I thought I’d leave you with some aerials to identify. Only two of you responded. As I said, each is in the UK. What links them is some sort of architectural distinction, by which I do not mean golf course architecture. And that building or construction may or may not be part of the club or course. Not only do you have to identify the clubs/courses, but also what that architectural distinction is.
1. Royal Blackheath Golf Club. The club itself is very old – early 17th century – but it abandoned Blackheath in the 1920s, moving to nearby Eltham where there was a fine mansion, built in 1664, which would make a superb clubhouse. While the clubhouse is exceptional and contains many golfing museum pieces, the James Braid course is average parkland. Its unusual 18th plays across a hedge to a green adjoining the clubhouse. You can also see the huge cross-bunker completely interrupting the 17th fairway in front of the green.
2. The Richmond Golf Club. Again, it’s not a particularly memorable golf course, but the clubhouse, Sudbrook Mansion, is stunning. It was built in the 1720s for the Duke of Argyle and is especially noted for its baroque Cube Room.
3. Thorndon Park Golf Club. Thorndon Hall was built in the 1770s for the Petre family, one of the principal Roman Catholic families in England (whose family seat is Ingatestone Hall). Thorndon Hall was damaged by fire in 1878, and part of it was acquired by the newly-formed golf club in the 1920s. The club no longer occupies any of the hall which is now a set of luxury apartments. The course is by Colt and well regarded.
4. Moor Park Golf Club. Moor Park mansion was built in the 17th century for James, Duke of Monmouth. He did not live there long, being executed after leading a rebellion against King James II. The mansion makes a majestic clubhouse for the golf club which boasts two Harry Colt courses, the High Course being the big one and a former professional tour venue.
5. Chestfield Golf Club. Chestfield is said to have the oldest building in the world in use as a golf clubhouse, dating back to the 15th century. The manor, of which it was part, has a history back to the Domesday Book. The course originated in the 1920s, designed by James Braid and Abe Mitchell. Alterations were made recently by Donald Steel when a road was re-routed in a tunnel under the course.
6. Shifnal Golf Club. The club moved to Decker Hill Hall in the mid 1960s. Nikolaus Pevsner (writing before the club moved there) dated it at about 1810: ‘It has as its entrance two giant unfluted Ionic columns in antis.’
7. Woodsome Hall Golf Club. This club, near Huddersfield, has a stone clubhouse which seems to date from 1517 or earlier. It is an imposing, if somewhat dour, building. The James Braid course is rather like the curate’s egg, good in parts. It is ten or more years since I last visited, but as late as the mid 1990s a strict jacket-and-tie dress code was enforced throughout the clubhouse.
8. Chorlton-cum-Hardy Golf Club. This is one of a host of courses laid out on the banks of the River Mersey as it flows through the south of the city of Manchester. It is not a great course although it has a number of very strong holes. Its clubhouse, Barlow Hall, however, is of great historic interest. The Barlows lived here from the late 1200s. They were a prominent Roman Catholic family who were persecuted for their faith. The Hall was rebuilt in 1584 and some of it survives as the clubhouse.
9. Addington Palace Golf Club. This is historic land, reputed to be one of King Henry VIII’s hunting grounds. A manor house was built towards the end of the 18th century and the grounds were laid out by Capability Brown. In 1807 the house was bought to be a residence for the Archbishop of Canterbury. The golf club was established in 1930 and in 1954 took over the stables as its clubhouse. When I lived in London in the 1970s the house was the home of the Royal School of Church Music. Now it seems to be a venue for conferences, weddings etc.
10. Royal Belfast Golf Club. The club, founded in 1881, had two sites previous to moving to Craigavad House and Demesne. Unfortunately I cannot tell you much about the house, imposing though it is, other than it is thought to have been the residence of Rt Hon JC White, former Lord Mayor of Belfast. The course is by Colt and has outstanding views.
11. Rolls of Monmouth Golf Club. The Rolls family, of whom Charles Rolls was a founder of Rolls Royce cars, owned Hendre House from 1767 to 1987. It is quite an eclectic building in terms of architecture. The golf club was founded in 1982 but I don’t know who designed the course.
12. Wellingborough Golf Club. The club was founded in 1893 but only moved to its home at Harrowden Hall in 1975. There had been a house on the site since the 15th century and the most handsome present hall was built in 1719 to a design by Thomas Watson Wentworth, son of Lord Rockingham. It now serves as one of the finest clubhouses in all golf.
13. Rochester and Cobham Park Golf Club is laid out on land formerly part of the Cobham Park estate. There is a huge history to the place which for many years was the seat of the Earls of Darnley, and it was immortalised in Pickwick Papers. At its height it was a distinguished James Wyatt building (crammed with fabulous works of art) in a Humphrey Repton park. It fell into disrepair many years ago and is currently the subject of a major fund-raising campaign for its restoration. The golf course has recently been modified by Donald Steel.
14. Leeds Castle Golf Course. This 9-hole course is laid out in the grounds of Leeds Castle in Kent. A fortified castle was built here in 1119 and it became a royal castle in 1278, being used as the residence of widowed queens. King Edward VI granted the castle to one of his courtiers and since then notable owners have included the Culpeper, Fairfax and Wykeham Martin families. From the castle’s website: In 1978 the Arab - Israeli peace talks, precursors to the first Camp David Agreement, took place in the castle, as did the Northern Ireland peace talks of 2004 hosted by former Prime Minister, Tony Blair.
15. Ayr Belleisle Golf Course. The course is one of Scotland’s finer inland courses (James Braid). Belleisle House (now a hotel) dates from the 16th century.
16. St Pierre Hotel and Country Club. The estate goes back to the 11th century when William the Conqueror gave it to St Pierre de Caen. Traces of old buildings remain and a 400-year old chestnut tree overlooks the 2nd hole on the main course. But the eye generally sees only the utilitarian trappings of a modern resort hotel. The golf courses are something of a mixture of styles and elements, familiar to many through the many tournaments televised from St Pierre.
17. Beverley and East Riding Golf Club. This is a charming club and course laid out on common land overlooking the fine town of Beverley with its superb churches at either end. Part of the clubhouse is located in a historic windmill. Animals (cattle and horses) roam the course and it is not unknown to have to chip over a herd of bullocks!
18. Sutton Bridge Golf Club. This 9-hole course is laid out in the remains of a late-19th century dock. The walls collapsed soon after the dock opened, but in time someone with great foresight saw the potential of the dock for a 9-hole golf course. By utilising parts of the former walls there is more elevation change on this course than is customary in the Fens.
