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The oldest Links Course in England
Royal North Devon at Westward Ho! can rightly claim to be the cradle of English Golf. Founded in 1864, it is the oldest golf course in the country and is regarded as the St Andrews of the South. The golf course is as tough as any of the UK’s more famous links layouts and has recently been placed in Golf World 's "Top 100 Courses in the World" that a golfer “must play”.
Not only is Royal North Devon a great course, it is also a place of huge historical importance. Inside the warmly welcoming clubhouse, the golf museum, honours boards and the clubs top competition trophies are worth a visit on their own and help to tell the story of the game and this remarkable club’s unique place in it.
Above all, this is great, natural golf that is largely unchanged from 100 years ago when Harold Hilton et al pronounced Westward Ho! As England’s No 1 competition golf course. RND is pure, raw exhilaration and ultimately the experience of playing a fast running links in a stiff breeze still tests the very best in the game.
Many of the great players of the last 100 years were regular competitors at RND but the greatest of them all is without doubt John Henry Taylor. Born in the village of Northam overlooking the course, he started his long association with the Club as a caddie boy and soon became an accomplished player. As every golf lover will know he went on to form one third of the great triumvirate, winning five Open Championships. Alongside Harry Vardon and James Braid, JH Taylor dominated the game for 30 years. The club honoured Taylor with a presidency in 1957 and his portrait and some of the clubs which he used to win his Open titles are proudly displayed in the clubhouse.
A look at the Club’s honours boards, dating back to 1864, is like a "Who’s Who" of golfing greats. Listing many of the games founding fathers such as Horace Hutchinson, Harold Hilton, Herbert Fowler, Capt Molesworth, etc. Although golf has changed hugely in the last century and continues to develop and grow, a great links will always stand the test of time. Royal North Devon is just that, a great links and as far removed as possible from the manicured and manufactured championship courses we see every day on television.
The Club is one of the only Golf Clubs that doesnt have a "Club Captain", instead we have a "President.
The 2019 Presidents dinner and annual photographs of surviving Presidents.
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Early Golf on Northam Burrows
Probably the best known and fairly accurate account of early golf on Northam Burrows appears in a letter that George Gosset, the son of the Club’s founder Isaac, sent to J. H. Taylor dated September 1909. This letter outlines the developments that led to the formation of the Club and a copy of the letter is reproduced below:
5 Winchester Road
Oxford
4th September 1909
My Dear Taylor
You told me at Frilford Heath that you were going to write on the beginning of Golf at Westward Ho! My Father kept an intermittent Diary and I have dug out a few items to show how Golf came to be planted on Northam Burrows.
My father probably learnt to play Golf in the (eighteen) thirties when he used to stay in Scotland with his Sister Emily wife of George Moncrieff (St. Andrews). The start of Golf on Northam Burrows was, however, due to Wm. Driscoll Gosset (Royal Engineers) who was married to another Sister of my Father and quartered at Ayr in the early fifties. My Father went to Northam in 1844, but had no thought of Golf, till in 1853 my Uncle, who was staying there, pointed out the suitability of the Burrows. They sent for some clubs immediately and started to play (this is W. D. G.’s story and I believe correct). My Father was not an apostle of Golf in those days so that in the absence of anyone to play with no mention of Golf is found in 1854.
Owing to ill health my Father went to Malvern in the early part of 1855. On August 31st my Uncle arrives on the scene and the next day my Father is playing Golf and continued to play Golf till Dec. 31st. Part of the treatment no doubt.
In 1856 we were away from Northam for a large part of the year - for six summer months my Father rented a house at Instow. The only entries I find are:-
IN THE BEGINNING
July 25th: Picnic with Bowles and his Wife on the Burrows. Teach him the game of Golf. (I remember this going over quite well and it seemed to be no novelty on the Burrows.)
Sept. 25th: Game of Golf on Blackheath (perhaps only a spectator). Mr. Glennie the best player. In 1857 my Father was away, mostly on the Continent from February 11th to October 16th.
No mention of Golf.
In the summer holidays of 1858 Golf assumed quite a serious aspect - Tom Morris bill of £5- 9s-6d (£5.47p) for clubs, etc., carriage 5/5d (27p). My Uncle W. D. G. was also there from July 10th-28th. At St. Andrews in September my Father played so much golf that he got a sore heel which was not soundly healed for some weeks.
1859. The only entry of Golf is on Aug. 26th - Drank tea on the Burrows and had a game of Golf with the boys. I was away part of the summer holidays but the three boys probably pursued three balls round the Links almost every day.
1860. Diary incomplete - no account of the summer holidays when most of the Golf was played.
1861. In company with the Boys appear the names of another boy (F. Faulkner) and Messrs. Kingdon, Wilmot and D. Moncrieff (R. E.).
1862. No Diary to be found.
1863. April is the only month which has no entry of Golf. The names “Wilmot, Olivier, Harding , Sealy Vidal, W. D. G., E. Sergeant, D. and G. Moncrieff, Charlewood, Edwards, Woodward, Vincent, Leech, Terry, Kirwan, Lynedoch Moncrieff, Bullock.”
In July (14th -20th) W. D. G. made a survey of the Links.
In Feb. 1864, mention is made of Col. Hutchinson and Capt. James.
April 4th. Meeting about founding a Golf Club!
May 3rd. Meeting of Golf Club. Appointed Captain.
Aug 8th. Tom Morris arrived (and remained until the 19th). He played in a foursome the same day. (Showing there was a course already laid out and submitted to his approval – he didn’t lay out the course although he may have suggested improvements).
Oct 3rd. Cut holes and measure distances on Links.
Nov 10th. Cut holes and plant flags – play badly for medal. (not surprising after the labours of the morning). 32 or more at Club Dinner – Mr Trefusis in the Chair. (his brother in law Mr Mark Rolle was President).
Dec. 3rd. “Walk to Burrows and cut holes.”
In 1866 my Father, Brother Willie and self went to St. Andrews in Sept. for three weeks making the acquaintance of and playing with J. Allan, who in the spring of 1867 settled at Northam as Professional and Club and Ball Maker.
Yours Truly,
GEORGE GOSSET
The entry in 1853 appears to be the time at which either George Moncrieff or William Driscoll Gosset uttered the famous words “this place has evidently been designed by providence for a golf links’”to their brother in law Isaac Gosset.
Although the early days of golf on the Burrows appear to have been mainly a Gosset family affair clearly there were others who were interested in the game as can be seen from those mentioned in George Gosset’s diary details for 1863 most of whom later became founder members of the Club.
History will tell us that Isaac Henry Gosset was the founder of the Club. The letter from his son George to J. H. Taylor in 1909 clearly sets him as a keen follower and enthusiast for golf. He was fortunate, however, to be surrounded by a number of supporters who were significant people with considerable influence in the locality.
Prestige Events at RNDGC
We have held the British Amateur Championship on three occasions, the Martini Pro event in 1975 and various other top Amateur events.
Royal North Devon Golf Club were one of the original 24 Clubs that each paid 2 Guineas (the sum of £2.10 or 42 Shillings) to purchase the British Amateur Championship Trophy. It has been suggested that a couple of the 24 Clubs haven’t paid up yes and one or two allegedly only paid 1 Guinea!
We host The West Of England Amateur Championship every other year (with Saunton GC) and in 2025 will host the Varsity match
The course has not changed much over the years and is maintained to be as natural as possible with firm and fast fairways and greens. It is as much a challenge today as it was all those years ago; we hope you enjoy the experience and your time at Royal North Devon.