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Flowers beside the 17th green during day two of the Costa Navarino Legends Tour Trophy at the International Olympic Academy Golf Course on June 08, 2024.
In an extraordinary tribute to the man who built the modern community of Aventura, real estate icon Donald M. Soffer–who convened South Florida swampland into one of the region’s most prominent cities–is set to be buried at his beloved Turnberry Isle Country Club, right near the tee of the 18th hole. The announcement was made following his death at age 92 on July 20, 2025, and has captured the attention of both local residents and golf fans alike
Under Florida law, private-property burials of less than two acres are permitted–meaning that Soffer’s final resting place falls within the legal bounds of his own Turnberry estate. To many, this feels fitting: there’s no place more intimately tied to his legacy than the golf course where he staked so much of his vision. What began as undeveloped wetlands in the late 1960s became home to a world-class golf destination, a residential master plan, and eventually the city of Aventura.
A Legacy Built Hole by Hole
The Turnberry golf course, designed by famed architect Robert Trent Jones, was among the first signature features Soffer added to the Aventura project in the early 1970s. Well before residential towers or Aventura Mall came to life, Soffer placed the 18th green as a focal point–not just for the course itself but also as a symbolic capstone to his unfolding development plan.
Today, that same 18th tee will serve as Soffer’s permanent memorial. Local residents quoted in reports expressed surprise and poignancy: one resident, Lee Harris, shared, “It’s kind of weird … I didn’t know people could get buried at a golf course.” Others, like Aventura native Camila Miranda, saw beauty in the decision: “That sounds appropriate, because he loved this community.”
Sports, Vision, and Community
Soffer wasn’t only a developer—he was a former Brandeis University football player on scholarship, a U.S. Army veteran, and the son of a Pittsburgh-based real estate family that played a major role in suburban development. Before Aventura, his work included projects like South Hills Village mall near Pittsburgh, and later the creation of Aventura Mall in the early 1980s.
His brand of development crafted not just streets and buildings, but habits and leisure. The golf course became a community hub for locals and one of the most prestigious signature courses in South Florida. It remains a testament to his idea of combining upscale recreation with master-planned living.
Community Responses and Reactions
The City of Aventura, which formally incorporated in 1995, now refers to Soffer as its “godfather.” Local officials and civic institutions offered heartfelt condolences upon learning of his death. The city’s high school, cultural programs, and local real estate identity all bear Soffer’s imprint.
The public reaction to his burial plan has been mixed, though more reflective than contentious. For golfers planning their rounds, the scheduled unveiling didn’t deter play, but one golfer, Eric Harris, joked he would tip his cap to the 18th hole in August: “I’m going to find the 18th hole, give him a little salute and hope my ball finds the hole.”
Burying someone at a golf course may seem unusual, but in this case it merges sport, place, and legacy in a singularly meaningful way. For Soffer, golf wasn’t just a recreational pastime–it was a design principle that anchored the entire Aventura concept. The decision underscores how developers can use sports venues to frame an entire city’s identity.
While most athletes and sports personalities receive posthumous recognition in trophy rooms, stadiums, or plaques, Soffer’s tribute is … unique.
Alyssa Polczynski Alyssa Polczynski is a multimedia journalist covering Major League Baseball for Heavy.com. She has experience as an editorial producer for MLB.com and contributed to the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). More about Alyssa Polczynski
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