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Suda Bay Golf Course, Crete. (1898 – 1913)
The first reference to modern golf in Greece is found in the 1898-99 Golfing Annual stating that golf has been started on the island of Crete: “The course, of nine holes, is at Suda Bay, the river being a formidable hazard.”
This golf course was obviously initiated by the British Army & Navy after they landed on Crete in March 1897 and detaching Crete from the Ottoman empire by November 1898 thus creating an autonomous Cretan State in December 1898 which was headed by Prince George of Greece and Denmark. In 1910 the Cretan deputies declared union with Greece which was internationally accepted in 1913 only.
On 18 February 1899 “The Navy and Army Illustrated” published an article titled “A Nine-hole Course in Crete”. A golf course at Suda Bay was laid out by the officers of the “Revenge” in January 1898. By February 1899 succeeding ships had expended time and labour on the Links though creating a nine-hole course that gives a very fair game. Indeed many naval officers who have played a great deal on both courses declared that much better “gowf” can be had on the Suda Bay Links than on the older course at Malta.
“The links are situated some twenty minutes’ walk from the landing place at Suda where a small river discharges its stream at the head of Suda Bay.
Here, as shown in the [pic1] illustration is Giacomo’s restaurant. This place was known among British Naval officers as ‘The Sign of the Great Powers.’
“Here caddies are engaged and a naval officer is, in our illustration, seen solving the difficult question, namely, which of the two caddies offering their services is likely to be the least untrustworthy.”
The next illustration [pic2] gives a general view of the links. “It looks a good sporting country, with plenty of natural hazards. The most notable is the river itself, which has to be negotiated twice in the course of the nine holes, i.e., giving four good water hazards in an eighteen-hole game. As is natural, it is a fruitful source of anxiety to beginners, and if carefully dredged should prove a Klondike of lost golf balls. A glance, too, shows how well the links are patronised by a very fair number of couples, considering that it is only a nine-hole course. Let us hope that there is very little crossing.”
On the next photo [pic3] one can see the third green which was the smallest on the course. “It is evidently a difficult hole to approach, for beyond its smallness it is on a rise and surrounded by rough ground.” The following picture [pic4] shows another very small green, No. 6. However, as the author of the article points out, “small, good greens are better than bad large ones.”
The last illustration [pic5] shows the fourth tee. In this picture we see Suda Bay and the village in the background. The author summarizes, that Suda Bay Links possesses that characteristic of pretty scenery which renders golf on any ground endurable, and enhances the delight of a match on a good course.
Finally it is stated that in the last tournament the medal presented by Commander S.C. Carden of the Royal Navy was won by Captain C.J. Briggs, Royal Navy, of the “Revenge”
The Suda Bay course was not unique. While it was apparently in use in 1899 when the photographs were taken, writing in 1915 of his time stationed in Crete in 1906, Captain W. D. Downes of the 2nd Sussex Regiment describes a golf course in Candia which had been built by ‘political prisoners.’
The site of the Suda Bay golf course still retains its connection with the British military. Today very nearby you find the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery, containing not only the remains of those British and Allied troops who died on Crete during WW2, but also a small number who died on the island at other times, including during the Intervention period.
It is believed that the golf course might have been in use until 1913, when the last British troops left Crete.
Christoph Meister, September 2021
Further information on Golf in Greece can be seen on the link below.
https://www.golfgreece.com/the-story