After two years of planning and programming, a new award program has launched to recognize golf holes across the world. The Golf Hole Hall of Fame is aimed at inducting golf holes in two categories: Legendary and Honorary.
With an extensive network of reviewers, the process for evaluating nominated golf holes leads to a simple “yes” or “no” conclusion. However, the process is anything but simple behind the scenes. While anyone may nominate a golf hole — the website makes this an easy process for individual clubs and golfers — a highly sophisticated software program manages the opinions of a growing list of reviewers who are able to base their opinions on recent and previous visits to the course, as well as background data, photographs and historical references.
“I was good in math, but not to the degree necessary to calculate the variables at play here,” says Forrest Richardson, one of the founders of the program. “In essence, each nominated golf hole is evaluated based on a series of criteria, and each of those are weighed against separate sets of variables such as how recently the reviewer visited the golf hole, how many reviews are completed and ultimately how many agree on the category and acceptance.”
The data provided when a golf hole is nominated sets in motion the extensive formulas and calculations that ultimately determine whether a given golf hole is inducted into the Golf Hole Hall of Fame, or not. Because the process relies on numerous evaluations, it may extend over several months. “Time is another variable,” adds Richardson. “A well known golf hole may move through the process faster, but we have measures in place to make sure that less well known holes also get the attention they deserve.” Richardson is one of three founders of the Golf Hole Hall of Fame, whose mission is to “Honor individual golf holes for their outstanding qualities in the areas of (1) Strategy, (2) Enjoyment, (3) Memorability, (4) Aesthetics, and (5) Acclaim.
Following extensive beta testing of the website and evaluation logistics, the first nominations and reviews began coming in this past December. As of mid-January there were more than 50 active nominations with the first wave of inductees scheduled to be announced in February.
Plans remain firm to keep the nomination process free and open to anyone. With roughly one-half million golf holes in the world, the potential for the database growth is staggering. That does not concern the organizers as the customized software and automation for handling the evaluations have been designed for as many as 10,000 inductees over the next several years.
Once inducted, a golf hole will be displayed with photos, historical background and searchable fields such as course name, par, golf architect, year established, country, state and course type. The goal is to eventually immortalize a full complement of golf holes that are seen and appreciated as being outstanding.
“Legendary” inductees are holes with world-wide acclaim. Current nominees read like a who’s-who of famous holes — easily recognized by golfers as being in a class of their own. “Honorary” inductees are reserved for golf holes that have risen to fame within a specific type of golf course or may be well known within a region or locale. The distinction allows nominees to be evaluated in comparison, but without trying to pit a iconic golf hole up against a beloved hole at a little-known public course in a far off location. While the same criteria are at work for each category, each gets applied with a slightly different set of scrutiny.
The Golf Hole of Fame website may be accessed at www.golfholehalloffame.org.
A comprehensive FAQ section is provided along with access by panel members and inductees. At noted, however, no inductees have yet been accepted. Visitors will note that the site currently contains a disclaimer about the proposed timing for the first inductees.
“It will take time to grow the Golf Hole Hall of Fame,” notes Richardson. “Like all of the other great hall of fames, you do not begin with a full and complete list. It’s a work in progress.”