The Club – West Byfleet

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The Club

Our History

West Byfleet Golf Club, formed in 1922, evolved from the original Bleakdown Golf Club, established in 1906 on land owned by Hugh Locke King, who was responsible for New Zealand Golf Club a few yards around the corner from us, and Brooklands racetrack where the current Maclaren headquarters are located.

The course, initially designed by Cuthbert Butchart, was reimagined in 1922 by renowned architect John Abercromby, with later refinements by notable names like James Braid and, recently, Mackenzie & Ebert.

For more on the club’s history, see Robert Bashford and Ken Warwick’s centenary book, available for members in the Secretariat.

May 1895

New Zealand Golf Club opening day

Founder, and sole owner until 1908, Hugh Fortescue Locke King. Original course laid out by Samuel Mure Fergusson, who remained Managing Director until his death in the clubhouse in 1928.

January 1902

Locke King raises a mortgage

Locke King raises a mortgage of £50,000 to purchase 1,000 acres, including the Bleakdown site

January 1905

Sheerwater Golf Club (aka Sheerwater Links) founded

Adjoining West Byfleet train station, 9 holes on land owned by a Mr Bashford, who lived in "Sheerwater Court"

January 1906

Bleakdown Golf Club opens

Designed by Cuthbert Butchart, for Hugh Fortescue Locke King. Samuel Mure Fergusson, the Managing Director of New Zealand, was also the Honorary Secretary of Bleakdown , succeeded by his brother N.H. Fergusson at some point before 1910

January 1912

Clubhouse opens at Bleakdown

Clubhouse opens at Bleakdown

January 1914

Clubhouse taken over

Clubhouse taken over as a war hospital

March 1921

Land Sale

Agreement drawn up between Hugh Fortescue Locke King & the Bleakdown members for the sale of the land and clubhouse

December 1921

West Byfleet Formed

Memorandum of Association for West Byfleet Golf Club signed

West Byfleet Golf Club Ltd incorporated

Purchase agreed for £17,422.19

March 1922

1st West Byfleet G.C. AGM

October 1922

West Byfleet golf course opens for play

Course re-designed by J.F. Abercromby

January 1926

Hugh Fortescue Locke King passes away, aged 77

December 1928

Samuel Mure Fergusson passes away

In the tower above the New Zealand clubhouse, aged 73

January 1929

West Byfleet Artisans’ Section formed

January 1939

War

Four holes and clubhouse taken over by War Office & Military

March 1951

Club Reopens

Re-constructed course re-opened

March 1952

Compulsory Purchase Order

Compulsory Purchase Order bids to build on golf course

March 1959

Re-opening of 1st hole

Exhibition match by Peter Thomson & Harold Henning

March 1965

Second Compulsory Purchase Order bid launched

March 1966

Agents offer £1m to buy the course

March 1968

Land should remain

Minister of Housing decides land should remain "Open space and golf course"

March 2006

West Byfleet GC celebrates Centenary of Bleakdown GC

March 2022

West Byfleet GC celebrates its own Centenary