Timuquana’s history has included great players, great golf course architects and, after over 80 years, a national championship.
The host club for the 2002 United States Golf Association’s Senior Amateur Championship, which begins this weekend, has been at the forefront of Jacksonville golf and social life since its founding. It has been a great example of the Old South moving to the New South, and has maintained its prestigious position through the years.
Ironically, its founding may have been because of tennis and other non-golf activities.
The nearby Florida Country Club, which was two miles closer to downtown than the present club, must have been a true “country club.” In the post World War I boom, it was founded by a group of prominent citizens and included a Donald Ross golf course, a large clubhouse and amenities such as a riding and gun club. It was well out of the city and, indeed, the roads to the Ortega area were so poor that many rode a trolley car.
But FCC was deemed too much of a “family” club by some men, who wanted a place to play golf and, quite likely, engage in other politically incorrect activities. A meeting was held at a downtown men’s club and the club was organized in 1923. Ross was signed on as architect, 185 men signed on a charter members and the club opened two years later.
The competition between the clubs must have been fierce and FCC lost, a victim — like many — of the Great Depression. Timuquana managed to hold on and today thrives as the only private, equity club on its side of Jacksonville.
(There almost was another competitor. A developer planned to recreate his favorite city, Venice, Italy, and hired Ross to design a course. The development flopped after only three homes were built, the Ross plans have been lost and all that remains is the name of a subdivision: Venetia, which is adjacent to the Timuquana area.)
Over the years, the club has nurtured its course and its prestige. Its membership has included some of the state’s — and the nation’s — best competitors and its course has been rewarded with prestigious local, state and regional events.
Its first great player was Al Ulmer, a five-time winner of the state championship. The roll includes A.J. Aycock, an NCAA champion while at Yale; interservice and state champion Ray Terry; Joy Culverhouse, Mary Rogers and Winnie Holmes, all state champions; Steve Melnyk, winner of both the British and U.S. Amateur championships; and David Duval, the 2001 British Open champion.
The latter two are still prominent, of course. Melnyk is better known as an ABC announcer, but still is a superb player and the father of two sons who may start for the University of Florida golf team this year.
Duval grew up at the course, learning the game on the Timuquana driving range from father Bob, who was the long-time head professional.
Many of the game’s greats have played here. Bobby Jones was stationed at the nearby Navy base and played Timuquana frequently, though he often would escape to Ponte Vedra Beach because of the large crowds which would appear when word leaked out that he was on Timuquana’s fairways.
The nation’s great playing professionals made it a stop as they came south for the Florida winter tournaments and history records visits by Walter Hagan, Bobby Cruickshank, Tommy Armour and Henry Cotton. While there were no formal competitions, such as the pro-ams held at the Ross-designed St. Augustine course, it is likely that a large amount of “unofficial” money changed hands in the 19th Hole.
The Timuquana membership is prestigious, as well. U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw is an active member, as is Joe Louis Barrow, president of The First Tee. The club has about 1,100 members, with about 600 in various golfing categories.
As the club has grown, so have the facilities. Today, Timuquana has the area’s largest clubhouse with a large banquet facility and several dining areas.
It also has grown its amenities with a large health club, an Olympic-sized swimming pool and spacious locker rooms, including a men’s area that will handle the entire Senior Amateur field with lockers to spare.
And, of course, tennis courts. A last bit of irony: tennis may have been the reason the club started.