World Golf Hall of Fame

The World Golf Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame located in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Previously located at World Golf Village in St. Johns County, Florida, it was moved back to its original host city of Pinehurst to a new campus opened in 2024. The hall is supported by a consortium of 26 golf organizations from around the world. The Hall of Fame Museum Building was designed by the specialist museum architecture firm E. Verner Johnson and Associates of Boston. They also produced the museum master plan that established the size, mission, and qualities of the museum and the surrounding facilities and site. The Hall of Fame Museum features a permanent exhibition and a rolling program of temporary exhibitions. Designed by museum design firm Ralph Appelbaum Associates, the Hall of Fame and exhibition area contain exhibits on the game's history, heritage, and techniques; major players and organizations; and golf-course design, equipment, and dress. History The World Golf Hall of Fame is located in Pinehurst, North Carolina, and was originally privately operated by Diamondhead Corp., then owners of the Pinehurst Resort. It opened in September 1974 with an initial class of 13 members. Initially it was a local project, but the PGA of America took over management in 1983 and acquired full ownership in 1986. Two other halls of fame have been merged into the World Golf Hall of Fame. The PGA of America established one in 1940, which was merged into the Pinehurst Hall in the 1980s. The Hall of Fame of Women's Golf was established by the LPGA in 1951, with four charter members: Patty Berg, Betty Jameson, Louise Suggs, and Babe Zaharias. It was inactive for some years, but in 1967 it moved into its first physical premises, which were in Augusta, Georgia, and was renamed the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame. In 1998, it merged into the World Golf Hall of Fame. In 1994 the global golf industry established the nonprofit World Golf Foundation to promote the sport, with the creation of an enhanced Hall of Fame as one of its main objectives. Construction at the new site in St. Johns County, Florida, began in 1996 and the new facility opened on May 19, 1998, and closed in September 2023. The new USGA Pinehurst Golf House now houses the Hall of Fame that opened in 2024. Membership categories In October 2013, the hall announced that it was reviewing its selection process and that there would be no induction ceremony in 2014. A new process was announced in March 2014. Starting in 2014, members were inducted into the Hall of Fame in one of four categories: Male Competitor, Female Competitor, Veterans, and Lifetime Achievement categories. Elections are held every other year with induction ceremonies in odd number years beginning in 2015. The process has changed from that used from 1996 to 2013. The minimum qualifications for male and female competitors are: minimum of 40 years old, or five years removed from "active competition" and 15 or more wins on "approved tours" or two "major wins". The veterans category is primarily for those golfers whose careers ended before 1980 and includes both amateurs and professionals. The lifetime achievement category remains from the old system. The hall again revised the criteria in 2020 and now recognize two categories: Competitor and Contributor. A 30-member nominating sub-committee composed of Hall of Fame members, World Golf Foundation Board organizations and members of the media will choose from among the eligible candidates and nominate a total of 10 individuals (four male competitors, four female competitors, and two contributors). A separate 20-member selection committee will then vote on all four ballots. Election to the Hall of Fame will require 75% of the vote and each year's election class is limited to two from each ballot and five total. In 2016, the hall announced that the age requirement would be raised to 50 from 40 years old. In 2020, the age requirement was lowered from 50 to 45. Qualification details Male Approved tours (15 wins total) PGA Tour European Tour Japan Golf Tour Sunshine Tour Asian Tour PGA Tour of Australasia Majors or Players Championship (two wins) Masters Tournament U.S. Open The Open Championship PGA Championship The Players Championship Female Approved tours (15 wins total) LPGA Tour Ladies European Tour LPGA of Japan Tour LPGA of Korea Tour ALPG Tour Majors (two wins) U.S. Women's Open Women's PGA Championship The Women's Open Championship (2001−current) Chevron Championship (1983−current; formerly known as the Dinah Shore, Kraft Nabisco Championship, and ANA Inspiration) The Evian Championship (2013−current) du Maurier Classic (1979−2000) Titleholders Championship (1937-1966, 1972) Women's Western Open (1930-1967) Categories from 1996 to 2013 From 1996 to 2013, members were inducted into the Hall of Fame in one of five categories: PGA Tour/Champions Tour, LPGA Tour, International, Lifetime Achievement, and Veterans. PGA Tour/Champions Tour ballot Current and former PGA Tour and Champions Tour players were eligible for this ballot if they met the following requirements (beginning with 1996 