I visited the World Golf Hall of Fame this week and was lucky enough to have Director of Exhibits Andy Hunold give me an “insiders” tour. View the video and you can take the tour along with me.

First of all, I had no idea that the flags right outside the Hall of Fame represent the countries the members are from. It’s an impressive display that sets the stage for what’s to come inside the World Golf Hall of Fame.  I was also not aware that our St. Augustine golf course community is home to the only sports hall of fame in the world with an IMAX theater. If those things are not news to you, then how about this one…Did you know there have been over 50 exhibits displayed in the Hall of Fame to date? Pretty impressive, right? 

The Hall of Fame currently has 136 members. These members are made up of both players and contributors to the game. The process of induction is depicted just inside the Hall of Fame. It really helps to understand how difficult the process of selection is. There are five criteria – the PGA TOUR ballot, International Ballot, LPGA Ballot, Lifetime Achievement Ballot, and Veteran’s Ballot. Andy does an excellent job of explaining the induction process in the full length video.

Andy showed us around the Bob Hope exhibit, which opened in 2008 and spans 100 years of Hope’s fascinating lifetime. There are so many interesting stories and little-known facts about Hope – from his being born in England to his commitment to the USO tours. Bob Hope put on more than 200 USO shows in his lifetime, which reached over 10 million troops. He was also, at one time, in the Guinness Book of World Records for “Most Honored Man in History”. Some of this exhibit is now traveling, so only part of it remains at the Hall of Fame today, but I highly recommend checking it out.

Then we viewed the Nancy Lopez Gallery which opened in January of 2011. Lopez had an impressive 48 career LPGA victories! Her exhibit includes many personal stories. That’s really what sets the Hall of Fame apart. The Hall of Fame staff work with the members to find out what’s important to them, not what’s important to the Hall of Fame.  The exhibits really have an inviting, personal touch that honors the members’ lives, not just their talent or skills.

The Member Locker Room is my personal favorite.  There are 136 lockers with over 2,500 items displayed. These items are donated by the members for life. They will remain there forever for admirers of the game to experience and enjoy.  It really feels like you’re inside the locker room of a major championship with the greatest names of golf represented and you’re getting this amazing glimpse into their lives, what makes them tick and what kind of person they really are. When you visit the World Golf Hall of Fame, be sure to check out the Member Locker Room.

The 2012 Induction Ceremony is coming up on May 7th of 2012 to coincide with the Players Championship in Sawgrass Players Club.  It’s open to the public. For more information please visit  http://www.worldgolfhalloffame.org/hof/halloffamers.php