World Golf Village, located between Jacksonville and historic St. Augustine, is a terrific way to spend part or all of your stay on Florida's First Coast.
The World Golf Hall of Fame
The centerpiece of World Golf Village, located at I-95 exit 95A, is the stately, 75,000-square-foot World Golf Hall of Fame. Supported by all of the world's major golf organizations, The World Golf Hall of Fame is a tribute to the history of the game of golf and combines historic artifacts with interactive exhibits and technology. It marked the first time in history that all of the international golf organizations, including the USGA and PGA of America and professional tours, such as the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Europe, have united in support of a single project.
Your Hall of Fame experience begins with a multi-media presentation called "The Passion to Play," shown on a video wall in an area called "The Spirit of the Game." This presentation will inspire those who play and those with just a casual interest in the game of golf.
The Hall of Fame is laid out like a golf course -- into 18 separate areas, which wind from a replica of the Swilcan Burn Bridge in Scotland to the Global Golf Center, where you can survey up-to-the-minute golf statistics and action from around the world. Along the way, visitors will find such quirky and fun artifacts as Jack Nicklaus' favorite fly-fishing rod, a Barbie doll from Nancy Lopez's childhood and an exhibit celebrating Alan Shepard's 1,500-yard drive on the moon, when golf became the first interplanetary sport.
Guests visiting the World Golf Hall of Fame have the opportunity to participate in a number of activities, inside and outside of the Hall. Guests may choose to "go behind the scenes" and take a fascinating, one-hour tour of the sports museum.
They can participate in a simulated tournament against friends or other guests, discover what PGA Tour pro's swing most closely resembles their own, or see the magnificent views of the Village and the surrounding St. Johns County countryside from the Tower.
Guests also can play the impeccably maintained, natural-grass, 18-hole putting course or take a shot at the Challenge Hole. The Challenge Hole features a 132-yard island green, reminiscent of the famous 17th hole at the nearby Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass. Contestants landing two on the green or a hole-in-one are eligible for prizes.
New in 2001, and on display until June 24, is the artwork of Michael Miller. Miller has painted views from famous courses throughout the world, including the holes at Cypress Point #13 and Pebble Beach #17.
If you are looking for a special memento of your trip to the World Golf Hall of Fame or shopping for the golfer on your gift list, visit Treasures & Traditions to find Hall of Fame merchandise, as well as videos, books, apparel, golf towels and novelty items
The World Golf Hall of Fame is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily with guided tours three times daily.
The World Golf Village IMAX Theater
Adjacent to the World Golf Hall of Fame is the World Golf Village IMAX Theater. The theater offers the most powerful film technology experience ever seen. The IMAX experience puts you into the center of the action in a way no ordinary screen presentation can, drawing you in with images and sounds that are so intense, you can almost feel them. Using state-of-the-art technology and a film 10 times the size of a normal 35 mm frame, IMAX projectors project a picture onto a screen more than 80 feet wide and several stories high! That's 4500 times larger than the average television screen. You will experience an on-screen world of such scale and reality that you will feel a part of the action. The viewing experience is enhanced by a multi-channel digital audio system.
Whether you climb the world's highest mountain, explore underwater worlds, or take a spin with NASA astronauts, large format films provide viewers of all ages with larger than life experiences that motivate, enrich and inspire.
The World Golf Village IMAX Theater is showing Alaska: Spirit of the Wild and Dolphins through February 2001. New films begin in March. Viewing an IMAX film is a fun and unforgettable experience for kids of all ages. Call 904-940-4123 for advance tickets.
World Golf Village Golf Courses
The World Golf Village offers two golf courses, both designed with help from championship players.
The King & The Bear, opened to the public in November 2000 and features the first ever collaboration between golf legends Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. Traditional in design, Nicklaus and Palmer worked together on-site to ensure the course is of championship quality, but playable for all golfers.
The Slammer and the Squire is the village's first course and is also designed for players with varying skill levels. The course, designed with consultation help from Sam Sneed (The Slammer) and Gene Sarazen (The Squire), borders along the area's natural wetland preserves and winds through native flatwoods and hardwood hammocks.
