George Duncan, c.1914
An original photographic illustration capturing Open Championship winner George Duncan in full follow-through, issued during the formative years of modern professional golf and authenticated by PSA as a Type III photograph.
An Open Champion at the dawn of modern golf
George Duncan occupies a distinctive place in golf history. Winner of the 1920 Open Championship and a leading professional of the pre- and post-First World War era, Duncan was part of the generation that bridged Victorian golf and the modern professional game.
This photograph dates to circa 1914, capturing Duncan in full swing during a period when golf photography was still emerging as a documentary medium. The image reflects the elegance and balance of early twentieth-century technique, recorded at a time when professional golfers were only just beginning to be recognised as sporting figures of lasting importance.
The artefact
The item is an original photographic illustration, authenticated and encapsulated by PSA and classified as Type III. The image shows Duncan in classic follow-through, isolated against a minimal background that emphasises form, posture, and motion.
Such photographic studies were commonly produced for illustrated sporting publications in the early 1900s, serving both instructional and documentary purposes. Surviving examples with clear attribution and intact provenance are now increasingly scarce.
Front of PSA-authenticated photographic illustration showing George Duncan in full swing, circa 1914.
Golf illustration and early sports media
Before motion film and broadcast coverage, photographic illustrations played a crucial role in how sporting technique was analysed and shared. Golfers such as Duncan were frequently depicted mid-swing to demonstrate balance, rhythm, and mechanical precision.
This image belongs firmly to that tradition, capturing a moment of controlled athletic movement rather than spectacle. As such, it functions both as a historical document and as an early visual study of professional golf technique.
The reverse and period identification
The reverse of the photograph carries period handwritten identification noting Duncan’s name and date, alongside caption material consistent with early twentieth-century publication workflows. These markings confirm the image’s use within contemporary sporting media and form an integral part of its provenance.
Reverse showing handwritten identification and period caption material relating to George Duncan, c.1914.
Why this photograph matters
This photograph preserves a golfer who stood at a pivotal moment in the game’s evolution. Taken before Duncan’s Open Championship triumph, it captures him not as a retrospective champion, but as a working professional at the height of his playing career.
As an authenticated original photographic illustration from the early twentieth century, it represents an increasingly rare visual record of golf’s formative professional era.
Availability
This artefact forms part of the CardHawk Vault, a curated archive of historically significant sports material. Selected items from the Vault are available for acquisition via CardHawkUK, with ownership and transactions handled separately from the archival presentation.
View acquisition details on CardHawkUK →
PSA/DNA authentication enquiries
CardHawk offers specialist support for PSA/DNA authentication of original photographs, documents, and historically significant sporting artefacts. Submissions of early photographic material can be complex, and careful assessment is essential.
If you hold golf or sporting photography you believe may be suitable for PSA/DNA authentication, we encourage you to get in touch for an initial review.