By Barbara Palmgren
Long before there were courses in Destin, there was the city course of Fort Walton Beach.
The municipal golf course in Fort Walton Beach began slowly, built to its 36-championship status over several decades. The 18-hole Pines course was built in 1961. The Oaks course opened with nine holes in the mid 80’s and another nine was added in 1992 to make a complete and challenging 18-hole course. Together, the Pines and the Oaks are the Fort Walton Beach Golf Course.
David Trimm, Operations Manager since 2009, shared a unique story. A true piece of history. When the Pines was opened in 1961, Bill Roberts was mayor. In 1992, when the Oaks became an 18-hole course, Bill’s son, Bill Jr., was mayor. They say the “acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree” and this certainly applies to the mayor and the golf course. Bill Roberts Junior got to see the final improvements to a golf course that serves not only the citizens of the city and the county, but offers reasonable rates to visitors from all over the country. The driving range is also lighted at night until 8 p.m.
The Pines has 6,700 yards through an upland pine forest. The Oaks course has 6400 yards of narrow fairways, water hazards and fairways lines with oak trees. There are both city resident and county resident rates. Many community-oriented charity golf tournaments are sponsored each year at the golf club and First Tee clinics are provided for the junior golf program along with individual lessons with Butch Byrd, a well-known teaching professional in the Southeast. The Clubhouse Grill restaurant offers food and beverage service for both courses. Although not located near the beach, Fort Walton Beach visitors are only a few miles away from this city owned course. Friendly staff welcome visitors and residents when players check in for tee times.
David Trimm became Operations Manager in 2009. Prior to that, David was head golf professional at Indian Bayou in 1978 and then moved to manage Bluewater Bay when it opened in 1981. David learned to play golf at Fort Walton golf course and played on the Choctawhatchee High School golf team and the golf team at Okaloosa Walton Community College. You might say he came full circle with his golf history, circling the bayou from Destin back to Fort Walton Beach.
David is a modest and caring professional. He gives most credit to the continuing success of the course to Richie Edwards, grounds superintendent, who takes meticulous care of the course itself. David thinks that Richie’s job us underrated. Few people know how hard it is to keep the course looking pristine.
I asked David about his favorite hole. He finally settled on the Par 5 of the Pines which overlooks a lake. Beautiful and reachable—if you keep your head down and forget about the water barrier in front of the green.
As the reader knows, I find a poem or song and change a few words to highlight the course of the month. In this case, I found a song that had something to do with trees:
I’m comin’ home, I’ve done my time,
I’ve got to know if golf’s still mine.
Received a letter telling me the tee time was a go,
So, now I just have to grab my clubs and so,
“Tie a welcome ribbon ‘round the ole oak tree
It’s been too long; will the course welcome me?
It’s been three long years, am I the duffer that I fear?
So, I’ll tee up my ball,
I’ll widen my stance, I’ll swing in reverie,
And hope I don’t hear my golf ball hit the ole oak tree.
