Visitors to the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine can view exhibits that tell the story of the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup and Solheim Cup ? then try to replicate putts that are part of the lore of those three international match-play events.
It?s part of an interactive exhibit called ?Cup Moments Gallery,? one of a series of new attractions and displays at the Hall of Fame that have opened since the 2013 induction ceremony on May 6.
?These events are getting huge every time they?re played,? said Hall of Fame communications director Travis Hill. ?Even non-golf fans are watching them. We had a ton of items related to the three Cups, but they were scattered around the exhibit halls. The visitors will enjoy having them in one area.?
In addition to replicas of the Cups and equipment and clothing used and worn by Hall of Fame members who competed in those events, there are video and still photos covering the history of the competitions.
Then there?s the putting green. Visitors have a choice of attempting the 2?1/2-foot putt that Jack Nicklaus conceded to Tony Jacklin in the 1969 Ryder Cup at Royal Birkdale, resulting in the first team draw in the history of the event; trying to hole the 25-foot putt Fred Couples made to beat Vijay Singh and clinch the 1996 Presidents Cup for the U.S. at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club; or facing the 16-foot birdie putt Annika Sorenstam made in the 2003 Solheim Cup in Sweden to help win a fourball match with Suzann Pettersen against Laura Diaz and Kelly Robbins.
Hill said dozens of visitors to the Hall of Fame on Fathers Day attempted the Couples putt, for an autographed poster of the Class of 2013 Hall of Fame members that included Couples.
Only five made it.
The other new wrinkle at the Hall of Fame has been an unprecedented extension of the exhibits honoring the Class of 2012 who entered the Hall of Fame, Phil Mickelson, Sandy Lyle, Peter Allis, Dan Jenkins and Hollis Stacy. All five members allowed the Hall of Fame to keep their memorabilia for another year, and Mickelson, for one, sent more items: such as all eight of the replica Ryder Cup trophies given to each participant on both sides.
It?s the first time that the exhibits honoring a Hall of Fame class remain on display longer than a year.
The 2012 Class gallery opens up a new position for the popular golf simulator, which was moved to make room for expansion of the Hall?s Locker Room.
Each Hall of Fame member has his or her own locker, with donated items displayed. The locker room has a new entrance, with 22 more lockers, and the Hall has added plush chairs and couches and a 70-inch TV that loops the ?Championship Moments? video and live golf coverage ? giving it the feel of a high-end private or resort clubhouse.
The locker room has the space to add a total of 90 more lockers.
Hall of Fame curator Andy Hunold said museums keep current by finding new ways to display historic items.
?You?re always evolving, trying new ways to present things,? Hunold said.
Also new or modified for this summer:
? The Shell?s Wonderful World of Golf Theater is showing more than 50 episodes of the iconic show, with five a day and the lineup changing each day. On one particular day, visitors could watch Jack Nicklaus playing Sam Snead in 1963, Ben Hogan playing Snead in 1965 or Gary Player going against Peter Thomson in 1962.
? The Class of 2013 Inductee Exhibits, which went on display the day before the induction ceremony. One of the priceless items is the actual medal Willie Park Jr., received for winning the 1887 Open Championship, on loan from Jim McCormick, a collector from Chicago.
? The History in the Making exhibit, which features items commemorating recent events in golf, has two exhibits from the 2013 Masters: all three balls used for the ceremonial opening tee shots by Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player; and the shirt, a wedge and glove worn in the third round by 14-year-old Guan Tianlang, who became the youngest to play in the Masters, then the youngest to make the cut. Hill said that Masters champion Adam Scott and U.S. Open champion Justin Rose have promised to send items related to their victories in the near future.
Garry Smits: (904) 359-4362
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