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Royal Ashdown Forest Ladies’ Golf Club, Forest Row. (1889 – 1951)
Founded in November 1889 as the Ashdown Forest and Tunbridge Wells Ladies’ Golf Club. The Ladies’ Club had their own clubhouse and nine-hole course.
The Ladies’ Club gained the “Royal” status in 1932 and the course was extended to 18-holes in the same year.
In 1951 the Ladies’ joined the men’s club and the course was reduced to nine-holes.
It was reopened and redesigned as an 18-hole course in 1966. It became the West Course in 2002.
Result of the third handicap competition played in June 1890.
From the Field Saturday 14 June 1890. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
From The Golfing Annual Vol. V – 1891-92:-
“Entrance Fee , One Pound One Shilling; Annual Subscription, Fifteen Shillings; Numeber of Members, 114; President, Lady Henry Nevill; Vice-President’s – Mrs Bell, Mrs Du Croz, Mrs F Lucas, Mrs F Scott, Miss Williams and Miss Harrild; Captain, Miss Birch; Committee – Mrs C Green, Mrs Peckham, Mrs Stone, Miss Moor, Miss Bone; Miss Lee; Mrs M Rogers and Miss Fox; Hon. Secretary and Treasurer – Miss Andrews, 6 Nevill Park, Tunbridge Wells; Assistant Hon. Secretary, Miss Bannister; Green – Ashdown Forest.
Club Prizes; Gold Medal (handicap) played for monthly.
The course is one of nine-holes about a mile and a half round, and situated close to the Forest Row links. There is a club-room.”
"Gentlewoman” Saturday 17 January 1891. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
There were 17 entrants at the meeting for the gold medal in November 1892, Miss Andrews returned a record score of 42 and 36. The following were the first four; Miss Andrews, 78-2-76; Miss Fox, 99-21-78; Mrs Bell, 101-23-78; Mrs M Stewart, 91-6-85.
The ladies' club seem to have adopted the "Royal" title in in September 1894.
From the Queen Saturday 15 September 1894. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Ashdown Forest Ladies’ Golf Club.
Result of a match played on the Forest Row course against Bexhill-on-Sea Ladies' Golf Club in June 1895.
"Golf" Friday 14 June 1895. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
From the Nisbet’s Golf Yearbook 1905; Ashdown Forest Ladies’ Golf Club; Instituted 1889; Membership of 132; Hon. Secretary, Miss H E Andrews; Entrance Fee £3/3s and Subs £1/11s; Nine-holes; Course records – 36 (9-holes,) 78 (18-holes.)
Result of a match played at Limpsfield in November 1908.
| Limpsfield Ladies' Golf Club | Ashdown Forest Ladies' Golf Club | ||
| Mrs Hammond | 1 | Miss Freeland | 0 |
| Miss Higinbotham | 0 | Miss Andrews | 1 |
| Mrs Woodroffe | 0 | Miss Anderson | 1 |
| Miss D Scott | 0 | Mrs Cecil Burns | 1 |
| Miss Lee | 0 | Miss Rawlinson | 1 |
| Miss A Stuart | 0 | Miss Hatfield | 1 |
| Mrs H Johnson | 0 | Miss J Trinder | 1 |
| Miss C Smith | 0 | Lady E Fox Pitt | 1 |
| 1 | 7 |
Pictures from the autumn meeting October 1909.
From The Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic News Saturday 23 October 1909. Image © Illustrated London News Group.
The spring meeting April 1910.
From The Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic News Saturday 9 April 1910. Image © Illustrated London News Group.
Pictures of the opening of the extended ladies' course in May 1932.
From The Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic News Saturday May 21 1932. Image © Illustrated London News Group.
Result of the Inauguration Cup played in May 1937; Miss G M Scott, 102-27-75; Mrs Rowand Harker, 86-10-76; Mrs Wolfson, 92-16-76; Mrs Heyworth, 104-27-77; Miss D S Scott, 97-18-79; Miss Munn, 91-11-80; Miss J Graham, 96-15-81; Miss M Young, 101-19-82; Miss S Mountain, 94-8-86; Mrs Tatham, 109-20-89.
On Saturday 15 July 1939 a match was played between the Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club and the Royal Ashdown Forest Ladies' Golf Club to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of both clubs. The men gave the usual difference of handicap, plus six strokes.
| Royal Ashdown Forest Ladies' Golf Club | Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club | ||
| Miss Fellowes | 1 | F B Lowe | 0 |
| Mrs Burns | 0 | Capt. Scott | 1 |
| Miss Mountain | 0 | Capt. Cowan | 1 |
| Mrs Wolfson | 1 | G Cooper | 0 |
| Mrs Bristowe | 0 | G Ruddock | 1 |
| Miss J Graham (halved) | 0 | L H Savill (halved) | 0 |
| Mrs Devitt | 1 | A C Wolfson | 0 |
| Mrs Tipping | 1 | Dr. Branwell | 0 |
| Mrs Beall | 0 | F S Harries | 1 |
| Mrs Hoy | 0 | W O Luscombe | 1 |
| Miss Purves (halved) | 0 | G D Drayson (halved) | 0 |
| Mrs Tatham | 1 | J L Heyworth | 0 |
| Miss Bishop | 0 | Col. Fischer | 1 |
| Mrs G Cooper | 1 | S R Cooper | 0 |
| Mrs Branwell | 0 | Capt. Swift | 1 |
| Hon. Mrs R Barrington | 0 | Major the Hon. R Barrington | 1 |
| Mrs Wightman | 1 | J B Patterson | 0 |
| Miss Holland | 0 | Dr. N S Lucas | 1 |
| Mrs J Wilson (halved) | 0 | H A Lucas (halved) | 0 |
| 7 | 9 |
The following report appeared in the West Sussex Gazette Thursday 5 March 1951:-
“At an extraordinary general meeting of the Royal Ashdown Forest Ladies’ Golf Club members approved the final scheme to dissolve the club and amalgamate with the Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club. The reasons are lack of members and financial support. The ladies’ clubhouse was sold at a public auction a few weeks ago, but the course is to be kept on. Lady Dudley Gordon has been elected captain of the new ladies’ section and Mrs Bristowe secretary.”