Golf Tam - History & Museum

Tam O'Shanter Country Club

Not many people realize the significant role that George S. May and his Tam O'Shanter Country Club played in popularizing the sport of golf in America. May was able to draw some of the most competitive fields of the era by offering tournament prize purses that were 5-10 times more than other professional tour stops. His World Championship of Golf tournament in 1953 was the first to ever be televised nationally. Viewers across the country were treated to a thrilling finish, as Lew Worsham holed out from 104 yards on the final hole of competition to win by a single stroke!

Lew Worsham Lew Worsham Victory

Lew Worsham publicity postcard (left) and victory photo with wedge used on winning shot (right).

Video below includes news footage of the incredible finish to the 1953 tournament.

Other famous golfers to tee it up at Tam O'Shanter include:

• Sam Snead • Ben Hogan • Patty Berg • Babe Zaharias • Byron Nelson •

• Chi Chi Rodriguez • Billy Casper • Jack Nicklaus • Arnold Palmer •

George S. May - Referred to as the King of Promotion showing off tournament prize money.
george s. may

George S. May - Referred to as the King of Promotion showing off tournament prize money.
Original Tam O'Shanter clubhouse would be destroyed by fire in 1936.
first clubhouse

Original Tam O'Shanter clubhouse would be destroyed by fire in 1936.
Fire again destroys much of the clubhouse in 1946.
tam fire 1946

Fire again destroys much of the clubhouse in 1946.
Remodeled Clubhouse
new clubhouse

Remodeled Clubhouse
George May with daughter, Dorothy, present the trophy for the 1940 Chicago Open.
george may daughter trophy

George May with daughter, Dorothy, present the trophy for the 1940 Chicago Open.
Crowds watch Jimmy Hines putt in the 1941 Tam O'Shanter Open.
jimmy hines 11k putt

Crowds watch Jimmy Hines putt in the 1941 Tam O'Shanter Open.
Dorothy May pins on Jimmy Hines' number in the 1942 All American tournament. Numbers were used so spectators could easily identify players on the course.
jimmy hines pins on number

Dorothy May pins on Jimmy Hines' number in the 1942 All American tournament. Numbers were used so spectators could easily identify players on the course.
New traps being installed in 1942.
bill gordon sand trap

New traps being installed in 1942.
Bryon Nelson putting on #18 in 1942.
byron nelson putts

Bryon Nelson putting on #18 in 1942.
Byron Nelson (right) wins in 1942.
byron nelson lt col walter jeffrey

Byron Nelson (right) wins in 1942.
Heavyweight boxer and talented golfer, Joe Louis, participated in tournaments at Tam O'Shanter.
heavyweight joe louis

Heavyweight boxer and talented golfer, Joe Louis, participated in tournaments at Tam O'Shanter.
Joe Louis visits with excited Tam O'Shanter caddies in 1943.
joe louis with caddies

Joe Louis visits with excited Tam O'Shanter caddies in 1943.
Betty Hicks, 1944 Women's All American Open champion.
betty hicks all american

Betty Hicks, 1944 Women's All American Open champion.
Jug McSpaden (left) and Byron Nelson at the 1944 Tam O'Shanter Open.
jug mcspaden and byron nelson

Jug McSpaden (left) and Byron Nelson at the 1944 Tam O'Shanter Open.
Bing Crosby and Bob Hope perform for a crowd at Tam O'Shanter as part of a charity event in 1945.
bingbobtam

Bing Crosby and Bob Hope perform for a crowd at Tam O'Shanter as part of a charity event in 1945.
George May in a publicity shot for the 1945 All American Open
publicity shot for 1945

George May in a publicity shot for the 1945 All American Open
Sam Snead plays a shot near the gallery in 1946.
sam snead

Sam Snead plays a shot near the gallery in 1946.
Babe Zaharias at Tam O'Shanter in 1946
mildred babe didrickson

Babe Zaharias at Tam O'Shanter in 1946
Lloyd Mangrum (left) wins at Tam O'Shanter in 1948.
mangrum wins 1948

Lloyd Mangrum (left) wins at Tam O'Shanter in 1948.
Sam Snead putts in front of packed grandstands on #18 in 1949.
sam snead putts 18th

Sam Snead putts in front of packed grandstands on #18 in 1949.
Promotional Materials
tam promo

Promotional Materials
Golfer's Grill in Clubhouse
golfers grill

Golfer's Grill in Clubhouse
Pro-Shop in Clubhouse
pro shop

Pro-Shop in Clubhouse
View of the clubhouse from the grandstands at 1st tee.
clubhouse view

