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Hythe Golf Club, Kent. (1894 - WW2)

The club was founded in 1894.  

The original nine-hole course was laid out by Ramsay Hunter, professional at Royal St George's.

Golf - Friday 12 October 1894. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Below a report on the formal opening in October 1894.

From the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News Saturday 20 October 1894. Images © Illustrated London News Group.

Results of competitions played over Christmas 1894. 

“Golf" Friday 11 January 1895. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

It was reported in Mach 1895 that the club continued to flourish and had a membership of over 200. The links were pronounced by experts to be superb. George Wilks, the secretary, was in a large way responsible for the success of the club. 

The winner of the April 1895 monthly medal was A C Edwards with a net score of 91.

At the Easter meeting in April 1896 the Welldon Challenge Cup, match play competition, was won by J Jeffery, who beat J J Jeal in the final by 3&1. The bogey competition resulted in a tie between J J Jeal and H Bliss, both finished 3down. The winners of the monthly medals in September 1896 were; first (senior) division – J G Smith, 86 net; second (junior) division – J B Wimble, 85 net. Winner of the October 1896 medal was C A Willmot, 104-20-84. Winner of the December 1896 medal was W J Haughton, 101-3-98.

Competition results and medal winners for 1897; February - Sir Bevan Edwards MP, 94-4-90; March - Major Peters won the monthly medal, 111-24-87; The bogey competition, prize presented by Colonel Logan, ended in a tie between Major Peters and G Lipscombe both finished 4down. Godfrey Lipscombe also won the April monthly medal, 102-24-78; Owen L Tudor won the May monthly medal, 108-24-84; August medal, H M Beck, 93-10-83; September  monthly medal was won by J Willocks, 98-12-86; October medal winner was General Sir J Bevan Edwards MP, 94-8-86; November medal winner was J B Horton, 103-17-86; December medal – C A Wilmot, 100-16-84; The tie between C A Wilmot and J W Jeffery for the Ninnes Challenge Cup and club silver medal was held in December and was won by Mr Willmot with a 36 hole total of 168 net.

At the Christmas meeting in 1898 The 36 hole Ninnes Challenge Bowl was won by Mr Alfred Hicks with a score of 191-20-171. The club silver medal (36 holes) went to Mr H W Holland, 197-24-173. Mr Alfred Hicks also won the Mumford bogey competition with a score of 7down.

The winner of the Ninnes Challenge Cup in December 1899 was Major Synge, 206-32-174, he also won the club silver medal. 

Postcards from the early 1900s showing the Pond Hole and the Eghth Hole on the Hythe course.

The Golf House, Hythe. 

On Friday 3 October 1902 James Braid (Romford) and Harry Vardon (Ganton) played a match of 36 holes over the Hythe links. The weather, unfortunately, was not good, with heavy winds blowing over the course. In the first round play was fairly even, Braid reaching the turn one up. He improved over the back nine finishing three up. In the second round play was very even Vardon scoring 73 and Braid 72, Braid winning the match by 3 and 2. The score for the two rounds were; Braid 73 and 72, 145; Vardon 77 and 73, 150.

Hythe Golf Club button.

A player's jacket button which varies in pattern from the top image.

A cuff size button for a reefer or blazer jacket with the fine silver mount. Images courtesy of Dixon Pickup.

In 1909/10 the secretary was F K Corbett and the professionals G Cribben and J Jonstone. Amateur course record; F Heywood, 72. Bogey score 76. Entrance fee was £5/s and subs £2/2s.

Result of the August 1911 monthly medal; Senior - F K Cobbett, 78 net; Junior - W M Upjohn, 86 net.

Competition result from September 1911; Captain's Prize (36-holes) tie for first place - P C Beresford and F W Temple, 166 net. 

Result from the autumn meeting held in October 1911; Jeal Cleak - Capt. J Alexander, 93-12-81; Gatey Trophy - Capt. J Alexander, 164 net.

Result of the November 1911 medal; Senior - S R Prall, 85 net; Junior - B G Pearce, 90 net.

From The Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic News Saturday 8 January 1910. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Result of the monthly medal played on Saturday 5 April 1913; First (senior) division – S R Pratt (8), 3down; J Willocks (11), 5down; W Westmore (10), 8down; H Smith (12), 8down; H A Dickins (5), 9down; Second (junior) division – H Rayner (13), 7down; H J Skelton (14), 10down; Ladies – Miss Nicholetts 13), 10 down; Mrs Mayhew (12), 12down. The strong north east wind made playing conditions difficult.  