election): PGA Tour Minimum of 40 years old PGA Tour member for 10 years 10 PGA Tour wins or two wins in the majors or Players Championship Champions Tour Champions Tour member for five years 20 wins between PGA Tour and Champions Tour or five wins in the majors (regular or senior) or Players Championship Election requirements: Voters voted for up to 30% of the players on the ballot. If a player was named on less than 5% of the ballots for two consecutive years, they were dropped from the ballot. Players not elected could remain on the ballot indefinitely (prior to 2007 the limit was 10 years, from 2007 to 2009 the limit was 15 years). LPGA point system LPGA Tour golfers were eligible through a point system. Since 1999, LPGA members automatically qualified for World Golf Hall of Fame membership when they meet these three criteria: Must be/have been an "active" LPGA Tour member for 10 years. Must have won/been awarded at least one of the following – an LPGA major championship, the Vare Trophy or Player of the Year honors; and Must have accumulated a total of 27 points, which are awarded as follows – one point for each LPGA official tournament win, two points for each LPGA major tournament win and one point for each Vare Trophy or Rolex Player of the Year honor earned. Before 1999, players had to win 30 tournaments, including two majors; 35 tournaments with one major; or 40 tournaments in all to automatically qualify. At one time, players had to win two different majors to qualify with 30 wins, but this was changed earlier in the 1990s. This point system is still used for selection to the LPGA Hall of Fame. However, in March 2022, the ten-year requirement was scrapped, and a point for winning an Olympic gold medal was added to the criteria. International ballot Men and women golfers not fully eligible for PGA/Champions Tour ballot or the LPGA Tour point system were eligible for the International ballot if they met the following requirements (beginning with the 1996 election): Minimum of 40 years old Cumulative 50 points earned as follows: Men 6 points – Major victories 4 points – Players Championship win 3 points – Other PGA Tour win, European Tour win 2 points – Japan Golf Tour, Sunshine Tour, PGA Tour of Australasia, Champions Tour win 1 point – Other national championship win; Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup participation Women 6 points – Major victories 4 points – Other LPGA Tour win, Women's British Open win prior to 2001 2 points – LPGA of Japan Tour win, Ladies European Tour win 1 point – Other national championship win, Solheim Cup participation Election requirements: same as PGA Tour ballot. Lifetime Achievement category There was also a "lifetime achievement" category through which anyone who had made a major contribution to the organization or promotion of the sport may be selected, for example, Bob Hope. These members were chosen by the Hall of Fame's Board of Directors. Most played golf, in some cases with some competitive success, but it was not their play alone which won them a place in the Hall of Fame. Veteran's category The last category was created to honor professional or amateur players whose career concluded at least 30 years ago. These members were also chosen by the Hall of Fame's Board of Directors. Membership New members are inducted each year on the Monday before The Players Championship (previous to 2010 in October or November), and by May 2013 there were 146 members. Beginning in 2010, the ballots are due in July with the results announced later in the year. New entrants in the Lifetime Achievement and Veteran's categories are announced at irregular intervals. For example, Frank Chirkinian was elected in the Lifetime Achievement category in an emergency election in February 2011, with the vote presumably held because he was then terminally ill with lung cancer; when it became clear he would not live to attend his induction, he videotaped his acceptance speech in late February, less than two weeks before his death. Men Unless stated otherwise these men were inducted mainly for their on-course success. The exceptions mostly correspond with the lifetime achievement category, but not quite. For example, Charlie Sifford was notable as a player but was inducted for lifetime achievement. 1974 Walter Hagen 1974 Ben Hogan 1974 Bobby Jones 1974 Byron Nelson 1974 Jack Nicklaus 1974 Francis Ouimet 1974 Arnold Palmer 1974 Gary Player 1974 Gene Sarazen 1974 Sam Snead 1974 Harry Vardon 1975 Willie Anderson 1975 Fred Corcoran – many-faceted promoter and administrator 1975 Joseph Dey – executive director of the USGA and the first commissioner of the PGA Tour 1975 Chick Evans 1975 Young Tom Morris 1975 John Henry Taylor 1976 Tommy Armour 1976 James Braid 1976 Old Tom Morris 1976 Jerome Travers 1977 Bobby Locke 1977 John Ball 1977 Herb Graffis – golf writer and founder of the U.S. National Golf Foundation 1977 Donald Ross – golf course architect 1978 Billy Casper 1978 Harold Hilton 1978 Bing Crosby – celebrity friend of golf who founded his own PGA Tour event 1978 Clifford Roberts – co-founder of the Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament 1979 Walter Travis 1980 Henry Cotton 1980 Lawson Little 