Walked a Robt.Trent Jones 1939 course today for probably the last time. Sans clubs. I first played Caverns in the late 70's and then through the years off and on when home visiting family. During its last three years I was able to play it often and finally one last round just two months before its 79 year run ended when destroyed in 2018 by hurricane Michael here in Florida. Now I hear the State of Florida which owns the property, (adjacent to the Caverns state park), is rumored to be bulldozing it soon to make room for more state park RV pads. I sure hope not. The stately moss draped oaks are now gone and the mule drawn / scrape drawn fairways, greens, and bunkers, (while identifiable still to me), are all overgrown. Few locals here have any idea of the pedigree of the course designer nor do they care except for a few like myself who took delight in formerly walking nine over these rolling hills taking in all of God's Glory and Mr. Jones design genius. During recent years this course languished in the shadow of a newer more fashionable course built across town with the exception of one last financial heave ho and new greens just a mere year before its end. Her run ran from the end of the depression, through WWII, 50's-90's, and into the new century . Ode to Fla Caverns Golf Course in the panhandle. One of the courses where I first began playing and then later in years discovered the joys of a minimal round with a few modern, or sometimes hickory clubs. She is gone but not forgotten! (Pic of now overgrown double blind #4 fairway looking back from green)
