[Rees Milikin]

This original Clewiston thread was lost during the meltdown, so I am going to give it one more go and hope it lasts.  

I was finally able to find the order of the original 9 hole course (the routing of the original 9 remains the same) thanks to Scott Edwards from The Florida Historic Golf Trail website and the UF Digital Collections.  The course began construction in 1928 and was opened in 1930, so that is why I listed it as a 1930 course (If this is incorrect way of dating a course, let me know and I will fix it)

1940 aerial photograph


1940 Routing (Consistent with 1930 routing information)


2013 Google Satellite View


2013 Routing (Current)


By comparing these two pictures I have been able to figure out what current holes were part of the original 9 hole routing that Stiles & Van Kleek created (I believe the other 9 were added in 1964 by Roy Albert Anderson, but I haven't been able to verify this).

9 Hole Par 36 course of 3,270 yards (The #'s below don't add up to 3,270, so I am not sure if I will ever find exactly what is wrong or right)
1st Hole Par 4 – 440 Yards (Currently the 10th Hole Par 4 - 400 Yards)
2nd Hole Par 4 – 440 Yards (Currently the 11th Hole Par 5 - 505 Yards)
3rd Hole Par 3 – 135 Yards (Currently the 15th Hole Par 3 - 150 Yards)
4th Hole Par 5 – 523/530 Yards - Found two different yardages in the Clewiston newspaper. (Currently the 16th Hole Par 5 - 520 Yards)
5th Hole Par 4 – 400 Yards (Currently the 17th Hole Par 4 - 400 Yards)
6th Hole Par 3 – 170 Yards (Currently the 2nd Hole Par 3 - 175 Yards)
7th Hole Par 5 – 455 Yards (Currently the 8th Hole Par 5 - 485 Yards)
8th Hole Par 4 – 360 Yards (Currently the 1st Hole Par 4 - 345 Yards)
9th Hole Par 4 – 426 Yards (Currently the 18th Hole Par 4 - 355 Yards)

1928 Clewiston News Articles:

May 25th, 1928 - Earliest article I could find regarding the Clewiston Golf Course, mentions Stiles & Van Kleek as the course architects.


June 22nd, 1928


November 23rd, 1928




December 21st, 1928



1929 Clewiston News Articles:

July 12th, 1929




October 18th, 1929


1930 Clewiston News Articles:

February 21st, 1930 - Week before the course opened & first descriptions of specific holes & yardages




February 28th, 1930 - First week of being opened



March 7th, 1930 - First Caddy Master announced


March 14th, 1930


1947 or 1948 Aerial Photograph from the southeastern side of the city


1947 or 1948 Aerial Photograph from the south side of the city


1940's image of what appears to be the 9th Green

[Jim_Kennedy]

Rees,
One of your boys.

[Rees Milikin]

Rees,
One of your boys.

Perfect picture for a meme...

[Rees Milikin]

I had some free time after working in the Ft Myers area and decided to swing over to play Clewiston Golf Course ($18 to walk).  Since there wasn't anyone else there I decided to play 9 in the original order and take photos of the course.  Keep in mind this is directly below Lake Okeechobee and is basically built on drained swamp land, which is why it is as flat as it is.  However, I think what they accomplished with what they had to work with is fairly impressive.

1st Hole Par 4 – 440 Yards (Currently the 10th Hole Par 4 - 400 Yards)

Dogleg left, but can be taken over the trees on the left and leave you anywhere from 100-200 yards out, but there is a creek that comes into play just beyond the trees. 






2nd Hole Par 4 – 440 Yards (Currently the 11th Hole Par 5 - 505 Yards)

Cutting down the little pines that line the fairway would make this a better hole.







3rd Hole Par 3 – 135 Yards (Currently the 15th Hole Par 3 - 150 Yards)







4th Hole Par 5 – 523/530 Yards - (Currently the 16th Hole Par 5 - 520 Yards)

Wide open tee shot, but once again cutting down those little pine trees would go a long way to making the hole even better.  Water can also come into play if going for the green in two.








5th Hole Par 4 – 400 Yards (Currently the 17th Hole Par 4 - 400 Yards)

Wide open tee shot, but if you want to clear the creek, you should carry at least 280 in the air.  Not trying to clear the creek leaves about 130-150 from the green.  The creek also turns to the right once it passes through the fairway and comes into play on the left side of the fairway.







6th Hole Par 3 – 170 Yards (Currently the 2nd Hole Par 3 - 175 Yards)







7th Hole Par 5 – 455 Yards (Currently the 8th Hole Par 5 - 485 Yards)









8th Hole Par 4 – 360 Yards (Currently the 1st Hole Par 4 - 345 Yards)

Once again they need to cut down the little pine trees that have been planted.






9th Hole Par 4 – 426 Yards (Currently the 18th Hole Par 4 - 355 Yards)

There are a few ways to play this short par 4. One is bail out to the left of the water with a hybrid or less, fade or draw (righty or lefty) and leave a short wedge in, or risk driving the ball over the water.

[Craig Disher]

The course was used during WWII by the cadets who were training at the airfield W of Clewiston. This photo was taken in 1945 as part of a survey of military installations in Florida. The area was so desolate I guess the pilot was thrilled to see something other than scrub and swamp.

[Rees Milikin]

Craig, thanks for sharing the picture! I have wanted to see what the bunkering looked like and I would love to see it restored to its original style.

[BCowan]

Rees,

   thanks for the photos.  Great dome green complex's. 

[Rob Collins]

Great work, Rees.  The golf course  looks like a lot of fun.  
I would like to recommend another Stiles and Van Kleek 9 holer to the group.  The Nehoiden Golf Club at Wellesley College has some fun holes - the course has a good routing and takes advantage of some very interesting natural features, including the clever use of a ridge that helps create a semi-blind par 3.

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()