Gibralter Golf Club. (1809 - 1970s)

There is evidence that golf was being played in Gibralter in 1809.

The following is taken from the Bell's Court and Fashionable Magazine dated December 1st 1809. "At St Andrew's the freedom of the town was presented to me. I saw here the playing at golf, on the links, as at Leith, and I afterwards saw the same played on Blackheath, near Greenwich, and on the sands between Gibralter and San Roque."

Thanks to Christoph Meister for helping to compile the following information.

The Gibralter Golf Club was founded in 1891.

Report on the North Front golf course in April 1891.

 

 

 

From the Golfing Annual 1891/2 - The course has been lately altered, and no low scoring has yet been made. Owing to the quantity of sand on the links, lies through the green are very bad. The course consists of nine-holes, and the circuit is about a mile and a half.

Golfing Annual 1896/7 - The course at North Front is a very stoney one of nine-holes. The season commences in November and ends in May.

The following is taken from the 1905 Nisbet's Golf Yearbook - Instituted 1891; Membership of 80; Links reached by water; Hon. Sec. - The Reverend, J Brown Smith, The Manse, Gibralter; Captain - Rear Admiral Sir E Chichester, Bart., C.B., C.M.G; Nine-holes; Amateur Record - Capt. F A Stephens; Entrance fee - 10s and subs £1/4s; Visitors' 1s a day, 2/6d a week and 7s/6d a month. The links, two miles from Gibralter, lie on the narrow neck of land which joins Gibralter to Spain. The bunkers are both natural and artificial, but the turf is not first rate. 

By 1910 the course was located at Campamento. The first racecourse of the Andalucian Horseracing Society was constructed at Campamento in 1916, the golf course, polo field and greyhound track where already in the area by this time.

 

 

From the 1926 Golfer's Handbook - Gibralter Golf Club, Campamento, Spain. Nine-holes, by kind permission of the Commander-in-Chief of the Atlantic Fleet, members of the golf club are permitted to make use of the naval launches, which run to Campamento when the Fleet are in. The links can be reached in very short time by car or motor bus. Green fees, 1s a day for non-residents, or may become members on payment of 10/- entrance fee, and a monthly subscription of 3s. Hon. Secretary, Capt. T A Meek, M.C., C.M.A., Headquarters, Military Command, Gibralter.

The club was still listed in the 1947 Golfer's Handbook - Gibralter GC, Campamento, Spain; Secretary - Major K Hamilton, R.A., Windmill Hill, Gibralter; Green-keeper - P Cano; Nine-holes; Station at Gibralter was four miles; Visitors' fees, 2s per day. Sunday play was allowed.

In the mid 1950s the secretary was N A Langdon, 2a Naval Hospital Road, Gibralter. The green-keeper was J S Barea. Course record, Major A W Leslie 34. The nine-hole course had a SSS of 37. Visitors' fees, 2s a day, 4s at weekend.

During the 1960s the secretary was G Devouley. All other information as 1950s.

In the early 1970s it was listed as Campamento Golf Club.

The exact closure date is still to be found.