Centenary celebrations

The three courses are designed in classic golfing terrain, with two of them — the Red and the Green — heathland challenges with lots of gorse and heather, and the third — the Blue — with a distinct links-style appearance.

Although the club has a large membership, with three courses to choose from delays are rarely a problem. The courses are pretty well always in play, as the sandy subsoil ensures that the ground is rarely affected by heavy rain.

I have played all three courses over the past few years, but on my most recent visit, I enjoyed a three-ball on the Blue course, which stretches for 6,728 yards off the back tees.

The Blue is an excellent test of golf at any time of the year, but we were fortunate enough to play on a warm, sunny day in October — on an afternoon that was like a midsummer’s day.

The Blue offers a tough start to the round, with a water hazard that weaves its way through the first four holes. The start is a dog-leg par four, followed by a short but tricky par four, a par three with a lot of water around, and then a sumptuous par five of 527 yards.

Master these holes and you will probably enjoy a good-score for your 18 holes, because the start on the Blue is often where your round can crumble.

Another excellent par five is the eighth, while the ninth requires a measured drive to lay up short of a hazard before a second shot to the green.

The back nine has more fine holes, including the 437-yard par four 14th, and the giant par five 17th, which stretches 600 yards.

For my two playing partners, it was their first time on the Blue course and they, like me, were impressed, particularly with the large, flat teeing areas, the superb greens and the general feeling of being out in the country.

The quality of all three of the courses at Frilford Heath attracts top amateur fields in competitions organised by The Royal & Ancient, English Golf Union, and the British & English Ladies’ Golf Associations.

The clubhouse, which has been refurbished throughout, provides excellent facilities, including a first-class restaurant and the sun-trap of a terrace to enjoy some refreshment after a round.

This year, the club is celebrating its cente nary and various club and open events have marked the occasion. Among the events was an England versus France international match in May, and a centenary summer ball in June.

Although this is centenary year, golf began at Frilford Heath long before the club was officially formed in 1908.

According to Keith Mackie, in The History of Frilford Heath Golf Club, in the 1890s prominent Abingdon families amused themselves after Sunday lunch with chipping and putting on their lawns.

By the turn of the century sufficient interest had been aroused to create an informal club and a rough nine-hole course was laid out on rented fields, before the discovery of land nearby which was developed into the original Frilford Heath course.

The formal inauguration of the club was in 1908 and the then three times Open Champion J H Taylor (who eventually won five Opens) was commissioned to put the finishing touches to the natural design of an 18-hole course The company, which still owns and operates the club, was formed in 1912 under the chairmanship of Claude Rippon of the Oxford Times Company. During the First World War, older members of the club and the few remaining staff kept the club going and membership increased with the resurgence of interest in the game when hostilities came to an end.

In 1921, a new clubhouse was erected after the previous thatched roof clubhouse was hit by lightning and, over the next few years, J H Turner, the club professional, created a new nine-hole course in an area of gorse and heather.

After the Second World War the directors of the club realised that the woods of Frilford Heath House Estate, which bordered the course, could possibly be bought for development, perhaps destroying the peaceful isolation, which was such an attractive part of golf at Frilford.

When the estate did eventually come on the market the club quickly stepped in to acquire a further 49 acres and the fine country mansion.

A new nine holes was then designed by C K Cotton, which, together with J H Turner’s course, now make up Frilford Heath’s second 18-hole course. The country mansion was converted into a spacious clubhouse.

In 1991 the club acquired a further 169 acres of adjoining farmland, and under course architect Simon Gidman, work started on the new ‘Blue Course’, which opened in 1994.

The Blue course is a most enjoyable challenge, but the Frilford package is enhanced with those older courses, the Red measuring 6,843 yards (par 73) and the Green, at 6,006 yards (par 69).

Frilford’s professional shop offers a wide range of stock, with leading brands of golfing equipment and clothing designs. The professional is Derek Craik , who offers golf clinics to develop your game.

Winter rates for visitors are £50 weekdays and £60 at weekends and bank holidays. The club has just launched its ‘winter warmer’ packages for groups of six or more, which includes as much golf as you can play, plus a variety of brunches and lunches, at between £50 and £55.

Contacts: Professional shop: 01865 390887 Clubhouse: 01865 390864 Website: www.frilfordheath.co.uk