Fort Myers Country Club - Florida Historic Golf Trail

The Fort Myers Country Club is located in the City of Fort Myers in Lee County. From its wild and humble beginnings, of grounds covered with pines and ... FloridaDepartmentofState DivisionofHistoricalResources GolfTrail Map Courses FeaturedCourse Scorecard Contact Media Mini **NowAvailable** Viewthe76pageguide RequestyourcopyatContact FeaturedGolfCourse Inthissectionlearnmoreaboutthehistoryofthecourseanditshometown,seeaselectionofhistoricandcurrentimagesofthecourse,learnaboutwhatthecourseisliketoday,anddiscovernearbyhistoricsites. History Today LocalKnowledge InsidetheLeather Visit-Contact History TheFortMyersCountryClubislocatedintheCityofFortMyersinLeeCounty. Fromitswildandhumblebeginnings,ofgroundscoveredwithpinesandpalmettos,an18-holegolfcoursewasconstructedin1916. DesignedbythelegendarygolfarchitectDonaldRoss,thecoursewasbuiltunderthesupervisionofJamesB.McGovern,alongtimeassociateofDonaldRoss.RossandMcGovernwerefoundingmembersofthe AmericanSocietyofGolfCourseArchitects. ActingSecretaryoftheFortMyersGolfandYachtClub,A.L.White,helpedsuperviseconstructionofthe18-holegolfcoursewhichwasofficiallycompletedinNovemberof1917.JohnCrokeoftheExmoorCountryClub(Chicago)wasselectedasthegolfclub’sprofessional.        DonaldRossPlanfortheFortMyersGolf&YachtClubGolfCourse FortMyersGolfCourseCompleted JohnA.Croke,FirstGolfProfessionalatFortMyersCountryClub FortMyersYachtandCountryClubClubhouse SeminoleTribeChiefTryingHisHandatGolfc1930 Today ThegolfcourseatFortMyersCountryClub,knownlocallyas“TheFort,”completedamajorrenovationin2014.Afternearly100years,itunderwentonlythesecondsignificantrenovationsinceitsopeningin1917.  GolfcoursearchitectSteveSmyerssaidheapproachedthisprojectasif,“DonaldRosscamebackandwasdesigningagolfcourseonthesamesitetoday.” InterpretingRoss’sdesignconceptsateveryturn,Smyerssaysthe“new”golfcoursewasdesignedtoaccommodatethedemandsandexpectationsofthemoderngolfer. TheFortMyersCountryClubincludesan 18-holepar-70/71golfcoursefeaturingsixsetsofteesplayingfrom4,300to6,600yards. ThegolfcoursepresentsthesamecharacterandchallengesasRoss’soriginallayout.Walkingispermittedanytimeoftheday,everydayoftheyear,andrarelydoesahousecomeintoplay.TheFortistrulyacourseoftheages. CurrentLayout FortMyersCountryClubClubhouseand18thGreen FortMyersCountryClub18thFairwayandClubhouse GolfersatFortMyersCountryClub LocalKnowledge InJanuary1930,Mina(Mrs.Thomas)EdisonplayedherfirstroundofgolfontheFortMyersgolfcourse.Herfirstswingmissedthegolfballcompletely,butsheconnectedonhersecondattemptandsenttheballsome90yardsdownthefairway. Mrs.Edisonfinishedher9-holeroundwithascoreof99.Undiscouraged,andenjoyingthegame,sheorderedanewsetofgolfclubs.Legendhasitthatlocalresident,ThomasEdisonsuggestedtothecityleadersthatDonaldRossbehiredtobuildthegolfcourse.TheEdisonsenjoyedlifeattheirFortMyerswinterhomefrom1885untilEdison’sdeathin1931.In1947,Mrs.MinaEdisondeededthepropertytotheCityofFortMyersinmemoryofherhusbandandfortheenjoymentofthepublic. Mrs.EdisonPlayingGolfatFortMyersCountryClub1930 Mrs.MinaMillerEdison InsidetheLeather Edison&FordWinterEstates-VisitorstotheEdison&FordWinterEstatesinFortMyerswillenjoy20acresofhistoricbuildingsandgardens,andtheEdisonBotanicResearchLabandEdisonFordMuseum.NewlyrestoredbuildingsincludetheEdisonMainHouse,GuestHouse,Caretaker’sHouseandtheHenryFordHouse. The1929historiclandscapethroughoutthepropertyincludestheawardwinningMoonlightGarden.TheEdisonFordMuseumishometohundredsofinventions,artifactsandspecialexhibits.VisitEdison&FordWinterEstatesformoredetails. ThomasEdisonwithCarGivenByhisNeighborHenryFordinFortMyers EntrancetoHenryFord'sHomeattheEdison&FordWinterEstates ThomasEdisonHouseattheEdison&FordWinterEstates EdisonBotanicalResearchLaboratoryattheEdison&FordWinterEstates Visit-Contact FortMyersCountryClub 3591McGregorBoulevardFortMyers,Florida33901 3591McGregorBoulevard FortMyers,Florida33901 ViewtheWebsite Phone: 239.321.7488