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TOASTBERRY SPRINGS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB The Toastberry Springs Golf & Country Club is one of the finest golf and country clubs in the country. Founded in 1761 and inspired by European architecture, the building itself was originally a country home for the affluent Baron Vennder Von Skaarffenstumpf who was the great, great grandson of a distant cousin with ties to the Royal Flanders. Although he died unmarried with no heirs, Von Skaarffenstumpf was enamoured with landscaping and designated most of the 16,000 acre estate to be a walking and riding park for friends and guests. Taking ownership in the late 1800s by a consortium of independent investors, a large portion of the grounds was converted into a magnificent golf course. Later divided into a series of commercial and private parcels, the property was developed for both residential and industrial use except for the golf course, which remained intact. It was purchased and restored to its former beauty by the Toastberry Springs Corporation in 1947 and turned into a private course. Members and their guests enjoy some of the finest dining amid 18th Century decor from the days of the Baron. A life-sized portrait of him hangs in the main entrance. A long-standing tradition requires members to drink a toast to him on his birthday with water from the natural springs that gave the club its name.

The clubhouse in summer can be seen for miles in any direction. The tower above the door was a favourite spot for the Baron who kept a special lounging couch in the top turret. It must have been built in the room, because its dimensions make it impossible to remove.