Dubsdread Golf Course-Orlando

A public golf course that is considered the oldest in Orange County and Central Florida as a whole, Dubsdread Golf Course is Orlando’s very own home course due to its close proximity to Downtown Orlando and the Orlando International Airport, both only about ten minutes away. The 18-hole, par-70 golf course has five sets of tees ranging from 4,100 to 6,100 yards. With narrow fairways and bunkered postage stamp-style greens, the course challenges players of all skill levels. As the course is advertised, “Dubsdread is a course anyone can play at an affordable price.”.

 

Originally designed by Carl Dann, one of Orlando’s renowned builders and an avid golfer, Dubsdread Golf Course reflects the style of the owner himself. Born in Orlando in 1885, Dann was reportedly Orlando’s first caddie when its first golf course was constructed around Lake Eola. It was by the mid-1920s that Dann’s real estate management business had grown to become one of the largest in the area. It was in 1923 that he began developing and promoting Golf View Heights, which included Dubsdread Golf Course. Dubsdread derives its name from the intent of instilling dread in “dubs,” or novice golfers. There were even streets in Dann’s new subdivision named Brassie Drive, Niblick Way, and Bunker Place, just to name a few.

 

To design the course, Thomas Bendelow of Chicago was hired, a well-known golf course architect in the United States. Golf courses designed by Bendelow can be found throughout Florida. Among them is Temple Terrace Golf and Country Club, a Florida Historic Golf Trail partner course still exists today. While A.C. Hart of Orlando was enlisted as the construction engineer and tasked to build the course according to Bendelow’s plans. Other Bendelow-designed courses Hart worked on include the West Orange Country Club near Oakland and the Country Club of in Orlando, Florida. It is no coincidence that many of the greens at Dubsdread are patterned after famous courses. It was even reported that Dann would return from trips with plastic models of some of the famous East Coast greens. As a matter of fact, the 14th green was said to be a replica of the 13th green of St. Andrew’s Old Course in Scotland.

 

The Dann family owned Dubsdread Golf Course until it was purchased by the City of Orlando in 1978. In 2008, thirty years after being acquired by the city government in 1978, Dubsdread Golf Course underwent extensive renovation. All 18-holes were updated and the 17th and 18th fairways, which up until that time lay apart as a street kept these separate, were finally annexed to the rest of the course. The renovated Dubsdread reopened on July 10, 2008.

 

It debuted as Orlando’s very first major public golf course on Dec. 7, 1924, with thousands of spectators on hand. Carl Dann and Dave Rogers Dubsdread president competed in the opening match against Stewart Edwards and Cary Jackson. In the later 1940s, while attending Rollins College in Wither Park, World Golf Hall of Fame’s Pete Dye was a regular on the Dubsdread course. He said he wasn’t the greatest student there, but he met his bride there and played some good golf. Dye was captain of the Rollins golf team and met his future wife, Alice O’Neal, who played on the women’s golf team.

 

It was played by many well-known golfers, including Patty Berg, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, and Babe Zaharias in the ’40s and ’50s, and it hosted the Orlando Open between 1940 and 1954 1945-47. In the final round of the inaugural Orlando Open in 1945, Ben Hogan shot a four-under-par 67 for a four-round total of 270. As Hogan reached the 471-yard par five fourth hole in two shots and sank a 20-footer for eagle three, over 5,000 spectators were enthralled. In another spectacular shot, he hit his second shot over the green and then hit a pitch shot to within two feet of the cup on the 505 par five, an eighteenth hole sinking the putt for a birdie four. Walk in their footsteps at this historic golfing landmark that was named one of the Top 10 Golf Courses in the state by Golf Digest in 1996.

 

Known for its superb design, premier playing conditions, and outstanding service, Dub’s Dread are a local favorite and a must-play for area visitors. Originally built as the longest golf course in the world at 8,101 yards, the course plays a bit shorter now with yardages ranging from 5,400 yards to as long as 7,100 yards for a more appealing round. The one-of-a-kind, natural layout features majestic trees lining each fairway. A series of lakes wind among unique holes with their exceptionally large, undulating greens. Dub’s Dread is a course that will provide a memorable and enjoyable experience for all who play it.

 

Residents of Orlando are eligible for special discounts and membership packages are also offered. But only members and VIPs are allowed to play at Dubsdread Golf Course unless there is a tournament, so be sure to book your tee time ahead of time to guarantee a spot as this is place is very popular. If you want to learn how to play golf or improve your handicapping skills, the course offers professional lessons from PGA instructors. They have the best golf teachers and lessons in Orlando.

 

There’s a Pro Shop where you can get anything you need for golfing, such as clubs, accessories, apparel, and other items. The friendly staff at the Pro Shop are always ready to help you find what you need and they also have a great selection of shirts, hats, and other souvenir items. Other amenities for golfers also include practice greens, a driving range, a chipping and pitching area, as well as club and cart rentals. If you are done with your golfing and looking for some food or drinks, the clubhouse offers snacks, lunch, and dinner inside or out on the terrace. You can also enjoy a full bar with happy hour specials and live music every Saturday night.

 

Dubsdread Golf Course truly has something for everyone and is the perfect destination for a day of golf in Orlando. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, you can find something that suits your skill level and have an amazing time. So make sure to check out Dubsdread next time you’re looking for a round of golf in Central Florida.