Northside track was designed by Donald Ross and was the city of Jacksonville’s first municipal golf course
Brentwood Golf Course added to the Florida Historic Golf Trail
The Brentwood Golf Course, designed by Donald Ross, was built in 1923 and is now a part of the Florida Historic Golf Trail.
- Brentwood Golf Course in Jacksonville has been added to the Florida Historic Golf Trail.
- The course, which opened in 1923, was Jacksonville’s first municipal golf course and hosted PGA and LPGA events.
- The course closed in 1975 but reopened in 2000 as a nine-hole course and home to the First Tee-North Florida.
The Brentwood Golf Course on Jacksonville’s Northside has become the 50th facility added to the Florida Historic Golf Trail, joining the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club Ocean Course from the First Coast.
The designation for the course, which is also home to First Tee-North Florida, was made official during a ceremony on Aug. 20 that included Florida Secretary of State and Jacksonville native Cord Byrd, Jacksonville City Councilwoman Ju’Coby Pittman (District 10), Jacksonville Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services Daryl Joseph and Brentwood General Manager Monty Duncan.
Adding the course to the Golf Trail will bring more attention to Brentwood’s history, which dates back to 1923 when it became Jacksonville’s first municipal golf course. The original 18-hole course, designed by Donald Ross, was built on 146 acres in Moncrief Heights, purchased by the city for $61,158. It opened on Nov. 8, 1923.
“There’s a lot of tradition bound in golf and we want to tell the story of these trails, their history and the people who have played them,” Byrd said. “Bring them back to the community’s attention and to people who maybe didn’t know their history.
Scott Edwards, coordinator for the Florida Historic Golf Trail, said there’s much about the history of Brentwood to tell, from its early days to when it hosted PGA Tour and LPGA Tour events in the 1940s and 1950s.
Four of the five winners at pro events held at Brentwood are in the World Golf Hall of Fame: Sam Snead (who won in 1945 and 1946), Cary Middlecoff (1949), Louise Suggs (1952) and Patty Berg (1953).
“Our job is to tell Florida’s story through these golf courses,” Edwards said. “You’ve got some of these little municipal courses tucked away, and there are traditional aspects that golfers love. The PGA Tour played here. The LPGA played here.”
Edwards also said another important aspect of Brentwood’s history will not be left out. The course was the flashpoint for the “Brentwood Four” case, when four African-American golfers sued the city of Jacksonville in 1958 over its restricted access to Brentwood and Hyde Park. A U.S. District Court ordered both golf courses be accessible to everyone in 1959 and the city sold the courses.
Brentwood closed in 1975 but reopened in 2000 as a nine-hole, par-34 course that would be the headquarters for the area’s First Tee chapter.
“Brentwood has a great story to tell,” said Dan Zimmer, Vice-President of Operations for Troon Golf, which manages Brentwood. “This helps tell that story even more.”
Pittman said Brentwood “deserves this … and now it’s among Florida’s most historic and treasured courses and more than that, reaffirms the spirit of this community, the resiliency, the pride, the legacy that has shaped not only the game of golf but the lives of those who have played here. Brentwood is not only history, but it is our living history.”
JAGA Team Championship registration is open
Registration for the 43rd Jacksonville Area Golf Association Team Championship opened on Aug. 20 for the event at the King & Bear on Oct. 27.
Contestants on the foursomes must represent JAGA-member clubs. The tournament is open to all players, male or female, including club professionals, with competition in gross and net flights.
The $500 entry fee per team covers golf, lunch and prizes. Visit jaxareagolf.org for information or to register.
Matching age wins tournament
Ponte Vedra Beach resident Brad Rollinson matched his age with a 67 at the Trappers Turn Golf Club in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. It also was good enough to win a Super-Senior Stableford tournament with 41 points. … Jay Huntley of Jacksonville Beach posted his career low with a 64 at the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club Ocean Course. Huntley is only 13 years old. … Luke Splane of St. Augustine shot 4-under 140 at the Sugar Mill Country Club in New Smyrna Beach to tie for second in the Florida Junior Tour 16-18 Sugar Mill Open. Danny Gimbel of Ponte Vedra (145) finished 10th. Aspen Bikowski of St. Johns (155) tied for fourth in the girls division, Sophia Cavanagh of St. Augustine (157) was seventh and Alexia Iordanov of St. Augustine (165) tied for ninth. … Patrick Beste of Ponte Vedra Beach shot 1-over 217 to tie for eighth in the FSGA 40 and Over Championship, at The Rookery at Marco and Eagle Creek in Naples. … Hudson Stutzman of Ponte Vedra (150) tied for eighth in the FJT 13-15 Sandridge Open, at the Sandridge Golf Club in Vero Beach. Lily Chiang (156) of Jacksonville was solo seventh in the girls division and Simryn Chokshi (159) tied for 10th.
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