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Hanger Hill Golf Club, London. (1900 - WW2)

Report on a proposed course at Hanger Hill in December 1894. Tom Morris visits to go over the ground.

"Golf" Friday 28 December 1894. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The club was founded in 1900.

The course was located on the southern slope of land above the town. An 18-hole course designed by Tom Dunn, there was also a 9-hole course for ladies who were allowed to play the long course from Monday to Friday and on competition days.

Ealing Gazette and West Middlesex Observer. Saturday 14 July 1900. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Stations were at North Ealing 10 minutes, Ealing Broadway GWR and Ealing Common both 15 minutes. Local hotel was the Feathers.

New courses nearing completion in February 1901.

Globe Thursday 14 February 1901. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Above is the plan of Tom Dunn’s layout at Hanger Hill, the first hole is top left, and runs away from the clubhouse. The ladies’ course is marked on the top right of the plan.

The following is an extract from a  report that appeared in The London Daily News on Wednesday 6 February 1901. "The course at Hanger Hill, Ealing, is now approaching completion. Tom Dunn, the well known professional, has succeeded in making a long and sporting 18-holes, and an admirable 9-hole ladies' course in addition. The greens have all been most carefully made, and water laid on to each. The clubhouse which is a magnificent old mansion, is being altered and done up, and when finished will be one of the finest in England. Visitors are allowed to inspect both the course and the clubhouse."

From The Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic News 23 March 1901. Above Images © Illustrated London News Group. 

The course was opened on the 1 May 1901 with a professional exhibition match. The players were; J H Taylor, Open Champion; H Vardon, US Open Champion; James Braid (Romford) and Jack White (Seaford,) pictures below.

From The Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic News Saturday 11 May 1901. Above Images © Illustrated London News Group. 

From The Tatler 7 August 1901. Image © Illustrated London News Group. 

Competition played on the ladies' course in November 1901.

The Queen Saturday 16 November 1901. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The Ladies' Open Meeting was played on the gentlemen's course on the morning of Wednesday 7 July 1902. It resulted in a double victory for Mrs Laidlay (Hanger Hill) with a score of 98-3-95 she won both the scratch and handicap prizes. It was mentioned in a report that the course was over three and half miles long with five holes over 500 yards. In the afternoon an eighteen-hole bogey competition was played over the ladies' course. The winner was Mrs Grace Park, daughter-in-law of Old Willie Park, with a score of six down.

The early professionals at Hanger Hill - Tom Dunn 1900-02, Peter Paxton 1902-05. 

Hanger Hill Golf Club button.

The following report is from the Sheffield Evening Telegraph dated 13 May 1903. It gives a fascinating insight into journalism and reporting of the early 20th century, it also captures the description of some of  the features of the Hanger Hill course brilliantly. It was titled The Hanger Hill Tournament – A renewed triumph for Braid – by “Looker-On”

Balked of the chance of cricket, through the sodden turf at Lords, I made the best of my way yesterday afternoon to Ealing, to the seventh tournament of the Professional Golfers’ Association, which was to be decided over the links of the club, at Hanger Hill. The journey was made the lighter by the utilisation of the twopenny tube to Shepherd’s Bush, and thence onward by the use of electric cars, which in their luxury would open the eyes of the Sheffield Tramways committee.

Once at Ealing, a matter of a mile through lovely country lanes brought one to the course, a great undulating park, at the summit of which is an old hall, a beautiful house, surmounted by the national and the club flags, whilst the spacious lawn was full of little tables, at which ladies sat, took tea, and talked. They did not talk golf, but they added a colour to the scene which was refreshing. The weather was quite perfect, warm and windless, whilst the sun shone out through the afternoon with a positive glory, till one wondered afresh how it was that cricket was impossible. But it was only necessary to press one’s foot on the ground to recall the cause of the unpitched stumps, for water oozed at the tread, and golfers, hardened, as they are, to heavy going, came back with the stories of the lack of run on the ball, and of treacherous lies.

There was a splendid field, for over 80 golfers had entered, a gain of 20 on any previous tournament promoted by the association, and quite the cream of English professional golf was engaged. Small wonder, then, that the gathering of onlookers was so large. Such famous players as Vardon, Braid and Taylor took out with them large galleries. Naturally, seeing that I had not been able to leave Lord’s until half past one, and that the golf had begun at ten, I did not see the first round, but that in the afternoon provided quite enough to go on with.

But I heard that by lunchtime Vardon headed the field with 73: that Taylor had done an 80, and had torn up his card: that a young golfer from Littlehampton in Gray had equaled Vardon’s outward 35, and had done the round in 77: and that White had disappointed with a 78. Then Braid had finished up with a 73, and thus, despite the defection of Taylor, all the elements remained for a fine struggle this afternoon. Such we had, and with Braid virtually last man home, the interest was maintained right up to the close.

