By David R. Holland PALM BEACH, Fla. – Legends are often embellished, and Florida golf history certainly has its share of stories. Like the day in 1900 Harry Vardon arrived on a steamship, docked at The Breakers, and played his first round of golf in the USA at Florida’s oldest 18-hole golf course – the Ocean Course.
“The way I’ve heard the story,” said Tim Collins, The Breakers director of golf, “is that Mr. Vardon was on an exhibition tour for the Spaulding Company.”
You can no longer play the “Vardon Flyer” – a golf ball he promoted, but “vintage” certainly can be used to describe this venerable resort that dates back to 1896.
Today the Ocean Course is old-school golf at its best. Originally laid out by Scotsman Alexander H. Findlay in 1897, it was once retooled by Donald Ross, and completely redesigned by golf course architect Brian Silva in 2000, to the tune of $6 million.
At the turn of the century it had sand greens and measured 4,925 yards before Ross visited in the 1920s and added length and grass greens. It was about that time that golfers were allowed to remove their jackets and ties to play the game on days the heat and humidity were stifling. However, any activities in the clubhouse required the golfers to wear their best clothes.
Today the Ocean Course also has a new “Old Florida” styled clubhouse for tennis and golf that is home to the Flagler Steakhouse. The Breakers Rees Jones Course, which is 11 miles from the ocean-front hotel, is the Ocean Course’s contemporary counterpart. A complimentary shuttle will take you there.
The Breakers’ two layouts: contrasting styles Two things will be the theme during your round at The Ocean Course: this is a tight golf course with tropical-flowering trees and palms lining the fairways and the tiff eagle greens are perfect.
Collins will tell you that the bunkering (88 new and refurbished traps) throughout the landscape is more random that most modern courses that have a repetitive scheme. Fairways intertwine to sandy hazards and merge into some water-hugging greens. Some putting surfaces are flanked by deeply-recessed, classic bunkers and close-cut green fringes that surround and allow chipping options.
Silva’s redesign addressed tee elevation, tee sizes, surface slopes, pin placement areas, an integration of sand and grass-faced bunkers, as well as installation of complex new drainage and irrigation and a sixth lake.
“I think we successfully heightened playing interest while re-establishing vintage design characteristics of the course. Our goal was to preserve the unique and priceless attributes of the original course while reviving those details that have not survived the rigors of climate and time,” said Silva, a past Golf World magazine Architect of the Year.
The primary thing you will notice about The Breakers Rees Jones Course, 7,104 yards, par 72, is the multitude of peninsula greens that will challenge your golf ball supply. It is a playable, contemporary championship course, with lush foliage and numerous water hazards in the style of a nature preserve.
Opened in 1976 as The Breakers West Course, it was redone by Jones in 2004 and awarded “Renovation of the Year” by Golf, inc. Jones artfully sculpted the course with full views of the rolls and dips, water, palms and pines. Slight elevation changes make the course even more interesting.
The Verdict Long-time players say The Ocean Course rewards wits over power and challenges skill. Resort pros recommend playing the ball low to counteract the ocean winds and to use the terrain to play the ball in front of the green.
Any skilled golfer will be challenged by the Jones course, especially with the holes where greens are encircled by water. Beware of No. 6, a 556-yard par-five, which doglegs right. Water is all along the right and the peninsula green, with three tiers, looks tiny for any approach, especially if the wind is blowing sideways.
John Webster Golf Academy at The Breakers The John Webster Golf Academy makes The Breakers a prime place to sharpen your skills with individual golf instruction. Webster personalizes his tutorial with physical fitness and state-of-the-art Learning Centers can be found at both The Ocean Course and The Breakers Rees Jones Course.
A PGA member since 1995 and PGA Class-A Teaching Professional, Webster has taught Cal Ripken Jr., Tom Kite, Candy Hannemann, Kyle Boller, former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, and former USGA President/US Amateur Champion Fred Ridley.
Classic elegance that’s The Breakers Hotel The Breakers Palm Beach is one of America’s legendary resort destinations.
Founded in 1896 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 540-room, Italian Renaissance-style hotel occupies 140 acres of oceanfront land. Like with any world-class hotel and resort, it is constantly being upgraded.
Aside from golf on Palm Island, there are 10 tennis courts, and a 20,000-square-foot luxury spa. Add to that a the oceanfront beach club with a half-mile of private beach, featuring beach bungalows for daytime-rental, and five pools and four whirlpool spas. Water sports including scuba diving (an incredible, renowned reef is just a half-mile out) and fishing is available.
When it came to dine I picked the Seafood Grill for crab cakes and crab claws topped off with The Breakers’ 100-year-old recipe for Key Lime Pie. The second night I walked to the Flagler Steakhouse in the golf clubhouse for T-bone steak and the trimmings.
The Breakers has a broad selection of other restaurants ranging from casual to fine dining, as well as an array of on-site boutiques – all wholly owned and managed by the resort. The Breakers is recognized as a AAA Five Diamond property. For reservations or more information, contact the resort toll-free at 1-888-BREAKERS (273-2537), (561) 655-6611, visit
www.thebreakers.com.
