From The Beginning
At the turn of the 19/20th Century the game of golf had become very popular, mainly among the leisured and professional classes. The first golf club in Yorkshire was Cleveland, which was established in 1887.
The absence of a course in Scarborough was to the disadvantage of the town, the nearest course being at Ganton, established in 1891, and at Filey, in 1897. In those days that distance was a problem, Scarborough needed it's own club.
Negotiations were started with a view to Scarborough Corporation developing a municipal golf links and tennis courts in the town, but there were difficulties in them doing this, and consequently the project was set up as a private venture.
The Scarborough Town Golf and Lawn Tennis Company Limited was formed with a capital of £1,500 in £1 shares and the following notice appeared in the Scarborough Evening News on the 4th November 1902
Proposed Golf Club
A meeting of those who propose to become members of the Scarborough New Golf Club will be held at the Cambridge Hotel on Friday night next at 8:00pm. Business:- Formation of Club. M. D. Hick and J.G. Martin (hon. Secs.)
At that meeting, presided over by Alderman Sanderson, it was decided to form a golf club, to be known as "The Scarborough Town Golf Club" to distinguish it from the club at Ganton which was then known as "The Scarborough Golf Club". It was also proposed that should the Tennis Club Committee have sufficient support they should be formed as a separate club. The Tennis Club did receive sufficient support and subsequently "The Scarborough Cliff Lawn Tennis Club" was also formed.
The land for the use of both clubs was to be rented from Scarborough Corporation. Authorisation was obtained to constuct a pavilion, golf course and tennis courts, with the Limited Company having authority to let the facilities to the newly formed Clubs at an annual fee of £400 to cover the rent of ground, interest and a fund for redemption of capital. The Company was represented on the Club Committee by three directors, also, each member of the committee was required to be a share holder in the Company.
The Course
The original idea was to construct 9 holes starting at a point approximately where the present clubhouse stands and going over Cross Lane, which is now called College Lane, and heading towards Scarborough College. Crossing the lane again at Filey Road, proceeding as far as Wheatcroft then turning right onto land belong to Lord Londesborough. It would then come into fields south and southeast of the Pavilion and finishing at the present putting green.
The buildings which are now Scarborough College and University College were already built by the turn of the century. Building did not take place on College Avenue until after 1920, therefore, it would appear that the land envisaged for the 9 holes was in part Scarborough College sports field and the area now occupied by the present 1st, 2nd and 13th holes as well as the practice area.
Another proposal at that time was that the links should be made on Wheatcroft Cliff, but for various reasons the schemes were found to be impracticable. Eventually, on the advice of Harry Vardon, the course was constructed along the beautiful Deepdale and Weaponness Valleys in the direction of Eastfield.
Quick Link Time Cycles
James Braid & Harry Vardon