If Sara Bay Country Club approaching its centennial, the milestone is marked not just as an anniversary, but as a celebration of a legacy that helped shape American golf.
Founded in 1926 as Whitfield Estates Country Club, Sara Bay Country Club stands as one of Florida’s most historically significant golf properties.
The story is woven by visionary developers, legendary players and a Donald Ross Course which has remained both a sporting challenge and a living museum of the game.
At the heart of the club’s history lies the internationally respected golf course, designed by Ross during the golden age of course architecture.
Known for its strategic bunkering, understated greens and a philosophy that rewards thoughtful play over brute force, the course remains true to Ross’s original intent nearly a century later.
Few classic designs can claim such careful management – and even fewer can boast of having hosted one of golf’s most legendary moments.
In February 1926, the Sara Bay Country Club became the stage for the ‘Match of the century’, when Bobby Jones faced Walter Hagen in a head-to-head match that attracted national attention.
At a time when golf’s popularity was exploding, the competition symbolized both rivalry and respect between two titans of the sport.
Its centenary in 2026 offers a rare opportunity to relive that defining moment renew appreciation for the role Sara Bay Country Club played to raise the profile of the game in America.
The club’s centennial programming reflects the depth of that history.
A cornerstone of the celebration will be the unveiling of Sara Bay Country Club: A century of golfa new book written by a respected local historian Jeff La Hurdin collaboration with club historians Gary Cole and Howard Akey.
Scheduled for January 16, 2026the event will include a book signing and in-depth Q&A with LaHurd, giving members the opportunity to explore the personalities, ambitions and foresight that brought the club to life.
In addition to the fairways, the book also highlights the clubhouse – designed by leading Atlanta architectural firm Pringle and Smith– as an important part of the club’s heritage.
Together, the course and clubhouse were not just a place to play golf, but also a place to play golf social and cultural anchor for Sarasota in a period of rapid growth and optimism.
Few figures embody that era better than Bobby Jones himself.
Long before his place in history was secured by Grand Slam victories and worldwide fame, Jones worked as a real estate salesperson for the development surrounding the club.
This often overlooked chapter underlines just how accurate this is his life intersected with the early years of Sara Bay Country Club.
His subsequent rise to become one of golf’s most respected figures gives the club a unique personal connection with the sport’s greatest amateur champion.
That connection will come to life on February 27, 2026, when Jones’s grandson, Dr. Bob Jones IVvisits Sara Bay for a fireside chat with members.
Timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the “Match of the Century”, the conversation will explore Bobby Jones’ involvement with the club, his influence on the game and the enduring values he represented.integrity, sportsmanship and respect for tradition.
As Sara Bay Country Club enters its second century, the time has come Centennial is less about nostalgia than continuity.
The retaining the Donald Ross designsharing his stories through science, and the involvement of new generations with its past, they all point to a club that understands where it came from – and why that history still matters.
By celebrating 100 years of golf heritage, Sara Bay reaffirms its place in the story of Sarasota, as well as the broader story of American golf.
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