Impetus For Arnold Palmer
Center
November 17, 2005
Introduction
During the first 110 years of its existence, only and have had an
impact on the game of golf in and on the United States Golf
Association comparable to Arnold Palmer.
A recipient of the Bob Jones Award, the USGA's highest honor,
in 1971 (the year of Mr. Jones' death), and a member of
the Selection Committee for the Jones Award since 1993, Arnold was
the first man to win three different USGA Championships, the 1954
U.S. Amateur, the 1960 U.S. Open, and the 1981
U.S. Senior Open. His final round at Cherry Hills
resulted in the greatest comeback in U.S. Open history.
Beyond his record as one of golf's all-time champions,
's greatest legacy will be the way he played the game and how
his style and engaging persona captivated the public and grew
interest in the game to new levels.
 |
| After assuming the role of Inaugural
Chairman of the USGA's Members Program, Arnold Palmer,
right, made U.S. President Gerald Ford the first official
member. (USGA Photo Archives) |
Almost single-handedly strapped golf on his back and marched with
his "Army" into the television era. Such exposure
helped dramatically increase the number of players and golf courses
across . As interest increased so did the economic value of
championship golf, above all the U.S. Open.
As a direct result of the increased economic performance (in
particular broadcast rights) of the U.S. Open, the USGA has
been able to significantly increase the services it provides to
golfers. The Association was able to establish its "For
the Good of the Game" program, through which more than
$5 million per year is provided to fund golf programs for the
disabled and economically disadvantaged, as well as to encourage
diversity in the game. Every time a youngster swings a club
in a USGA-sponsored program he or she should say a silent thank you
to .
At its June 2004 meeting, the Executive Committee received and
approved a new strategic plan for the Museum and Library, which
included exploring the construction of a new museum, library, and
archives facility in Far Hills. That analysis was performed
and a recommendation to renovate Golf House and build a new museum
facility was made and approved at the November Executive Committee
meeting. After a thorough review process, which included a
serious vetting of more than a dozen architectural firms, the
Princeton, New Jersey firm of Ford Farewell Mills & Gatsch was
retained by the USGA on Dec. 8 and will make a report and
definitive recommendation to the Executive Committee at the
February meeting in Santa Barbara. The most likely design
will involve a new wing to the east of Golf House, designed in the
same architectural style as the original John Russell Pope Mansion
creating a "quad" effect to the rear of Golf House.
It is our hope to create a Himalayas putting course in the middle
of the quad. Golf House will be renovated, remain the point of
entry for the visitor and provide an integral part of the visitor
experience. The new facility will house the museum, archives
and curatorial staff, as well as new gallery space.
So profound is 's impact on the game, its people, and the USGA
that he was asked, in 1975, to serve as the Inaugural Chairman of
the USGA's Members Program. From the day he enrolled
President as the first member of the program until today when USGA
Members number close to 750,000, 's role as Chairman has been
responsible in no small part for the success of the program.
has also served as a member of the USGA's Museum Committee
since 1974.
In 1994, 's career and contributions to the game were featured
in a special exhibition at Golf House.
Because of the enduring connection that Palmer represents
between all that is good in the ancient and honorable traditions of
the game and the people who play and love the game, it is the
sincere wish of the USGA to name its new museum in Far Hills,
"The Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History of the United
States Golf Association."
Never before has a USGA building been dedicated to a single
individual and it is extremely unlikely that there will ever be
another. This singular honor would forever remain a fitting
tribute to the relationship between and the USGA.
Background Of The USGA's Role In Preserving Golf HistoryTheUSGAMuseumand Archives is an educational institution dedicated to
fostering an appreciation for the game of golf, its participants,
and the Association. By collecting, preserving, and
interpreting the historical developments of the game in the, with an emphasis on the Association and its championships, the
Museum promotes a greater understanding of golf's cultural
significance for a world-wide audience. (Museum and ArchivesMissionStatement)
The United States Golf Association Museum and Archives is home to
the world's premier collection of golf artifacts and
memorabilia. Founded in 1936, the USGA Museum is also the
oldest museum in the country dedicated to sports. In the 70
years since the creation of the museum, the collections have grown
to comprise more than 42,000 artifacts, a library of more than
20,000 volumes, half a million photographic images, and several
thousand hours of historic film, video, and audio recordings.
Together, these collections document the history and evolution of
the game in and around the world, including the game's greatest
champions and most memorable championship moments.
The United States Golf Association has long recognized and
celebrated its role as the custodian of the ancient and honorable
traditions of the game. Indeed, the USGA's constitution was
amended in 1909 to include the following words: "The
Association has been formed and exists for the purpose of promoting
and conserving throughout the the best interests and true spirit of
the game of golf as embodied in its ancient and honorable
traditions." For almost 100 years, the USGA has held itself
out as the organization within this country charged with
preserving, protecting, and promoting the rich traditions and
history of the game.
In order to fulfill this mission more fully, the USGA Executive
Committee approved the creation of a museum in January 1936, with
the stated purpose "to collect implements, balls, etchings,
photographs, literature, and similar articles pertaining to the
game of Golf and [to] exhibit them therein." So that the
game's greatest treasures might be preserved for future
generations, "it was further decided that the
Association's membership shall be told of the decision and that
donations will be accepted."
To fulfill this mandate, the USGA has actively promoted the Museum
to its champions, members (both individuals and clubs), and to the
broader golf community for nearly 70 years. In so doing, we have
asked the golf world to assist in collecting and preserving the
history of the game. We have asked them to donate significant
artifacts to us, and in return we have promised to preserve and
display these treasures for future generations.
