The Course

The Rt Hon AJ Balfour formally opened the course on 21st July 1894, although only the present 7th (then the 5th) now remains.

The present layout is attributed to the legendary course designer Harry S Colt, adding his signature to the design of Easton Devonshire who drove himself in as the Club's seventh Captain on 1 June 1900. Other than the redesign of 'the pit' on the 7th, there has been little significant alteration since.

With an overall area of less than 70 acres, space is at a premium so accuracy has always been more important than distance from the tee.

At 5,095 yards for the Men, the course is clearly short but a SSS of 66 gives nothing away. This is clearly recognised when considering that the amateur course record of 62 for a medal round, set in 1938 by OJ Llewellyn, remained for more than fifty years before being broken by JD Murray who carded a 61 in 1993. This record was equalled in 2009 by current member Graham Kerr before being beaten in 2012 when Freddie Price shot 60 in the Kent Junior Championship hosted by the Club.  

Liam Burns is our current course record holder, scoring an 8 under par 58 in July 2016.  Liam is currently playing off +4, is a member of Kent's 1st team and is proud to represent Chislehurst Golf Club in county and natoinal events.

The excellent greens are demanding and are certainly not flat, as befitting a course designed by Colt. Tight tree-lined fairways and, at times, awkward sloping lies simply add to the challenge.  Any two of the eight 'short' holes can together demolish the highest of hopes at any one time.

Chislehurst has once again returned to the list of host venues for county fixtures, showing true recognition of the test that awaits even the best golfers here at Chislehurst.

At 4,742 yards (SSS 69) the Ladies' course might be judged a harder test than the Men's.  The Ladies’ course record was also long-established, standing at 67 set by Jan Gibson in 1985.  This was improved by one shot in 2009 by former member and past Kent Junior Captain, Lucy Matthews.  First registered with the LGU in 1899, the Ladies' section maintains a full fixture list and partakes regularly each year in county competitions.

Over a period of seventy years we have hosted many county matches and three Kent Championships.