Florida Historical Markers Programs - Marker Detail

Description: The City of Tallahassee owns and operates the Jake Gaither Golf Course. The picturesque 9-hole course sits on 120 acres on the city’s south side. It opened on Dec. 14, 1956, during the era of racial segregation, to give African Americans a place to play. Many Black golfers had learned the game by serving as caddies at Capital City Country Club, Tallahassee’s only golf course at the time. One golfer recalled, “We could caddy there, but we couldn’t play.” The Tallahassee City Commission named the course for Alonzo S. “Jake” Gaither, a well-known citizen and legendary head football coach at Florida A&M University (FAMU). In the 1960s, it was the home course of the FAMU Golf Team. Black golfers from the course’s early years, known as “Legends of the Links,” taught and mentored women and kids to grow access and interest in the sport. The City completed a modernization of the course in 2022, while maintaining many of the historically significant elements. On August 9, 2022, Jake Gaither Golf Course was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the official list of the nation's historic sites worthy of preservation. The Jake Gaither Golf Course stands as a pillar of the community and a course for everyone.