As a result of this publicly stated responsibility, the USGA has
been the recipient of countless personal treasures from some of the
game's greatest moments: Bob Jones'
Calamity Jane II putter, medals, and personal scrapbooks
from the Grand Slam; the scorecards and balls from the 1913 U.S.
Open playoff between Francis Ouimet, Harry Vardon, and
Ted Ray; Ben Hogan's entire collection of golf
memorabilia, including trophies, medals, clubs, and awards, in
addition to the l-iron he used in the 1950 U.S. Open at to complete
his dramatic return from a horrific car accident;
Babe Zaharias' wedge and personal photo album from the
1954 U.S. Women's Open when she returned from her battle with
cancer to once again dominate women's golf; the modified
soil-sampling tool used by Admiral Alan Shepard to play
golf on the lunar surface in 1971; the fragments of golf clubs and
golf balls pulled from the rubble of the World Trade Center,
reflecting the passion for the game that every golfer feels. These
are but a few of the treasures we have collected and displayed in
our current Museum.
The importance of the collections is reflected, in no small way, by
the list of individuals, clubs, and organizations who have
contributed to the collections. Through the years, more than
2,000 donors, including more than 220 USGA champions, have
presented artifacts and memorabilia to the collections.
Moving forward, these treasures will continue to serve not simply
as artifacts for display or study in the Museum, but more
importantly they will serve as key elements in our communications
strategy. As we develop and disseminate the message that the USGA
acts in the best interests of the game of golf, it is important
that our audience recognize and embrace our role as guardian of the
game's ancient and honorable traditions. Our collections of
historical artifacts and memorabilia provide physical testimony to
our stated responsibilities and mission.
Since 1972, Golf House in Far Hills, N.J., has provided public
exhibition galleries, staff offices and collections storage for the
Museum and Archives. When the USGA moved to Far Hills from
New York City, the Museum occupied only the first floor of Golf
House, with offices for additional USGA departments on the upper
floors as well as in the basement. Following the completion
of the new Administration Building, Golf House was extensively
renovated in 1987 and the Museum and Archives came to occupy all
four floors of the structure.
Due primarily to the inadequacy of Golf House to properly preserve
the collections, the USGA Executive Committee has recently approved
a plan to renovate the existing museum and construct an addition of
approximately 20,000 square feet to house public galleries,
collections storage areas, and staff offices. The primary
objectives of the project are threefold:
First, to provide a proper facility for the long-term care,
preservation, and display of the USGA's comprehensive
historical collections. Foremost among our
responsibilities, the world-class collections of the USGA Museum
and Archives must be preserved for future generations, so that the
game's rich history will forever continue to inform its
future. Proper storage facilities will insure that
these valuable collections are maintained in proper environmental
conditions to ensure their survival. However, a museum must
also fulfill its responsibility to share these collections with the
public. New gallery space will be created to showcase the
treasures of the USGA collections. Exhibits will be created
to focus specifically and intensively on the Association's most
prominent function - the various championships conducted by the
USGA, especially the U.S. Open.
In addition to more than 400 Clubs of Champions, the collections
include many artifacts, photographs, films, and videos that will be
utilized to create an energetic and dynamic atmosphere celebrating
the greatest moments, stories, and champions in the USGA's
history. We feel that this singular focus on the USGA's
most visible activities will present an experience that is both
compelling and educational, while placing the Center for Golf
History directly in the service of the Association. For the
visitor to Far Hills, the proposed facility would provide an
opportunity to experience fully both the historical collections and
the ongoing work of the Association. We believe that the
visitor's experience should provide a unique insight into the
USGA and its activities, so that guests are made to feel welcome
and privileged during their visit.
Second, to promote the Center for Golf History as the premier
research facility for the study of the game's history. In
recent years, the Association has devoted significant resources to
the care, organization, and management of our most significant
assets - the Library, Photographic Archives, and Film & Video
Archives. As the premier collections of their kind in the
world, these three archives would form the nucleus of the new
Center for Golf History. The facility would address the
growing needs of researchers, scholars, writers, historians, media
outlets, and the general public, and would be the finest golf
research facility in the world, a center of scholarship on the
game's history. These activities will in turn position
the USGA Museum and Archives as the premier repository for the game
of golf.
Third, to allow the USGA to better fulfill its stated
responsibility to promote and conserve "the best interests and
true spirit of the game of Golf as embodied in its ancient and
honorable traditions." It is our expectation that the
new Center for Golf History will develop as a key communications
vehicle for the Association. The game of golf, and the USGA
itself, are merely a reflection of those who play the game and
their achievements. By telling the story of our great golfers
we will reveal much about the game and the USGA.
In addition to opportunities to view the collections and campus of
the USGA, it is our intention that a visit also include an
experience that allows visitors to interact more fully with the
game's history through some form of participatory
activity. While we need to finalize our thinking, our current
thought involves a Himalayas-style putting course or a 3-hole
turn-of-the-century course.
Conclusion
These are exciting times. The mission upon which we have
embarked is to spread the gospel of the game of golf and the role
of the USGA by using our rich history as the medium. Nowhere
is that history richer, nor the relationship with the USGA more
meaningful than with Arnold Palmer. Through the Palmer Center
at Far Hills the spirit of Arnold Palmer and the tradition of the
USGA will live on as one for many generations to come. Please
feel free to contact us with any questions.