Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee announced today that the Pinecrest Golf Club, located in the city of Avon Park in Highlands County, has been chosen as the featured course on the Florida Historic Golf Trail for the month of April.
“We are pleased to feature the Pinecrest Golf Club as a partner on the Florida Historic Golf Trail,” said Secretary Lee. “With lake views and fairways lined with orange trees, the Pinecrest Golf Club has provided a beautiful setting for golf for more than 90 years.”
In the 1890s, Harlan Page Davidson purchased a tract of land on Lake Lotela for a hotel and golf course. In 1925, Harlan’s son Col. Royal Page Davidson moved to Avon Park to develop the tract of land his father had purchased 30 years before. A year later the first nine holes of the golf course and the clubhouse were completed. In 1936, E.B. Hitchcock of Chicago bought the property and expanded the golf course to 18-holes. The property was sold several times over the next few decades.
Today, the Pinecrest Golf Club includes an 18-hole, par-72 golf course featuring five sets of tees ranging from 4,900 to 6,700 yards. The multiple tees allow players to select a course length that can be either challenging or friendly and fun. Its traditional layout is bordered by beautiful orange groves and natural wooded areas. Pinecrest features relatively open fairways with tricky approaches and challenging greens.
“Pinecrest Golf Club is both honored and excited to be selected as a featured course on the Florida Historic Golf Trail,” said Joe Staffieri, General Manager of the Pinecrest Golf Club. “Pinecrest dates to 1926 with a rich history from the first ever televised professional golf event in 1959 to celebrity appearances in the 40s and 50s. The new ownership of Pinecrest has made a commitment to preserving the history and preparing the club for a bright future. These are exciting times at Pinecrest, ones we would like to share.”
For more information on the Pinecrest Golf Club, visit their website.
To learn more about the Florida Historic Golf Trail, visit floridahistoricgolftrail.com or find us on Facebook at @FloridaHistoricGolfTrail.
About The Florida Historic Golf Trail
Florida’s golf history, recognized as one of the oldest in the nation, dates back to the late 1800s when a number of early courses were created along with the development of railroads and hotels in the state. The Florida Historic Golf Trail is a collection of more than 50 historic, publicly accessible golf courses throughout the state that can still be played on today. Through the Florida Historic Golf Trail, golfers can play on courses designed by world-class architects and played by famous golfers such as Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, Babe Zaharias, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. Information about the history and current day contact information for each partner course can be found at FloridaHistoricGolfTrail.com. Find the historic course near you and Come Play on History!
About The Division of Historical Resources
The Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources (DHR) is responsible for preserving and promoting Florida’s historical, archaeological, and folk culture resources. The Division Director’s office oversees a grants-in-aid program to help preserve and maintain Florida’s historic buildings and archaeological sites; coordinates outreach programs such as the State Historic Markers program and the Florida Folklife program which identifies and promotes the state’s traditional culture. DHR directs historic preservation efforts throughout the state in cooperation with state and federal agencies, local governments, private organizations, and individuals. The Division Director serves as the State Historic Preservation Officer, acting as the liaison with the national historic preservation program conducted by the National Park Service. The Division is comprised of two Bureaus, archaeological research and historic preservation. For more information visit flheritage.com.
