Shortlands Golf Club

The South Toledo Golf Club, originally the south course of the Heather Downs Country Club was constructed between 1925 and 1927. The architect, William J. Rockefeller of New York was the first greens superintendent at the Inverness Club (1903-1927). Mr. Rockefeller often worked with famed architect Donald Ross who designed Inverness. Ross was back in 1918 to prepare Inverness for the 1920 U.S. Open and again between 1927 and 1931 to prepare for the 1931 U.S. Open. It is believed that Donald Ross helped Mr. Rockefeller rout the layouts of Heather Downs and shape the greens which were done by dragging scrapers behind horses to "push-up" top soil into rolling and interesting slopes and rolls to create challenging greens. The great Depression of 1929 caused the grand plan for the 36 hole private club to be changed forever. In 1935, a local attorney named Otto Hankison purchased the facility for $36,000, a fortune during the depression, and daring by any standards.