Many sports and entertainment particular to the privileged class of the late 19th century were transplanted to Florida to keep the social circles busily whirling. One of the favorite recreations to make the move south was the game of golf. St. Augustine was not the first golf course in Florida. That honor is claimed by Sarasota, where a three-hole course was designed in 1886.

The first golf course in St. Augustine was built in 1895 -- The St. Augustine Country Club. It was a three-link, 1,900-yard course with nine holes laid out on the fort green along the marsh and the surrounding area in the heart of the historic district. The diversified surface of the course added interest to the game.

The first link was called Fort Marion and was found mostly near Charlotte Street. The second link was the Palmetto with grounds near the fort and the water. This was where the famous 4th Tee was. When the tide came in, only the green was high and dry and playable. Players had to reach it in a boat. And you thought the 17th hole at Sawgrass was tough! The third link was called San Marco and included land closer to the present-day road.

When it opened, the St. Augustine Country Club boasted 200 members, 70 of whom were women. Admission was 50 cents each for individuals introduced by a member. The Club thrived and soon became the social focal point for people of means. Tournaments were plentiful, and prizes and trophies were awarded. Since St. Augustine had the longest golf season in Florida (Nov. 1 to May 31), it quickly developed into the winter golf capital of the USA.

Never one to lag behind any opportunity, Henry Flagler quickly took action. In 1897, he hired Alex Findlay of Boston to construct golf links on the grounds of his three major hotels. Professional players were brought in to instruct the guests. Findlay built courses in St. Augustine, Ormond Beach and Palm Beach. Only the course at Palm Beach, known as Ocean Golf Course or The Breakers, survives.

One popular golf game was called Clock Golf. It was laid out in a 20- to 24-foot circle on a flat lawn. Numbers from 1 to 12 were spaced evenly around the circle with flags. Players would hole out from each number to the opposite number on the circle. Play continued in clockwise fashion through all the numbers. This game was touted as the perfect solution for those without sufficient stamina to play the links.

The other major golf course developed at the turn of the last century in St. Augustine was the St. Augustine Golf Links. It survives as the Ponce de Leon Golf Resort. Originally carved from the dense growth of palms, palmettos, oaks and pine, the landscape resembled an English park filled with live oak and majestic magnolia trees hung with Spanish moss. It was an 18-hole course with par 73, three tees to each hole, water hazards and sand-mounted bunkers that made the course a challenge. Waterfowl continued to fly, feed and nest aside undaunted golfers.

Scottish designer Donald Ross arrived in 1923 to add 18 more holes to the course, making a total of 36 holes. Both 18-hole circuits began and ended at the clubhouse. Ross designed 413 golf courses in America -- 35 of them in Florida. Major golf course development gathered strength in the 1970s when St. Augustine Shores Golf was constructed and when the Ponte Vedra was eyed as a major area for golf.

Here's a trivia tidbit you may not know: Course designer Pete Dye was musing about how to design the now famous 17th hole at Sawgrass after he ran out of dirt. His wife, Alice, suggested he make it an island green. That's how history happens.

An abundance of glorious golf courses waits to be played in Northeast Florida. Each one possesses its individual charm and challenge. Today's golfing opportunities far outdistance the sport's early beginnings in a resort town. You could play a different course every day for a month of Sundays and still not exhaust the list. And just in case you'd like to try playing your way through this vast assortment, check out the list of area golf courses in this issue.