We knocked an item off John's bucket list by visiting the World Golf Hall of Fame.
This year he has crossed out several.
The Ryder Cup at Hazeltine in Minneapolis in September.
US Open in Oakmont Pa in June.
Descriptions of the exhibits are taken from the World Golf hall of Fame website.
“Bob Hope: Shanks for the Memory,” is available for viewing with many of the memorabilia, photography, stories, audio tour recordings and video that thousands of guests have viewed since November 2008.
In the exhibit, you can trace Bob Hope’s life from his immigration from England as a young child through his rise to the top of the century’s major forms of entertainment – vaudeville, Broadway, film, radio and television. Covering more than 3,000 square feet, the exhibition also looks at his devotion to the United States troops and the various ways he championed the game of golf.
You can stand on the famous life-size replica of the famous Swilcan Burn Bridge, modeled after the original at the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland,
John did the real thing when he played St. Andrew's in 2001.
And in 2015 we revisited.
Then put your game to the test on the old putting green using replicated clubs from the 1800s.
In 1618 the feather golf ball or 'Featherie' was introduced. This was a handcrafted ball made with goose feathers tightly packed into a horse or cow hide sphere. The feathers and leather were fashioned into a ball while wet. As the assembly dried out the leather shrank and the feathers expanded to create a hardened ball. The ball was then finished off by painting it and punched with the ball-makers mark. Quality varied according to the skill of the craftsman. Unfortunately, the handcrafted nature of the balls meant that they were priced beyond the pockets of the masses, sometimes more expensive than a club. Notable ball-makers of the 1600s were Andrew Dickson, Leith and Henry Mills, St Andrews.
The introduction of the Gutta Percha ball or 'Guttie' in 1848 by Rev Adam Paterson of St. Andrews and the spread of the railways directly contributed to the expansion of golf. The Guttie ball was made from the rubber like sap of the Gutta tree found in the tropics. When heated the rubber could easily be fashioned into a sphere and used as a golf ball. Not only could the ball be relatively cheaply produced, it could also be easily repaired by re-heating and then re-shaping. Initially Gutties had a smooth surface which meant that they didn't travel as far as the Featheries. The balls were usually stamped with the ball makers stamp, most notably Allan Robertson.
Trying out the golf simulator.
The Hall of Fame’s Member Locker Room has been expanded and renovated to include a new entrance, 22 new lockers, and the addition of a more clubhouse-type feel that includes leather couches, a new sound system and a 70-inch television. The “Championship Moments” video highlighting each Hall of Fame member plays on the television, as well as live golf action when the telecasts are on.
I can see the appeal of that place for golfers!
ReplyDelete