We all have that one friend. That friend from New York that says they’ve never visited the Statue of Liberty. That buddy from Los Angeles that claims to have only seen the Hollywood sign from a tremendous distance. Most certainly, we all have that ex-roommate from South Dakota who has the gall to tell us they’ve never considered checking out Mount Rushmore. We roll our eyes at that friend. We stare at them incredulously and judge them, often not so silently, for their choices. We then judge ourselves far more silently for being friends with such a person. We end the conversation with more questions than answers. Were they born in a barn? Do they live under a rock? This is a person you’ve seen kill an hour on a random Tuesday trying to teach themselves how to throw playing cards into a hat from across a room and yet, they haven’t found the time in their banal existence to at least acknowledge the significance of a historic monument in their own backyards.
Dear reader, this is my mea culpa. I am the barn-born subterranean rock-dweller. For most of my 33 years, I have lived in South Florida. About twenty of those years have been spent playing golf. Yet only this past year did I discover and begin my journey on the Florida Historic Golf Trail. Judge lest not ye be judged.
For those of you that may not know – but may pretend to know- the Florida Historic Golf Trail is a group of 52 distinguished courses that highlight Florida’s long history with our beloved game. Some courses were designed by the likes of Ross, Raynor, Maxwell, and Langford and Moreau. They have hosted matches between many of the game’s greats. Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Tommy Armour, Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, and nearly one Ryder Cup have graced these fairways in bygone ages. The best part about the Trail is that every course is public or semi-private. There are no courses any more private than having to stay at a specific hotel to play them and even those are but a handful. Otherwise, it’s open season.
Knowledge is nothing without action and so I, with all the vigor of Michael Scott, declare that I will play every course on the Florida Historic Golf Trail. Some will be easy and others more challenging. The challenge to which I am referring, of course, is my ability to convince my wife that I should travel to Florida’s farthest reaches to pursue my golf addiction. She has been a fantastic enabler until now, but this may push the boundaries.
As I play the courses I’ll pass along whatever knowledge I gain so that you know a little more about their history, which are worth your time to play now, and which have been mangled in the name of “renovation”.
Aside from a brief course history, I plan to give the following awards as applicable:
The Snapple Award – Awarded to the funnest course fact I learned while at the course or in my research
The Diet Starts Tomorrow Award – Playing these courses will require some significant driving on my part and no road trip is complete without driving snacks. This award will go to the best snack or food item I consumed on my drive to the course
TBD – Award for Best or Most Historic Holes
The Mr. Peabody History Appreciation Scale – Used To Determine The Course’s Appreciation Of Its History (1-10)
Of course, as I continue to play the courses I may add or subtract various awards or categories based on their relevance.
In the meantime, wish me luck and enjoy! (5.7)
