Ocean Reef Club - Card Sound Golf Club Private - 18 holes
Cannon Point Road
c/o 100 Country Club Road
Key Largo, Florida
Monroe County
33037 Card Sound Golf Club Website
The Card Sound Golf Club is a private club within the gated community resort of the Ocean Reef Club.
The Ocean Reef Club golf course opened in 1956 with 9 holes and was designed by Mark Mahannah.
In 1960, the Ocean Reef Club golf course was expanded to 18 holes and was designed by Mark Mahannah.
In 1969, the Ocean Reef Club golf course was split into two golf courses with the northern 9 holes now known as the 9-hole Ocean Reef Club - Snapper Golf Course.
In 1973, Ocean Reef Club - Snapper Golf Course was expanded into 18 holes was renamed as Ocean Reef Club - Barracuda Golf Course and was designed by Bruce Devlin and Robert von Hagge.
In 1976, the Ocean Reef Club - Barracuda Golf Course was renamed the Ocean Reef Club - Card Sound Golf Club.
In 1999, the Ocean Reef Club - Card Sound Golf Club was redesigned by Brian Silva.
Card Sound Golf Club Course Area
Card Sound Golf Club Course Layout and Scorecard
Street View of Gate House and Entrance (Gated Community of Ocean Reef Club)
Ocean Reef Club - Dolphin Golf Course Award for Best Picture
HBHospitality.com
Ocean Reef Club Award for Best Picture - Resort
EliteLuxuryTravel.com
Ocean Reef Club - Dolphin Golf Course Notes
The Ocean Reef Club golf course opened in 1956 with 9 holes and was designed by Mark Mahannah.
In 1960, the Ocean Reef Club golf course was expanded to 18 holes and was designed by Mark Mahannah.
In 1969, the Ocean Reef Club golf course was split into two golf courses with the southern 9 holes used for the new 18-hole Ocean Reef Club - Dolphin Golf Course which was designed by Bruce Devlin and Robert von Hagge.
In 2000, the Ocean Reef Club - Dolphin Golf Course was redesigned by Chip Powell.
Key Largo Anglers Club Executive Golf Course Closed - 9 Holes Executive
50 Clubhouse Road
Key Largo, Florida
Monroe County
33037 Key Largo Anglers Club Website
Logo
Award for Best Picture - Resort
KLAC.org
Notes
The visionaries of the Key Largo Anglers Club Executive Golf Course were Clint and Kay Campbell. (estimated)
There was 1 unique layout for this course.
1960s-late 1980s/early 1990s: - Key Largo Anglers Club Executive Golf Course - 9 holes, par 27, 827 yards, designed by Clint and Kay Campbell. (estimated)
In 1960, after Hurricane Donna nearly demolished the resort, Carl and Cynthia Twitchell purchased the Olney Inn. Cynthia's nickname was "Chee" and using part of Carl's first name, they renamed the resort Cheeca Lodge. The Twitchell's pumped $3M into the resort including a 9-hole executive golf course. The grand opening of Cheeca Lodge and its new golf course was November 16, 1962.
It is unknown who designed the original Cheeca Lodge Golf Course that opened in 1962. Based on an aerial from 1964, the 1962 Cheeca Lodge Golf Course's layout and scorecard is estimated to be:
The resort was purchased in 1976 by Coca-Cola magnate Carl Navarre, and it is my best guess that he hired Nicklaus Design (Jack Nicklaus) to do a revision on the golf course and it is estimated that the revision was complete by 1976.
In November 1988, the resort was re-opened after a 18 month renovation and recalled the Cheeca Lodge & Spa.
Bryan Newkirk purchased Duck Key in 1951 and began to convert the 400 acres into a resort community. Duck Key became a group of 5 small islands connected with US 1 by a short causeway. Amongst the construction, was a 9-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones. January 15, 1960 was the premiere opening of Indies House and thus the grand opening of the Duck Key Golf Course.
In March, 1960, the course was described as a 9 hole, long iron golf course. On September 9, 1960, Hurricane Donna caused extensive damage to Duck Key and the Indies House resort. The resort was closed until December. Here is an aerial photo from 1960 showing the Indies House resort and part of the golf course behind it.