I had the good fortune to catch young Gray as he opened his second round, to find Braid half way through, and then to join the gallery, which followed Vardon to his memorable pitch to the home green. Gray has a particularly nice style. There is very little of him, but all there is is good. He gets a long ball from the tee, has a very nice steadiness in the approach, and putted very well so long as I saw him. More should be heard of him soon, for he is quite young. I may parenthetically mention that the club is a little circumscribed in its acreage, and that, in addition to this, a new electric railway from Ealing to Harrow has shorn of one corner, so that every bit of land has to be utilized. Thus various holes run very much on the same lines, and the sixth, eighth and ninth are virtually parallel to one another, and of equal length. The course is well provided with artificial hazards, and big, open sand bunkers guard almost every green, while the topped drive is usually badly trapped by well placed bunkers. Indeed the feature of the course is its fairness, for the hazards give the player of perfect golf little trouble, but cause sad bother to the duffer, That, I take it, is how a course should be, though some of the carries are quite long for even the cracks who played them yesterday.

When I caught up with Braid he was playing with great steadiness, invariably leaving himself little to do on the green, and driving with prodigious power and length. But Vardon, who looks thinner than when at Ganton had taken seven to the eleventh, thanks to a finely hit second slithering in the mud, and he was fighting hard on to the finish against the handicap thus imposed. He wound up with a perfect three to the home green, his approach barely missing the pin, and lying dead. Once Vardon had done, with a 78 to his credit, tying with Jack White’s aggregate of 151, one turned to see how Braid was getting on. The fifteenth green has been sliced clean off the crown of the hill, and the approach is up a decidedly steep slope, the distance being about 370 yards from the tee. Here Braid had to do 18 to win, a by no means impossible task, as he was playing. He got in a huge drive, took his brassie, and the ball, curling outwards, struck the bank, which protects the green on the far side, ran round it, and dribbled on towards the hole. It was a bit of luck, of course, but it was a great second, and Braid was down in four. Thenceforward he made no mistake, and with a lovely pitch on the home green he was down in four, and the hearty plaudits of the crowd showed how popular the victory was.

The scores are appended, but it may be noted that White atoned in the afternoon for a mediocre morning, that Braid was steadiness itself throughout, and that Vardon practically lost his chance at the eleventh in the afternoon. The three rounds of 73 achieved by White, Braid and Vardon proved  to be the best rounds of the day and are detailed as follows:-

Vardon (morning) Out 4,3,5,4,4,4,4,3,4=35. In 5,5,4,4,4,4,4,4,4=38 total 73.

Braid (morning) Out 4,4,5,6,4,4,4,3,4=38. In 4,6,3,3,3,4,4,4,4=35 total 73.

White (afternoon) Out 5,3,4,5,4,4,4,2,5=36. In 6,5,4,3,3,4,4,5,3=37 total 73.

Leading final scores; James Braid, Romford, 148; Harry Vardon, South Herts, 151; Jack White, Sunningdale, 151; J Sherlock, Oxford University, 157; T Yeoman, Seaford, 157; Rowland Jones, Wimbledon Park, 158; J McLaren, Norbury, 158; W Hunter, Richmond, 159; R T Thompson, North Berwick, 160; Jack Milne, Neasden, 160; E Gray, Littlehampton, 160; J Bradben, Finchley, 160.

The awards for assistants are as follows; A F Kettley, Mid Surrey, 167; Joshua Taylor, Mid Surrey, 168; A Hills, Sevenoaks, 171.

Above card showing the Hanger Hill clubhouse was posted in 1902. Authors Collection.

On the terrace.

The Hanger Hill course on a Wakefields, Ealing, postcard. Authors Collection.

The June 1904 monthly bogey competition resulted in a tie between A B Field (9) and C S Vaughan (14) who were both 1up.

In 1906 the course records were, amateur A C Lincoln, 74 and professional Rowland Jones 72. Visitors’ fees on introduction were 1/6 a day, 5/- a week and 10/6 a month.

Hanger Hill Golf Club Competition Spoon. Image courtesy @LdnGolfHistory

Also listed in 1906 was Hanger Hill Ladies Golf Club. The secretary was Mrs F L Cormack. A 9 hole course. The ladies played their competitions over the men’s course. Visitors were allowed on introduction by letter from the secretary of a recognised club and paid 2/6 a day, 10/6 a week and 21/- a month.

Above are views of the course in the 1900s.

In 1907 George Duncan moved to Hanger Hill from Timperley Golf Club (also now defunct) to take over as professional from Willie Anderson. In 1920 Duncan won the Open Championship at Deal with a score of 303. He moved to Wentworth in 1924 where he stayed until 1929 when he left to become freelance. He went on to captain the successful Ryder Cup team at Moortown in 1929.  

In July 1908 George Duncan broke the record for the course with a score of 65, beating his previous record by three shots, he was partnered by Sir William Corry. 

