Build it and they might not come ...

[Steve_ Shaffer]

The World Golf Hall of Fame's St. Augustine, Florida, site is set to close on Sept. 2 after 25 years and will reopen in a markedly downsized Pinehurst location in spring 2024ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida — On a recent late August weekday, traffic departed the Interstate 95 raceway and sat on the exit ramp and bridge of this bustling northeast Florida community. Signs indicated they were on International Golf Parkway, adjacent to the World Golf Village, World Golf Hall of Fame, Slammer & Squire and King & Bear golf courses and Murray Bros. Caddyshack Restaurant at an exit 20 miles south of Jacksonville.
Yet, this vision, established 25 years ago by the PGA Tour, of a golf haven just south of Jacksonville and two hours from Disney was just a partial mirage by 2023. The passengers in these cars were likely more anxious for the offerings on the southside of International Golf Parkway — a Buc-ee’s mega gas station and convenience store, a Costco’s warehouse and a Bass Pro Shops that is scheduled to open in 2024.
Across the street, to the north of this roaring growth, the World Golf Village offers a perfect backdrop for golf. There is quiet and little to interrupt a round. Few cars outside of residents, workers or Slammer & Squire golfers drive in on a 1.4-mile-long winding road off of the main road.At road’s end, the circular retail development surrounding a lake, the Hall of Fame and an IMAX theater has been dotted with vacancies for more than a decade since a large Tour Stop golf retail store closed in late 2013 and now houses a church. A vacation vendor, dance studio, spa, karate school and wedding venue occupy the spaces adjacent to the church and restaurant. The last Hall of Fame induction ceremony on site was held 10 years ago, with the event moving around the world and up the road at PGA Tour headquarters when marquee star Tiger Woods was inducted in 2022.
Read more:


https://www.firstcallgolf.com/features/feature/2023-08-31/build-it-and-they-might-not-come

[Tommy Williamsen]

Pinehurst is a much better location for it. It draws many thousands of golfers to its location. While Cooperstown draws baseball fans from all over the country to its HOF, the golf HOF will probably only draw golfers who are already there. Few will make a special trip just to see it.

[Joe_Tucholski]

Pinehurst is a much better location for it.

I guess that's why it was originally in Pinehurst before moving in the late 90's down to FL.  We'll see if it can survive, financially, this time around.

[David Kelly]

Building run-of-the-mill golf courses to anchor the project didn't really help.

[JohnVDB]

Pinehurst is a much better location for it.

I guess that's why it was originally in Pinehurst before moving in the late 90's down to FL.  We'll see if it can survive, financially, this time around.

It is more likely to, partially because the USGA is moving part of its collection there and will help promote and fund it.

[John Kavanaugh]

I love Gary Player but as a spokesman. NO.

[Wayne_Kozun]

Shouldn’t the World Golf Hall of Fame be somewhere like St Andrews, Prestwick or Musselburgh?

[Tom_Doak]

Shouldn’t the World Golf Hall of Fame be somewhere like St Andrews, Prestwick or Musselburgh?

Don't you know that any organization claiming to represent the entire world, has to be run by Americans?  It's Rule 1 of the rules-based order.  ;-)


And Tommy is right, hardly anyone is going to make a special trip just to visit the World Golf Hall of Fame.  If it doesn't survive in Pinehurst, it probably doesn't survive anywhere else, either.

[Adam Lawrence]

Shouldn’t the World Golf Hall of Fame be somewhere like St Andrews, Prestwick or Musselburgh?

'Halls of fame' are not a thing on this side of the pond, so it certainly wouldn't work over here

[Rob Marshall]

Shouldn’t the World Golf Hall of Fame be somewhere like St Andrews, Prestwick or Musselburgh?

Don't you know that any organization claiming to represent the entire world, has to be run by Americans?  It's Rule 1 of the rules-based order.  ;-)


And Tommy is right, hardly anyone is going to make a special trip just to visit the World Golf Hall of Fame.  If it doesn't survive in Pinehurst, it probably doesn't survive anywhere else, either.

Americans run the United Nations?

[Kalen Braley]

Shouldn’t the World Golf Hall of Fame be somewhere like St Andrews, Prestwick or Musselburgh?

Wayne,

I was wondering if location isn't the problem too.

Visits to the Baseball and Football HOF see peak traffic over the summer via family vacations, inductions, etc. No disrespect to my Florida brethren, but it wouldn't seem very high on the list when summer time heat and humidity is in full swing.

[Mark Smolens]

Pinehurst is a much better location for it.

