2007)
• Jacques Nols (2001-2005)
• Peter Hope (1998-2000)
• Findlay Young (1996-1997)
• Keith Rever (1994-1995)
• F. Gordon Coyle (1993)
•  John Marshall (1989-1992)
• William Farlinger (1987-1988)
• Ralph Costello (1984-1986)
• Robert M. Everson (1981-1983)
• George Armstrong (1980)
• R. Bruce Forbes (1979)
• James P. Anglin (1974-1978)
• Jack Blair (1971-1973)

A young CN Future Links Walk With a Pro Participant jumps for joy during the 2014 RBC Canadian Open at Royal Montreal Golf Club. (Bernard Brault/ Golf Canada)

Team RBC players David Hearn and Graham DeLaet pose for a selfie with volunteers during the Monday Pro-Am at the 2014 RBC Canadian Open at Royal Montreal Golf Club. (Bernard Brault/ Golf Canada)

David Hearn shelters a young CN Future Links Walk With a Pro participant during Wednesday of the 2014 RBC Canadian Open. (Bernard Brault/ Golf Canada)

Paris, Ont.’s Jennifer Kirby during a foggy opening-round start to the inaugural Canadian Pacific Women’s Open at London Hunt and Country Club. (Bernard Brault/ Golf Canada)

Brooke Henderson, pictured with World Golf Hall of Fame honoured member Marlene Streit, shows off her Sandra Post (Low Canadian) and (Marlene Streit (Low Amateur) Medals on Sunday of the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open. (Bernard Brault/ Golf Canada)

So Yeon Ryu gets showered with champagne after winning the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open. Ryu will defend her title in 2015 at The Vancouver Golf Club. (Bernard Brault/ Golf Canada)

A 2014 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship participant checks out the hardware on display at the 1st tee during the final round. The trophy on the left is the Earl Grey Cup, while George Lyon’s 1904 Olympic Golf Trophy sits on the right. (Douglas Portz/ Golf Canada)

A competitor approaches his ball on the green during the final round of the 2014 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at Elmhurst Golf Club in Winnipeg. (Douglas Portz/ Golf Canada)

Team Canada’s Adam Svensson walks with his caddie during the 2014 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship in Winnipeg. (Douglas Portz/ Golf Canada)

American Jonathan Garrick gets a better read on a putt on Elmhurst’s greens during the 2014 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. Garrick went on to finish tied for second with Taylor Pendrith of Canada. James Beale of New Zealand was crowned champion. (Doug Portz/ Golf Canada)

Two competitors gauge yardage during the 2014 CN Future Links Ontario Championship at The Rock Golf Club in Minett, Ont. (Paul Bennett/ Golf Canada)

A young spectator with her father by her sides smiles with delight as she watches and cheers on Brooke Henderson at the inaugural World Junior Girl’s Championship at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont. (Terry Lenyk/ Golf Canada)

Graham DeLaet and caddie Julien Trudeau in action during third-round action at the 2014 RBC Canadian Open at Royal Montreal Golf Club. (Bernard Brault/ Golf Canada)

A golfer at the 2014 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship stretches before teeing off at Capilano Golf & Country Club in West Vancouver, BC for final round play. (Kim Stallknecht/ Golf Canada)

Rain rounds the practice green at Thornhill Golf & Country Club in Thornhill, Ont. during the final round of the Canadian Junior Girl’s Championship. (Graig Abel/ Golf Canada)

One hundred and ten years ago, the Olympics awarded gold, silver and bronze medals in golf for the first, and as it turned out, the last time to date. Canada’s George Seymour Lyon won gold – a surprise, perhaps, only to those who did not know him.

This gifted athlete could seemingly do anything. At 18, Lyon set a Canadian pole vault record and then put a promising athletic career on hold while he joined the Queen’s Own Rifles as a sergeant, rushing west to help quell the Northwest Rebellion in 1885. On his return to Toronto, he was the captain and second baseman of the city championship baseball team, as well as being an excellent tennis player. His great hand-eye coordination led him to cricket where, predictably, he became an outstanding player, batting a long-standing record of 238 not out. Golf, however, was not among Lyon’s hobbies until the ripe old age of 38.

In October 1896, Lyon was playing cricket at the Rosedale Cricket grounds. Only a fence separated it from the golf course. His friend, John Dick, was golfing. He spotted Lyon with his cricket bat, and made a teasing remark about needing a wide bat to hit a ball. Dick dared Lyon to try to hit a golf ball using a golf club. The rest, as they say, is Olympic history.

