A golf destination with a vibrant history always has a different feel to it, and as most golfers will tell you, Las Vegas is definitely one of those vacation spots that roll out the red carpet for those that enjoy playing the links and the tables.

In the Western United States, Las Vegas is one of those destinations where golf has ingrained itself in the fabric of the community over time, and with more than 60 golf courses, a rich history of professional and amateur events, home of one of the top collegiate golf programs in the nation in addition to being the address to some of the top players, instructors and movers and shakers in the sport.

Butch Harmon—Tiger Woods’ long-time instructor early in his career and one of the top names in golf instruction—has his Golf School in Las Vegas, and the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospital for Children Open, an official PGA Tour event this month as part of the Fall Series, are just two of the modern-day reasons that the golf community in this city has banned together to establish the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame.

Opened in 2009 at the historic Las Vegas National Golf Club, a golf course that has hosted events on the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour, the HOF exhibit features a museum-quality display designed by Las Vegas’ Cypress Architecture with input from current Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame committee members and other golf community leaders. The exhibit is the first all-encompassing tribute to the long history and tradition of Las Vegas golf ever created and is open, free of charge, to the public during Las Vegas National Golf Club’s regular hours of operation.

The exhibit area features an extensive Las Vegas golf timeline that brings to life such important golf dates and events as the PGA Tour’s inaugural Tournament of Champions that was played at Las Vegas’ Desert Inn Golf Club in 1953; the 1983 Panasonic Las Vegas Pro-Celebrity Classic, the PGA Tour’s first-ever tournament with a million-dollar prize purse; professional victories at Las Vegas golf events by Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Woods, Mickey Wright, Annika Sorenstam, Greg Norman and Karrie Webb; and the 1998 UNLV NCAA Men’s Golf Championship.

Other highlights include an area with photos and bios of Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame members including PGA Tour players Tommy Armour III, Chris Riley and Robert Gamez, former Champions Tour Player of the Year Jim Colbert, standout amateur player and current Southern Nevada Golf Association President Brady Exber and community leader and amateur player Helen Cannon.

Also, the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame Wall of Champions features photos and information from the more than 80 PGA Tour, LPGA Tour and Champions Tour events that have been played in the Las Vegas area. A special tribute to local amateur champions, junior golf and area professionals is also included. Plus, Tiger Woods’ first PGA Tour victory at the 1996 Las Vegas Golf Invitational is commemorated. Vintage Las Vegas golf memorabilia is also placed throughout the new exhibit.

“It is a thrill for the committee to now have the new home exhibit that lives up to the excellence of the Las Vegas golfers who are members of this prestigious hall of fame, and to honor the tremendous history of golf in the Las Vegas area,” says Brian Hurlburt, President of the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame committee. “Las Vegas National Golf Club is a great choice as the home of the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame exhibit because of the deep history of the course, combined with the convenient location that is minutes from the Las Vegas Strip and in the heart of the Las Vegas Valley.”

The Hall of Fame was formerly known as the Southern Nevada Golf Hall of Fame, but committee members voted to change the name to best capture the essence and passion of the Las Vegas golf community.

An additional aspect of the mission is to promote Las Vegas as a great golf destination. A 16-person committee made up of Las Vegas golf professionals, media, amateur association leaders and Hall of Fame members oversees the voting process. The annual induction ceremony takes place during the week of the PGA Tour’s Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

The Class of 2010 will be inducted during a ceremony that coincides with the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, on October 19 at the state-of-the-art Pearl Theatre at the Palms Hotel. The 2010 inductees will include Charlie Baron, Tournament Director of the Las Vegas PGA Tour stop for 22 years; Joe Kelly, PGA of America Golf Professional who has opened and run more than a dozen Las Vegas courses; and the Tournament of Champions will be honored at the event. A who’s who of the golf community will be on hand to celebrate and recognize the achievements of the new inductees.

If you want to see how one of the best golf destinations in the west got there, it is worthwhile to visit the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame while in town.

For more information, visit: www.LasVegasGolfHOF.com.