Walton Heath Golf Club
L-R: REG WHITCOMBE, HENRY COTTON, BOBBY LOCKE AND SID BREWS
Our Heritage
The Club was founded in 1903. Walton’s first Captain, HRH the Prince of Wales, was not appointed until 1935. Our Captain became King Edward VIII the following year. Our first Professional, James Braid, won five Opens and stayed for some forty-five years. Winston Churchill played regularly at Walton Heath. We staged the European Open in the seventies and eighties, the Ryder Cup in 1981, the British Ladies Amateur in 2000, the Senior Open in 2011 and The British Masters in 2018.
1899
Herbert Fowler approached by his brother-in-law, Sir Cosmo Bonsor, about the possibility of making a golf course at Walton Heath
1903
5th August Walton Heath Golf Club Company is incorporated
The Club’s Scratch Gold Medals
1904
14th May The course is opened by Vardon, Braid and Taylor. The Prime Minister A.J. Balfour joined, followed by three future Prime Ministers; Lloyd George, Bonar Law and Winston Churchill
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1904
James Braid, winner of the 1901 Open, becomes the Club's first Professional
1905
George (later Lord) Riddell, Sir Alexander Kennedy and Edward Hudson take over the Club
1905
News of the World Match Play Championship; the first of 21 at Walton
1907
The first 9 holes of the New course are opened
1910
72 hole Man v Woman Challenge match at Walton Heath and Sunningdale between Harold Hilton and Miss Cecil Leitch. Miss Leitch wins 2/1
1913
Golf Illustrated Gold Vase; the first of 26 at Walton
1913
The full 18 holes of the New course opened by the Lord Mayor of London
1914
English Ladies Championship; the first of 2 at Walton
SIR ERNEST HOLDERNESS
1922
Sir Ernest Holderness, W.H. Member, wins the first of his 2 Amateur Championships
1926
English Amateur Championship; the first of 4 at Walton
1934
Lord Riddell of Walton Heath dies; the Carr family take over
1935
The first Club Captain appointed – HRH The Prince of Wales
1936
January - Club Captain becomes H.M. King Edward VIII, with Walton Heath the only club to have a reigning monarch as Captain. In December, he abdicated and his brother, the Duke of York, becomes King George VI. The new King becomes Patron of Walton Heath
1936
Sir John Simon, W.H. Member, becomes R & A Captain
1938
The last of the big Challenge Matches is held at the Club; Henry Cotton and Reg Whitcombe beat the South Africans Bobby Locke and Sidney Brews
Herbert Fowler
1941
Herbert Fowler dies. He had become one of the great golf course architects of his time
James Braid
1950
James Braid dies. The 5-times winner of The Open and an Honorary Member of the R&A was still the Club’s professional
1951
Harry Busson becomes the Club’s second Professional and remains in service as club-maker until 1993
1968
British Ladies’ Championship; the first of 3 at Walton
1971
The Members buy the Club from the News of the World
1971
Alick Renshaw becomes the first Members Club Captain
1977
Ken Macpherson becomes the Club’s third Professional, retiring in 2009
1978
European Open Championship, the first of 5 at Walton, won by Bobby Wadkins
1980
European Open won by Tom Kite
1981
The Ryder Cup; U.S.A. beat Europe 18½ to 9½
1982
Ladies British Amateur won by Kitrina Douglas
1983
Jill Thornhill, W.H. member, wins the British Ladies Amateur Championship
1987
European Open won by Paul Way
1989
European Open won by Andrew Murray
1991
European Open won by Mike Harwood
1998
Golf Illustrated Gold Vase won by Rupert Rea
1999
England v Spain; England win 16-8
2000
Ladies' British Amateur won by Rebecca Hudson
2002
English Amateur Championship won by Richard Finch
2003
The Club celebrates its Centenary
2003
Varsity Match; Oxford beat Cambridge by 10 to 5
2005
U.S. Open Qualifier and annually thereafter. Walton qualifier Michael Campbell (N.Z.) becomes U.S. Open Champion at Pinehurst
2005
South of England Open Amateur Championship and annually thereafter
2006
Michael Lunt, Past Captain of Walton Heath and former Amateur Champion, becomes R & A Captain
2009
Simon Peaford becomes the Club’s fourth Professional
2010
Seniors Open Amateur Championship won by Paul Simson (U.S.)
2011
Senior Open Championship won by Russ Cochran (U.S.)
2014
Arnold Palmer Cup; Europe beat U.S.A. 18½ to 11½
2017
Alfie Plant (ENG) wins the European Men's Amateur Championship and goes on to win the Silver Medal at Royal Birkdale
2017
Walton Heath Member David Boote represents G.B.& I. in the Walker Cup at Los Angeles C.C. In his singles match, David won 1 up against the reigning U.S. Amateur Champion, and turned professional the following day
2018
Eddie Pepperell wins the Sky Sports British Masters
2023
Lilia Vu wins the AIG Women's Open
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