View of the clubhouse from the grandstands at 1st tee.
Henry Ransom leading the 1950 World Championship of Golf
henry ransom posts lead

Henry Ransom leading the 1950 World Championship of Golf
Henry Ransom tees off during the final round of the 1950 World Championship of Golf
henry ransom tees off

Henry Ransom tees off during the final round of the 1950 World Championship of Golf
Henry Ransom finishing on 18 to win the 1950 World Championship of Golf
henry ransom beats chick harbert

Henry Ransom finishing on 18 to win the 1950 World Championship of Golf
Patty Berg (left) and Babe Zaharias at Tam O'Shanter in 1950. The two women would dominate tournaments here, between them winning over half of the professional events of the 40's and 50's.
babe and patty 1st and 2nd

Patty Berg (left) and Babe Zaharias at Tam O'Shanter in 1950. The two women would dominate tournaments here, between them winning over half of the professional events of the 40's and 50's.
Women's tournament champion, Babe Zaharias.
babe zaharias

Women's tournament champion, Babe Zaharias.
World Championship Amateur tournament winner Frank Stranahan, flanked by women's professional champion Patty Berg and women's amateur champion Dot Kielty in 1950.
frank stranahan bz and dot rielty

World Championship Amateur tournament winner Frank Stranahan, flanked by women's professional champion Patty Berg and women's amateur champion Dot Kielty in 1950.
Patty Berg at Tam in 1951.
patty berg hof

Patty Berg at Tam in 1951.
Ben Hogan (left) at Tam O'Shanter in 1951.
ben hogan and clayton haefner

Ben Hogan (left) at Tam O'Shanter in 1951.
Ben Hogan putts on the 7th green in front of a large crowd in 1951.
ben hogan putting on 7

Ben Hogan putts on the 7th green in front of a large crowd in 1951.
The World Championship of Golf was an international event. Here South African professional Bobby Locke shows off his flag with George May in 1951.
gsm and bobby locke

The World Championship of Golf was an international event. Here South African professional Bobby Locke shows off his flag with George May in 1951.
Lloyd Mangrum tees off in 1951 with police protection nearby following a death threat made the week prior at the St. Paul Open.
lloyd magrum police tees off

Lloyd Mangrum tees off in 1951 with police protection nearby following a death threat made the week prior at the St. Paul Open.
Lloyd Mangrum (right) finishes his round without incident in 1951, followed by George May and police officers.
lloydmangrum

Lloyd Mangrum (right) finishes his round without incident in 1951, followed by George May and police officers.
Sam Snead (center) gives some golf advice to Chicago Cubs players Ransom Jackson & Hank Sauer in 1951.
chicago cubs

Sam Snead (center) gives some golf advice to Chicago Cubs players Ransom Jackson & Hank Sauer in 1951.
Jim Ferrier putts on #18 while playing partner Sam Snead looks on in 1952.
jimm ferrier putts

Jim Ferrier putts on #18 while playing partner Sam Snead looks on in 1952.
Broadcast cameras are rolling at Tam O'Shanter in 1953! The 1953 World Championship of Golf would be the first golf tournament to ever be televised nationally.
cameras on

Broadcast cameras are rolling at Tam O'Shanter in 1953! The 1953 World Championship of Golf would be the first golf tournament to ever be televised nationally.
At the end of the broadcast Lew Worsham would hole out on #18 from 104 yards away, to make an eagle 2 and defeat a stunned Chandler Harper by a single stroke.
lew worsham

At the end of the broadcast Lew Worsham would hole out on #18 from 104 yards away, to make an eagle 2 and defeat a stunned Chandler Harper by a single stroke.
Lew Worsham and family after winning the 1953 World Championship of Golf.
lew worsham victory6

Lew Worsham and family after winning the 1953 World Championship of Golf.
George May gets a golf lesson at the 1954 All American Open
1954 aagt

George May gets a golf lesson at the 1954 All American Open
Ed "Porky" Oliver sinks a putt in the 1954 World Championship of Golf.
ed porky oliver

Ed "Porky" Oliver sinks a putt in the 1954 World Championship of Golf.
Babe Zaharias putts on 18 in front of a packed gallery in the 1954 World Championship of Golf.
babe zaharias long putt

Babe Zaharias putts on 18 in front of a packed gallery in the 1954 World Championship of Golf.
Ted Kroll putts on #18 in the final round of the 1956 World Championship of Golf.
ted kroll wins it on 18

Ted Kroll putts on #18 in the final round of the 1956 World Championship of Golf.
Ted Kroll wins the 1956 World Championship of Golf
ted kroll winner

