In 1914, Charles H. Morse, William C. Temple, William C. Comstock, E.W. Packard, Nathan Follett, and Witt Johnston formed the Winter Park Country Club. Mr. Morse commissioned Harley A. Ward and Dow George to install a nine-hole golf course (which later would become a 27-hole complex) at the north end of Winter Park. The clubhouse was built in 1914 then enlarged in 1937, and it is the oldest civic building in Winter Park. The City of Winter Park purchased the country club and golf course in its entirety on January 29, 1997.
The country club and golf course were added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 17, 1999.
And the historic postcards found in the gallery can be found at (http://www.wppl.org/wphistory/countryclub.htm)
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A TIMELINE OF WINTER PARK'S GOLF HISTORY
By Marianne Popkins, Winter Park Historical Association
1900-The Winter Park Golf Club held its first annual meeting.
1900-C.H. Morse hires John Dunn of Scotland to design a 9-hole course at Interlachen, Lyman, & New York Ave.
1905-The Winter Park Golf Club voted to build a clubhouse.
1910-(See 1900 entry!) Charles H. Morse built a nine hole golf course with clay tees and greens, beginning at the present Woman's Club property. It extended west to the ACL Railroad and south to Lake Virginia, running through part of Rollins campus. Dow George was the Professional.
1910-The course was closed (?) then a new one was laid out, 25 acres, with Dow George as the Professional, once again.
1913-When the congregation of the First Baptist Church of WP became too large, they met in the golf club building on the opposite corner.
1914-An 18 hole gold course was opened at the Country Club, with a short nine hole course inside as well. A permit was granted for the erection of a golf clubhouse to cost approximately $3,500.00.
1916-Charles H. Morse was elected President of the WP Country Club, which open its first full season. The Summer Country Club had over seventy year round members. FW Shepherd was President. Douglass Street & Mrs. HW Barnum won cups in the Summer Golf Club Tournament.
1917-The Winter Park Country Club turned its links into pasture for 250 sheep and 150 goats, to relieve the shortage in the meat supply.
1918-Grass greens replaced the old clay greens on the 18 hole Country Club course.
1921-The Womans club building opened in March. The lot on which the building stood had once been the first tee of the first course in Winter Park. Dow George broke the scoring record at the Orlando Country Club when he finished with a 72.
1924-Ray Trovillion won a silver cup donated by the Hamilton Hotel in a Golf Tournament; Arthur Schultz was the runner-up.
1925-Winter Park Golf Estates Inc. bought 360 acres of land in east Winter Park to be developed into an 18-hole golf course. RF Hotard, President; HW Caldwell, VP; HA Ward, VP; HW Barnum, Secy-Treas. The Aloma Country Club opened and the Winter Park Country Club closed.
1926-The estate of Charles H. Morse was sold to the city. The property was under lease to the Winter Park Country Club, used as a golf course, for $50,000.00, with the understanding that it shall be used and maintained forever as a public park to be known as Charles H. Morse Memorial Park. The city issued certificates of indebtedness to cover the initial $10,000.00 payment, balance to be paid $5,000.00 a year for eight years
1926-Five miles of winding of winding boulevards were paved in the Aloma section and work was begun on dredging Aloma Creek through the center of the golf development. The name Oviedo Ave. was changed to Aloma Ave.
1926-The Aloma Country Club Clubhouse was built. Jock Kennedy was Professional at Aloma
1926-The Baptist Business Men's Bible Class passed a unanimous resolution against playing golf on Sundays.
1927-The Aloma Country Club opened with a New Year's Eve. party, John J. Hennesy and Oscar Storck managing. The club had a 6,180 yard 18-hole course and a $45,000.00 clubhouse. It was owned and backed by Winter Park business men. R.F. Hotard was President of the Winter Park Golf Estates.
1929-In a special referendum election, Sunday baseball, golf, tennis and movies were legalized by a vote of 339 to 304.
1929-The Aloma Golf Course formally opened on December 14th. Dow George was the Professional
1931-The Rollins College Golf Team entered the intercollegiate schedule for the first time.
1932-The "Little Country Club" was organized, a 3-hole course and 18 hole putting green in Morse Park. Irving Bacheller was President; HM Sinclair, Secy; HA Ward, Treas; and Clayton H. Fralick was the Manager.
1936-The Aloma Country Club was closed due to lack of funds.
1937-The Winter Park Country Club opened up a 9-hole golf course. In April the city deeded its interests in the Aloma subdivision to the Winter Park Golf Estates...provided that satisfactory arrangements would be made to assure an 18-hole golf course. A committee was appointed by the Chamber of Commerce to look into the re-establishment of a golf course in Winter Park. Irving Bacheller was appointed chairman. Grounds were acquired from the City and the Charles H. Morse Estate by lease. The committee voted to organize a golf club under the charter of the old Winter Park Country Club, which had been inactive since 1925. Homer Gard was elected Pres; Edger C. Leonard, VP; Frederick H. Ward, Secy-Treas; and Irving Bacheller & FW Sheperd, Directors. A fund of $6,248.00 was raised by public subscription and a 9-hole course was completed and opened for play on Thanksgiving Day. Dow George was Professional, and Mrs. George was in charge of the starter's house.
1939-The City deeded to Rollins the building and three acres of ground formerly belonging to the Aloma Country Club, to provide new quarters for a Natural History Museum. It was estimated that it would take $20,000.0 to put the project into practical working condition.
1941-Part of the fairways of 1,2,3,4 & 18 in the Aloma Section were deeded to the Orange County Park & Recreation Association.
1948-The City bought the Aloma property from Orange County Park & Recreation Association, approximately 60 acres, for $5,875.78. The Aloma Club property was leased to Megargel Golf Inc. for a Pitch & Putt Golf Club. The City was to receive 5% of the gross income.
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