Dexter Daniels, Sr. was one of the most decorated amateur golfers in Florida’s storied golf history.  Of all of his achievements, perhaps his biggest in golf was winning the United States Senior Amateur Championship in 1961 and 1966.  He is one of only 3 golfers in history to have won the tournament two or more times.   

Few golfers have dominated the senior circuit like Daniels did.  He won the Florida Senior Championship eight times at Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club in Tampa.  He also won the Sunset Senior Amateur Championship in St. Petersburg nine straight times from 1962 to 1970.  Daniels, along with his son Dexter Jr., won the National Father-Son tournament seven times.  Daniels went on to be inducted into the Florida Fairway Hall of Fame in 1967.  In 1977 he was presented the First Annual Hall of Fame Award by the Florida State Golf Association.  He was recognized as Winter Haven’s Athlete of the Decade for 1960 to 1970 and as Florida’s premier amateur golf of the past 50 years at that time.  At the age of 65, Daniels shot his age three times.  He played enough golf after retirement in 1961 that he shot his age or better 2,700 times after turning 65.  If you do not believe it, he had the collection of scorecards to prove it. 

Daniels was highly involved in the community, owning and managing a Ford dealership in Winter Haven until turning it over to his son so he could pursue his golf dreams.  He served as director at-large for the Florida State Golf Association and was on the Amateur Advisory Staff for the Professional Golf Association (PGA).  Along with the City of Winter Haven, he started the Dexter Daniels Father-Son Golf Tournament, which is played annually in his honor.