6 wonderful artifacts from the all-new World Golf Corridor of Fame (now in Pinehurst!)

This content material was first printed in Golf Journal, a quarterly print publication completely for USGA Members. To be among the many first to obtain Golf Journal and to study how one can guarantee a robust future for the sport, become a USGA Member today!

A teddy bear. A Lady Scout uniform. A Lego tractor.

For Donna Caponi, Nancy Lopez and Sandy Lyle, respectively, these nostalgic objects take them again to their childhoods. The gadgets featured in every of their World Golf Hall of Fame lockers are portals to their youth, significant and tangible connections to the years earlier than they received main championships and signed autographs for adoring followers.

It’s not simply World Golf Corridor of Fame members going again to their roots this spring; the establishment itself is returning to its authentic dwelling. In Might, the Corridor formally started a brand new chapter in Pinehurst, N.C., just a few hundred yards from the place it held its inaugural induction ceremony in 1974 and was positioned for practically 20 years. After a quarter-century in St. Augustine, Fla., the Corridor of Fame has returned dwelling.

The point of interest of the brand new expertise is the Member Locker Room, an area devoted to the 165 Corridor of Famers that showcases important artifacts from their careers and private lives. Guests will be capable to see all the pieces from Tiger Woods’ Havemeyer Trophy and the golf equipment Mark O’Meara used to win the Masters to Annika Sorenstam’s Swedish passport and Colin Montgomerie’s cricket bat.

Right here, six World Golf Corridor of Fame members talk about the tales behind objects they selected for his or her lockers.

Curtis Unusual’s U.S. Open driver

My MacGregor driver that I used within the late Nineteen Eighties is a lot greater than only a grip, shaft and clubhead. It propelled me to do one thing that was life-changing. 

We have been nonetheless in transition from wooden to metallic clubheads at the moment, and in reality nobody had received a significant with a metallic driver but. I wasn’t the longest hitter on Tour, however I used to be extraordinarily correct, which is at all times a precedence within the U.S. Open. 

Going into 1988 at The Nation Membership, I used to be taking part in a number of the finest golf of my profession however had but to win a significant — one thing I used to be reminded of regularly. I used to be capable of take that subsequent step by beating Nick Faldo in a playoff, then backed it up the next 12 months at Oak Hill. 

It was the primary time somebody had received back-to-back U.S. Opens since Ben Hogan in 1950-51 — and that driver was an enormous cause why. These two victories outlined my profession and made me a Corridor of Famer. — Curtis Unusual

Beth Daniel’s gloves

In 1976, I had the dignity of representing america within the Curtis Cup Match at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. Our complete staff traveled to London early and was scheduled for tea at Buckingham Palace with Queen Elizabeth II. 

I used to be fairly nervous. As we waited, just a few of us practiced our curtsies and nibbled on biscuits and pastries. Then the doorways opened, and in walked the queen. However nothing actually occurred for a couple of minutes as a result of she was a bit shy and reserved herself, and we have been informed to not speak to her until she spoke to us first.

Lastly, Debbie Massey, one of many extra outgoing gamers on our staff, grabbed a few us and stated, “Let’s go speak together with her.” Debbie requested her about horses, and the queen simply lit up. She informed us that she had been driving that morning and described her ardour for horses. 

We had been given white gloves to put on after we shook the queen’s hand to stop the unfold of germs. I took them again with me, and I’ve by no means worn them since my time at Buckingham Palace. — Beth Daniel

Tom Kite’s wedge

Most individuals know this 60-degree wedge because the one which I used to pitch in on the seventh gap of the 1992 U.S. Open at Pebble Seaside, however what they could not notice is that I used it 10 different instances that day. 

That last spherical at Pebble Seaside was so windy, no one may hit any greens, myself included, so it required loads of up-and-downs to maintain your rating round par.

The seventh gap is among the most well-known in golf, albeit one of many shortest. It’s 105 yards and downhill, so it’s onerous to think about hitting something aside from a simple wedge, however that day it was blowing 40 miles per hour from proper to left. Just one participant within the final 15 teams hit that inexperienced in regulation. So whereas I used to be disillusioned to overlook my tee shot into the left tough, it wasn’t an enormous shock.

Fortunately, I drew a fairly first rate lie, and I used to be taking part in my pitch again into the wind. The ball was carrying fairly a little bit of steam however hit the flagstick squarely and dropped in for a birdie 2. It’s a type of pictures the place you wish to bounce up and down and run across the inexperienced when it goes in, however there was a lot golf left. I attempted to remain calm, and fortunately I used to be capable of convey it dwelling. — Tom Kite

Larry Nelson’s jacket

Each my father and my father-in-law served within the navy throughout World Battle II, so it was one thing I anticipated to do. The US was concerned in Vietnam within the mid-Nineteen Sixties, and in 1965 I acquired drafted into the U.S. Military, 10 days after my nineteenth birthday. 

This was the jacket I wore coming dwelling from the West Coast after my time in Vietnam. I used to be very happy with my navy service – it performed an enormous half in shaping who I grew to become, so I believed it was becoming to have this jacket in my locker.

I didn’t begin taking part in golf till I used to be 21 years outdated. Throughout my primary coaching, I met a fellow soldier, Ken Hummel, who performed golf in faculty and informed me how a lot he beloved the sport. I had by no means performed earlier than, however that at all times caught behind my thoughts. As soon as I lastly picked up a membership once I was taking lessons at Kennesaw (Ga.) Junior School, I acquired higher on daily basis and fell in love with it, too. — Larry Nelson

JoAnne Carter’s hat

One of many highlights of my profession was captaining the 1994 USA Solheim Cup Staff. 

Just a few weeks earlier than, at a match in Canada, Beverly, a hairdresser who traveled the LPGA Tour with us, stated, “I’ve acquired the right hat for you.” She gave me this crimson, white and blue sequined baseball cap that appeared just like the American flag. Becoming for an American captain, I suppose. I’ve a quite giant head, so it wasn’t the best-looking hat on me, however I had enjoyable with it. 

I prefer to needle different gamers, so I paraded across the locker room that week in entrance of Laura [Davies], Helen [Alfredsson] and a number of the different Europeans. They stored making an attempt to steal it there and tried to once more in the course of the match at The Greenbrier, which solely made me wish to put on it extra usually. 

The hat grew to become our good-luck allure — I even took it to the White Home after we received. — JoAnne Carter

Ben Crenshaw’s shirt

The Nation Membership [in Brookline, Mass.] is the place my life in golf began. 

I performed the 1968 U.S. Junior Novice there, and it actually nurtured my curiosity in aggressive golf, course structure and the sport’s historical past. Once I was named captain of the 1999 USA Ryder Cup Staff, I used to be extraordinarily sentimental – each for attending to signify my nation and for the venue on which we’d play.

We have been trailing by 4 factors going into the ultimate day, however there was a terrific sense of dedication and optimism that we may win. Trying again, the second that stands out most is Justin Leonard’s putt on No. 17, on the identical inexperienced that Francis Ouimet made a key putt to win the 1913 U.S. Open.

Much more than Justin’s putt, I hear concerning the shirts our staff wore on that Sunday. I oversaw the design and had them emblazoned with previous successful USA Ryder Cup Groups as a nod to the historical past that had come earlier than us. I’ll admit it didn’t make a lot of a style assertion, nevertheless it labored that day. — Ben Crenshaw

Mike Trostel is the director of the World Golf Corridor of Fame.