Ted Kroll wins the 1956 World Championship of Golf
Advertisement promoting 1957 tournaments.
1957 tournaments

Advertisement promoting 1957 tournaments.
Flooding is nothing new at Tam. High water disrupted play during the 1957 tournaments.
flooding on 9th 1957

Flooding is nothing new at Tam. High water disrupted play during the 1957 tournaments.
George May surveys flooding from the clubhouse in 1957.
floods

George May surveys flooding from the clubhouse in 1957.
Spectators surround the 18th hole during the 1957 World Championship of Golf. This would be the final year the tournament would be held.
herman scharlau misses 6ft birdie

Spectators surround the 18th hole during the 1957 World Championship of Golf. This would be the final year the tournament would be held.
Roberto DeVicenzo posts his winning score in the 1957 All American Tournament.
robert devicenzo 25k

Roberto DeVicenzo posts his winning score in the 1957 All American Tournament.
After a 7 year hiatus, competitive golf would return to Tam O'Shanter as the course hosted the Western Open in 1964 and 1965. Here, fans line the practice range in 1964.
practice area 1964

After a 7 year hiatus, competitive golf would return to Tam O'Shanter as the course hosted the Western Open in 1964 and 1965. Here, fans line the practice range in 1964.
Crowds surround Arnold Palmer on the practice range during the 1964 Western Open.
arnold palmer practice range 1964

Crowds surround Arnold Palmer on the practice range during the 1964 Western Open.
Fans look on as Arnold Palmer putts on #2 in the 1964 Western Open.
arnold palmer 2nd green

Fans look on as Arnold Palmer putts on #2 in the 1964 Western Open.
Jack Nicklaus urging a putt to break in the 1964 Western Open.
jack nicklaus extra kick

Jack Nicklaus urging a putt to break in the 1964 Western Open.
Arnold Palmer (left) putts on #16 during the 1964 Western Open.
arnold palmer putts 16th

Arnold Palmer (left) putts on #16 during the 1964 Western Open.
Chi Chi Rodriguez tees off in round 3 of the 1964 Western Open.
chi chi rodriguez tees off

Chi Chi Rodriguez tees off in round 3 of the 1964 Western Open.
Chi Chi Rodriguez, upset after missing the hole on #9 green, takes it out on his putter. Despite the temper tantrum, Chi Chi would go on to win the tournament.
chi chi temper tantrum

Chi Chi Rodriguez, upset after missing the hole on #9 green, takes it out on his putter. Despite the temper tantrum, Chi Chi would go on to win the tournament.
Helicopter view of the course during the 1964 Western Open.
helicopter view western open 1964

Helicopter view of the course during the 1964 Western Open.
Winner the previous year, Chi Chi Rodriguez does a little dance step for fans before a tee shot during the 1965 Western Open.
chi chi dance step

Winner the previous year, Chi Chi Rodriguez does a little dance step for fans before a tee shot during the 1965 Western Open.
Representatives from the Western Golf Association present Chicago Mayor Richard J Daley with a ticket to the 1965 Western Open at Tam O'Shanter.
mayor richard j. daley

Representatives from the Western Golf Association present Chicago Mayor Richard J Daley with a ticket to the 1965 Western Open at Tam O'Shanter.
Ticket to the 1965 Western Open.
1965 western open

Ticket to the 1965 Western Open.
Billy Casper tee shot during the 1965 Western Open.
billy casper

Billy Casper tee shot during the 1965 Western Open.
Billy Casper would go on to win the 1965 Western Open with a total score of 14 under par.
billy casper drops putt

Billy Casper would go on to win the 1965 Western Open with a total score of 14 under par.
The last time spectators would watch a professional tournament at Tam O'Shanter would be at the 1965 Western Open.
spectators 1965

The last time spectators would watch a professional tournament at Tam O'Shanter would be at the 1965 Western Open.

Check out a more detailed history of the course HERE.

Tam O'Shanter Golf History Museum

7680 Caldwell Ave. Niles, IL

Hours: By Appointment

On the main level of the Tam Golf Learning Center you can browse through over a hundred pieces of golf memorabilia from the historic Tam O'Shanter Country Club. We're honored to be able to show off authentic photos and one of a kind items from the 1940's and 50's All-American and World Championship of Golf Tournaments hosted here by George S. May.

Publicity Shot for 1945 Byron Nelson Lt Col Walter Jeffrey

George S. May promoting 1945 tournaments (left) and with Byron Nelson (right).

Display pieces include large photo collages commemorating specific tournaments, old country club items owned and donated by former members, original clubhouse chairs, and even awards presented to George S. May from professional players and golf organizations.

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