World Golf Hall of Fame
Template:Update Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox museum The World Golf Hall of Fame was, until recently, located at World Golf Village between Jacksonville, Florida, and St. Augustine, Florida, in the United States. It is unusual amongst sports halls of fame in that a single site honors both men and women. It is supported by a consortium of 26 golf organizations from all over the world.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was moved back to Pinehurst, North Carolina, with the new campus opening in 2024.
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 contains exhibits on the game's history, heritage, and techniques; major players and organizations; golf course design, equipment, and dress.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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 a non-profit making body called the 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 housing the hall of fame is scheduled to open in 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> 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.<ref name=newcat>Template:Cite web</ref>
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).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A separate 20-member selection committee will then vote on all four ballots.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref name=newcat/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2016, the Hall announced that the age requirement would be raised to 50 from 40 years old.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2020, the age requirement was lowered from 50 to 45.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Qualification details
Male
- Approved tours (15 wins total)
- Majors or Players Championship (two wins)
Female
- Approved tours (15 wins total)
- 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
Election requirements:
| Years | % of returned ballots needed for election |
|---|---|
| 1996–2000 | 75% |
| 2001–2003 | 65% |
| 2004–2013 | 65%, in the event that no candidate receives 65%, the nominee receiving the most votes with at least 50% is elected |
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<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> (prior to 2007 the limit was 10 years, from 2007 to 2009 the limit was 15 years).<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, in March 2022, the ten-year requirement was scrapped, and a point for winning an Olympic gold medal was added to the criteria.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> (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 – MajorTemplate:Efn victories
- 4 points – Other LPGA Tour win, Women's British Open win prior to 2001Template:Efn
- 2 points – LPGA of Japan Tour win, Ladies European Tour win
- 1 point – Other national championship win, Solheim Cup participation
- Men
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<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> (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;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
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 Template:Flagicon Walter Hagen
- 1974 Template:Flagicon Ben Hogan
- 1974 Template:Flagicon Bobby Jones
- 1974 Template:Flagicon Byron Nelson
- 1974 Template:Flagicon Jack Nicklaus
- 1974 Template:Flagicon Francis Ouimet
- 1974 Template:Flagicon Arnold Palmer
- 1974 Template:Flagicon Gary Player
- 1974 Template:Flagicon Gene Sarazen
- 1974 Template:Flagicon Sam Snead
- 1974 Template:Flagicon Harry Vardon
- 1975 Template:Flagicon Willie Anderson
- 1975 Template:Flagicon Fred Corcoran – many-faceted promoter and administrator
- 1975 Template:Flagicon Joseph Dey – executive director of the USGA and the first commissioner of the PGA Tour
- 1975 Template:Flagicon Chick Evans
- 1975 Template:Flagicon Young Tom Morris
- 1975 Template:Flagicon John Henry Taylor
- 1976 Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon Tommy Armour
- 1976 Template:Flagicon James Braid
- 1976 Template:Flagicon Old Tom Morris
- 1976 Template:Flagicon Jerome Travers
- 1977 Template:Flagicon Bobby Locke
- 1977 Template:Flagicon John Ball
- 1977 Template:Flagicon Herb Graffis – golf writer and founder of the U.S. National Golf Foundation
- 1977 Template:Flagicon Donald Ross – golf course architect
- 1978 Template:Flagicon Billy Casper
- 1978 Template:Flagicon Harold Hilton
- 1978 Template:Flagicon Bing Crosby – celebrity friend of golf who founded his own PGA Tour event
- 1978 Template:Flagicon Clifford Roberts – co-founder of the Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament
- 1979 Template:Flagicon Walter Travis
- 1980 Template:Flagicon Henry Cotton
- 1980 Template:Flagicon Lawson Little
- 1981 Template:Flagicon Ralph Guldahl
- 1981 Template:Flagicon Lee Trevino
- 1982 Template:Flagicon Julius Boros
- 1983 Template:Flagicon Jimmy Demaret
- 1983 Template:Flagicon Bob Hope – celebrity friend of golf who founded his own PGA Tour event
- 1986 Template:Flagicon Cary Middlecoff
- 1987 Template:Flagicon Robert Trent Jones – golf course architect
- 1988 Template:Flagicon Bob Harlow – promoter who played a key role in the early development of the PGA Tour
- 1988 Template:Flagicon Peter Thomson
- 1988 Template:Flagicon Tom Watson
- 1989 Template:Flagicon Jim Barnes
- 1989 Template:Flagicon Roberto De Vicenzo
- 1989 Template:Flagicon Raymond Floyd
- 1990 Template:Flagicon William C. Campbell – two-time President of the USGA
- 1990 Template:Flagicon Gene Littler
- 1990 Template:Flagicon Paul Runyan
- 1990 Template:Flagicon Horton Smith
- 1992 Template:Flagicon Harry Cooper
- 1992 Template:Flagicon Hale Irwin
- 1992 Template:Flagicon Chi-Chi Rodríguez
- 1992 Template:Flagicon Richard Tufts – ran Pinehurst and served as President of the USGA
- 1996 Template:Flagicon Johnny Miller
- 1997 Template:Flagicon Seve Ballesteros
- 1997 Template:Flagicon Nick Faldo
- 1998 Template:Flagicon Lloyd Mangrum
- 2000 Template:Flagicon Jack Burke Jr.
