With its three championship courses, Frilford Heath, near Abingdon, is arguably Oxfordshire's best-known club.

o And just two years after being founded, celebrated golf writer Bernard Darwin described Frilford as "A wonderful oasis in a desert of mud.

"The sand is so near the turf that out of pure exuberance it breaks out here and there in little eruptions."

Much has changed since Darwin wrote those words and a thorough history, 'Frilford Heath Golf Club 1908-2008' has been published to celebrate the centenary.

In his introduction, former English amateur champion Peter McEvoy writes: "Frilford Heath Golf Club always seemed to be there - part of the scene.

"It was somewhere you always looked forward to visiting. And it remains the same today.

"Although my early memories are of hot, sunny days in the Gold Medal, I actually love to play the courses in the winter months.

"Their dryness, especially compared with many other courses, distances Frilford Heath Golf Club from others and gives a welcome break from the mud."

Frilford began life as one 18-hole course, designed by J H Taylor.

It was officially opened in May 1909 with an exhibition match between Open champions, Harry Vardon and Taylor, Frilford acquired another nine holes in 1928, which were designed by the then club professional J H Turner.

The course's quality was highlighted in 1931 when Frilford hosted a Ryder Cup trial, which made the front page of the Oxford Mail.

It became a 36-hole club in 1967 after the Frilford Heath House estate had been purchased.

The Blue Course, designed by Simon Gidmon, was opened in 1994.

Golf had been played in the area since the late 19th century and there was a club at nearby Shippon not long before Frilford was founded.

But as a 1960 article for members explained, the current site was easily the best setting.

It wrote: "But all the time there lay, about three miles west of Abingdon, one of those odd stretches of land, intended by nature for a golf course, but hitherto unrecognised.

"Poor and shallow sandy soil of little agricultural use where gorse and heather were indigenous, and over the centuries a little stone and some peat had been extracted, a golfer's paradise."

Frilford's progress was not without its setbacks.

An article in The Oxford Times detailed a fire which destroyed the original clubhouse in Sunday June 26, 1921.

"The professional, Mr J H Turner, had been away playing in the Open Championship, and only reached Frilford on Sunday.

"He deserves special sympathy in that he has lost, in addition to valuable stock, many things which cannot be replaced, such as photos, drawings and records in connection with his work as a gold architect.

"With commendable promptitude he got down from London new clubs, balls, etc to supply members by Monday night.

"The committee of the club had a hut erected for members, and hope in the course of a few days to get other huts up as temporary substitutes for a clubhouse."

Although not a 'royal' club, King Edward VIII, who received honorary life membership in 1921, granted Frilford his patronage in 1936.

Another fact worthy of attention is that Frilford have only had five professionals - A Pedlar (1908-13), J H Turner (1914-52), Bill Rule (1952-79), Derek Craik snr (1979-2001) and Derek Craik jnr (2001-).

The book is on sale from the club, but Frilford also plan to offer it as a tournament prize.

Secretary Steve Styles said: "A guy from the English Golf Union said he had over 300 centenary books and ours went straight into his top five."

As the future, top amateur events remain Frilford's priority rather than a big pro tournament.

Styles said: "We would ruin a course if we put a tented village up."