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World Golf Hall of Fame facts for kids

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World Golf Hall of Fame
and Museum
Main building, World Golf Hall of Fame.jpg
Hall of Fame building at World Golf Village
Established September 1974 (September 1974)
(past location: May 19, 1998)
Location Pinehurst, North Carolina
Type Professional sports hall of fame
Visitors 350,000/year (2009)

The World Golf Hall of Fame is a special place that honors the greatest golfers and people who have made a big difference in the sport of golf. It's like a museum for golf legends!

For a long time, it was located in World Golf Village in Florida, USA. What made it unique was that it honored both men and women golfers in one place. Many golf groups from around the world support it. Soon, it will open its new home in Pinehurst, North Carolina, in 2024.

The museum building was designed by experts to show off golf's history. Inside, you can find exhibits about the game's past, famous players, and how golf courses and equipment have changed over time.

History of the Hall of Fame

The World Golf Hall of Fame first opened in Pinehurst, North Carolina, in September 1974. It started with 13 members. At first, it was a local project. Then, the PGA of America (a big golf organization) took over in 1983.

Over time, two other golf halls of fame joined the World Golf Hall of Fame. The PGA of America had its own hall of fame since 1940. It merged with the Pinehurst Hall in the 1980s. The Hall of Fame of Women's Golf was started by the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) in 1951. Famous golfers like Patty Berg and Babe Zaharias were among its first members. This women's hall of fame also joined the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1998.

In 1994, many golf groups created the World Golf Foundation. Their goal was to make the Hall of Fame even better. So, a new building was built in Florida. It opened on May 19, 1998, and closed in September 2023. The Hall of Fame is now moving back to Pinehurst, North Carolina, and will open in 2024.

Becoming a Member

To become a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, golfers must meet certain rules. These rules have changed over the years.

Since 2020, there are two main ways to get in:

  • Competitor: For golfers who have achieved great success playing the game.
  • Contributor: For people who have helped golf in other ways, like coaches, course designers, or people who promote the sport.

A group of 30 people, including Hall of Fame members and media, nominates up to 10 people each time. Then, a different group of 20 people votes. To be elected, a person needs 75% of the votes. Only a few people can be chosen each year.

To be a Competitor, golfers usually need to be at least 45 years old. They also need to have won a certain number of tournaments on major golf tours or won big championships.

How Golfers Qualify

Male Golfers

To qualify, male golfers need to win 15 times on "approved tours" or win two "major" championships.

  • Approved Tours:

* PGA Tour * European Tour * Japan Golf Tour * Sunshine Tour * Asian Tour * PGA Tour of Australasia

  • Major Wins:

* Masters Tournament * U.S. Open * The Open Championship * PGA Championship * The Players Championship

Female Golfers

Female golfers need to win 15 times on "approved tours" or win two "major" championships.

  • Approved Tours:

* LPGA Tour * Ladies European Tour * LPGA of Japan Tour * LPGA of Korea Tour * ALPG Tour

  • Major Wins:

* U.S. Women's Open * Women's PGA Championship * The Women's Open Championship * Chevron Championship * The Evian Championship * du Maurier Classic (older major) * Titleholders Championship (older major) * Women's Western Open (older major)

Hall of Fame Members

New members are usually added to the Hall of Fame every other year. By May 2013, there were 146 members. Some members are famous golfers, while others are recognized for their important work behind the scenes. For example, Bob Hope was a celebrity who helped golf, and Frank Chirkinian was a TV producer who changed how golf was shown on television.

Men in the Hall of Fame

Here are some of the famous men who have been inducted:

Women in the Hall of Fame

Here are some of the famous women who have been inducted:

See also

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