A Century of Golf

Following it’s formation, the Club flourished. Over a period of time various parcels of land were acquired as the leases on others ran out or were given up. By 1928, the Club was in the position to purchase all the land it occupied at that time, together with a new field, for the sum of £21,500. In 1935 a further field was purchased which brought the total land in the Club’s possession up to the 147 acres which is owned today. The expansion of its land allowed the main course to be lengthened and improved a number of times – today’s layout is the fourth.

The first Clubhouse, built at a cost of £2,991, was extended over the years to provide spacious accommodation for the members. However, on 25th October 1959 a fire destroyed all but a few parts of the building. Within hours a Reconstruction Committee had been formed, and a new Clubhouse opened in December 1960, constructed at a cost of £47,037. This is essentially the building that exists today.

Over the years South Herts has hosted a number of professional tournaments,  and many pre-qualifying competitions for The Open. The US Ryder Cup team first visited the Club in 1937, and returned many times to practice before subsequent  competitions on this side of the Atlantic. South Herts own annual competitions, The Vardon Open and The Hudson Trophy, also saw many fine players visiting the Club.

Because of these associations the list of great players who have graced the Clubs fairways reads as a ‘who’s who’ of Golf – James Braid, J H Taylor, Sandy Herd, Ted Ray, Abe Mitchell, Walter Hagen, Arnold Palmer, Sam Sneed, Billy Casper, Bobby Locke, Peter Townsend, Gary Player, Tom Weiskopf, Tony Jacklin, Nick Faldo, Bernard Gallagher, Peter Alliss, Christy O'Conner, Ronan Rafferty, and many more.

Joe Carr, three times British Amateur Champion and Captain of the R&A in 1991/2, was an honorary member of South Herts. David Harrison, Captain of the R&A in 2007/8, is a former member.