My mistake, Sir Guy did mention the primitive course at Blackheath, as well as Molesey Hurst and Old Manchester. As you can see the growth was relatively slow in the 1870s and 1880s, and it was not until the 1890s that course development really took off. There were a number of factors including transportation and the ability to purchase land, which allowed, among other things, city dwellers to move out into the country, and to places like Surrey, Berkshire, etc. There was also a change of attitude regarding the working week, and an emphasis on leisure activities, which often took place in the country. I would estimate 500+ golf courses were built in a ten to fifteen year period after 1890.
1608 Blackheath
1758 Molesey
1818 Old Manchester
1864 Westward Ho!
1865 Wimbledon
1869 Hoylake, Alnmouth
1875 Seaton Carew, Cambridge, Oxford
1878 Royal Jersey
1880 Bath, Kingsdown, Felixstowe
1882 Bembridge, Minehead
1883 Hayling Island, Great Yarmouth
1884 Formby, Aldeburgh, Aldershot
1885 Woolwich
1886 Guilford, Lytham
1887 Sandwich, Nottinghamshire, Cromer, Eastbourne, Ascot, Buxton & High Peak, Durham, Coventry, Chatham
1888 Littlestone, Winchester, Tooting Bec
1889 St. Enodoc, Huddersfield, Minchinghampton