Buying into the Disneyworld of golf

Touted as the most complete collaboration in the history of the game, it could equally be described as golf's answer to Disneyworld. Either way, the World Golf Village, which is celebrating its first birthday, is clearly destined to become a major international tourist attraction.

It is to be found in north Florida, about 10 miles north of the absolutely delightful St Augustine, which is the oldest city in North America. On Interstate 95 southbound from Jacksonville, its imposing tower and adjacent hotel dominate exit 95A.

"I captured you when you were young and I will stand by you when you are young no longer." This unattributed saying, which adorns the inside of the museum, projects the image of golf as the game of a lifetime. And it also represents the commercial thinking behind a venture which will be aimed, ultimately, at all ages.

During a recent visit, I was informed that Sam Snead's Tavern and Legends' Grill would be opening this year. There would also be a coffee shack, a cigar store, a bookstore and a seafood restaurant. But this is only the start. With seemingly limitless space, there are no bounds to the development possibilities.

The roots of the project date back to 1987 when the USPGA Tour, which has its headquarters up the road in Sawgrass, first conceived the idea of having its own Hall of Fame. And when the current site became available, they invited other golf organisations to join them.

So it was that the LPGA became involved, then the US Golf Association, along with Augusta National GC and the Royal and Ancient. Indeed no fewer than 16 other organisations agreed to participate in developing the proposed new museum and Hall of Fame.

Finally, the PGA of America, who are responsible for the Ryder Cup among other events on the far side of the Atlantic, joined the effort, contributing extremely valuable artifacts and memorabilia from the former Hall of Fame in Pinehurst, North Carolina. The ultimate imprimatur came from the state of Florida which passed a special bill providing substantial, long-term funding for the project.

While there, I was given a leaflet inviting golfers everywhere "to join the members of the World Golf Hall of Fame on the walk of champions." This is an 880-yard walk which encircles the lake in the middle of the village complex.

Already in place were bricks carrying the autograph of such as Snead, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer and Hale Irwin. But there was plenty of room for more - at $85 for two lines of text; $100 for three lines. Then there are the so-called premium bricks, directly in front of the Hall of Fame, which range in price from $125 to $140. And to obviate any possible confusion as to where your particular brick is located, it can be found on computers located in kiosks along the walk.

We are informed that in February of this year, 22,000 tickets were sold to the World Golf Hall of Fame ($9 for adults, $4 for children) and the IMAX Theatre ($7 and $4.50). These prices are modest enough, but it struck me as rather odd that the choice of movie during my visit to the IMAX was one about elephants or a decidedly jingoistic documentary on last year's Winter Olympics at Negano. Where was the golf?

The Hall of Fame itself is beautifully laid out, but the stone replica of the Swilcan Bridge at St Andrews seemed a little OTT. And I failed to see the relevance of a number of pin-ball machines (for which tokens were supplied, free), other than to amuse those who were bored rigid with the various exhibits.

But there were considerable plusses. Like the artificial putting green on which one could try one's skills with a hickory-shafted putter and a gutta percha ball. Then there was the lift to the 190 ft tower, which offered a stunning view of the entire complex, including the so-called "Slammer and the Squire" golf course, which opened last year to honour Snead and Gene Sarazen.

Meanwhile, long term plans are for 54 championship-standard holes and the next course for development is "The King and The Bear" which, as the name suggests, will be a joint venture by Palmer and Nicklaus.

Other elements of the complex are a four-star hotel, condominiums and luxury homes. Then there is the 32,000 ft, state-of-the-art headquarters of USPGA Tour Productions.

The key to the entire enterprise, however, remains the World Golf Hall of Fame, to which Seve Ballesteros, Amy Alcott and the late Lloyd Mangrum became the latest inductees in March of this year.

Ben Hogan once observed: "I have always thought of golf as the best of all games - the most interesting, the most demanding, the most rewarding." With typical American expansiveness, the World Golf Village intends to make this assessment a reality - for the player, the investor and the passive enthusiast.