USGA Moving Museum, Ball Testing, Green Section To Pinehurst
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John Dell reports for the Winston-Salem Journal on the USGA moving some of its museum, Arnold Palmer Golf History Center, Green Section and ball testing from the recent multi-million dollar renovated Golf House to Pinehurst. The move comes less than a week after North Carolina’s legislature voted on a bill to subsidize a significant chunk of the cost for new satellite facilities with the USGA on the hook for at least $5 million worth.
From Dell’s report:
The moves of the museum, the ball-testing facility and the agronomy department from headquarters in Liberty Corner, N.J., were confirmed Tuesday by a source who did not want to be identified. A news conference at the Pinehurst Resort to make a formal announcement is expected Wednesday morning.
In exchange for up to $43 million in incentives from N.C. lawmakers to the USGA, golf fans in the state can expect to see more USGA events, including its most high-profile, played more often in North Carolina. Legislation requires the USGA to host a major men's championship at least once every five to seven years and one major women's championship at least every 10 years.
The Palmer history center was reopened in 2008 after a three-year $20 million renovation. Arnold Palmer attended the opening.
The Jack Nicklaus Room was added in 2015 and was attended by Nicklaus.
More recently, a three-story administration building was created and opened on the site with an undetermined price tag.
**Update: A GolfDigest.com story says only a wing of the museum is headed to Pinehurst (thanks reader NH), leaving the primary museum and history center in Far Hills. That certainly makes more sense in terms of recent spending, while still spreading the gospel of the game’s history at America’s golf mecca.
From the GolfDigest.com story by Mike Stachura:
The association’s primary headquarters would remain in New Jersey, as would the USGA Golf Museum and the Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History.
“We will be creating a golf museum experience for all the people that come to the Pinehurst area,” Annis said during the council meeting. “Our intent is to keep that facility [the current library and museum] and create an annex of sorts to ensure that we can share some of that history.”
