Stop 2: Golf Club-Information
The Rowlands Castle Golf Club was founded in early 1902 on land owned by the Clarke-Jervoise family. The first nine-hole course was begun the same year and it was in use by May 1903.
Early committee meetings were held in the Railway Hotel, now the Robin Hood, until the purchase of an old railway carriage, costing £10 became the first clubhouse, known as the Pavilion. A proper clubhouse was built by 1906 and this was extended in 1927.
By 1922 the course was extended to 18 holes. This was achieved by redesigning the existing course and using newly purchased land, roughly from the clubhouse towards the Stein buildings and beyond. International course designer Harry Colt, who also designed Wentworth and Muirfield, took on the re-design.
In 1903, the club’s first president was William Dupree, Mayor of Portsmouth, and he kept this position until 1933. Members still play for the Cup named in his honour. GS Vernon-Inkpen was the Honorary Secretary at this time. He was an architect of local fame. Admiral M.P. O’Callaghan of Deerleap house, and Colonel Stubbington of Oaklands, both well-known villagers, were among the supporters in those early years.
By 1907, the golf club was well established with 163 members, a professional and at least one greenkeeper. In 1949 the membership had only grown to 219 but by the 1990s, it was over 900. A competition for men dates from 1905 and one for ladies from1907. By 2000, there were some 75 trophies, played yearly.
During World War I, animals were grazed on the rough although some golf was still played. However, during World War II, no golf was played. The club was ordered to grow crops on the course but it managed to get by with growing hay on the rough, later it had to graze animals for food on the fairways.
The course was extended to Championship length in 1973, on lands to the north of the footpath that had marked the boundary of the links since 1922.
In 1973, the golf club put on a big event; a Pro Am tournament at which some of the country’s leading professionals took part. It attracted a crowd of 4,500 or so. The event was repeated in 1974, however this did not prove to be as popular and it has not been tried again as such, on this scale.
A new clubhouse on the same site was built in 1994, with a professional shop and storerooms. To this day it remains a very successful golf course and adds to the quality of life in the village. The Club House is used by local organisations for events of various sorts with excellent food.