From The Tatler 25 June 1913. Images © Illustrated London News Group. Images created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

In 1914 the secretary was Major F H Playfair, Golf Club Hythe, telephone 100. There were two professionals G Cribben and J Johnstone. An 18 hole course with a membership of 500 gents and 100 ladies. Entry fees for gents were £5/5/0 and ladies £2/12/6. Subs for gents were £3/3/0 and ladies £1/1/0. Visitors’ fees were 2/6 a day, 10/6 a week and 30/- a month, from 1^st August to 10^th September 3/- a day, 15/- a week. Easter meeting 21/-, bank holiday 5/- a day. Sunday play was allowed with caddies. The Station at Hythe was close to the clubhouse.

The above picture shows a very ornate wooden bridge which was built on the Hythe course at the time of WW1. The bridge was erected by Twinn & Sons who were horticultural builders from Shorncliffe, Kent. We would appreciate any help with history of the bridge; was it dedicated to a particular person or occasion? Please “Contact Us” if you can help.

Below is the result of a match played against Maidstone Golf Club (now defunct) in October 1921.

From the Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald 15 October 1921. Image © Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Article from The Sphere 10 June 1922. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

The winner of the April 1923 bogey was Col-Commdnt., T W Stensfield (14,) 1up.

The competition for the Sassoon prize was played in July 1923 and resulted in a tie between J C Howard (6) and H H Bevan (13) at all square. 

In 1924 the secretary was Chas Dixon the professional H Gower and the green-keeper T Newman. Course records were, amateur Captain A G Barry 69, professional H Gower 68. Visitors’ fees were 3/6 a round, 5/- a day, 25/- a week and 60/- a month. Sunday play allowed with caddies.

Result of the Ladies’ medal for March 1924; Miss De Crespigny, 106-25-81; Miss J Drake, 116-35-81; Mrs Waterhouse, 104-21-83; Mrs Wright, 105-21-84; Mrs Dixon, 96-11-85; Miss Wayland, 122-36-86; Mrs Hobbs, 111-22-89; Mrs Pepper, 113-21-92; Mrs Pritchett, 118-26-92. There were twenty entries. 

Below is the result of a match played at Hythe on Sunday 13 April 1924 against the Army Golf Society.

Results of competitions played in October/November 1924; Club Bowl – F F Robins (9), 4down; A Sherman (6), 5down; A E Jones (11), 6down. There were 38 entrants; Gatey Challenge Prize – Gen F H Metcalfe, 85-15-70; B C Berisford, 82-4-78; F Wakeman, 87-8-79. There were 30 entrants; Mr Waterhouse’s Prize – Miss Vernon (35), 8down; Mrs Dickins (17), 10down.

In 1930 the secretary was Charles Dixon, “Landslip”, Hythe. The professional was H Gower and the greenkeeper E Jones. 18 holes the course records were, amateur J P Barnett 69, professional W T Twine 66.

The Golf Links Hythe. Postcard S&D Series No 205. (Authors Collection.)

Competition for the Hythe Challenge Trophy in My 1929.

The impressive Hythe Challenge Trophy.

Below, result of a ladies’ match played at St Margaret’s at Cliffe on Tuesday 28 October 1930.

In 1935 the course records were, amateur W B Doyle 71, professional A H Padgham 67. Visitors’ fees were 3/6 a round, 5/- a day, £1 a week and 55/- a month.

The above images are from The Tatler 1 September 1937. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Above image from left to right; top - The brothers Swinden, Claude (taller) and Joe; Sidney Austin, ex-captain; W R Lyne-Smith; Harry Mansel-Pleydell; Pat Robins, handicap 6; middle - Major F W Butler M.C, ex-captain; Baron Emile B D'Erlanger, the captain; Sir Philip Sassoon B.T, vice-president; Charles Dixon, secretary; bottom - H Gower, professional, employed by the club since 1908; W F Hobdell; F G "Bogey" Higginson, handicap, 6foot 5and a half inches; Captain T L Wall; S F R (Hully) Hulbert, handicap 5; Andrew, the steward.  

In 1940 and 1947 membership was 300 the secretary, professional and greenkeeper were as 1930. The 18 hole course had a SSS of 74 and Par of 72. Course records were now amateur  A G Penman and E E Samuel 68 and professional A Peacock 69. The station at Hythe was just 2 minutes away. Visitors’ fees as before.

Pre WW2 postcard of the Hythe course, before Sene Valley moved in.

Location of the Hythe Golf Course in the early 1900s.Grid reference TR17355,35495, co-ordinates 617355,135495.

The Hythe course was requisitioned during both world wars. It was particularly badly damaged during WW2 and the club did not have the resources following the war to revive the course; it reverted to farmland for grazing, and Hythe Golf Club disappeared.

Hythe from the abandoned golf course in the 1960s.

Following the move from  Radnor Park, Folkestone Golf Club took over the majority of the original Hythe course and Henry Cotton designed a new 18 hole course. This became  Sene Valley Golf Club in 1965/6 .