Richmond Golf Club
51°26′23.36″N 0°17′49.48″W / 51.4398222°N 0.2970778°W / 51.4398222; -0.2970778
The Richmond Golf Club is a private golf club whose 18-hole course now occupies the historic Sudbrook Park adjacent to Richmond Park, in Petersham, south west London. The Grade I listed building, Sudbrook House, in the park, is now the clubhouse.
History
The Club was founded in February 1891, at a meeting at the Greyhound Hotel in Richmond. It briefly leased a course at Old Deer Park, before moving to Sudbrook Park in Petersham, where it has been located ever since.
Without a clubhouse initially, the members met in the Fox and Duck public house, which they also used for the changing rooms, before obtaining the lease of Sudbrook Park and House in 1898.[1]
German bombs fell on the course in 1940.[2] The club made temporary rules to accommodate this.[3]
Golfing and competitions
The club runs a full schedule of friendly and competitive golfing activities. It still runs competitions dating back to the first days of the club, of which notable competitions include:[4]
- The Stephenson Challenge Cup trophies, first presented in 1895 to the winners of the singles and foursomes matchplay competitions.
- The Don Memorial Challenge Cup, instituted in 1895, a 36-hole scratch medal which is open to members of invited local golf clubs.
- The Victory and Rube Shields, a series of annual matches played between The Richmond Golf Club and Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club, first played in 1897.
The club has hosted visits from many professionals including, in 1975, Tom Watson playing his first game of golf in Britain. This was the day before playing in and winning his first Open Championship at Carnoustie, beating Jack Newton in a play-off.[5]
Course
The course was designed by Tom Dunn in 1896, one of many laid out by him during the explosion of popularity of the sport in the late 19th century.[6]
The current layout of the course consists of six par 3, eight par 4 and four par 5 holes, with a total length of 6,091 yards (5,570 m) and a par of 70 (SSS 69).
Between 2010 and 2012, the course underwent significant renovation, including the construction of 56 new bunkers, as well as improvements to putting greens, tees and the planting of new trees along the fairways. Following these enhancements, the course was awarded first place in the Golf Inc. Monthly, Renovation of the Year for 2012.[7]
Clubhouse
The club's clubhouse, Sudbrook House, was built around 1725 by architect James Gibbs, for John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll. It is built of a combination of white Portland stone and dark red brick, and is widely regarded[by whom?] as one of the finest examples of early eighteenth-century English Palladian architecture.
At the centre of Sudbrook House is The Cube Room, which is the club's principal dining and function room. The Cube Room is of Baroque style, and as its name suggests, the height (over 30 feet) is the same as the width and length. The interior of The Cube Room is adorned with trophies of arms above the doorways from the Duke of Argyll's military achievements, and the Campbell family coat of arms carved in pine in the great panel above the mirror. The carved marble chimney is the work of Flemish sculptor Jan Michiel Rysbrack.[8]
Other facilities
In addition to the course, there are extensive practice facilities, including: 2 putting greens, a 250-yard driving range with covered teaching bays, and a short-game practice area for chipping and bunker shots.
The clubhouse has two bars, one which is reserved exclusively for members, dining rooms, a TV lounge and a snooker room.
The course also has a pro shop and the clubhouse is available to host weddings and other social events.
See also
References
- ^ Brennand, Tom (1990). Richmond Golf Club: A Centenary History 1891–1991. St Edmundsbury Press Ltd. pp. 20, 38–39, 104–106.
- ^ "High Explosive Bomb at Sudbrook Gardens". Bomb Sight, mapping the WW2 bomb census. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ "Wartime Rules: The Richmond Golf Club". www.therichmondgolfclub.com. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
- ^ Brennand, Tom (1990). Richmond Golf Club: A Centenary History 1891–1991. St Edmundsbury Press Ltd. pp. 104–106.
- ^ Frampton, Roger (2007). Golf Since 1891 at The Richmond Golf Club. Roger Frampton. p. 127.
- ^ Macwood, Tom. "The Early Golf Architects: Beyond Old Tom". Retrieved 5 December 2012.
- ^ Stetz, Mike (July 2013). "Golf Inc. Monthly". Retrieved 24 September 2018.
- ^ Brennand, Tom (1990). Richmond Golf Club: A Centenary History 1891–1991. St Edmundsbury Press Ltd. pp. 38–39.
