Rhodes Golf Club. (1928 – 1945)
The 9-holes golf course of 1,507 yards on Rhodes was inaugurated in December 1928 by His Excellence Mario Lago, Governor of the Aegean Isles, who also became the clubs first Honorary president, and to whose initiative and patronage, according to the historic sources, its formation is due.
The clubhouse was designed by Italian architect Armando Bernabiti (1900 – 1970) and opened in 1928.
The Links which were 2 miles from the centre of the town, were easily accessible and situated at Acandia, on the Coschino Road, and ran parallel to the sea shore. The course was laid out on undulating sandy ground, although the holes were somehow short, (the longest being No. 3 measuring 290 yards) they were by no means lacking in interest as there were plenty of natural bunkers. The greens were of rolled sand. The course was open for play all year round. The green fee was one shilling per person per day and two pounds, two shillings per person for three months.
H.R.M’s Consul Edward Perkins was the club president. Within two minutes’ walk of the club house was a fine bathing beach open to the members and their guests only. It is believed that the golf course was closed during 1940’s. In 1945 Rhodes was liberated by British troops and in 1947 the island was given to Greece and by then all Italians already left the island.
Today’s 18-hole golf course at Afandou was designed by Donald Harradine at a different location where it opened in 1973.
Christoph Meister, September 2021
Pictures below from the Christoph Meister archive.
Further information on Golf in Greece can be seen on the link below.