Donald Ross in Florida

[John Emerson]

Hollywood beach and golf club in Hollywood beach is listed as a Ross.  It has been ran down and neglected but I see it...it’s possible

[Mike Sweeney]

I had the opportunity to play The Bostick GC at the University of Florida today and was very impressed today by Ross in Florida with a renovation by Bobby Weed:

They played 2 rounds today at the "Vystar Gators Invitational", and the leader is -11. Those greens were really great, and tough, so that is some incredible playing:

https://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=player&tid=23344

[Richard Hetzel]

Fort Myers and Dunedin are both worthy munis. Dunedin can be a bit of a chore of pace of play.

Fort Myers CC is a fun golf course and an easy walk. My wife and I try to play there often when visiting her parents in Cape Coral. Very enjoyable golf course.

[Jonathan Cummings]

If Ross did any work at PineCrest or CC of Orlando there is no evidence of it.

PineCrest is correctly attributed to H. Bert Way, the same fellow who routed Firestone.
CC of Orlando is likely Tom Bendelow.

Lake Pierce in Lake Wales is NLE.

Belleview Biltmore is back to being called Pelican Golf Club and just reopened following an extensive renovation by Beau Welling. At least a few greens were moved.


Sorry to those of you who took the "Under" in my response time to this thread. 

Pelican is a modern course over top of what once was a 1925 Ross course.  All Ross has been removed.

[Jonathan Cummings]

On a related note - there was a tweet from the Society of Golf Historians a few days ago saying:
"...Belleair CC in Florida, the oldest golf course in the state circa 1897.  36 holes laid out by D. Ross & hopefully soon to be restored by Fry/Straka..."


Surely the course(s) from 1897 can't be Ross as he wasn't in the USA yet.   The 1915 date in the OP makes more sense but if the course was essentially redone by Ross then is it the oldest course?

In 1897 the superintendent at the little race track attached to the Bellevue Hotel laid out 6 golf holes on the south side of the hotel.  Roughly 5 years later Morton Plant arranged for an architect to extend those 6 holes to 18 (I've forgotten the architect's name but he was a no-name).  In 1914 Plant brought Ross in to redo the existing 18 and build a new 18.  In 1925 Ross returned and tweaked both courses.  The #1 and #2 names were changed to West (the original course) and East (the newer course).  Gene Bates was tasked to "modernize" the East about 25 years ago.  For the most part The West is unchanged since 1925 although it has evolved - mostly due to maintenance practices - over the ensuing 100 years.


Jason Straka and Dana Fry are commissioned to redo The West in 2022 (add two new holes and restore to the other 16 as faithfully as they can to 1925.)  The East is slated for a TBD restoration in 2025. 

[Rob Marshall]

On a related note - there was a tweet from the Society of Golf Historians a few days ago saying:
"...Belleair CC in Florida, the oldest golf course in the state circa 1897.  36 holes laid out by D. Ross & hopefully soon to be restored by Fry/Straka..."


Surely the course(s) from 1897 can't be Ross as he wasn't in the USA yet.   The 1915 date in the OP makes more sense but if the course was essentially redone by Ross then is it the oldest course?

In 1897 the superintendent at the little race track attached to the Bellevue Hotel laid out 6 golf holes on the south side of the hotel.  Roughly 5 years later Morton Plant arranged for an architect to extend those 6 holes to 18 (I've forgotten the architect's name but he was a no-name).  In 1914 Plant brought Ross in to redo the existing 18 and build a new 18.  In 1925 Ross returned and tweaked both courses.  The #1 and #2 names were changed to West (the original course) and East (the newer course).  Gene Bates was tasked to "modernize" the East about 25 years ago.  For the most part The West is unchanged since 1925 although it has evolved - mostly due to maintenance practices - over the ensuing 100 years.


Jason Straka and Dana Fry are commissioned to redo The West in 2022 (add two new holes and restore to the other 16 as faithfully as they can to 1925.)  The East is slated for a TBD restoration in 2025.

When is the work going to start on the West. Summer?

[Jonathan Cummings]

Belleair West closes mid March and reopens in Nov 2022. 

[Nigel Islam]

I believe Rees found evidence some years back that Panama CC was a Charles Alison design?


I personally doubt Ross’s involvement at Lake Wales. The course was designed by Raynor and the second nine opened up right around the time Raynor died. The second nine was abandoned for some years, but I was not able to find evidence Ross was brought in when it was restored. i actually spent a lot of time scouring archives of the Lake Wales Highlander archives on the issue. I have opinions on the Babson courses too from that researching as well.

[Bret Lawrence]

Was Alison’s Panama Country Club originally known as St. Andrews Beach?  The Spaniard Joseph Mayo was responsible for building that course for Alison before he built Waialae and Mid-Paciific for Seth Raynor.  Not to be confused with Joseph P. Mayo, the American born greenkeeper at Pebble Beach.


Morton Plant also brought Ross in to redesign Shennecossett.  Shennecossett is located on Plant Street in Groton, CT.


Ross worked on a different property in Lake Wales, not Lake Wales Country Club (as it’s known today) The entire 18 holes were designed by Seth Raynor.  The 18-hole course at Lake Wales which was a municipal course at the time, was opened just a few days after Raynor passed away (as mentioned by Nigel above).