Lyon looked and acted like anything but a golfer; he was portly, loved to joke, was boisterously enthusiastic, and liable to break out in a verse of “My Wild Irish Rose” or suddenly begin to walk on his hands. Staid onlookers could only shake their head in awe and disbelief when they witnessed his apparently ruthless, haphazard swipe at the ball to send it far down the fairway. Nevertheless, within a year he was the Rosedale club champion, defeating the City of Toronto’s best golfer in the process. Just before his 40th birth- day, he won the Canadian Men’s Amateur title by twelve-up, one of eight times he would win that event.

In 1904, Lyon was one of 84 golfers from Europe and North America who entered the Olympic golf competition at St. Louis. The qualifying round at the Glen Echo Club on September 18 pared the
84 entrants down to 32. The American favourite Chandler Egan was in the lead, Lyon in ninth place. Lyon’s second round match play caused a bit of a stir when he defeated his opponent – a hometown favourite – by 11 holes with nine to play.

Predictably, Lyon’s form was criticized by the St. Louis papers: Yes, he drove the ball huge distances, but that hardly made it golf, they said. Regardless, he was among the elite final eight players: three from St. Louis, three from Chicago, one from Seattle and the unlikely (according to the media) and maligned Canadian. Lyon ignored his detractors and defeated his third round opponent by four strokes.

His semi-final competitor was Francis Newton, the Pacific Coast champion. Some called it the best match of the tournament with the eighth and ninth holes described as “being negotiated by the cleverest golf ever seen in North America.” The match highlight was a monster drive of 327 yards by Lyon.

The Canadian underdog had played his way to the gold medal final, but few had any hope Lyon could win against the recently crowned American champion, 23-year-old Egan. However, Lyon showed up for the two final 18-hole rounds as enthusiastic as ever and stepped up to the first tee amid polite applause. He drove to within eight yards of the 276–yard pin placement, took two putts and was one up. Egan matched him hole for hole afterwards throughout the first 18 holes, and Lyon maintained his one-up lead.

The two broke for lunch and resumed play at 3:00 in the afternoon for the
final 18. The great match was the talk of the clubhouse. Word spread; the gallery increased as Lyon’s steady game paid dividends. His lead had increased to four by the 24th hole of the day, when Egan mounted a comeback and won the next two holes. At the 30th, it appeared that Lyon’s lead would shrink to one but he made a clutch putt to retain his valuable two-hole lead. Egan won the 31st, cutting the lead to one.

The gallery seemed to be waiting for Lyon to crack but he was unfazed. His drive on the 33rd was straight down the middle of the fairway; Egan ended up in the lake. Lyon was two up again. Lyon won the final hole to take the match three up with two to play, ending what some were calling “the greatest golf tournament ever held in America.”

Onlookers cleared a path for Lyon
to the clubhouse where his trophy and medal were waiting for him. With his characteristic boundless energy, Lyon walked there on his hands. Before the night was out, he had all singing his favourite song: “My Wild Irish Rose.”

At the 1908 London Olympics, golf was once again on the schedule. Lyon went to defend his gold medal, however a dispute between U.K. golfers and Games officials resulted in the British golfers boycotting the Games. The Americans were unwilling to journey to London amidst all the uncertainty, leaving Lyon as the only official entrant for golf. Though officials told him he would be awarded the gold medal, Lyon refused to accept a prize that he did not win in a competition.

It’s been 110 years since Canada celebrated Lyon’s Olympic gold, but fans will only have to wait two more for a chance to see if a Canadian golfer can repeat the feat at the 2016 Rio Games.

A tour of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum located in Golf Canada’s Golf House at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. can be a fun experience for anyone who plays the game.

The displays of old clubs and equipment leaves you wondering what it must have been like to play the game in days of yore.

One of the museum’s greatest collections, however, is virtually never seen by the public. In the basement of Golf house, down the hall past boxes of golf artifacts is one of the largest collection of golf books and magazines in the world.

The Canadian Golf  Hall of Fame and Museum’s library is so extensive that they regularly donate extra copies of some of their books to the World Golf Hall of Fame and the United States Golf Association Museum.

“We recently sent out a list of our extra books and the World Golf Hall of Fame emailed right back and asked us if they could have 50 of them,” said Meggan Gardner, curator of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum.

Jim Fraser, the retired former executive director of the Golf Canada Foundation, is currently re-cataloging and digitizing the entire library.