- 2000 Template:Flagicon Deane Beman – Commissioner of the PGA Tour 1974-1994
- 2000 Template:Flagicon Michael Bonallack – British golf administrator
- 2000 Template:Flagicon Neil Coles – first Chairman of the PGA European Tour
- 2000 Template:Flagicon John Jacobs – first Tournament Director of the European Tour
- 2001 Template:Flagicon Bernhard Langer (inducted with 2002 class)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- 2001 Template:Flagicon Greg Norman
- 2001 Template:Flagicon Payne Stewart
- 2001 Template:Flagicon Allan Robertson
- 2001 Template:Flagicon Karsten Solheim – golf equipment manufacturer and founder of the Solheim Cup
- 2002 Template:Flagicon Ben Crenshaw
- 2002 Template:Flagicon Tony Jacklin
- 2002 Template:Flagicon Tommy Bolt
- 2002 Template:Flagicon Harvey Penick – golf instructor
- 2003 Template:Flagicon Nick Price
- 2003 Template:Flagicon Leo Diegel
- 2004 Template:Flagicon Charlie Sifford
- 2004 Template:Flagicon Isao Aoki
- 2004 Template:Flagicon Tom Kite
- 2005 Template:Flagicon Bernard Darwin – golf writer
- 2005 Template:Flagicon Alister MacKenzie – golf course architect
- 2005 Template:Flagicon Willie Park Sr.
- 2005 Template:Flagicon Vijay Singh (inducted with 2006 class)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- 2006 Template:Flagicon Larry Nelson
- 2006 Template:Flagicon Henry Picard
- 2006 Template:Flagicon 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 Template:Flagicon Joe Carr
- 2007 Template:Flagicon Hubert Green
- 2007 Template:Flagicon Charles B. Macdonald – inaugural U.S. Amateur champion, founding Vice-President of the USGA and "Father of American Golf Architecture"
- 2007 Template:Flagicon Kel Nagle
- 2007 Template:Flagicon Curtis Strange
- 2008 Template:Flagicon Bob Charles
- 2008 Template:Flagicon Pete Dye – golf course architect
- 2008 Template:Flagicon Denny Shute
- 2008 Template:Flagicon Herbert Warren Wind – golf writer
- 2008 Template:Flagicon Craig Wood
- 2009 Template:Flagicon Christy O'Connor Snr
- 2009 Template:Flagicon José María Olazábal
- 2009 Template:Flagicon Lanny Wadkins
- 2009 Template:Flagicon Dwight D. Eisenhower – former U.S. President
- 2011 Template:Flagicon Ernie Els
- 2011 Template:Flagicon Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki
- 2011 Template:Flagicon Doug Ford
- 2011 Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon Jock Hutchison
- 2011 Template:Flagicon Frank Chirkinian – television producer, known as the 'father of televised golf' for the impact he had on golf broadcasting.
