Royal Eastbourne Ladies' Golf Club, Sussex. (1888 - 1937)
Founded 1888 by the men of Royal Eastbourne club on land alongside their course.
The first tournament on the new ladies' links in October 1890.
The “Royal” title was bestowed on the ladies club in 1893, granted by the Dutchess of Fife who became Patroness.
Below is the result of the November 1893 monthly medal.
From the Golfing Annual Vol. V - 1891-92 - "Eastbourne Ladies' Golf Club, Instituted June 1888; Entrance Fee five shillings per family; Annual Subscription five shillings each; Number of Members limited to 120 ladies and 100 Gentlemen Associate Members; Committee - H G Hutchinson, C T Praed, G H Lawrence, Colonel Shaw, H Ingleby and R O Lambert; Secretary, Captain B G Harrison, Sussex Club, Eastbourne; Green-keeper, Peter Paxton.
The course is a nine-hole one twice round, which is about one and a half miles. The length of the holes vary from 95 yards to 160 yards, each hole having its own hazards. The putting greens are very good."
From the 1905 Nisbet's Golf Yearbook; Instituted 1888; Number of members, 250; Hon. secretary - Mrs C E Sawyer, 25 St Anne's Road, Eastbourne; Captain, Mrs Fox Russell; Entrance fee £1/1s and subs 10s/6d; Nine-holes; Professional, A E Robb; Fixtures - Devonshire Challenge Cup, Autumn Meeting, St Cyprian's Cup, "Open," Kent and Sussex County Challenge Cup, Mr Gardner's Scratch Challenge Bowl, Spring Meeting, Commemoration Chalenge Cup; Terms for visitors - who must be a member of a recognised club, or introduced by the hon. sec., 1s a day, 5s a week, 15s a month. The smallness of the course is a great drawback. Members with handicaps of 10 or under are allowed to playon the men's links, on certain days, and the men can invite any member of the Ladies' club to play with them on their links every Thursday at certain hours.
The Ordnance Survey Map below shows the Ladies' clubhouse top right.
The ladies continued to play on their course until 1937 when the land was taken over for the expansion of amenities for the Royal Eastbourne club.
The ladies clubhouse was taken over by the Artisans club.
The Google Map below pinpoints the area occupied by the former Ladies' clubhouse.