“Right now, we have 5,795 books by 1,991 authors in our collection,” added Fraser.

The golf books are stored on shelves and filed by categories that include, but aren’t limited to: architecture, art, associations, auto biographies, biographies, championships, equipment and collections, general, geography, golf clubs (courses), health and fitness, history, instruction, psychology, literature (including humour and poetry), management, quotations, reference, rules, tournaments and turf.

The collection of instruction books, which includes a number that are in french, is the largest in the library. They have 973 of them. If you read them all it would probably mess up your game to the point that you’d never play again.

The Museum buys the odd book and they have some rare ones in their collection. Mostly though, they’re donated.

Noted Canadian golf journalist and author Lorne Rubenstein recently donated about 600 books and close to 2,000 magazines.

Fraser says they aren’t getting as many books donated as they used to and they want to encourage anyone with golf books to consider donating them to the museum. You’ll even receive a tax receipt.

“It’s a shame more people don’t know about the library and it would be nice if we could have it in a building where people could see it,” says Fraser. “I think more people would donate books if they knew we were here.”

Gardner says the library has almost become the forgotten part of the museum’s collection and digitizing the collection will help bring it back into the light.

“There’s some great things happening with digitization projects and making these things available on-line,” says Gardner.

Fraser says their magazine collection probably numbers around 10,000. That includes a priceless collection of Ralph Reville’s Canadian Golfer Magazine, which offers a complete history of golf in this country from 1915 to 1933.

While very few people have ever seen Golf Canada’s Library, the collection is not completely closed to the public. “

We don’t let people borrow books and take them out, but we do allow access to the collection, especially if someone is doing research,” says Gardner. “They can make an appointment and we’ll find a place for them here to read whatever book they want.”

Gardner says there are all kinds of reasons someone might want to access the library as reference material. For example, a golf course designed by any of the great golf course architects might be coming up on a special anniversary. Chances are pretty good the Golf Canada library would have books written by or about that architect.

If you want to see a list of the books in the library, click here.  You can also contact Meggan Gardner at cghf@golfcanada.ca if you’re doing research and would like to access the museum library.

Every father plays a unique role in a child’s life. Fathers often hold a special place in our hearts because of the unique things tha t they did with and for us as kids. As adults we treasure that special time together even more. More often than not, a father will introduce his daughter or son to sport and sometimes, that sport happens to be golf. The chance t o spend four or five hours on the course with your dad is special enough, but ho w about growing up alongside one of the legends of the game, onl y to turn into a fine professional yourself? We honour all dads this Father’s Day with a look at some of the most famous father and child player combinations in golf history.

OLD TOM MORRIS/ YOUNG TOM MORRIS

Tom Morris Sr. (or Old Tom Morris) was one of golf’s founding fathers. A four-time British Open champion, Morris Sr. held the record for largest margin of victory at a major (14 strokes) until 2000 when Tiger Woods won the U.S. Open by 15. He was also a jack-of all- trades in the golf business, acting as a greenskeeper, club-maker, ball-maker, golf instructor and course designer. Young Tom Morris also won the British Open four times, and holds the record for being the youngest major champion in golf’s history (he was 17 in 1868). He unfortunately died at only 24 years of age.

WILLIE PARK/WILLIE PARK JR.

Another of golf’s founding fathers was Willie Park Sr. Also a four-time British Open winner, Park Sr. actually captured the very first British Open. His son, Willie Park Jr. captured the British Open twice. He’s credited as being one of golf’s first renaissance men; known as a golf writer, businessman and course architect, Park Jr.’s designs include a handful of notable layouts in Canada.

DAVID BLACK/KEN BLACK

The Blacks make up the lone father-son duo to be enshrined in the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. The elder Black emigrated to North America from Scotland with his brothers to become golf professionals in the early 1900s. He worked as a club pro in Ottawa and Montreal before going west to Vancouver. He won four PGA of Canada Championships and was runner-up in the 1911 Canadian Open. The younger Black captured three B.C. Amateurs and the 1939 Canadian Amateur Championship. In a story that legends are made of, he came from nine strokes behind to win the Vancouver Jubilee Open as a 24-year-old amateur, nipping Byron Nelson by three to become the first Canadian to win a PGA Tour event.