[Adam Lawrence]

Was Alison’s Panama Country Club originally known as St. Andrews Beach?  The Spaniard Joseph Mayo was responsible for building that course for Alison before he built Waialae and Mid-Paciific for Seth Raynor.  Not to be confused with Joseph P. Mayo, the American born greenkeeper at Pebble Beach.

Yes, I believe it was. It was Hugh’s most southerly design in the US

[Jonathan Cummings]

Was Alison’s Panama Country Club originally known as St. Andrews Beach?  The Spaniard Joseph Mayo was responsible for building that course for Alison before he built Waialae and Mid-Paciific for Seth Raynor.  Not to be confused with Joseph P. Mayo, the American born greenkeeper at Pebble Beach.


Morton Plant also brought Ross in to redesign Shennecossett.  Shennecossett is located on Plant Street in Groton, CT.


Ross worked on a different property in Lake Wales, not Lake Wales Country Club (as it’s known today) The entire 18 holes were designed by Seth Raynor.  The 18-hole course at Lake Wales which was a municipal course at the time, was opened just a few days after Raynor passed away (as mentioned by Nigel above).

Bret - I believe US Open champ - Alex Smith - was head pro at both Belleair and Shennecossett at the same time (late teens??).  Makes some sense as Plant was the principal at both clubs.

[Bret Lawrence]

That is interesting about Alex Smith, I never put that connection together.


Here is an article on the St. Andrews course designed by Alison, which would later become Panama City Country Club.  This article was sent to me by Anthony Pioppi a few months ago.


The Tampa Tribune., June 24, 1925:

[Kyle Harris]

I believe Rees found evidence some years back that Panama CC was a Charles Alison design?


I personally doubt Ross’s involvement at Lake Wales. The course was designed by Raynor and the second nine opened up right around the time Raynor died. The second nine was abandoned for some years, but I was not able to find evidence Ross was brought in when it was restored. i actually spent a lot of time scouring archives of the Lake Wales Highlander archives on the issue. I have opinions on the Babson courses too from that researching as well.

Ah, so you found the photos of Lekarica nee Babson Park by Stiles and Van Kleek, did you?

[Adam Lawrence]

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[Bret Lawrence]

Adam,


Thank you for posting these pictures, ads  and articles. I looked into Anthony Gholz’s book last night and realized I had the name wrong.  Saint Andrews Bay Club is the proper name, which your records show above. 


Bret

[Erik J. Barzeski]

I also recall the Delray Municipal course which I played not long ago. I doubt if its current version has any connection to Ross's original plans.

I'd heard he only did nine of the holes there. One nine is across the entrance/driveway/"road" from the other.

I lived in Delray Beach for 3.5 years and enjoyed playing the course, though much of that was because it was often entirely empty at 1pm in August. 

[Sven Nilsen]

I also recall the Delray Municipal course which I played not long ago. I doubt if its current version has any connection to Ross's original plans.

I'd heard he only did nine of the holes there. One nine is across the entrance/driveway/"road" from the other.

I lived in Delray Beach for 3.5 years and enjoyed playing the course, though much of that was because it was often entirely empty at 1pm in August. 

Not exactly what is on the ground today but close.



Ross Plan -






Jan. 1, 1926 Palm Beach Post -

[Jonathan Cummings]

Belleair can came a few firsts.  It was the first course in FL (still being played over those same 1897 grounds).  First in FL to have grass greens (by some 20 years).  And this rather unusual first - first FL club to have a head pro who had won the USOpen.  As a very odd add on to this, Belleair has had 7 head pros, the first three of which EACH won the USOpen.

[Sven Nilsen]

It was the first course in FL (still being played over those same 1897 grounds). 

There were golf courses in Florida prior to 1897.

[Bret Lawrence]

JC,


Sounds like it may have been Ross’ first design in Florida judging by the date.  Did Belleair have grass greens in 1897?


According to letters at Mountain Lake, Raynor and Robert White’s first stop in Florida was to visit Belleair to inspect the grass greens before attempting to implement them at Mountain Lake.


Bret

[Bret Lawrence]

Addison,


The only two Ross courses I have played in Florida are Daytona Beach South and New Smyrna.  Im not sure I would go out of your way to play either of them but if you are in the area, New Smyrna was a fun course to play.  The greens seem a little more modern than some of the Ross courses I have played in the Northeast.


 I think New Smyrna may have been built at the very end of Ross’ career.  The greens look like they were built with maintenance in mind rather than the older more interesting Golden Age greens.  The greens feel more like William and David Gordon greens than a typical Ross style.  I played it three days in a row while I was in New Smyrna a few years back and would definitely go back for another crack at it.  In comparison to Daytona Beach, New Smyrna was a much better value for the money.


Bret

[Kyle Harris]

Addison,


The only two Ross courses I have played in Florida are Daytona Beach South and New Smyrna.  Im not sure I would go out of your way to play either of them but if you are in the area, New Smyrna was a fun course to play.  The greens seem a little more modern than some of the Ross courses I have played in the Northeast.


 I think New Smyrna may have been built at the very end of Ross’ career.  The greens look like they were built with maintenance in mind rather than the older more interesting Golden Age greens.  The greens feel more like William and David Gordon greens than a typical Ross style.  I played it three days in a row while I was in New Smyrna a few years back and would definitely go back for another crack at it.  In comparison to Daytona Beach, New Smyrna was a much better value for the money.


Bret

So late in his career he was dead when it started and so late in JB McGovern’s career that he was dead when it was finished!