THE CUBA REVIEW 



17 



joying the facilities for the recreation af- 

 forded by a country club, will give life in 

 Havana a different aspect. 



The grounds of the club are located in 

 the suburbs of Havana on a tract of 125 

 acres, known as Finca Lola, situated mid- 

 w^ay on the Calzada between Camp Colum- 

 bia and the Playa of Alarianao. from which 

 a private driveway leads to the clubhouse. 

 The Acevedo station of the Marianao Rail- 

 way also is conveniently located within a 

 short walking distance. The approach to 

 the property along the Calzada is past a 

 hedge .500 feet long planted in henequin, 

 or hemp, and the driveway is entered 

 through gateposts built on rough stone, 

 surmounted by electric globes. The road 

 follows the northerly boundary of the 

 property across the railway dividing it, 

 through a picturescjue gateway of Spanish 

 design, over which is the old name of 

 "Lola." 



Immediately upon passing through this 

 entrance the panorama of almost the en- 

 tire property comes into view. On the 

 left is the low level and the ^larianao 

 River, which is reallj' a small brook and 

 flows through the property. The brook 

 is scarcely ever affected in flow by dry 

 weather, as it is fed by active springs. 

 From the level the ground slopes up on 

 the north to the railroad in variable un- 

 dulations and on the southerly side of the 

 river for 1,500 feet is a grove of full grown 

 royal palm trees interspersed with other 

 trees of tropical growth, such as the Santo 

 Domingo mamey. On the right the com- 

 paratively level plateau reaches out to the 

 extreme boundary of the property. On 

 this level to the right and between the 

 entrance and the clubhouse are the first 

 tee of the golf course and the eighteenth 

 green, and also the tennis courts, which 

 have been built with especial care on a 

 rock foundation covered with clay firmly 

 rolled. 



In the effort to oljtain the best results 

 in the top dressings of these courses an 

 experiment has been made by using ground 

 or decomposed rock from native quarries, 

 which, it is believed, will give the same 

 satisfactory results as have been obtained 

 in the States in the use of similar material 

 from \\'est Roxbur}', Mass., and if success- 

 ful further courses will be Iniilt in the 

 space reserved for extension. 



Further on, and directly across the drive- 

 wa}' from the clubhouse, is the nine hole 

 putting green and next a clock golf green. 

 In front of the clubhouse is the croquet 

 ground. Ample room on the lawn near 

 the building is reserved for the addition 

 of other outdoor games. 



Active work on the new cln])house is 

 under way. The plans, which are being- 

 perfected, provide for a spacious 1)uilding 

 to be completed this fall. The popular 



quarters will be centered on the second 

 fioor, from which on all sides are magnifi- 

 cent views. Almost the entire club prop- 

 erty can be seen. The natural undulation 

 of the ground and the winding course of 

 the river, the palm groves and foliage of 

 the property are all in view, while beyond 

 is the Gulf of Mexico and the Bay of 

 ^larianao, popular for sea bathing, and 

 quite near. Camp Columbia and the town of 

 Marianao are in full view and, as a visitor 

 has expressed it, the country club property 

 has all the elements of privacy of a country 

 estate, yet in view and seemingly in the 

 clear atmosphere of the tropics, almost in 

 touch is the architecture and life of a 

 busy suburban district interspersed with 

 views of the sea and country. 



When the eighteen hole course is in 

 operation and the other outside activities 

 of the club are in full swing, it is doubtful 

 whether one will be able to. see more of 

 interest from any point than from the up- 

 per veranda of the clubhouse. The plans 

 for the building are extensive. The 

 veranda is broad and extends around three 

 sides. One section will be reserved for 

 dining purposes, which can be enclosed in 

 I)ad weather. Twenty bedrooms will be 

 provided, several of them being en suite 

 with private bathrooms. These will be 

 available throughout the year for club 

 members and their friends and those in- 

 troduced to the club. Reading and loung- 

 ing rooms are provided in the pfans, also 

 a cafe, and it is contemplated to have the 

 men's locker room, bowling .alleys and 

 swimming pool in detached buildings. 

 There will be a parlor and locker room 

 for women in the main building. The 

 servants' quarters, cooking department, 

 stores, etc., will be in the basement. A 

 garage for automobiles also will be provided. 

 The rolling, natural ground has made 

 the laying out of the golf links a com- 

 paratively easy matter, and in this work 

 advantage has been taken of the tortuous 

 stream running through the property. 

 While the ground is undulating and some 

 holes are located on plateaus and others in 

 bowls, yet the extreme variation in levels 

 on the entire property is only fifty feet. 

 Xo two boles are alike. The contour of 

 the ground is perfectly natural for golf 

 and little work is being done to create 

 artificial hazards. P'or all that, it is prob- 

 able that few links provide more definite 

 variety and interest. 



Mr. Frederick Snare, of Snare & Trieste 

 of New York, is regarded as one of the 

 best players. Among British settlers in 

 Cuba, however, are several expert players, 

 among them Mr. F. ]\I. Orr, at present 

 in Scotland. Mr. Orr resides on his plan- 

 tation at Taco Taco. but spent this winter 

 abroad. He has won numerous medals. 

 for .golf. 



