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Links Golf Club - History

 

Golf has been enjoyed in this wonderful part of Norfolk since 1903. The original course was designed by JH Taylor, part of the ‘Great Triumvirate’ with Harry Vardon and James Braid who dominated the game for almost three decades. Taylor himself won the Open Championship on 5 occasions. He described the course as "one of the most sporting golf courses in Great Britain".

1892 West Runton Railway station opened.

1899 – The Links Hotel opened comprising of 34 bedrooms. It was established by local landowner James Renwick Abbs.

1903 – The original 9 hole course designed by JH Taylor opened.

1906 – Taylor extends course to 18 holes which circles around Incleborough Hill.

1912 – The clubhouse pavilion was purchased from Sheringham Golf Club and erected in West Runton.

1920 – West Runton established as an official golf club in its own right.

1929 – Lord Glamis, heir to the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne and elder brother of the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother held the office of Club Captain.

 

1932 – Course measured as a 6,067 yard par 73.

1939 – WWII started and the course and hotel were taken over by the Army. The course was used for final training and firing range.

1949 – Graham Abbs, the grandson of the hotel’s founder began to re-establish the golf course with help from the Army.

1950 – Reigning Open Champion Bobby Locke played in a Challenge Match. He returned a year later and set a course record 66.

1953 – The course closed after becoming financially unviable due to a lack of members and the closure of the hotel.

1955 – Part of the old course was sold to the Caravan Club of Great Britain.

1956 – The course reopened with limited holes. There were still only 7 holes in play in 1962, but two more were added the following year.

1956 – George Johnson, Club Professional at the Links died aged 70. He had helped JH Taylor lay out the original course and until his death, was the only Professional the club had known.

1979 – Gary Player, the legendary nine time Major winner was appointed Director of Golf and carried the Links name on his golf bag. He took part in exhibitions and clinics at the club and other great names of the game such as Sandy Lyle, Lee Trevino and Sir Henry Cotton also sampled the delights of the course and hotel.

2003 - The club celebrated a century of golf at the Links. An invitation match was held which included three former Professionals of the club, Nick Catchpole, Mike Jubb and Lee Patterson.

2011 – Mackenzie Hotels, a local family owned hotelier bought the Links from administrators and immediately set about making major improvements to the hotel and course.

2012 - The Centenary of the Clubhouse was marked with a Greensomes competition. Club Professional Dominic Dyer added to the celebrations by scoring a hole-in-one on the 3rd.

2012 - The Seniors won the Barnard Trophy, the clubs first ever triumph in a major County competition.

2013 - The Links won the Norfolk Centenary Trophy.

2015 - The Ladies won the Norfolk Ladies County Golf Association Division Three Shield for the first time since 1952.

2017 - Jane Gomm won the Norfolk Ladies County Division 2 Championship

2021 - Susan Tuck won the Norfolk Ladies County Division 4 Championship while the team of Jane Davies, Joan Munday and Susan Tuck won the team competition. Chris Rayfield won the Curtis Cup, Norfolk Ladies Veterans Society bronze division.

Much has changed at the Links since 1903, but the capacity for this undulating piece of land overlooking the North Norfolk coast, to provide an exhilarating test of golf has remained.

Copyright © 2016 Links Golf Club West Runton

West Runton, Cromer, Norfolk, NR27 9QH

Tel: 01263 83 83 83

Email: golfpro@mackenziehotels.com