External links
- Official website
- Watercolour of Sudbrook Park Golf Course, c.1940 by John Sanderson-Wells
- v
- t
- e
- Barnes
- East Sheen
- Fulwell
- Ham
- Hampton
- Hampton Hill
- Hampton Wick
- Kew
- Mortlake
- Petersham
- Richmond
- St Margarets
- Strawberry Hill
- Teddington
- Twickenham
- Whitton
- Barnes
- Barnes Bridge
- Fulwell
- Hampton
- Hampton Wick
- Kew Gardens
- Mortlake
- North Sheen
- Richmond
- St Margarets
- Strawberry Hill
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- Twickenham
- Whitton
- A307 road
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- A316 road
- Barnes High Street
- Castelnau, Barnes
- Church Road, Barnes
- George Street, Richmond
- Kew Green
- Mill Hill, Barnes
- Mortlake High Street
- Old Palace Lane
- Old Palace Yard
- Queen's Road
- Ringway 2
- South Circular Road
- The Green, Richmond
- The Terrace, Barnes
- The Vineyard, Richmond
and river services
- Beverley Brook
- River Crane
- Duke of Northumberland's River
- Longford River
- Sudbrook and Latchmere stream
- River Thames
- Athletic Ground, Richmond
- Barn Elms playing fields
- The Championship Course
- Cricket clubs and grounds
- Golf clubs and courses
- Hampton Pool
- The Lensbury
- Pools on the Park
- Royal Tennis Court, Hampton Court
- Teddington Pools and Fitness Centre
- Thames Young Mariners
- Twickenham Stadium
- Twickenham Stoop
- former Ranelagh Club
- former Richmond Ice Rink
- Britannia, Richmond
- The Bull's Head, Barnes
- The Crown, Twickenham
- Dysart Arms, Petersham
- The Fox, Twickenham
- The George, Twickenham
- Hare and Hounds, East Sheen
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- Old Ship, Richmond
- Park Hotel, Teddington
- Richmond Brewery Stores
- Sun Inn, Barnes
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- White Cross, Richmond
- The White Swan, Twickenham
and music venues
- The Bull's Head
- Crawdaddy Club
- The Exchange
- Olympic Studios
- Orange Tree Theatre
- OSO Arts Centre
- Puppet Theatre Barge
- Richmond Theatre
- TwickFolk
- Wathen Hall
- former Eel Pie Island Hotel
- former Richmond Theatre (1765–1884|
- Richmond and Twickenham Times
- former Gaydar Radio
- former Hogarth Press
of interest
- 123 Mortlake High Street
- 14 The Terrace, Barnes
- 18 Station Road, Barnes
- 70 Barnes High Street
- Asgill House
- Barnes power station
- Brinsworth House
- Bushy House
- Cambridge Cottage
- Chapel House
- Chapel in the Wood
- Clarence House
- Doughty House
- Douglas House
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- East Sheen Filling Station
- Fulwell bus garage
- Garrick's Temple to Shakespeare
- Garrick's Villa
- Great Pagoda, Kew Gardens
- Grove House, Hampton
- Halford House
- Ham House
- Hampton Water Treatment Works
- Hampton Youth Project
- Harrods Furniture Depository
- Hogarth House
- The Homestead
- Hotham House
- Kew Gardens
- Kew Mortuary
- King's Observatory
- Kneller Hall
- Langham House
- Langham House Close
- Latchmere House
- Lichfield Court
- Marble Hill House
- Montrose House
- National Physical Laboratory
- Normansfield Theatre
- The Old Court House
- Old Town Hall, Richmond
- Ormeley Lodge
- Parkleys
- Park Lane Stables Teddington
- The Pavilion
- Pembroke Lodge
- Pope's Grotto
- Poppy Factory
- Royal Military School of Music
- Royal Star and Garter Home
- St Leonard's Court
- Strawberry Hill House
- Stud House
- Sudbrook House and Park
- Thatched House Lodge
- Trumpeters' House
- University Boat Race Stones
- Victoria Working Men's Club
- West Hall
- White Lodge
- The Wick
- Wick House
- Yelverton Lodge
- York House
- former Admiralty Research Laboratory
- former Alcott House
- former Camp Griffiss
- former Cardigan House
- former Cross Deep House
- former The Karsino
- former Mortlake Tapestry Works
- former Mount Ararat
- former Pope's villa
- former Radnor House
- former Richmond House
- former Richmond Lodge
- former Richmond Theological College
- former Sheen Priory
- former Star and Garter Hotel
- former Twickenham Park
- Adana Printing Machines
- Ashe baronets
- Cook baronets of Doughty House
- Darell baronets, of Richmond Hill
- GHQ Liaison Regiment (Phantom)
- Hampton Court Conference
- Kew Letters
- Petersham Hole
- Pocock baronets
- Richmond Flyers
- Richmond, Petersham and Ham Open Spaces Act 1902
- Treaty of Hampton Court (1562)
- Vandeput baronets
- Warren-Lambert
- Wigan baronets
- Richmond Park
- Twickenham
- former Richmond and Barnes
- former Richmond (Surrey)