The most noticeable change for those early golfers would have been the reduction in the number of bunkers, for reasons of maintenance and the growth of the woodlands. Various new tees would have been observed and the yardage of certain holes increased.
The original tee for the 7th was just behind the 6th green, but Colt had underestimated the pull hook of the bogey golfer and the tee was at risk from shots from the 4th tee. After the son of a one-time President was brained, the tee was moved to its current position, but the old one can still be discerned, now with a tree growing out of it.
The hurricane that swept southern England in October 1987 took out more than 2,000 trees. The woodlands were thinned considerably. Spurred on by the new views, the club commissioned the Sports Turf Research Institute to prepare a management plan covering the trees, woodlands and grassland. They then started a programme of tree removal to restore the more open aspect the club had enjoyed when it was designed in the ‘20s.
View across the course in 1925 from the 13th green
The owner of the grand house behind the 16th tee was a scion of the Cockburn port family and refused to sell any land to the club, indeed he extended his house to the course boundary to make the point. But when he sold to Midland Bank for them to use the house as a management training college, they were happy to sell. In 1960, member FGE Binns bought the land we now use as a driving range and generously donated it to the club. Sadly he died two years later and the club had to pay Estate Duty on the gift, but it was a valuable addition.
In 1999, 72 years after losing the original clubhouse to fire, the club almost lost the current one to the same cause. Only quick thinking by our newly-arrived professional Chris Evans, saved the day. Chris is just Tandridge’s fourth Head Professional. This hopefully says a great deal about their loyalty and affection for the place. Alf Baker served 24 years, and his son Alec remained a further 30 years to be succeeded by Allan Farquhar for 20 years. Chris marks our centenary with his 26th year at Tandridge.
Equal opportunities
Ladies have been part of Tandridge since the beginning, although their current equal status with the men has been long in the making as entries in the Suggestion Book indicate.
Suggestion in 1993: “Now the gallery bar is open, can the men’s bar be brought back to men only ?”
Reply: “Agreed.”
Happily, ladies received the vote at the AGM in 1994, access to that spike bar in 2002, and equal playing rights for equal subscriptions in 2011. The members also elected a lady as Club Captain in 2020.
It’s also true to say that Tandridge’s most decorated players so far have been women - Jean Hamilton, daughter of the first Club Secretary, played for England in the Home Internationals in the 1930s, and Catherine Bailey who won, among many trophies, the Senior Ladies British Open Championship back to back in 1988 & 1989.
Catherine Bailey
In 2021 the club had the course re-rated for Slope, so that now both men and women can play off yellow, red or blue tees. With rating for men off the white tees there are now in effect seven courses at Tandridge. This pretty much means there is a course for everyone, man or woman, young or old.