History

Whitley Bay Golf Club was founded in 1890 by JB Radcliffe and FW Wyndham. The original 9-hole course on Whitley links covered a narrow strip of land along the coast with the Clubhouse opposite the ‘Spanish City’. The Club has experienced a varied life through the years being based in different areas until settling at its current venue in 1954. Some of the more important dates and events in the clubs history are detailed below:

29th September 1890 – Inaugural meeting at the Crown Hotel, Newcastle. 129 original members paying an annual subscription of 10/6.

10th October 1890 – Links formally opened for golf, as a winter course October to June only, due to the popularity of the links to visitors during the summer.

10th/11th October 1890 – First competition, a large number of golfers competed from various parts of the country. Scratch prize – Davison Cup and 25 guineas, Handicap prize – Wyndham Cup and 15 guineas and the Hamilton Cup was played for on the Sunday.

7th October 1891 – First AGM held in the Continental Restaurant, Newcastle, with 151 members now on the roll.

9th October 1894 – AGM, Ladies invited to join Whitley Bay Golf Club for the first time.

1st November 1899 – The Club rented a field near St Mary’s island.

3rd May 1902 – Whitley St Mary’s Golf Club opened as a summer course with Lord Hastings being involved for the first time.

31st January 1902 – First Annual Dinner Dance.

1903 – First inter club friendly with South Shields Golf Club.

October 1903 – In light of continuing problems with both courses it was agreed to terminate the agreement on the St Mary’s course.

1904 – First Junior Section formed.

1906 – Agreement drawn up for a course on Nicholson’s farm with a rent of £30 in the first year, £35 in the second and £40 in the third. George Rochester a well known professional from Alnmouth was approached for his expert advice in the laying of the course. The course covered 67 acres and had a total playing length of 2770yds.

22nd September 1906 – Clubhouse officially opened, building cost £297!!!! Described as ‘cosy’ the clubhouse stayed in operation for 58 years and is now used as the Scout Hut.

1910 – Agreement reached to extend the course to 18 holes and eventually this course was planned by Ted Ray, 1912 Open champion.

1931 – During the inter-war years the Club organised various Open competitions in aid of local charities and in 1931 478 players took part in one event.

1934 – Two bridges were built over the Brier Dene, the larger of which survives today.

1940 – First Captains Day, Dr Cunningham.

1947 – The first threat of opencast mining was heard.

1949 to 1955 – Opencast mining on the golf course. With the help of members and committee some part of the course remained open throughout this time and close friendships were made with Ponteland, Tynemouth and Morpeth Golf Club’s who offered assistance of play at their courses.

14th July 1954 – Following the opencast and the extraction of 1 1/2 million tons of coal a new course was constructed and opened on this day with an exhibition match between Gordon Clark, Alan Thirlwell, Ian Cauldwell and Allan Slater. Preferred lies were in existence for two years until 1956.

1964 – New Clubhouse officially opened.

1967 – The Club purchased the field to the north.

1970 – The new holes in the field to the north became fully operational and the club relinquished their lease on the land to the east of Claremont Road.

1970 – The Whitley Bay Classic was the first professional tournament played over the course with the event dominated by a professional called Lee Trevino!

28th to 31st July 1977 – The most significant and important event following the opencast was the International Open Golf Tournament, sponsored by the Caller brothers, Roy and Ian. 130 golfers from all over the world played for the first prize of £5000. Big name players included, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Bob Charles, David Graham, some of whom went on to win a ‘major’. The tournament was finally won by South African, John Fourie but sadly this was a one off and he was unable to defend his title. The course received many plaudits that week and looked magnificent with the spectator stands and scoreboard from the Open championship.

1984/85 – Following protracted negotiations and under the guidance of the then Chairman, Mr WJC Blakey, the club purchased the land the course was laid upon, a sound investment for the club.