World Golf Hall of Fame Members’ Competition Documented on Restored Film
St. Augustine, Fla. (May 8, 2006) – The World Golf Hall of Fame has recently received rare historical footage from The R&A. The "Great Triumvirate" DVD, now displayed in a permanent exhibit in the Hall of Fame, features extremely rare and recently restored moving image of Hall of Fame members Harry Vardon, James Braid and J.H. Taylor, who combined to win 16 Open Championships between 1894 and 1914.
The footage on display dates from between 1904 and 1909 and includes short biographical pieces on each player, allowing Hall of Fame visitors to study the champions’ swings in detail.
The recordings have been digitally restored from 100-year-old Kinora film drums, by London-based VTR Media Services Group. Also newly restored and forming part of the disk is film of the match between Vardon and Braid played at Murrayfield Golf Club, Edinburgh, in 1904.
"The R&A has been especially supportive of the World Golf Hall of Fame and our mission to recognize and celebrate the game’s greatest players and contributors," said Jack Peter, Sr. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the World Golf Hall of Fame. "Working with The R&A and British Golf Museum to display the Kinora reels – an amazing piece of memorabilia that brings to life the actions of our members – offers yet another opportunity for our visitors to share in golf’s rich history."
"We are very pleased to support the World Golf Hall of Fame and to share this footage of three great champions with them," said Peter Lewis, The R&A’s Heritage & Museum Director. "The R&A has a commitment to bring the history of golf to life through its film archive and we are delighted to have this disk reach a new audience at the World Golf Hall of Fame."
The World Golf Hall of Fame created an interactive display for the video, integrating a flat-screen monitor and a sound cone, providing music behind the silent film. Visitors can also select from several additional features which include personal information and rare, individual footage of James Braid, J.H. Taylor and Harry Vardon.
About the World Golf Hall of Fame
The World Golf Hall of Fame is located at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla., and is a collaboration of 26 national and international golf organizations, including the PGA TOUR, LPGA, USGA, PGA of America, Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews and Augusta National Golf Club. The facility houses interactive displays, historic artifacts, a special exhibit gallery, an IMAX Theater and the Hall of Fame itself, which honors the game’s greatest players and contributors. For more information, visit www.wgv.com.
About The R&A
The R&A is golf’s world rules and development body and organiser of The Open Championship. It operates with the consent of more than 125 national and international, amateur and professional organisations, from over 110 countries and on behalf of an estimated 28 million golfers in Europe, Africa, Asia-Pacific and The Americas (outside the USA and Mexico). The United States Golf Association (USGA) is the game’s governing body in the United States and Mexico. For further information, visit www.randa.org and www.opengolf.com.
About The R&A Film Archive
The R&A Archive is a unique collection consisting of over 900 hours of footage and programming in black & white and color, dating back to 1904. Footage includes such legends as Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and many more. For further information, visit www.randaarchive.com.
Contact:
Jane Fader
904-940-4009
jfader@wghof.org
www.wgv.com
