20 – Miami Springs Golf Course
The history of the Miami Springs Golf Course pre-dates the incorporation date of the City of Miami Springs, or as it was originally known, Country Club Estates. The course was an instant hit, hosting dozens of PGA events including 30 Miami Opens from 1925 through 1955.
Miami Springs Golf and Country Club picture from January 4, 1927
Credit this photo: State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/165451 Fishbaugh, W. A.(William A.), 1873-1950
View looking toward the Glenn H. Curtiss home from the Country Club Estates golf course in Miami Springs, Florida.
Credit this photo: State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/165671
Fishbaugh, W. A.(William A.), 1873-1950
Today, the golf course hosts a variety of local tournaments and continues the tradition of serving the community with a beautiful 18 hole golf course.
A little known fact today is that the Miami Springs Golf and Country Club is the oldest municipal golf course in South Florida and the first golf course in the state to allow blacks to play.
According to the City of Miami Springs, some of the legendary people who have played at the golf course include: Glenn Curtiss, James Bright, Walter Hagen, Tommy Armour, Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Don Drysdale, Whitey Ford, Jackie Robinson, Althea Gibson, Charlie Sifford, Dinah Washington, Nat “King” Cole, Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis and Arnold Palmer.
Today, residents love the beautiful, wide open green space, that sprawls across acres of green landscape. The bike trails along the golf course make it extremely accessible to pedestrians and cyclists alike.
Some of the most luxurious homes in Miami Springs are found along the perimeter of the Miami Springs Golf Course. Included on the list of homes is the beautiful Curtiss Mansion. The mansion was built by Miami Springs founder, aviator, inventor, daredevil, and successful businessman, Glenn H. Curtiss. Today, the property is used for weddings and corporate events.
More and more, developers are trying to gobble up golf courses to build homes, commercial areas, or even a new soccer stadium. Miami Springs residents have fought for decades to ensure the Miami Springs Golf Course remains a wide open green golf course for the enjoyment of future generations and for the benefit of the entire community.