DuckKeyOnline.com
Bryan Newkirk sold Duck Key in 1961 and there were several owners along the way.
In May, 1961, the course is described as a 9-hole par-3 course with 4 of its' fairways bordering Tom's Harbour.
In 1964, Indies House was under the management of Jack Tar and here is the cover of its brochure showing golf as one of its main amenities.
DuckKeyOnline.com
Here is a postcard with an aerial view from 1970 showing holes 1 & 2 of the golf course. At this time the resort was known as Indies Inn & Yacht Club:
Ebay.com
Here is a picture by Johnson from 1970 showing the 9th green:
The following aerial picture was taken by Tom McLendon in 1977 shows part of the golf course:
On June 15, 1983, Indies Resort & Marina was sold to Duck Key Club Corporation for $10.5M, which closed the resort for several months. It re-opened as Hawk's Cay Resort in January, 1984.
As part of a resort expansion in 1986, the golf course was removed.
In 1957, Phil Sadowski was building Key Colony Beach by hauling, pumping, channeling, building roads, and created motels, apartments, and houses. He began to build a golf course. He had spent $6,500,000 creating Key Colony Beach.
In 1958, it is reported that a 18 hole golf course is still under construction and will be completed and ready for use in January 1959.
In 1959, it is noted the the course is one of the finest par three courses in the nation and that it is a complete 18-hole course. It was reported that the whole project had to dredged, sodded, fertilized, re-sodded, scraped, planted and watered. It was reported as the Key Colony Beach Golf Course. As shown in this April 1959 picture by Johnson, the sign shows it was officially known as Key Colony Beach Golf Club:
Here is another Johnson picture from April 1959 showing the golf course:
In this aerial picture of Key Colony Beach from 1960 you can see the golf course. It is roughly in the same footprint as the current golf course.
Using a large amount of poetic license, here is an estimated layout and scorecard of the Key Colony Beach Golf Club in 1959:
On September 9, 1960, Hurricane Donna destroyed a lot of Key Colony Beach. It is reported in December that the recovery is well on its way.
In 1961, Phil Sadowski places an ad to sell the course. It is described as 18 holes, 3 par, golf course in beautiful shape.
The course is still reported as an 18-hole course up to 1965.
In 1970, it is reported as a 9 hole par 3 course.
So somewhere, between 1965 to 1970, the course's footprint changed from 18 to 9 holes. Hurricane Betsy in 1965 and Hurricane Inez in 1966 may have played a part, or maybe the land was needed for other uses.
Key Colony Beach Golf Club Inc. was incorporated on April 10, 1968.
So I will estimate that the course was reduced to 9 holes in 1968. I will also estimate that is when the City of Key Colony Beach took over ownership of the golf course.
Based on an aerial from 1970, the scorecard and layout of the Key Colony Beach Golf Club in 1968 was:
In 1971, it is reported as the New Key Colony Beach Golf Club.
It was reported that the first full year of business for Key Colony Beach Par-3 is 1974. Along the way it is also called KCB Par-3. It states the course measures 962 yards. 1974 also marks the first year the Spano family manages the course. Wayne Spano has been credited by many as the designer of the course. The company KCB Island Par 3 starts in 1974. KCB Island Par 3 leases the golf course from the City of Key Colony Beach until 2009, upon the death of Mary Spano.
Here is an aerial photo by Tom McLendon from 1977 which shows the golf course on the right side.
This picture from 1977 confirms that the 1968 layout is still in place.
It was reported that the course opened in 1980, and therefore I believe this is when the course was redesigned by Wayne Spano to its current configuration.
On April 20, 1996, a golfer records double holes-in-one on the same day on the same hole - hole 4 - at Key Colony Beach Golf Course.
Florida Keys Country Club Public - 18 holes
4000 Sombrero Boulevard
Marathon, Florida
Monroe County
33050 Website
Logo
Award for Best Picture
YouTube
Notes
The visionary of the Florida Keys Country Club was Stanley Switlik, 1952.
The Florida Keys Golf Course has had 5 unique layouts:
January 16, 1960-1966: Sombrero Yacht and Golf Club - 18 holes, par 71, 6303 yds, designed by Mark Mahannah.
