Rare Horton Smith Signed 1934 Augusta National Golf Club Scorecard - Only One Known
New discoveries of significant 1934 Masters items have subsided nearly a century later - long tucked away in personal or museum collections and security deposit boxes. When this lot's consignor told us the story of his grandfather who attended the first Masters' final round and came away with a champion Horton Smith signed Augusta National scorecard after following him that day, we had to see it. We then discovered it was likely the same ANGC design of the winning scorecard in which he filled out that day, with examples of two other 'official' scorecards from the 1930's corroborating that (see 1939 scorecard reference photo from Masters.com). Carrying each of Horton Smith's 18 hole final round scores penciled in on the card, sure enough Smith signed in approval diagonally across the 'Scorer' line below front 9! 'Championship Distances' yardages match 1934 Masters', prior to flipping the next year's tournament in 1935 while both 6,700 yards. Billy Burke (T3) and its first club professional Ed Dudley (5th) are marked for the first four holes. With Horton Smith's actual winning scorecard from the 1934 Masters unavailable to the public for viewing or consumption, this one is that much more desirable.
The cat has long been out of the bag, 1934 Masters items are assigned a huge premium. Eye-popping assigned values on these items from the debut of the biggest tournament in golf include our 1934 ticket commanding $470k last April also signed by Smith among others. An estimated 10,000 patrons attended the 1934 Augusta National Invitation Tournament or the first Masters. How many of those thought to use the scorecard they obtained that day to follow Smith, mark each of the 18 holes and then have him sign it at the victorious conclusion? Other than the official scorecard and this scorecard, did Horton Smith sign any others that day? All that is known is this lot presents a Masterful opportunity - the only known both from 1934 and Horton Smith signed scorecard in general to our knowledge.
In keeping with the time and unique to this Augusta National scorecard design, you will observe a six inch stymie when opened, length of scorecard inside. The then 'Caddy Fee 75 cents' in blue print is in the top left corner. Smith's marked 72 final round on March 25th with birdie on 17th hole, a matching even-par 9's of 36 is chronicled in pencil. Long mounted in scrapbook, but done so without adhesive on the verso, it is very slightly darker in four corners in which it was safely held without adhesive. The Augusta National Golf Club black outlined logo is present on frontside, encompassed by double blue line framing in design as well as framing the back of the scorecard's perimeter. Printing company in which is credited for this piece and commissioned by ANGC, Ridgely Printing Co.'s name is found inside. Brought to the auction block by the grandson of the 1934 Augusta National Invitation Tournament patron that went above and beyond that final round of the 'start-up' tournament yet to gain its present title of The Masters, this keepsake simply was brought home on March 25, 1934 as a memory from that day only to develop into one of the most collectible scorecards ever 91 years later. James Spence Authentication (JSA) has reviewed this signature and their FULL letter of authenticity #ZZ53000 comes with this lot.
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