Located in the London Borough of Richmond, Hampton Court Golf Club (HCG) has been providing members with an excellent game of golf for more than a century. An impressive course designed by the legendary Harry Colt in 1896, and later amended by Donald Ross, the founder of the firm that designed the Titanic, it is a true testament to the sport’s popularity in the United Kingdom. Although the club has expanded its playing fields over the years, its initial design has been largely retained.
The history of the club is fascinating. Originally chartered in 1891, and originally known as the London Golf Club, it changed its name to Hampton Court Golf Club in 1902 in honor of George, Prince of Wales. The prince became the Club’s honorary secretary in 1903, and he would later become King George V of Great Britain (1910-1936). In 1909, the prince gave permission for the construction of a second nine-hole course, named the White Course, which was designed by John Mackenzie.
Despite the fame of its members – including Douglas Fairbanks, T. E. Lawrence (of “Seven Pillars” fame), and the Aga Khan – and the fact that it is one of the most historic golf clubs in the world, Hampton Court Golf Club has always been a little bit of an unknown factor to the general public. This is largely due to the club’s insistence on keeping its original name rather than converting it into the more commonly used “Hampton”, and its location, tucked away in the southeastern suburbs of London, which many consider to be quite the commuter hub. Because of this, few have actually heard of the club, much less visited it.
Thankfully, this is changing. With the publicity surrounding the 2022 London Olympics, and the continued popularity of golf in the UK, it would seem that Hampton Court and its magnificent courses will finally get the recognition they deserve.
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The Legendary Harry Colt
The first course at Hampton Court, the 9-hole White Course, was designed by Harry Colt, a Scot who had previously worked on laying out courses in California and the Pacific Northwest. The great-grandson of a famous firearms manufacturer, and nephew of another who had established a reputation as an expert architect, Colt had built his reputation designing courses in his native UK. Between 1877 and 1896, and again in 1902, he had designed courses in Yorkshire and the Lake District, as well as a couple of nine-hole courses in London.
Born in 1848, and raised in Yorkshire, where his family had farmed for generations, Harry Colt was the son of a doctor. In 1876, he graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge, with a degree in mechanical engineering, and the following year went to work for Thornycroft & Co. in the Northumberland area of England. By 1882, he was based in Chipping Norton, Gloucestershire, where he worked on the conversion of land for horticultural use. Having established himself in England, and with the support of his family, Harry Colt set about establishing a reputation for himself and his firm.
In 1891, at the age of 37, he was appointed surveyor to the Crown, and he was subsequently given a portfolio that included responsibility for the newly established London Golf Club. It was during this time that he had the opportunity to design his first truly great golf course, which opened in September 1896, and was named after Charles, Prince of Wales, who was just then revising his hunting codes. The London Golf Club’s first nine-hole course featured an elevated green surrounded by trees, with spectacular views of the London skyline. In 1899, it was extended to 18 holes, and in 1903, he was responsible for designing the first 27-hole course in Richmond, the Richmond Park Course. The following year, he designed a second 27-hole course, named the Royal Victoria, which was closer to the city and was an early example of a “runner” design, featuring narrow, tree-lined fairways and spectacular panoramic views. In 1906, he designed the 25-hole Nunhead course in north London, and the same year, started work on a third, and final, 27-hole course, which he named the Hammersmith Golf Club, located in West London. The last of these courses, the Hammersmith, was completed in 1910 and was the first American-style golf course in London. It was here that he began to demonstrate the influence of his native land, with a very distinctive and colorful design. While the other courses had been laid out in a fairly traditional British fashion, the Hammersmith was a completely new design that was heavily influenced by American golf courses that he had seen during a recent visit to St. Louis, Missouri.
Before his untimely death in 1928, at the age of 72, Harry Colt had designed and/or overseen the construction of 13 golf courses in the UK, as well as one in Ireland. This was an extraordinary record for a golf club that had originally been established in 1891, and it seems that it was certainly due to his legacy that Hampton Court was able to continue and expand its operations, eventually adding a second, slightly longer course, the 18-hole Red Course, which was designed by Harry Colt’s nephew, William, and opened in 1928. In 1930, the club’s board decided to add a third nine-hole course, the 18-hole Black Course, also designed by William Colt. This decision was due to the club’s desire to host various national and international competitions, as well as to cater to a growing number of members who wanted a challenge. Unfortunately, due to the Great Depression, the club was unable to proceed with its plans, and the Black Course remained a dream that would not be realized until after World War II. The club was forced to make do with a 9-hole course for the remainder of the 1930s, adding a further 9 holes in the late 1940s, and a 9th and 10th in the 1960s. After the war, the Black Course was finally completed, and in 1958, it was expanded to 18 holes, officially making it the longest golf course in England. This was the final addition to the original 36-hole layout, which was then renamed simply as the Colt Course.
Donald Ross And The Red and White Courses
In the early 1900s, while Harry Colt was still busy designing new courses for the London Golf Club, someone else stepped in to take responsibility for delivering the course itself. The club’s new treasurer, Donald Ross, had previously worked with renowned course architect Willie Ross, and together, they set about adding a 14th and 15th hole to the nine-hole course in 1902. The new holes were designed by Ross, and were named after the then reigning monarch, Queen Victoria, and Prince Albert, the Queen’s husband.
In 1906, Ross was asked by the London Council to expand the course, so it now consisted of 18 holes. The following year, Ross delivered the 18-hole Grey Course, named after the Queen’s other son, King Edward, in 1908, and in 1910, he expanded the layout again, this time to 27 holes. This was the start of a beautiful pattern that was to be repeated many times over the next few years. In 1914, the 27-hole King George VI Course was opened, and just two years later, in 1916, he added a 33-hole course – the Royal Tournament – to the estate. In fact, Ross’ firm, Donald Ross & Co., went on to lay out more courses in England and Ireland than any other company. Today, his firm’s record is impressive, having designed or constructed over 400 golf courses around the world, making it one of the most prolific and respected golf course designers in history.
The Rise Of Golf In The UK
The early years of the 20th century saw the development of golf in the UK. After delivering the nine-hole Richmond Park course in 1896, and then expanding it to 18 holes the following year, Harry Colt moved to America, where he spent the rest of his career, designing courses in California and the Pacific Northwest, and also in Ireland.
After the First World War, the game flourished, not just in the UK, but around the world. In 1922, the British Golf Association was founded, and in 1924, the Open Championship – the mainstay of the English golf season – was first played. That same year, the Irish Amateur Golfing Association was formed, and in 1926, the Open Championship returned to England for the first time in five years, since before the war. In 1928, the Welsh Golfing Union was established, though the first Welsh Golf Championship didn’t take place until 1934.