For one of America’s smallest states, New Jersey seems to find plenty of space for golf courses. The golf courses situated around the Garden State have earned high marks from experts in the field and other observers of the game; one particular golf club has also been in the news a lot in the last few years.
But New Jersey’s affinity for golf isn’t confined to the number of courses where one can while away an afternoon. It’s also home to one of the pre-eminent archives related to the sport — a space that, for all that the sport is deeply popular, attracts fewer attendees than one might expect.
This is the United States Golf Association Museum, located in Far Hills. Writing for NJ.com, Olivia Rizzo explores the museum’s history and collection — which includes everything from historical records of the sport’s early days to some golf equipment that’s famous for its trip to space.
“One piece of equipment that usually garners a lot of attention is the gold club that went to the moon,” Rizzo writes. “Alan B. Shepard snuck the head of a golf club and two balls onto the shuttle during the Apollo 14 mission.”
In addition to the spacefaring side of the sport, the USGA Museum also features a library with 20,000 books, vintage golf equipment from the first half of the 20th century and trophies from major tournaments. There’s also a research library and a putting course on the museum’s grounds. There aren’t many museums where you can put what you’ve learned into immediate action; this one is in rarefied company.
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