I guess that's why it was originally in Pinehurst before moving in the late 90's down to FL.  We'll see if it can survive, financially, this time around.

I made at least 4 trips to Pinehurst when the HoF was located there... never even considered making a visit. To busy playing golf, hitting unlimited range balls, and drinking.

[Steve Lang]

   Visited HoF once when it was in Pinehurst... only because it was raining non-stop one day,... other guys had no interest as we were playing 36-54 holes per day during our Go Carolina yearly spring outings with plenty of opportunity...  I doubt that will change with it returning but I can certainly understand the draw for playing golf at numerous venues during HoF events...

[Wayne_Kozun]

Shouldn’t the World Golf Hall of Fame be somewhere like St Andrews, Prestwick or Musselburgh?

'Halls of fame' are not a thing on this side of the pond, so it certainly wouldn't work over here

Understood, but to me the "World" hall of fame should be in the world headquarters of golf.  Pinehurst makes sense for the American golf hall of fame.
I imagine that there are golf related museums in the historical golf towns of Scotland.

[mike_beene]

Used to be a great little museum in Gullane. That’s all I need. The Old Course or Muirfield feels like a historic experience. As does Wimbledon, Notre Dame Stadium , Fenway and Stage 21 into Paris. I have never sought out or attended a hall of fame. Just not interesting. But in small doses, like Hogans clubs at Shady, very cool.

[Wayne_Kozun]

Agreed.  When in St Andrews I have always enjoyed going to the cemetery and seeing some of the graves of YTM, OTM, Allan Robertson, etc.

[David_Tepper]

"Shouldn’t the World Golf Hall of Fame be somewhere like St Andrews, Prestwick or Musselburgh?"

In fact, there is already an excellent "world golf" museum in St. Andrews.

https://www.worldgolfmuseum.com/

[Joe_Tucholski]

Pinehurst is a much better location for it.

I guess that's why it was originally in Pinehurst before moving in the late 90's down to FL.  We'll see if it can survive, financially, this time around.

I made at least 4 trips to Pinehurst when the HoF was located there... never even considered making a visit. To busy playing golf, hitting unlimited range balls, and drinking.

Different strokes for different folks.  I'm sure I'll go...I enjoyed visiting the Tufts archives at the library in town.

[Jerry Kluger]

Without looking it up - do you know which sport's hall of fame is visited the most?

[Erik J. Barzeski]

Without looking it up - do you know which sport's hall of fame is visited the most?

I'm going to guess the Football HOF if you were just talking about the U.S., but it's probably something outside the U.S. like the soccer or cricket hall of fame somewhere.

[Rob Marshall]

I would guess baseball. I’ve been there a few times.

[Carl Johnson]

My wife and I visited said World Golf Hall of Fame 15 to 20 years ago (it was fairly new) at the suggestion of a golf pro at our club.  We were going to be in the St. Augustine area.  I've never been to any other sports hall of fames, not even the NASCAR Hall of Fame in my home town.  Since the WGHF is now dead, I won't go into detail.  But, looking at it as a museum, which I think is what one should do, it was a disappointing, sorry affair.  Embarrassing, really.  By comparison with the R&A World Golf Museum in St. Andrews it was a joke.  Just my personal opinion, of course.

[Steve Lang]

    Loved the R&A World Golf Museum in St Andrews, which was world class, took me a half hour to get by the topo of TOC (if I remember attributed to Jerry Pate) and we spent several hours there... the HoF in Pinehurst back in the 90's, almost reconsidered going to play golf in the rain...


but will check it out upon reopening

[Jerry Kluger]

The answer to my question is the Hockey Hall of Fame which is in downtown Toronto which makes sense as there are so many residents and visitors located nearby.  Apparently golfers did not think it was worthwhile to get off of I 95 to visit the Florida hall of fame and I wonder how many are going to make a trip to Pinehurst just to see the HOF - I am confident those playing at the Pinehurst resort may visit the HOF but there has to be something that attracts visitors who are not staying at the resort and I don't know what that could be.

[Mark Fedeli]

I am confident those playing at the Pinehurst resort may visit the HOF but there has to be something that attracts visitors who are not staying at the resort and I don't know what that could be.

I’m not even confident of that. I think you’d need a day that’s totally washed out and for the HOF to already be in the hotel the golfers are staying at and have a full offering of simulators before it’ll get any significant visits.


I love golf history as much as the next guy, but I’m not saving a minute for the HOF on my jam-packed Pinehurst golf trip itinerary and I don’t think a mass of others will either. Hope I’m wrong, though.