1981 Ralph Guldahl 1981 Lee Trevino 1982 Julius Boros 1983 Jimmy Demaret 1983 Bob Hope – celebrity friend of golf who founded his own PGA Tour event 1986 Cary Middlecoff 1987 Robert Trent Jones – golf course architect 1988 Bob Harlow – promoter who played a key role in the early development of the PGA Tour 1988 Peter Thomson 1988 Tom Watson 1989 Jim Barnes 1989 Roberto De Vicenzo 1989 Raymond Floyd 1990 William C. Campbell – two-time President of the USGA 1990 Gene Littler 1990 Paul Runyan 1990 Horton Smith 1992 Harry Cooper 1992 Hale Irwin 1992 Chi-Chi Rodríguez 1992 Richard Tufts – ran Pinehurst and served as President of the USGA 1996 Johnny Miller 1997 Seve Ballesteros 1997 Nick Faldo 1998 Lloyd Mangrum 2000 Jack Burke Jr. 2000 Deane Beman – Commissioner of the PGA Tour 1974-1994 2000 Michael Bonallack – British golf administrator 2000 Neil Coles – first Chairman of the PGA European Tour 2000 John Jacobs – first Tournament Director of the European Tour 2001 Bernhard Langer (inducted with 2002 class) 2001 Greg Norman 2001 Payne Stewart 2001 Allan Robertson 2001 Karsten Solheim – golf equipment manufacturer and founder of the Solheim Cup 2002 Ben Crenshaw 2002 Tony Jacklin 2002 Tommy Bolt 2002 Harvey Penick – golf instructor 2003 Nick Price 2003 Leo Diegel 2004 Charlie Sifford 2004 Isao Aoki 2004 Tom Kite 2005 Bernard Darwin – golf writer 2005 Alister MacKenzie – golf course architect 2005 Willie Park Sr. 2005 Vijay Singh (inducted with 2006 class) 2006 Larry Nelson 2006 Henry Picard 2006 Mark McCormack – sports agent who represented many top golfers; the developer of golf's first world ranking system, adapted into today's Official World Golf Ranking 2007 Joe Carr 2007 Hubert Green 2007 Charles B. Macdonald – inaugural U.S. Amateur champion, founding Vice-President of the USGA and "Father of American Golf Architecture" 2007 Kel Nagle 2007 Curtis Strange 2008 Bob Charles 2008 Pete Dye – golf course architect 2008 Denny Shute 2008 Herbert Warren Wind – golf writer 2008 Craig Wood 2009 Christy O'Connor Snr 2009 José María Olazábal 2009 Lanny Wadkins 2009 Dwight D. Eisenhower – former U.S. President 2011 Ernie Els 2011 Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki 2011 Doug Ford 2011 Jock Hutchison 2011 Frank Chirkinian – television producer, known as the 'father of televised golf' for the impact he had on golf broadcasting. 2011 George H. W. Bush – former U.S. President 2012 Phil Mickelson 2012 Dan Jenkins – golf writer 2012 Sandy Lyle 2012 Peter Alliss 2013 Fred Couples 2013 Ken Venturi 2013 Willie Park Jr. 2013 Colin Montgomerie 2013 Ken Schofield – Executive Director of the European Tour 2015 David Graham 2015 Mark O'Meara 2015 A. W. Tillinghast – golf course architect 2017 Henry Longhurst – golf writer and commentator 2017 Davis Love III 2017 Ian Woosnam 2019 Retief Goosen 2019 Billy Payne − Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club 2019 Dennis Walters − disabled golfer and inspirational speaker and performer 2021 Tiger Woods 2021 Tim Finchem – Commissioner of the PGA Tour 1994–2017 2023 Johnny Farrell 2023 Pádraig Harrington 2023 Tom Weiskopf Women The first five women on this list were grandfathered in 1998 from the Hall of Fame of Women's Golf, which was founded in 1951, via the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame, which was inaugurated in 1967. The list shows the years when they were originally inducted into the Hall of Fame of Women's Golf. Unless stated otherwise the women on the list were inducted primarily for their on-course achievements. Players marked with an (f) denotes they were elected twice—once individually, and once collectively for the 2024 nominations announced on March 8, 2023 for the 13 LPGA founders. 1951 Betty Jameson (f) 1951 Patty Berg (f) 1951 Louise Suggs (f) 1951 Babe Didrikson Zaharias (f) 1960 Betsy Rawls 1964 Mickey Wright 1975 Glenna Collett-Vare 1975 Joyce Wethered 1975 Kathy Whitworth 1977 Sandra Haynie 1977 Carol Mann 1978 Dorothy Campbell Hurd Howe 1982 JoAnne Carner 1987 Nancy Lopez 1991 Pat Bradley 1993 Patty Sheehan 1994 Dinah Shore – celebrity friend of the LPGA; founded a tournament that eventually became a major 1995 Betsy King 1999 Amy Alcott 2000 Beth Daniel 2000 Juli Inkster 2000 Judy Rankin 2001 Donna Caponi 2001 Judy Bell – administrator; first female President of the USGA 2002 Marlene Bauer Hagge (f) 2003 Hisako "Chako" Higuchi 2003 Annika Sörenstam 2004 Marlene Stewart Streit 2005 Ayako Okamoto 2005 Karrie Webb 2006 Marilynn Smith (f) 2007 Pak Se-ri 2008 Carol Semple Thompson 2012 Hollis Stacy 2015 Laura Davies 2017 Meg Mallon 2017 Lorena Ochoa 2019 Peggy Kirk Bell 2019 Jan Stephenson 2021 Marion Hollins 2021 Susie Maxwell Berning 2023 Beverly Hanson 2023 Sandra Palmer 2023 LPGA Founders (those not previously in Hall listed): Alice Bauer Bettye Danoff Helen Dettweiler Helen Hicks Opal Hill Sally Sessions Shirley Spork See also Canadian Golf Hall of Fame – Sports museum in Oakville, Ontario, Canada Jack Nicklaus Museum – American sports museum in Columbus, Ohio, USA R&A World Golf Museum – Sports museum in Fife, Scotland, United Kingdom USGA Museum – Sports museum in Liberty Corner, New Jersey Notes References External links Official website