Heritage

Formation

1892

• The Club was founded with both male and female members, reflecting a progressive approach for the time.
• The subscription was set at 31 shillings and threepence, equivalent to approximately £1.56 today and the entrance fee was the same.
• Queen Victoria was on the throne, and William Gladstone was serving his fourth term as Prime Minister.
• Little did that group of enthusiasts, gathered in a pub in Richmond, realise the scale and significance their creation would ultimately achieve.

1899

• J.H. Taylor left Royal Wimbledon to take up the position of professional at Mid-Surrey.
• It was his idea to introduce the humps and hollows that added character and variety to the otherwise flat terrain.
• In recognition of his lasting influence on the course, the old Outer Course now bears his name.

1926

• The club was granted royal status by command of King George V.
• Subsequently, his son, the Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VIII, served as Club Captain, further strengthening the club’s royal connections.

1936

• Pam Barton won both the British and U.S. Amateur Championships, establishing herself as one of the leading golfers of her time.
• Tragically, she was killed in a wartime flying accident. In recognition of her achievements and legacy, the club later honoured her by naming the old Inner Course after her.

1937

• A new clubhouse, designed in a colonial style, was constructed, bringing both men and women golfers together under the same roof for the first time in the club’s history.

1947

• Royal Mid-Surrey’s Artisan Section was formed during this period.
• That winter saw a severe freeze which prevented work on the course, and the Artisans instead turned their efforts to constructing the Artisans’ clubhouse, a building which still stands today.

1992

• The Club celebrated its centenary with a programme of events that reflected careful planning begun five years earlier.
• Two principal themes ran throughout the celebrations: re-establishing a connection with the club’s royal history and ensuring that as many members as possible were involved in the commemorations.

2001

• A fire destroyed the old clubhouse, with the blaze consuming virtually all of the club’s memorabilia, along with numerous sets of members’ golf clubs
• Despite subsequent investigations, the cause of the fire was never identified.

2003

• After two years operating from a temporary marquee adjacent to the construction site, the new clubhouse officially opened.
• The committee made a concerted effort to recreate as much of the atmosphere and character of the original building as possible.
• The principal difference, however, was the layout of the new facilities, which were designed and spread across two floors to better accommodate the club’s needs.

2004

• The principle of full equality for men and women was voted in at the AGM of that year, with equal playing rights and the same membership subscriptions.
• Equality was formally recognised ten years later when the club’s governance changed.

2014

• The second phase of the greens reconstruction on the J.H. Taylor Course was completed, marking a significant milestone in the project.
• All 18 greens were rebuilt in accordance with USGA standards.
• Although the work took a total of seven years to complete, it successfully resolved longstanding issues related to drainage and soil compaction, greatly improving the overall playing conditions of the course.

2017 

125 anniversary celebrations.

The event was more informal than the centenary celebrations and, on this occasion, took place without any royal presence.