In 1966 the course was renamed the Sombrero Country Club.
1966-2002: Sombrero Country Club - 18 holes, par 71, 6303 yds. 2002-2007: Sombrero Country Club - 18 holes, par 71, 6469 yds. 2007 to May 31, 2013: Sombrero Country Club - 18 holes, par 72, 6087 yds.
On June 1, 2013 the course was renamed the Florida Keys Country Club.
Since June 1, 2013: Florida Keys Country Club - 18 holes, par 72, 6087 yds.
In the near future, it will be known as the Florida Keys Resort.
Stanley Switlik, an industrialist from New Jersey, visited the Marathon area while on vacation in 1952. He started buying land. In 1955 he started to develop the area by clearing land, dredging and pumping to creat canals and a lagoon. Switlik hired Mark Mahannah to design the course and in 1956 construction started on the golf course. He used fill to create the land for the golf course area. One reporter stated "The 18-hole layout has been brought out of the Atlantic".
The clubhouse was built in 1956.
The grand opening of the club was on January 16, 1960. It operated as a private club but was open to the public.
It was known as the Sombrero Yacht and Golf Club. The word 'Sombrero' comes from the name of the lighthouse that was erected on the nearby reef before the Civil War.
During the early years, it was also reported as:
Sombrero Yacht and Country Club
Sombrero Key Golf Course
Sombrero Key Country Club
Sombrero Golf and Country Club
Sombrero County Club
The course covered 135 acres, measured 6,303 yards, and played to a par 71.
In 1964, Switlik offered to sell the club to the county for use as a public park but was denied.
In 1966, Switlik sold the club to a group of members and residents for $250,000. He had spent around $4,000,000. The group renamed the new club the Sombrero Country Club.
Why an owl in the logo? Burrowing owls nest in the fairway trees.
During the 1970's the private club had around 280 members.
On September 25, 1998, Hurricane Georges virtually decimated the golf course. The course appeared more open since the hurricane took out more than 300 trees.
It took around 4 years to rebuild the course. At this time, I believe the course's yardage changed to 6,469 yards.
In 2003 the membership numbers were still strong and above 200 members.
In a 2006/2007 renovation, the course was reduced to 6,087 yards but raised to a par 72. The same layout stayed in place with small changes in green shapes and bunkers. On 15 holes, the back tees were removed which shortened these holes and accounted for the yardage reduction. Only 1 hole, #3, was lengthened, by 66 yards, and changed from a par 4 to a par 5.
In 2010, it was noted that water spilled onto the golf course during exceptionally high tides. The club put berms in to keep the salt water out and the fresh water in. The club's driving range is almost devoid of grass because of damage from previous floods.
Also in 2010, due to declining membership, now at 69 members, the club started considering a massive redevelopment into a destination resort to keep it afloat. A club member noted that it's apparent a private-club business model wasn't viable in Marathon any longer. This plan called for a golf course redesign by Jim Fazio.
Sombrero Country Club officially changed their name to Florida Keys Country Club on June 1, 2013. The main reason for the name change was an effort to maximize exposure of the golf course via the internet and social media to gain members and create a new image.
In September 2013, with membership down to 49, a group of investors proposed another plan to the club, and the members unanimously accepted the offer. The city of Marathon said any project that would improve the golf course would be good for Marathon’s economy.
In July 2014, the City of Marathon approved the plan under the stipulation that the public have access to the golf course.
In January 2015, the Florida Keys Country Club was sold for $4,375,000 to the Florida Keys Resort.
Florida Keys Resort plans on a $60-million renovation which may include tennis courts, a pool, a restaurant, cottages, a marina and a hotel.
Regarding the golf facilities, a new clubhouse, a new pro shop and a course overhaul are planned. The golf course design to be created by Kip Schulties at 6,600 yards. One of the biggest changes for the golf course will be to raise the front nine, or east, holes which are prone to flooding. When the original course was built, the crew ran out of fill removed from the nearby canals, which led to those holes being 20 inches lower than the back 9 holes.
Construction overall is expected to take several years and will be called Florida Keys Resort when it is complete.
