In a bit of populism, the World Golf Hall of Fame has opened nominations for the Class of 2027 to the public.
I have some conspiratorial suspicions about the new selection process. From my position on the grassy knoll, I see the HOF giving itself cover when a controversial person appears on the ballot and is elected “because the people demanded it.” Indeed, I predict such is forthcoming.
That said, I generally welcome the public participation because golf is in fact the people’s sport. If pro golf were to disappear tomorrow, I doubt anyone would play less golf. Nor would golf product companies suffer; they don’t make their money selling to pros, but to John Q. Public.
The press release and links to the nomination form follow:
World Golf Hall of Fame Opens Public Nominations for Class of 2027
First-ever public nomination process open through end of July 2026
VILLAGE OF PINEHURST, N.C. (April 2, 2026) – The World Golf Hall of Fame (WGHOF) announced today that nominations are now open for the Class of 2027, marking the first time in the organization’s history that members of the public are invited to submit nominations. The nomination period runs through July 31, 2026.
“We are thrilled to kick off the selection process for the 2027 induction ceremony in St Andrews,” said Mike Trostel, director of the World Golf Hall of Fame. “By making nominations open to the public, we believe golf fans will be more invested in the process and it will ensure that all worthy candidates are considered for the Class of 2027.”
Nominations will be accepted across four categories:
- Male Competitor: Must be age 45 or older, or retired from competition for three or more years at the time of the ceremony. First-time eligible players include Justin Rose, Adam Scott and Sergio Garcia.
- Female Competitor: Must be age 45 or older, or retired from competition for three or more years at the time of the ceremony. First-time eligible players include Suzann Pettersen.
- Contributor: Individuals who have made their biggest impact on the game outside of the competitive arena. This group includes architects, teachers, media members, golf administrators, instructors and innovators.
- Historic Player / Amateur: Competitors who accomplished the majority of their wins either more than 50 years ago from the year of the upcoming induction ceremony (pre-1977) or as amateurs.
The online nomination form can also be found on the official World Golf Hall of Fame website.
All candidates will be reviewed by a nominating committee, which will be divided into four working groups (Male Competitor, Female Competitor, Contributor and Historic Player / Amateur). Each group will include a chair and 12 members consisting of WGHOF inductees, golf industry professionals and members of the media. The nominating committee will meet in August and September and narrow the nominees to a group of 12 finalists.
Afterward, a selection committee of 24 individuals – again comprised of WGHOF members, media representatives, golf industry professionals and this time including the WGHOF Board of Directors – will meet in the fall to vote and determine the final class. A finalist must receive 75% of the vote to be elected.
The Board members are Terry Clark (PGA of America), Mark Darbon (The R&A), Will Jones (Masters Tournament), Craig Kessler (LPGA), Guy Kinnings (DP World Tour), Brian Rolapp (PGA Tour) and Mike Whan (USGA).
The WGHOF Class of 2024 featured Johnny Farrell, Beverly Hanson, Padraig Harrington, Sandra Palmer, Tom Weiskopf and the 13 Founders of the LPGA. The finalists who were not elected were Peter Dawson, Jim Furyk, Butch Harmon, Cristie Kerr, Dottie Pepper and Jay Sigel.
The 2027 Induction Ceremony will take place on Monday, July 12, 2027 in St Andrews, Scotland during the week of The Open Championship.
About the World Golf Hall of Fame
The World Golf Hall of Fame honors and celebrates the greatest figures in the sport’s history, instilling a deep appreciation of golf’s past and present. Its mission is to entertain, educate and inspire generations of golf fans around the world. The Hall of Fame is allied with dozens of national and international golf organizations, including those in its Board of Directors: The DP World Tour, LPGA, the Masters Tournament, PGA of America, PGA Tour, The R&A and USGA. Established in 1974, the Hall of Fame is located on the USGA’s Golf House Pinehurst (N.C.) campus, where more than 3,000 artifacts celebrate the accomplishments of the 170 Hall of Fame Members. For more, visit worldgolfhalloffame.org.
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