PINEHURST, N.C. (QC Life) - Golfers will soon be heading to Pinehurst No. 2 in Moore County when the U.S. Open tees off on June 13.
Many will visit the brand-new Golf House Pinehurst, which is part research lab, part museum. It is made up of two buildings and is where science and golf intersect.
In one building, current and new products are tested. In order for a golf ball, golf club or even a tee or shoe to conform to the rules of golf, it has to pass the tests.
Grady Crahan had his sights on NASA when he received his aerospace engineering degree but changed course to focus things that fly a little closer to earth, like golf balls. The science behind making sure they conform to the rules of golf is complex.
“It’s actually a lot of pressure,” Crahan said. “If we fail a golf ball or club, it could cost the manufacturer millions of dollars. We have to be very accurate and very precise what we do here.”
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Once equipment is tested and approved, it is ready for golfers and the course. That part of the game is highlighted just a chip shot away in the building next door. It is home to the USGA Experience and World Golf Hall Of Fame.
“You have that museum experience when you want it...but really tried to create something interactive, family friendly,” Hilary Cronheim, senior director of the USGA Golf Museum and Library, said. “You’ll definitely want to look at our augmented reality sculpture in our science of golf gallery.”
There, patrons can see how a green is constructed and learn how to manage a golf course. They can also hear from golfers who won championships and look at the trophies the USGA awards each year.
Visitors never know what might be on display in the rotating museum gallery.
“You’ll see Payne Stewart’s shirt and vest from the 1999 US Open,” Cronheim said of the current display. “Which is just…if you’re a golf fan and you’ve been to Pinehurst, one of the most iconic moments in the history of golf.”
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While that may represent an iconic moment in golf, the most iconic golfers are represented upstairs in the World Golf Hall of Fame. More than 3,000 artifacts have been donated by the families and the players themselves, and some others are on loan.
Each player has a locker that displays their career in golf. From the well-known like Tiger Woods and items from US Presidents, to some that may not be as well-known.
“There are a few that stand out,” Mike Trostel, director of the World Golf Hall of Fame, said. “One is Betsy King’s. Many lockers have dozens of items in them. Hers has one. It’s her Bible, opened to her favorite passage. A couple of lockers down is Carol Simple Thompson, who has 123 of her USGA contestant badges. That’s the most of any competitor in USGA Championships.”
North Carolina is represented well in the Hall Of Fame. Peggy Kirk Bell started Pine Needles Golf Club and Charlotte’s own Charlie Sifford has his locker in the hall. He was the first African-American player on the PGA Tour.
Visitors could spend hours looking at all of the artifacts and scrolling through the interactive displays. Still, there is plenty of room for future hall of famers.
“We have room to grow for about another 30 to 35 years,” Trostel said. “This is going to be a long-term placement here in Pinehurst. We’re so excited to welcome all the golf fans from North Carolina and around the world to the World Golf Hall of Fame.”
The USGA Experience and World Golf Hall Of Fame are free through the end of June. After that, visitors will need a ticket.
Tickets start at $5 for residents of North Carolina. Starting in August, tours will be offered at the Test Center every Thursday; however, space is limited and those wishing to tour have to purchase tickets in advance.
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