JULIUS BOROS/GUY BOROS

Although a late bloomer, Julius Boros – who didn’t turn professional until he was 29 – sure made up for lost time. A threetime major champion, the elder Boros still holds the record for being the oldest major champion of all time. He captured the PGA Championship in 1968 at the age of 48. Julius Boros was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1982 and passed away in 1994. His son Guy Boros has a handful of Canadian connections. He captured his lone PGA Tour victory in 1996 at the Greater Vancouver Open, and played on the Canadian Tour for four years including 1991, when he was the Tour’s leading money winner

GAYLE HITCHENS BORTHWICK/ BOB HITCHENS/ DICK BORTHWICK

Saskatchewan native Gayle Hitchens Borthwick earned her way into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame thanks a competitive career which included three U.S. Senior titles, wins at both the Canadian Amateur and Canadian Senior, and numerous provincial championships. She learned the game under the watchful eye of her father, Capilano’s assistant professional Bob Hitchens. Her father-in-law likely played an influential role in her game as well; the legendary Dick Borthwick served the Hamilton Golf and Country Club as head pro for almost three decades and claimed the 1949 Canadian PGA Championship.

Jay Haas/Bill Haas

Jay Haas is a nine-time PGA Tour champion and holds the record for most cuts made on the PGA Tour with 562. He’s a Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup champion as well and continues to play well on the Champions Tour, with 16 wins on the senior circuit. Son Bill was the 2011 FedEx Cup champion (pocketing a cool $10 million in the process) and is a five-time winner on the PGA Tour. The Haas duo also has the unique distinction of being one of just two father-son pairs who have won the same PGA Tour event. Jay captured the 1988 Bob Hope Classic, while Bill won the 2010 edition of the tournament.

Dave Mills/Jon Mills

Dave and Jon Mills make up part of a legendary Canadian golf family. Dave worked with the Golf Association of Ontario for nearly 20 years, and retired in January of 2014 as its Executive Director. Dave’s son Jon won the Ontario Amateur Championship in 2001 after graduating from Kent State University in 2000. He captured the 2003 MTS Classic on the Canadian Tour and is a two-time winner on the former Nationwide Tour. He currently holds conditional status on the Web.com Tour. Now that Jon has a daughter, can golf games with her father and grandfather be far behind?

Craig Stadler/Kevin Stadler

Craig and Kevin Stadler made history as the first father-son duo to play together at the Masters. Craig is a 13-time winner on the PGA Tour, including his 1982 green jacket victory. The younger Stadler captured his first PGA Tour victory earlier this year at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. His nickname is “Smalrus,” a play on his father’s nickname “The Walrus

ROBERT TRENT JONES SR./ ROBERT TRENT JONES JR.

Robert Trent Jones Junior and Senior, along with Jr.’s brother Rees, make up the first family of golf course architecture. It is said that Robert Trent Jones Sr. worked on nearly 500 golf courses in his lifetime, including London Hunt Club, Capilano (which he worked on with famed Canadian architect Stanley Thompson) and The Marshes in Ottawa (a course that he worked on with his son and was completed after his death in 2000). Robert Trent Jones Jr., meanwhile, has become a well-known designer in his own right. He’s perhaps best known for his design at Poppy Hills in California, and Chambers Bay in Washington (the host course of the 2015 U.S. Open).

Rory McIlroy/Gerry McIlroy

Although golf’s newest wunderkind has already captured two majors and four other PGA Tour events, Rory McIlroy is only 24 years old and hopefully has a long career still ahead of him. However his successful golf career may never have started without the counsel of his father Gerry, a fine player in his own right. The elder McIlroy taught Rory everything he knew about golf while Rory was still a small child. Gerry played to a scratch handicap, and has won the club championship at the prestigious Holywood Golf Club in Northern Ireland.

Ian Poulter/luke Poulter

One of the most outspoken members on the PGA Tour, Ian Poulter has established himself as a true contender on tour. Could his son Luke be following in his footsteps? Luke, 9, won a U.S. Kids Golf event in Orlando earlier this year by seven shots. Luke’s famous father was his caddie that day, and sent out a handful of excited tweets to his 1.6 million followers as the event went on.

Bubba Watson/Caleb Watson

Bubba Watson is a crier. Everyone’s seen him tear up on TV but nothing was as emotional as Watson’s 2012 Masters victory. He had just adopted his son Caleb – with Canadian wife Angie – that year after losing his own father to throat cancer. Caleb has already shown some significant golfing prowess in the YouTube videos that Bubba has posted and celebrated with his dad in the winner’s circle at Augusta again this year.