Chislehurst Golf Club

The Rt Hon AJ Balfour formally opened the course on 21July 1894, although only the present 7th (then the 5th) now remains. The present layout is attributed to the legendary course designer Harry S Colt, adding his signature to the design of Easton Devonshire who drove himself in as the Club's seventh Captain on 1 June 1900. There have been no really major alterations since. With an overall area of less than 70 acres, space is at a premium so that accuracy has always been more important than distance from the tee. At 5119 yards for the men the course is clearly short but a SSS of 65 gives nothing away. This is clearly recognised when considering that the amateur course record of 62 for a medal round, set in 1938 by OJ Llewellyn, remained for more than fifty years before being broken by JD Murray who carded a 61 in 1993. This record stood until August 2012, having been equalled in 2009 by current member Graham Kerr, when Freddie Price from Royal Blackheath GC shot 60 during the Kent County Junior Championships. The excellent greens are demanding and certainly not flat, as befitting a course designed by Colt, and tight tree-lined fairways and at times awkward sloping lies simply add to the challenge. Any two of the eight 'short' holes can together demolish the highest of hopes at any one time. In the last two years Chislehurst has once again returned to the list of host venues for County fixtures and this year hosted the Kent County Junior Championships, further recognition of the test that awaits even the best golfers here at Chislehurst.