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2024 Wilson Endowed Research Fund RecipientGeorgia Tech Ph.D Candidate Eric Steagall

Eric Steagall, of Georgia Tech, spent a week in August at the USGA Museum and Library, reviewing material from the Bob Jones Archival Collection along with many other historic periodical titles. Steagall’s dissertation, “The Making and Meaning of Bobby Jones in the 1920s,” is a narrative history of Bobby Jones’s life, on and off the golf course, during the first three decades of the twentieth century. It relies on newspapers, magazines, and archival collections, among other contemporary source materials, to reconstruct what Jones and golf meant to the United States throughout his competitive career. In exploring how he shaped his times and how his times shaped him, this biographical work additionally considers what Jones’s life can tell us about America and the South at a moment of such rapid change.

During his time in Liberty Corner, Steagall was also asked to document his impressions and activities daily and to use those statements to compose a brief write up of his experience noting the impact of USGA Collections on his dissertation.

Testimonial from Eric:

“Courtesy of Don M. Wilson’s generosity as well as the kindness of the United States Golf Association, I was fortunate to spend an entire week conducting research at the USGA Golf Museum & Library. I enjoyed every moment of my experience, which felt more like a couple of hours than a full five days. The array of unique materials and collections I consulted will only further strengthen my dissertation. Along with the dozens of boxes of Bobby Jones’s personal letters, which was my “top priority” collection heading into this trip, the wide selection of historic golf periodicals—American Golfer, Golf, Golf Illustrated (London), and Professional Golfer of America, among others—proved incredibly useful for my project. These articles not only helped me better understand Bobby Jones, “the man” (beyond just Bobby Jones, “the golfer”), but they also offered fruitful insights into understanding how he and his sport shaped American culture during the 1920s.”

More details on the Wilson Endowed Research Fund:

The USGA provided Eric a dedicated workspace, a daily Library staff consult, scanning equipment, and guidance throughout his visit. As the Wilson Endowed Research Fund Recipient, Steagall was also provided time in his week to tour the Collections storage vault to gain perspective on the facility, a tour of Golf House for perspective on the USGA, a round table of Museum & Library staff to discuss everyone’s roles in stewarding and utilizing the Collections, and a final day call with grant funder Don Wilson. As such, you can expect to participate in the following activities during your week at Liberty Corner as the next Wilson Endowed Research Fund Recipient:

  • A tour of the USGA Golf Museum & Library, including collections storage
  • A tour of Golf House, the USGA’s administration building
  • A department breakfast with the USGA Golf Museum & Library staff members during which your project will be discussed and staff will describe their work at the USGA
  • A daily meeting with a Library staff member to plan your day and review material needs in the Collections

How to Apply:

Any individuals engaged in any stage of their academic or professional careers is eligible. Applicants must submit a detailed overview, in a maximum of 500 words of the intended research, while also providing an initial list of materials to review using the USGA Golf Museum and Library catalog and research resources.

Applicants must submit a CV and two letters of reference. Applicants may request a stipend of up to $5,000 and provide details as to how funds will be spent, and use of the stipend proceeds must be documented upon completion of the work.

Members of the USGA Golf Museum and Library staff will be involved in the selection process. Applications will be assessed upon three criteria:

  • Feasibility of proposed research
  • Originality of proposed research
  • Relevancy of USGA Golf Museum and Library collections to proposed research.


The Library is available to researchers between June 1 and Nov. 15. The Library’s hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET (or by special arrangement).

The deadline for a 2025 grant is Nov. 15, 2024, with recipients to be announced on Dec. 15, 2024. The Library will be available for researchers from Jan. 15 to Nov. 15, with the same hours of operation.

For further assistance, go to researchgrant@usga.org.