Club History

“Quite what prompted the six founders to propose a golf course in Theydon Bois is unclear, but the golfing craze which was sweeping through England in the late nineteenth century can probably be attributed to the advent of the railway, people starting to holiday at the seaside and some local rivalry! Both Epping(1890) and Woodford (1890) are recorded as having established 9 hole courses: the Wanstead (1893) course comprised 14 holes whilst at Chingford an 18 hole course had been established (Royal Epping Forest 1888). The early club rules for Theydon Bois golf Club clearly specify that membership was principally for the locals, although some exceptions might be considered.

In the 1860’s the English courses literally could be counted on one hand and invariably owed their existence to a Scottish influence: Westward Ho!(1864) was the first seaside course and Wimbledon (1865) only started because of the London Scottish Riffle Volunteer Corps. But very soon there was a more local seaside influence.”

In 1882 Queen Victoria dedicated one of the very ancient royal forests, Epping Forest, to be ‘for the use and enjoyment of my people for all time’. This was in recognition of the City Corporation’s purchase and ongoing commitment to the forest. It became known as the ‘People’s Forest’, albeit that it is held privately by the Corporation of London for public benefit.

Fifteen years later, a few of these people applied to develop an area of the forest known as Nightingale Valley into a 9-hole golf course and hired the renowned James Braid to design it. He was paid £4.13.6d for doing this, and in March 1898 the first playing members – twelve men and six ladies – teed off for the first time. This was, incidentally, the year that the R&A first introduced the Rules of Golf.

The next major change to the course came about courtesy of a World War II bomb landing between the current 13th and 14th fairways. The Committee at that time coolly deemed the area ‘ground under repair’, and simply fenced the damaged part off! Some members call the 13th “bomb hole”.

In 1966, the Club heard of more land that might be for sale between to course and the village of Theydon Bois. Far beyond the Club’s means to purchase, they persuaded the Corporation of London to purchase it as ‘buffer land’, to stop any further housing development encroaching on the forest, and then to lease it to the Club to develop a further nine holes.

So, in 1971, Theydon Bois became the dreamed-of 18-hole course it is today, opened with great fanfare by the Lord Mayor of London. Since then the Club has developed both its course and clubhouse into the modern, relaxed and friendly club it is today. Over 125 years of history sit well on Theydon Bois Golf Club, and make it a very special place.