- 2011 Template:Flagicon George H. W. Bush – former U.S. President
- 2012 Template:Flagicon Phil Mickelson<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- 2012 Template:Flagicon Dan Jenkins – golf writer<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- 2012 Template:Flagicon Sandy Lyle<ref name=lyle>Template:Cite news</ref>
- 2012 Template:Flagicon Peter Alliss<ref name=lyle/>
- 2013 Template:Flagicon Fred Couples<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- 2013 Template:Flagicon Ken Venturi<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- 2013 Template:Flagicon Willie Park Jr.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- 2013 Template:Flagicon Colin Montgomerie<ref name="Monty, Schofield">Template:Cite press release</ref>
- 2013 Template:Flagicon Ken Schofield<ref name="Monty, Schofield"/> – Executive Director of the European Tour
- 2015 Template:Flagicon David Graham<ref name=class2015>Template:Cite web</ref>
- 2015 Template:Flagicon Mark O'Meara<ref name=class2015/>
- 2015 Template:Flagicon A. W. Tillinghast – golf course architect<ref name=class2015/>
- 2017 Template:Flagicon Henry Longhurst – golf writer and commentator
- 2017 Template:Flagicon Davis Love III
- 2017 Template:Flagicon Ian Woosnam
- 2019 Template:Flagicon Retief Goosen
- 2019 Template:Flagicon Billy Payne − Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club
- 2019 Template:Flagicon Dennis Walters − disabled golfer and inspirational speaker and performer
- 2021 Template:Flagicon Tiger Woods<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- 2021 Template:Flagicon Tim Finchem – Commissioner of the PGA Tour 1994–2017<ref name=finchem>Template:Cite news</ref>
- 2023 Template:Flagicon Johnny Farrell<ref name=vote2023>Template:Cite news</ref>
- 2023 Template:Flagicon Pádraig Harrington<ref name=vote2023/>
- 2023 Template:Flagicon Tom Weiskopf<ref name=vote2023/>
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 Template:Flagicon Betty Jameson (f)
- 1951 Template:Flagicon Patty Berg (f)
- 1951 Template:Flagicon Louise Suggs (f)
- 1951 Template:Flagicon Babe Didrikson Zaharias (f)
- 1960 Template:Flagicon Betsy Rawls
- 1964 Template:Flagicon Mickey Wright
- 1975 Template:Flagicon Glenna Collett-Vare
- 1975 Template:Flagicon Joyce Wethered
- 1975 Template:Flagicon Kathy Whitworth
- 1977 Template:Flagicon Sandra Haynie
- 1977 Template:Flagicon Carol Mann
- 1978 Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon Dorothy Campbell Hurd Howe
- 1982 Template:Flagicon JoAnne Carner
- 1987 Template:Flagicon Nancy Lopez
- 1991 Template:Flagicon Pat Bradley
- 1993 Template:Flagicon Patty Sheehan
- 1994 Template:Flagicon Dinah Shore – celebrity friend of the LPGA; founded a tournament that eventually became a major
- 1995 Template:Flagicon Betsy King
- 1999 Template:Flagicon Amy Alcott
- 2000 Template:Flagicon Beth Daniel
- 2000 Template:Flagicon Juli Inkster
- 2000 Template:Flagicon Judy Rankin
- 2001 Template:Flagicon Donna Caponi
- 2001 Template:Flagicon Judy Bell – administrator; first female President of the USGA
- 2002 Template:Flagicon Marlene Bauer Hagge (f)
- 2003 Template:Flagicon Hisako "Chako" Higuchi
- 2003 Template:Flagicon Annika Sörenstam
- 2004 Template:Flagicon Marlene Stewart Streit
- 2005 Template:Flagicon Ayako Okamoto
- 2005 Template:Flagicon Karrie Webb
- 2006 Template:Flagicon Marilynn Smith (f)
- 2007 Template:Flagicon Pak Se-ri
- 2008 Template:Flagicon Carol Semple Thompson
- 2012 Template:Flagicon Hollis Stacy<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- 2015 Template:Flagicon Laura Davies<ref name=class2015/>
- 2017 Template:Flagicon Meg Mallon
- 2017 Template:Flagicon Lorena Ochoa
- 2019 Template:Flagicon Peggy Kirk Bell
- 2019 Template:Flagicon Jan Stephenson
- 2021 Template:Flagicon Marion Hollins<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- 2021 Template:Flagicon Susie Maxwell Berning<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- 2023 Template:Flagicon Beverly Hanson<ref name=vote2023/>
- 2023 Template:Flagicon Sandra Palmer<ref name=vote2023/>
- 2023 LPGA Founders (those not previously in Hall listed):<ref name=vote2023/>