By Mike May
golf history
Orlando’s ‘Hat Trick’ of Historic Golf Courses In the greater Orlando area, it seems like there are more opportunities to play golf than there are rides at all the Orlando-area theme parks. But, that has not always been the case. While the greater Orlando area has truly become a mecca for golfers, three of the golf courses that paved the way, so to speak, for golf in central Florida are part of the Florida Historic Golf Trail, a group of more than 50 golf courses, mostly local municipal courses, that stretch from Key West to Pensacola. Those three courses in the greater Orlando area are the Dubsdread Golf Course, Mayfair Country Club, and the Winter Park Golf Course. If you want to make a pilgrimage and pay homage to the golf courses that are some of central Florida’s original forefathers of golf, go play each golf course. Since 1924, golf has been played at the Dubsdread Golf Course (549 West Par Street, Orlando, Florida; 407246-2551), an 18-hole, par-70 layout. Located five minutes from downtown Orlando, players of all skill levels are challenged with the narrow fairways and heavily bunkered “postage stamp”style greens. Dubsdread is promoted as, “A course everyone can play at a price anyone can pay.” Many of Dubsdread’s greens were patterned after other greens at famous golf courses. In fact, the 14th green was said to be a replica of the 13th green on the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland. After golf, visit the historic Tap Room for a drink, meal, or a snack. In the late 1940s, while attending Rollins College in nearby Winter Park, future golf course architect Pete Dye was a regular at Dubsdread. “I wasn’t the greatest student there, but I met my bride there and played some good golf,” recalled Dye. Dye was the captain of the Rollins College golf team and met his future wife, Alice O’Neal, who played on the women’s golf team at Rollins, at Dubsdread. The Dubsdread GC awaits your arrival.
36
Construction on what is now the Mayfair Country Club began in 1922. Later that year, the first nine holes were opened. Initially, this course was called the Sanford Country Club. Today, the Mayfair Country Club (3536 Country Club Road, Sanford, Florida; 407-322-2531) is an 18-hole, par-70 layout. “Our people who work here make visitors feel like this is their home course,” said Pete Sands, general manager, Mayfair Country Club. “The atmosphere here makes everybody feel welcome. Our greens are always PGA Tour quality. Area golfers love our greens.” By the early 1950s, this course hosted The Mayfair Inn Open, a PGA Tour event from 1955-1958. A number of wellknown pros, such as Gene Sarazen, Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, and Canada’s Moe Norman, played in this pro tourney. The Mayfair Inn Open is where Palmer won his first professional check for $528 in December 1956. The Mayfair CC awaits your arrival. A pristine piece of property where passionate players purposely pepper the pins in pursuit of par. That’s the best way to summarize the atmosphere for golf at the Winter Park Golf Course (761 Old England Avenue, Winter Park, Florida; 407-599-3419). This nine-hole golf course opened for play in 1914. This majestic municipal golf course is maintained like a private country club. The Winter Park Golf Course – aka, the Winter Park Nine -- is open to all golfers. The Winter Park Nine has an atmosphere which transports you to yesteryear Florida. It all starts with its many old oak trees which drip with Spanish moss. Those oak trees provide clearly defined fairway corridors for each hole. Here, walking is the preferred way to travel around this golf course. The Winter Park Nine awaits your arrival. In fact, the greater Orlando area – as well as all those rides at all the Orlando area theme parks -- awaits your arrival. And, don’t forget your golf clubs. Golf Central • Volume 22, Issue 8
