Filey Golf Club. (1897

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Filey Golf Club. (1897 – 1899)

The original 9-hole course was to the north of Filey and opened on Thursday 19 August 1897.

The course was extended to 18-holes in February 1898.

Due to a dispute with the tenant the club had moved to the current course in Primrose Avenue by August 1899. There were also landslip problems near the course in 1899.

From the Leeds Mercury Saturday 10 July 1897; "The New Golf Links at Filey - Capt. W E Fell, the honorary secretary of the newly formed Filey Golf Club, has given us the following interesting description of the links, to which the finishing touches are now being put. The links consist of a nine-hole men's course and a nine-hole ladies' course. The first tee is near St Oswald's Parish Church, and just below the site of the clubhouse. The first hole, as it should be, is an easy though somewhat long one. The green is placed under a bank and ditch, so the player must approach with caution, or he may get into trouble with the at the last approach shot. The drive to the second hole is over Arndale, a steep, wide ravine with a little beck at the bottom. This successfully surmounted the ball would land an iron shot from the green. The third is a pretty green between a high bank on the far side, and on the near side of the bank, a double ditch, and on top of the bank a post and rails. A topped ball here and your adversary has the hole. The drive to the fourth hole is noticeable for a veritable Scylla and Charybdis, in the shape of a pond on one side, and some Roman excavations on the other, but the man who drives a straight ball need fear no evil, for he will be on perfect turf within a short shot of the hole. The green lies between Filey Bay on one side and the German Ocean on the other, the spit of land being about 50 yards wide. The fifth drive is over the Devil's Cauldron, a deep, rocky basin, aptly named, with the sea boiling and seething within it. On the homeward course Arndale is again crossed. This is the short hole - a mashie shot on to the green, which will require neat and workmanlike play to be done in, say, 3. The situation of the links is unique and very beautiful. Flamborough cliffs, with a peep of the old town of Filey. Already the club boasts a considerable number of members. The committee are determined that neither time nor money shall be spared making the links as perfect as possible. F Vardon, the professional, arrived on Monday and the club will be open to members on the tenth. The official opening will take place when the clubhouse is finished. A large sum of money has been collected in Filey from the townspeople for distribution in prizes, to be competed for on the opening day."

Below is a report on the opening of the first course in August 1897.