The United States Golf Association has officially opened Golf House Pinehurst, its seven-acre campus located footsteps from the Pinehurst Resort & Country Club main clubhouse. The new location includes the organization’s equipment-testing and research facility, the visitor-friendly USGA Experience, an outdoor educational landscape feature and the recently relocated World Golf Hall of Fame, as well as administrative offices.
“When I joined the USGA, I shared with our internal teammates that while the USGA will always celebrate history, we’re not going to be afraid to make some changes,” said,” said Mike Whan, CEO of the USGA, during the Grand Opening Celebration that took place on May 10. “Today is proof positive that we’re just getting started. In four years, we’ve gone from vision to reality, and achieving this important milestone is the action of more than a visitor, but a neighbor. Together, we’re going to do great things for the good of the game that will live on for another 20, 50 years and beyond.”
Following the opening ceremony on May 10 with representatives from the State of North Carolina, Moore County and the Village of Pinehurst and other dignitaries, attendees were given a firsthand look at the campus and attractions, including:
- The USGA Experience, an immersive view of golf and the USGA’s work to unify, showcase, govern and advance the game. Designed by Luci Creative, the Science of Golf and Championship galleries feature interactive multimedia displays that incorporate augmented reality, interactive touch screens, sculptures and trophies.
- The World Golf Hall of Fame, where sports fans can discover and relive the legacies of those who made the game great.
- USGA Golf Museum Special Exhibitions that highlight the USGA’s deep collection of golf artifacts – the most comprehensive collection in the world.
- The USGA’s Research and Test Center, the only one of its kind in North America solely dedicated to testing golf balls and clubs for conformance to the Rules of Golf.
- The Glade, the USGA’s outdoor learning landscape that will help to elevate awareness of the USGA’s ongoing work to help make golf more sustainable, with native plants and pollinator habitats.
- The Grove, a restoration of the ancient longleaf pine forest native to the region, through a unique partnership with North Carolina State University.
- The USGA Shop, where golfers can purchase various products with the USGA championship logo of their choice as well as exhibit-related specialty items.
Golf House Pinehurst was made possible by a comprehensive economic development effort involving representatives from the North Carolina General Assembly, the Office of the Governor, the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Moore County, the Village of Pinehurst and economic development experts. The land on which it is situated was generously provided by Pinehurst Resort & Country Club for a 150-year term.
Independent studies estimate that the total economic impact of the USGA’s long-term presence in Pinehurst, combined with the USGA championships it will bring as a designated anchor site, will exceed $2 billion to the state of North Carolina. The USGA has announced 12 future championships at Pinehurst Resort, including the 2024 U.S. Open (June 13-16) and the return of the back-to-back U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Open in 2029, previously conducted at Pinehurst in 2014.
USGA staffers based in Pinehurst total 70 full-time employees representing Championship Operations, Equipment Standards, Player Development and Green Section teams, among others. They include some of the game’s foremost scientific and golf management experts. The campus is designed to complement, but not replicate, the association’s headquarters in Liberty Corner, N.J.
The USGA Experience and World Golf Hall of Fame will be open to the public from 10am-5pm Wednesday through Sunday, with extended hours until 8pm on Thursdays. In honor of the Grand Opening, admission is free through the month of June. For visitor information, click here.
