RE: Willie Park's Bayshore GC
I got a chance to delve into the old Miami News Articles of the past thanks to Google and was able to discover a consistent pattern of upgrades on Bayshore that go way back. Bayshore in the 1920s was a golf course in a seasonal resort town which routinely closed for the summer months. Those in charge of Bayshore, namely Carl Fisher's Alton Road Realty Corp took said opportunity to "improve" upon the course in time for the next winter season. Fisher utilized the golf course as catalyst to lure Northerns down for the winter season to stay and buy land, so it was imperitive for him to have the "latest and greatest championship golf course" for his real estate promotions. And what a better way for Fisher to showcase his latest golf course than to host an annual professional golfer tournament while the rest of the country was shoving it way out of the snow.
I can’t help but to see Carl Fisher being akin to today’s Donald Trump and Willie Park designed Bayshore like Dick Wilson designed Doral Blue Monster. History has a tendency to repeat itself.
Anyways here is a quick timeline in Bayshore’s 90 plus years and the many changes along the way.
Quick Timeline:
1921 Willie Park lays out 18 golf holes to create a “championship golf course”
1922-23 Bayshore Golf Course is Inaugurated
1926 Miami Hurricane - Course was underwater and subsequently went through changes.
1927-29 Bayshore hosts the Miami Beach Open. Gene Sarazen wins each year.
Ornate Mediterranean Clubhouse built
Each year changes were made during the closed summer months.
1930s Decline: Great Depression compounds previous Florida Land Sale Bust
1940s World War II - Course was transformed to a military training facility.
Developers almost succeed turning Bayshore into a housing development
Bayshore is restored back into a golf course of prominence. (Redesign by ? Golf Architect)
1950s Sam Snead wins the first Miami Beach Open after a twenty year tour absence
New Clubhouse is built
1960s Arnold Palmer runner up to Gary Player in the 1961 Sunshine Open
Doral takes pro tour away from Miami Beach
Jackie Gleason Era at Bayshore
Renovations by Bruce Devlin & Robert von Hagge
1970s Decline: Miami Beach becomes Gods Waiting Room
1980s More Decline: Miami Beach becomes playground for the Cocaine Cowboys
1990s South Beach’s resurrection prompts Bayshore to get it together.
2000 Course is razed, Every blade of grass on course removed, Clubhouse demolished Over 10 Million dollars are spent.
Arthur Hills/ Steve Forrest golf course emerged in 2003, renamed Miami Beach Golf Club