Golfers Post The Funniest Things...Carol Mann Facebook Edition**

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Stephanie Wei posts the public Facebook comments of Carol Mann, LPGA great and World Golf Hall of Fame ambassador who may not be voting for any non-Christian hall entrants anytime soon.

"Were the decision made to move the ceremony out of market, it would be done to heighten the profile of the World Golf Village and World Golf Hall of Fame..."

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Garry Smits talks to local businesses that wouldn't be happy about the World Golf Hall of Fame induction leaving St. Augustine. Since the state of Florida chipped in to get the place built, I'm guessing they won't be thrilled either.
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Another World Golf Village Visit

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ou may recall that last year I wrote about my first visit to the World Golf Village and the Hall of Fame. With a few hours to spend after this year's Players, I made the short drive down to St. Augustine to pay another visit and as impressed as I was last year, I have no problem stating that my latest visit only confirmed what an amazing place this is.
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"I'd like to see it moved to Players week"

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Ron Sirak reports that the golf Hall of Fame ceremony is likely on the move from its November slot, with the most obvious timing sometime around the Players when many of the game's most self-important writers and dignitaries are assembled for the fifth of four majors. A Monday or Tuesday night ceremony would also add some pomp to Players week.
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If You Missed The 2009 Hall Of Fame Ceremony...

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You missed a dandy. The entire production seemed to be the finest I've seen in terms of Golf Channel production values (great video of Mark Cubbedge and team looting Lanny's office), great speeches, classy hosting by Rich Lerner and mercifully, only bursts of the mildy maudlin music that has plagued previous ceremonies.

You can read the entire transcript here. Jose Maria Olazabal's speech was particularly touching, as was the scene of the tough guy Wadkins brothers crying. I doubt the transcript will do it justice.

Gary Van Sickle sums up the highlights from his perspective.

If anyone sees clips of the speeches online, let me know and we'll post them. Golf Channel did post this nice Golf Central telecast preview.

"I just wish they had gone to a straight, old, traditional V groove..."

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Great stuff from Lanny Wadkins on many topics prior to his Hall of Fame induction, but the final comments about grooves are the most interesting:

I like the idea of trying to get back to V grooves. I just wish they had gone to a straight, old, traditional V groove because what they're doing with going to an area, the amount of area that's in the groove, which is basically going to shallower U grooves if you will, the manufacturers are going to figure out a way around it. They're going to figure out a way to keep as much spin as possible in the ball. I would love to see it back in the V grooves we played in the early '70s. No reason they couldn't do that in my mind and just be very straight forward about it, and I think it would require more imagination in today's game. I think it would involve ball changes for a lot of the guys on TOUR. With the changes they're making today that probably won't happen as readily as we thought it was going to. It would involve driver changes.

I mean, my generation has changed all the way along the line. We've changed from shafts that weren't frequency matched, then we went to frequently matched shafts. Then we went to wooden clubs that were heavy, 14 and a half ounces for a driver, a shaft that weighed 135 grams, which is probably what mine weighed early '70s, mid '80s at that point in time. We've changed to small-headed metal clubs to big-headed metal grooves to U grooves to balls that don't spin. My generation has changed all the way up. This generation like where my boys are, my boys have always played the same stuff. They've never hit a wooden club. They're 21 and 17, all they've known is big-headed metal stuff.

I think it's about time. This generation has to change something. Let's see if they've got some imagination.

And the thing about it is, guess who's been playing V grooves all along? Tiger Woods. All he's got to change is two clubs in his bag. He's got to change his 56 and his 60. He doesn't have to change balls, driver, nothing. Let's just give Tiger a bigger advantage. Just what he needs, right?

World Golf Village And The Hall Of Fame

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Upon arriving at the Players, I was consistently asked, "why are you here?"

Can't you feel the love from my fellow members of the working press?

After rambling on about how I'd always wanted to experience golf's fifth of four majors or experiencing Jacksonville in May, I'd casually mention, "Monday I am going down to the World Golf Village."

Invariably, the reply went something like this: "Oh, which course are you playing?"

Shockingly, I was taking in the World Golf Hall of Fame and the many historical treasures on display. While warned that I would be in for a treat by those who know better, I had no concept how good the collection was and how tastefully it has been put on display.

