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Wide interior view of the Hickory Golf Masters Museum, featuring hanging white flowers, large arched windows, blue lounge chairs, and a display of vintage golf bags and wooden-shaft clubs set into a recessed wall.

A private invitation to explore

In the heart of Lugano, at Via Peri 11, stands the world’s first official Hickory Golf Masters Museum — a space created to honour an extraordinary legacy.

Dedicated to the origins of the sport and to the artisans who shaped it, the museum showcases an internationally significant collection of over 1,500 original hickory clubs crafted before 1935, celebrating the golden age of clubmaking and the timeless spirit of traditional golf. As a curated and intimate experience, the museum is open exclusively by appointment.

A visit for one person is priced at CHF 15, including the guided tour, a brief introduction to the collection and access to the golf simulator. Visitors under 18 are welcome free of charge. For groups of four to twenty, please contact the Museum directly for pricing — visits remain by appointment, with a minimum of ten days' advance notice.

Plan a visit

 

Crafting golf history

The museum hosts an exceptional collection of original hickory clubs, vintage apparel, and a photographic exhibition featuring some of the most iconic figures of early golf — Tom Morris, Harry Vardon, James Braid, Walter Hagen and Lawson Little — capturing a time when elegance, precision and character defined the game.

Within the museum, visitors will also find the restoration workshop, where antique clubs are brought back to their original beauty using traditional techniques that honour historical authenticity. Here, expertly restored clubs are not only preserved but also returned to playing condition — and prospective buyers have the unique opportunity to hold, test and experience these timeless pieces before acquiring them.

A trusted space for those who wish to buy, sell or restore antique hickory clubs, keeping the legacy of classic golf alive.

Where tradition finds its home

At the heart of the museum lies an extraordinary collection of original clubs crafted by Tom Stewart Jr., one of the most respected clubmakers of golf’s golden age. Among them are around 360 clubs once played by legends such as Bobby Jones, Francis Ouimet, Gene Sarazen, Harry Vardon, Ted Ray, Jack White, James Braid, Tom Morris and many others — offering a rare glimpse into an era when technique and artistry were inseparable.

This remarkable heritage is preserved in Lugano thanks to Phil Gibbs, an American collector who spent over 35 years searching for, restoring and safeguarding genuine hickory clubs. His long-held wish was that the collection would find a true home. The museum honours that promise, marking a symbolic passing of the baton between two generations united by the same vision: celebrating golf as both cultural treasure and sporting legacy.

Interior view of the Hickory Golf Masters Museum in Lugano, displaying vintage wooden–shaft golf clubs and historic golf bags in elegant wooden showcases.
Side view of a display area featuring antique golf bags, vintage equipment, and decorative items inside the Hickory Golf Masters Museum.
Golden trophy placed atop stacked vintage leather suitcases and several golf books, with a vase of fresh flowers in the background.
Engraved markings on antique iron golf clubheads, featuring the maker’s stamp and hand-forged craftsmanship details.
Two blue mid-century chairs facing a small table made of stacked vintage suitcases, topped with a gold golf trophy and books.
Large display of antique hickory-shaft golf irons arranged in dense rows, showcasing aged steel clubheads and wooden shafts inside the museum.
Vintage golf clubs stored inside an old wooden travel case, with a knitted black-and-white Hickory Golf Masters club cover.
Vintage leather golf bag filled with antique wooden and iron golf clubs, displayed against a patterned wall.
Display shelves showing a curated collection of historical golf balls with various textures and patterns.
Front-facing view of wooden-head golf clubs arranged in rows, highlighting the craftsmanship and variety of hickory club designs.
Hands holding a framed vintage golf photograph depicting a golfer playing under a large tree, with wooden clubs visible in the background.
Exterior view through a window into the Hickory Golf Masters Museum, showing vintage golf clubs, artwork, and a bronze statue.
Reflection on a glass window with the Hickory Golf Masters logo, revealing illuminated interior displays featuring vintage golf accessories.
Soft-focus view of antique golf clubs in the foreground with vintage golf bags and memorabilia displayed against patterned walls.
Two wall-mounted racks displaying a collection of antique hickory-shaft golf clubs with various grips and head styles.
Commemorative plaque dedicated to James Braid displayed above a row of antique hickory-shaft irons.
Wide corridor view of the museum featuring hanging white flowers, blue lounge chairs, and vintage golf bags displayed along the wall.
Bronze statue of a young caddie boy wearing a cap and suit, with a blurred museum visitor in the background.
Golf simulator room featuring a projected virtual fairway, surrounded by rows of vintage hickory-shaft golf clubs along the walls.
Artisan’s hands wrapping the hosel of a vintage hickory-shaft iron using traditional whipping technique during restoration.
Exhibition area with panels displaying historical information and collections of antique golf clubs mounted on elegant showcases.
Close-up of vintage iron clubheads, each labeled with handwritten inventory numbers on masking tape.
Close-up of a vintage iron clubhead engraved with maker details, highlighting aged patina and hand-forged texture.
Close-up of an artisan applying wood stain to the head of a vintage hickory golf club, with the Hickory Golf Masters logo visible on the apron.
Close-up of three wooden-head golf clubs on a workbench, showing restoration patches and polished wooden grain.
Close-up of the Hickory Golf Masters logo on a glass door, with softly illuminated museum displays visible in the background.
Close-up of vintage hickory-shaft golf irons resting on a wooden surface, showing worn steel heads and traditional whipping around the hosels.
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Engraved markings on antique iron golf clubheads, featuring the maker’s stamp and hand-forged craftsmanship details.
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Commemorative plaque dedicated to James Braid displayed above a row of antique hickory-shaft irons.
Bronze statue of a young caddie boy wearing a cap and suit, with a blurred museum visitor in the background.
Vintage leather golf bag filled with antique wooden and iron golf clubs, displayed against a patterned wall.
Vintage golf clubs stored inside an old wooden travel case, with a knitted black-and-white Hickory Golf Masters club cover.
Golden trophy placed atop stacked vintage leather suitcases and several golf books, with a vase of fresh flowers in the background.

Virtual Tour

Explore the museum from anywhere in the world with our immersive virtual tour. Walk among original hickory clubs, historic photographs and rare memorabilia, and discover the stories, craftsmanship and personalities that shaped the early decades of the game.

This digital experience offers a privileged glimpse into our collection, the restoration workshop and the atmosphere of a place dedicated entirely to preserving golf’s timeless legacy — inviting you to begin your journey even before you arrive in Lugano.

Exterior view through a window into the Hickory Golf Masters Museum, showing vintage golf clubs, artwork, and a bronze statue.

Thomas Stewart Jr. Golf Cleek and Iron Maker.

Hickory Golf. 345p. Very comprehensive and detailed tribute to the great Tom Stewart, almost every page has superb photographs of immaculate examples of his work.Is now available for purchase. It is a limited run of XX copies in haed cloth.


Buy now
Cover book of Thomas-Stewart-Jr.-Golf-Cleek-and-Iron-Maker

Plan a private visit to the Museum

The Hickory Golf Masters Museum is accessible by appointment only and offers a peaceful, personalised experience.

A visit for one person is priced at CHF 15, including the guided tour, a brief introduction to the collection and access to the golf simulator. Visitors under 18 are welcome free of charge. For groups of four to twenty, please contact the Museum directly for pricing.

Please submit your visit request at least 10 days in advance by filling out the form. We will get back to you to confirm the requested date.

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