Making The Turn: USGA Opens Revamped Museum At New Jersey HQs

USGA Today Reopening Its Museum Following $20M Renovation

The USGA today will reopen its museum after $20M in renovations and expansion at its HQs in Far Hills, New Jersey, according to Kevin Manahan of the Newark STAR-LEDGER. The "dark, stuffy place, once filled mostly with old golf balls, clubs and trophies, has been replaced with modern, colorful exhibits of videos, interactive touch screens and unusual artifacts that walk the patron through the history of golf" in the U.S. Manahan noted some of the exhibits are a "bit strange for the stodgy and high-fallootin' USGA, and that's a good thing." The museum features a new Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History, a Research Center with 22,000 books, a 16,000-square-foot putting green and a golf equipment Test Center. But Manahan noted the "glaring weakness of the museum is its lack of historical items" from Tiger Woods' career. Woods, who plans to build his own museum to benefit his foundation, is hoarding his memorabilia." Admission to the museum is $7 for adults, $5 for USGA members, $3.50 for teens aged 13-17 and free for children aged 12 and under (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 6/1).

MORE DETAILS: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's John Paul Newport wrote the museum, which "begins in the 89-year-old mansion that has been the USGA" HQs since '72, "brings golf alive through social context and the personalities of its champions." The $20M improvement includes "better security and temperature/humidity control." The Palmer Center is the "first gallery most visitors will enter, and it epitomizes the museum's new direction." The museum also features "six period galleries, each anchored by an 'iconic moment' depicted in a five-minute video." But Newport wrote the "sleepiest part of the new museum is the central trophy room, where the names of all the winners of all 13 yearly USGA championships are inscribed on bronze plaques" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 5/31). GOLFWEEK's Adam Schupak noted the USGA is "betting 50,000 visitors will venture" to the facility. USGA officials contend that a "virtual museum on the Web, a reinvigorated traveling exhibit and educational initiatives will bring the museum to the masses" (GOLFWEEK.com, 6/2).