Since I'm occasionally inclined to expect the worst, the idea of a packaged resort, conference center and Hall of Fame off of 95 and well south of Jacksonville doesn't sound entirely romantic, but everything about the complex was impressive. From the oak-lined entrance drive to the elegant trophy room atop the defining tower, the architectural master plan conveys a sense of purpose, prestige and permanence.

Bob Hope memorabilia (click to enlarge)Thanks to the WGHOF's Jane Fader, I was fortunate enough to receive a tour from Mark Cubbedge, the Manager of Collections and Research. He is armed with the task of collecting artifacts, preserving or restoring them, and displaying them for the public to enjoy. Mark has a great story behind nearly every artifact in the Hall of Fame, tales which are often lovingly printed on nice placards with items on display. You could spend hours and still find new things on return visits thanks to Mark's efforts (and some impressive financial backing from several major golf organizations and corporations, not to mention help from a volunteer force that's 200 strong).

Currently on temporary display is Bob Hope: Shanks for the Memory, an exhaustive and peppy look at Hope's life and ties to golf. There's an amazing film in the special exhibit area theater, and every imaginable artifact from a life so closely tied to the game. (Did you know Bob qualified for a British Amateur?). They even have his Honorary Oscar on display.

Rembrandt at the Hall of Fame (click to enlarge)After the Hope special exhibit, you move upstairs where the heart of the collection awaits: a timeline of sorts starting at the earliest references and art tied to golf (sorry Scotland!), including a Rembrandt etching. Later on in the hall you encounter an Andy Warhol painting of Jack Nicklaus. Only golf could bring those two together under the same roof.

Chalmers survey of Old Course, 1836 (click to enlarge)The St. Andrews and Old Tom items range from a stunning 1836 survey map by W.J. Chalmers to many rarely seen images of the course, town and early greats of the game. Even more impressive was the interactive video allowing you to see highlights of any Open Championship covered by film. I could make a day out of that alone.

The collection zig zags in the upper corridors, with all sorts of fun little nooks and crannies that, like a great golf course routing, keeps you in anticipation of more fun surprises. There's the Swilcan Bridge replica for the inevitable photograph waving like Arnie or Jack, a faux green where you can use guttas and hickories to putt on an early 20th century green and plenty of other displays showing off a fantastic early club collection.

It all builds toward the players wing, where you arrive at the grand Shell Hall, highlighted by the shiny bronze "reliefs" displaying the Hall of Famers. Across from there, visitors get to take in memorabilia collected from the HOF's latest entrants (or their families, or in many cases, collectors). Currently there are wonderful displays of items pertaining to Herbert Warren Wind, Pete Dye, Carol Semple Thompson, Bob Charles, Craig Wood and Denny Shute memorabilia, including Pete's beloved copy of MacKenzie's Golf Architecture featuring Pete's notice to anyone who should find the book: a lavish $20 reward.

I will spare you anymore blow-by-blow accounts and just share some images. However, if you are in the area or wavering about going, don't. Just go. The World Golf Hall of Fame is a must for anyone who loves the game.

Early view of St. Andrews No. 18 before the R&A clubhouse was built

Denny Shute's USGA medals (check out that great old USGA logo!)Watercolor of C.B. Macdonald receiving the first U.S. Amateur trophy.

MacKenzie's Pasatiempo drawings on displayAn incredibly rare MacKenzie booklet on Camouflage
Remnant of a Nicklaus exhibition: photo and replica of his dad's drugstore

1904 golf film showing Harry Vardon, here having found a less than stellar lie.


The 18-hole putting course at the World Golf Village
The tower as viewed from the World Golf Foundation offices and the Caddyshack restaurant

Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

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Golfweek.com offers a nice overview of today's ceremony, which is telecast at 9 EST on Golf Channel.

Obviously of most interest to this website is Pete Dye's induction, followed closely by Herbert Warren Wind's overdue entry into the HOF.

Michael Hurdan writes about Dye here in a piece for PGATour.com, while Jaime Diaz offers this perspective in the December Golf Digest.

Jerry Tarde calls Wind the American Darwin in this December Golf Digest editor's letter. I just can't believe how clean his office was. (Photo from GolfDigest.com.)