Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club Featured as Florida Historic Golf Trail Course of the Month

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –

Secretary of State Ken Detzner announced today that the Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club in Collier County has been chosen as the featured course on the Florida Historic Golf Trail for the month of July.

“We are pleased to feature the Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club as a partner on the Florida Historic Golf Trail,” said Secretary Detzner. “Located steps away from the Gulf of Mexico, this historic championship golf course was recently redesigned by Jack Nicklaus in collaboration with John Sanford, and continues to challenge golfers of all skill levels.”

 Image Courtesy of Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club

In 1930, Allen R. Joslin of Cincinnati purchased 200 acres of beach front property from the Gulf of Mexico to Tamiami Trail to build a resort community. His first projects were the construction of an 18-hole championship golf course, a club house and a bathing pavilion.

Joslin hired T. E. Fredericks, who had worked for renowned golf course architect Donald Ross, to be in charge of the new project. Fredericks had previously assisted Ross in the development of Whitfield Estates, now known as Sara Bay Country Club, in Sarasota. Bermuda grass, cut from the nearby orange groves, was used on the fairways. The course opened in 1931 along with the clubhouse. In 1946, the Watkins family purchased the hotel and golf course, and continue to own and operate them today.

Early in 2016, the golf course underwent a major redesign. Acclaimed player and course designer Jack Nicklaus and golf course architect John Sanford collaborated to redesign the entire golf course. Completed in November 2016, the major $9 million Jack Nicklaus redesign of the course was part of more than $50 million in impressive renovations and enhancements at the resort over the last few years.

The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club includes an 18-hole, par-71 golf course featuring five sets of tees playing from 4,800 to 6,900 yards, and plays ‘firm and fast’ with gently contoured greens, which challenges golfers of all skill levels. The course is fun, beautiful and is open to the public. The golf course is among Golf Digest’s "Top 50 Women Friendly Golf Courses.”

“The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club is very proud to be this month’s featured course of the Florida Historic Golf Trail,” said Jason Parsons, General Manager of the AAA Four-Diamond, 125-acre beachfront resort. “Our resort and golf course have a rich history in Southwest Florida, with the original course dating back to 1929, and our resort has been owned and operated by the Watkins family since 1946. We are very pleased to be recognized for our unique history.”

For more information about the Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club, click here. To learn more about the Florida Historic Golf Trail, visit floridahistoricgolftrail.com or find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FloridaHistoricGolfTrail.

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About The Florida Historic Golf Trail

Florida's golf history, recognized as one of the oldest in the nation, dates back to the late 1800s when a number of early courses were created along with the development of railroads and hotels in the state. The Florida Historic Golf Trail is a collection of more than 50 historic, publicly accessible golf courses throughout the state that can still be played on today. Through the Florida Historic Golf Trail, golfers can play on courses designed by world-class architects and played by famous golfers such as Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, Babe Zaharias, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. Information about the history and current day contact information for each partner course can be found at FloridaHistoricGolfTrail.com. Find the historic course near you and Come Play on History!

About The Division of Historical Resources

The Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources (DHR) is responsible for preserving and promoting Florida’s historical, archaeological, and folk culture resources. The Division Director’s office oversees a grants-in-aid program to help preserve and maintain Florida’s historic buildings and archaeological sites; coordinates outreach programs such as the State Historic Markers program and the Florida Folklife program which identifies and promotes the state's traditional culture. DHR directs historic preservation efforts throughout the state in cooperation with state and federal agencies, local governments, private organizations, and individuals. The Division Director serves as the State Historic Preservation Officer, acting as the liaison with the national historic preservation program conducted by the National Park Service. The Division is comprised of two Bureaus, archaeological research and historic preservation. For more information visit flheritage.com.