THE Addington Golf Club celebrates its centenary this year, and captains Stuart Ashby and Penny Hewitt oversee a series of celebrations.
On Saturday, June 1, the club will host a match with Knole Park, Worpleson and Coombe Hill for the Abercromby Cup, while there are plans to play against fellow Surrey centenarians Bramley, RAC and Camberley Heath in September.
Furthermore, a Hickory Club Invitational will be staged on July 10, which is the date the club officially opened in 1913, and on the social front, the club's centenary dinner dance will be held in November.
It all began on July 10, 1913, when Addington Golf Syndicate Ltd was incorporated with an initial share capital of £1,000.
Leading the way was South African-born John Frederic Abercromby, a former member of the Stock Exchange, and with the aid of the experienced Willie Park Junior, he made an impressive start by building Worplesdon and Coombe Hill before he took on the Addington.
And the club became so popular between the two World Wars that a second 18 holes were opened in 1923.
Among today's notable members is veteran comedian Ronnie Corbett, whose home backs on to the course, while former footballers Gianfranco Zola, Ian Wright and Mark Bright are among a raft of leading faces who share the fairways with cricketers such as Mark Butcher and Alec Stewart.
In recent years, the club was bought by the Altonwood Group (owned by former Wimbledon, Crystal Palace and Brentford chairman Ron Noades) which also owns and operates Surrey National, Westerham, Woldingham and Godstone Golf Clubs.
Determined to restore the course's high reputation work has been progressing at a pace.
The undergrowth has been cleared, bunkers have been completely renovated and several new tees have been constructed, which has led to the club being ranked eighth in Surrey and 30th in England. And new purpose built clubhouse is in the pipeline.
To celebrate the centenrary, the club are running a limited membership offer. Contact Oliver Peel on 0208 7771055 or email him at oliver.peel@addingtongolf.com
