Featured Golf Course

The Brentwood Golf Course is located in the City of Jacksonville in Duval County.

Beginning in the 1910s, the City of Jacksonville began looking into building a municipal golf course. They invited golf course architect A.W. Tillinghast to look at several proposed sites around town, but nothing transpired.

Later, in 1921, the newly created “Citizens Golf Committee of the Chamber of Commerce” appeared before the City Commission to push for a municipal golf course. The golf committee later approached the City Commission urging that renowned golf course architect Donald Ross be hired to study the proposed site. The Commission agreed and a few months later Ross began inspecting the sites.

Early in 1922, the city purchased 146 acres in Moncrief Heights for $61,158 and hired Donald Ross to design the municipal golf course. A force of 50 men soon began clearing and plowing the fairways under the direction of Jacksonville City Commissioner, Dr. M.B. Herlong, who had become a recent golf enthusiast. Using the services of the city’s engineering department, Herlong stated that they would carry out Ross’s plans to the letter.

One of Ross’ associates, J.B. McGovern, visited the site in September 1922 to evaluate progress. The city pushed for an opening in spring 1923, but McGovern advised the City Commission not to rush completion of the course. He insisted that to ensure a good and sporty course they should wait until the fall, or it would be a waste of money.

As completion of the golf course neared, grand plans were set for the opening. On Friday November 8, 1923, Jacksonville Mayor John T. Alsop issued a proclamation declaring a holiday for city employees. A parade, led by a squad of motorcycle police, proceeded to the golf course with the formal opening ceremonies staged in front of the clubhouse. Mayor Alsop hit the opening shot followed by an exhibition match between local golf professionals. The 6,282-yard course opened with green fees set at 50 cents per day, which included the use of a locker, showers, and a towel. Charles Mayo of Long Island New York was hired to become Brentwood’s first golf professional.

Due to the golf course’s popularity, city officials purchased several acres of land in 1928 to add nine more holes. Mayo laid out the holes, however, due to problems securing additional acreage, it took another 8 years (1936) until the city acquired enough land to build an additional nine holes. Historic aerials show that several fairways were cleared, but not according to Mayo’s original plans, and it is unclear if they were completed.

In 1930, Brentwood received the honor of hosting the United States National Public Links golf championships in early August. Local Jacksonville golfer, Bob Wingate, and Joseph Green of Philadelphia made it to the 36-hole final. The match was all square after 35 holes when Greene left a long putt short by inches on the 18^th hole, only to stymie his opponent. With Greene’s ball in his way, Wingate had to hit a putt that curved around it. He sank it to win the championship.

Brentwood was the site of the PGA Tour’s Jacksonville Open in 1945, 1946, 1948 and 1949. Top professional players walked the fairways, including Ben Hogan, Bryron Nelson, and the 1945 and 1946 winner Sam Snead.  

The LPGA Tour also made Jacksonville a stop for nearly a decade in the 1950s. The opening tournament of the 1952 season, the Jacksonville Women’s Open, was held at Brentwood. Louise Suggs was its inaugural winner. Brentwood hosted the tournament again the following year, with Patty Berg taking home the title.

From 1952 through 1959, Brentwood hosted the Southeastern Open and Gate City, which were golf tournaments for Black professional and amateur golfers. The likes of Joe Louis, Teddy Rhodes, Lee Elder, and Charlie Sifford (four-time winner) played the course. The tournaments also included a women’s division. Although the golf course was segregated at the time  (Black golfers could play only one day a week) the city allowed a multi-day tournament once a year.

On Tuesday morning June 25, 1958, Frank Hampton, Edward Norman, Charles Charlie Brown, and Devoye Austin Brown, four Black golfers, were denied access to Brentwood Golf Course.

The golfers attempted to complete a rain-delayed round from Monday and wanted to finish the next morning. At the time the city only allowed Black golfers to play on Mondays at Brentwood Golf Course and Fridays at Hyde Park Golf Course (Jacksonville’s other municipal owned golf course). When their request to play on a Tuesday was refused, they eventually filed a lawsuit against the city, challenging the racially discriminatory policies at both Brentwood and Hyde Park. 

In 1959, a United States District Court ordered that the golf course be opened to Black golfers for unrestricted play. In response, the city decided to close its two municipal golf courses and put them up for sale rather than letting them become integrated. Both golf courses were sold the following year.

Brentwood’s owners eventually closed the golf course in 1975 and a few years later they sold the site to the Duval County School board, who built a skills center on a portion of the old course. Years later the school board donated the remaining undeveloped land to the First Tee of Jacksonville (now called First Tee of North Florida) to renovate the abandoned nine holes and add a driving range, short game area, and learning center. Based in Ponta Vedra Beach, Florida, The First Tee is a nonprofit organization with the stated goal of improving children's life skills through golf lessons.

Jacksonville City Council-woman E. Denise Lee, spearheaded the project to establish affordable and accessible golf to inner-city residents, especially youth. A ground breaking ceremony took place on June 30, 1998. Two years later, the Joe Walter designed nine-hole course officially opened on December 12, 2000.