Reagan Putter Sells For $150k

Reagan Putter Sells For $150k

Here’s an interesting story from rrauction.com, especially if, like me, you can clearly remember the Ronald Reagan era.

The putter used by Reagan on Air Force One on his way to the Geneva Summit with Mikhail Gorbachev sold for $150,000 at auction.

It’s a Spalding TM6.

The putter’s authenticity was confirmed by Bud McFarlane, Reagan’s National Security Advisor who was on board the plane and witnessed the putting practice.

The Geneva Summit of 1985 was one of several that resulted in the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty signed by Reagan and Gorbachev on December 8, 1987, an arms control agreement that, within four years, had eliminated a total of 2,692 short medium-range and intermediate-range missiles.

The phrase “Trust But Verify,” is a Reagan quip associated with that 1987 agreement. The phrase was borrowed by Reagan from a Russian rhyming proverb: Doveryay, no proveryay.

Reagan most famous round occurred at Augusta National — but for all the wrong reasons. On October 22, 1983, Charles Harris crashed his pickup through the gates of Augusta National while Reagan, Secretary of State George Schultz and Treasury Secretary Donald Regan were playing golf.

Harris took hostages in the pro shop and demanded to speak to the President. Reagan attempted to talk to Harris by phone, but the suspect hung up both times. Harris surrendered a couple of hours later.