Francis Ouimet

 

Inducted in 1999 (Posthumously)

Winner of the famed "Greatest Game Ever Played," Francis Ouimet learned the game of golf through caddying and was a staunch advocate for caddies throughout his life.

Francis Ouimet began his life in golf caddying at The Country Club in Brookline, MA, at the age of 11. Using clubs from his brother and balls he found at the course, he taught himself to play the game. Ouimet famously won the 1913 U.S. Open, a victory that later became the subject of the best-selling book, "The Greatest Game Ever Played," and a film of the same name. The victory is credited with helping golf become a mainstream American sport. Ouimet, who remained an amateur, later won the 1914 U.S. Amateur, the 1917 Western Amateur and the 1931 U.S. Amateur.

For his work promoting the important role of caddies in the game of golf, Francis Ouimet earned a place in the Caddie Hall of Fame, which recognizes individuals who support caddying.