The Unique History of Adios Golf Club in Coconut Creek, Florida

-Ralph Vartanian has been an avid golfer since before his days at Westfield State College in Massachusetts. Today, as a member of the Adios Golf Club in Coconut Creek, Florida, Ralph Vartanian plays on a scenic course that contributes a unique story to the region’s history.

The land that would eventually become the Adios Golf Club was once owned by Eleanor Ritchey, an heiress whose grandfather founded the Quaker State Oil Refining Company. When she passed away in 1968, Ms. Ritchey owned 150 dogs that lived on the property. Having never married nor had any children, she bequeathed the land to her dogs. A local bank acted as trustee of the property and eventually facilitated its sale.

Near the end of the 1970s, a group of golf enthusiasts, each very successful in their respective professions, sought a location in South Florida to construct their own course. They wished to play in open areas, away from the houses and condominiums often found adjacent to other courses in the region.

The group’s leader Delvin Miller had enjoyed great in the world of harness racing as a driver, trainer, breeder, and owner. He asked his friend and real estate developer Charles MacCallum to find a suitable property between Miami and Palm Beach. After nearly eight months of searching, Mr. MacCallum came across aerial photos of what had been Ms. Ritchey’s land. The group deemed it ideal for their imagined course and moved forward with development.

In a nod to its unique ownership history, the course was originally named Dog’s Run. Later, the group decided on Adios Golf Club, an homage to Mr. Miller’s champion racehorse and sire Adios.

Founding membership of the club included such notable figures as golf legend Arnold Palmer, Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas, and hall-of-fame New York Yankee pitcher Whitey Ford. The group commissioned Mr. Palmer to design the course, and its construction started in 1982.