The World Golf Hall of Fame

Being avid golfers Pam incorporated a little stopover between Savannah and their winter pad in Fort Myer. It is near St Augustine and is a large golf resort with the Hall of Fame in the middle. Robin and I did the tour while the girls did a bit of shopping. Within the Hall we were the only two visitors – we did see three people working. From our perspective it was great although how the finances work is a mystery.

The museum is over two levels and has a tower.

The displays start with a number of rooms featuring Bob Hope. The attraction of the range of videos running was hard to get away from – he was a very funny man.

 

You then move into a history of golf. An early form of the game was Kolf (first recorded in 1296) where the targets were doorways, posts etc and used feather stuffed balls. Chole was another form where teams of three hit towards a target up to 12 miles away. When each had had a turn the other team hit back to the start. (It sounds like this could easily be an all day affair).

One of the earliest shots of the modern game was this of the Old Couse Swilcan Bridge c 1855 which was originally built to enable packhorses carrying mussels to cross the burn. 

The Hall itself is spacious and has brass plaques of those who have been invited into the hall.

Here are two well known non-American culprits.

We then travelled up the tower where there is a great view of the course (it is  immaculate but again not too busy).

The view to the other side is also awesome and shows the tee for “The Challenge” (bottom left) and the target (middle distance).

At the top of the tower is a crystal sculpture comprising 162 lead crystal prisms each of which took 48 hours to produce. They apparently follow the arc of a “Perfect Swing” which is the name of the sculpture. I am guessing that my swing looks nothing like this.

Towards the end of the exhibits is a locker room. Here is the “Golden Bear’s” equipment which was similar to what he used in 1961. He was in the class of 1974 induction.

Almost as ancient is this golf buggy and behind it a mechanical golf swing machine for testing clubs.

As part of our entrance fee we were allowed two attempts at the Challenge. Robin’s swing may need a little work given what we learned in the Hall of Fame. As for the result – well that is secret men’s business.