George Duncan – professional at Hanger Hill from 1907 to 1924.

The August 1908 monthly medal was won by W D Shilson, 92-18-74.

Result of the December 1908 monthly medal; Senior - A H Proctor, 81-2-79; Junior - W G Verdon-Smith, 100-14-86.

Below competition results from July 1909.

Acton Gazette Friday 16 July 1909. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The August 1911 monthly bogey was won by Forester Clayton, 1up; monthly medal; Senior - W Sankey, 73 net; Junior - R W Cox, 82 net.

Result of the September 1911 monthly medal; Senior - N Cazley, 75 net; Junior - E A Prout, 77 net.

Result of the October 1911 monthly medal; Senior - A O Burton, 81-6-75; Junior - E A Prout, 92-18-74.

Result of the December 1911 monthly bogey; A E Bolter, 1up.

Competition results from July 1912; Captain's Prize - S Brook, 90-15-75; monthly medal - A E Ferris, 88-9-79.

In 1914 the membership was; gents 400 (full) and 200 (restricted), ladies 150. Entry fees were £10/10/0, £5/5/0 (restricted), ladies’ £3/3/0. Subs were £6/6/0, £3/3/0 (restricted), ladies £4/4/0.  Visitors now paid 2/6 a day, 5/- at weekend, 10/6 a week and £2/2/0 a month. Sunday play was allowed with caddies.

On Sunday 11th January 1914 E Touboul holed in one on the thirteenth, he went on to win the monthly medal with a net 75. 

From The Tatler 14 January 1920. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

In 1923 membership had drastically reduced after WW1 to 70. Course records were, amateur D L Cottam with a score of 71 and professional G Duncan 65. Visitors’ fees on introduction were now 5/- a day, 7/6 at Weekend and Bank Holiday and £1/1/0 a week, £4/4/0 a month.

On Saturday 21 April 1923 George Duncan, the Hanger Hill professional, and former British Champion, took on Abe Mitchell (North Foreland) over the Hanger Hill course. Duncan played superbly over the first nine holes scoring 35 against Mitchell’s 40. Duncan was very eratic on the back nine and took 43 for a total of 78. Mitchell came home in 35 for a total of 75. Later in the day Mitchell was partnered by the British Amateur Champion, *Mr E W E Holderness (Walton Heath), in a four-ball match against Duncan and Harry Braid. Mitchell & Holderness won the match on the seventeenth hole. 

*Interesting note regarding Ernest Holderness – In May 1922 twenty thousand spectators watched the final of the 36-hole British Amateur Championship played at Prestwick. In an exciting and high quality match Ernest Holderness beat John Caven (Scotland) by 1up.

Result of the July 1923 monthly medal; Senior - F Clemens, 81-11-70; Junior - C P Miller, 82-14-68; Captain's Prize - C P Miller (14) 4up. Monthly bogey - C P Miller (11) and A Strange (18) tied at 1up.

Result of the August 1923 monthly bogey; S V Scott (18) 3up.

Result of the December 1923 monthly medal; Handicaps 12 and under; J MacCulloch, 83-6-77; A Davidson, 87-10-77; J W Clough, 89-12-77; C L K Peel, 85-5-80; A S Dornton, 88-8-80; I A de la Rue, 90-8-82; H Gahagan, 91-9-82; Lieut. Col. A Landen, 93-10-83; Rev A C Buckell, 94-10-84; Handicaps exceeding 12; E A Prout, 90-13-77; G Caithness, 91-14-77; C E Bedford, 94-15-79; F A Davies, 99-18-81. 

Result of the May 1924 monthly medal; Senior - A Davidson, 88-10-78; R McCormack, 81-2-79; Junior - T W Sissens, 87-14-73; E C Lait, 87-14-73; W R Edgar, 92-18-74.

It was announced in August 1924 that George Duncan was to leave Hanger Hill to take up an appointment at the new Wentworth Estate Club at Virginia Water. 

It was reported in January 1926 that the lease on the Hanger Hill course had been sold. It was understood that the land would be used for housing.

The "Britain From Above" image from 1933 shows the Hanger Hill golf course. The clubhouse is the large building at the bottom of the picture. 

The picture below shows the northern tip of the course. This was the area shown on the early course plan as the "Ladies' Course." 

It seems as though the club continued and  in 1930 it was listed as Hanger Hill (New) Golf Club, Ealing W5, telephone Perivale 3849. Membership had recovered to 518. Visitors’ fees on introduction were 2/6 a round, 3/6 a day, at weekend and on Bank Holidays it was 5/- a round and 7/6 a day.

By its closure, due to WW2, the course had reduced to nine holes, with a membership of 300. Visitors’ fees on introduction were now 2/6 a round and 3/6 a day.

The north part of the former Hanger Hill golf course is currently used as a pitch and put course.