Club profile: Tehidy Golf Club

Often regarded as one of the best golf venues in Cornwall, Tehidy Park Golf Club last month celebrated 100 years since the first round of golf was played there. Here, we explore that history and see what the next 100 years might hold.

Tehidy Park Golf Club in Cornwall, which was formed on July 11, 1922 and saw its first round of golf played in October that year, celebrated its centenary this year, with a new centenary club logo for the year and celebrations at the 75-acre grounds of the former Basset Estate throughout.

A centenary golf week was held in July, while last month a gala dinner took place.

Richard Brighton, captain for 2022, said “This is a very exciting time for the club and the membership. There is a real buzz about the place and we have been making improvements to the clubhouse and course, which is fantastic.”

Tehidy’s history

The club lies in the heart of West Cornwall. Although only two miles from the North Cornwall coast, the course is very definitely parkland in nature, having been established within the parks of a one-time eminent Cornish family.

In 1922, businessmen from the Camborne-Redruth area leased 75 acres of the erstwhile Basset Estate and enlisted the help of one of the great Cornishmen, the Open Champion Jim Barnes, to advise them on the layout of the first course. Play started just three months after the formation and at that time the course measured what we would now consider to be a meagre 5,000 yards. With the equipment of the day and the existence of fine woodland, it would, no doubt, have been as tough a test as the present layout.

Shortly after World War Two, the noted golf course architect C K Cotton was utilised to design and build some noteworthy improvements, bringing the course to only a little short of its current length of 6,241 yards. The course, although undulating, is never unduly arduous to walk, the only tough climb being up the difficult par four 15th hole of 443 yards.

In 1996, the freehold was purchased and in 1998 extensive work was undertaken to provide an improved watering system, which incorporated the building of three lakes, which have a significant presence on the closing holes of the course. Continuous improvement is now a watchword of the club and the appointment in 2002 of head greenkeeper Andrew Eddison should ensure that future improvements are carried out to the highest standards.

The lakes are home to moorhens and mallards, with visiting Canadian Geese also regularly seen.

Since 1999, thousands of young trees have been planted and when they reach maturity, Tehidy Park will indeed be a tight and demanding course through its entire length.

It is currently a mixture of open holes, some with streams at strategic points, many with tree-lined fairways and nine holes where out of bounds comes into play. The lakes also have a part to play on four holes, especially the 193-yard, par three 17th, where a carry from the medal tee of close to 170 yards is required to ensure safety. It is no exaggeration to say that of the thousands who have visited the course over the years, few have left with a view other than that Tehidy Park is a good, fair, test of golf.

Club president Bernard Williams said: “We are so fortunate to have a beautiful course set in natural surroundings which has changed little in the last 100 years.

“This is often looked upon as our greatest asset but to me our true blessing is our members and staff who have together defined the spirit and character of our club for the last 100 years and will continue to do so for the next 100 years.

“It gives me great pride to be the club president in our centenary year. I would like to offer my personal thanks to all our dedicated staff, to Wayne Liggat the club general manager and his team, Jane Hollis and Julie Gardner, Jonathan Lamb our PGA Professional and his staff, Kath and Chris Hoyle our steward and bar manager and all their staff and to Andrew Eddison our head greenkeeper and all his team who strive through sunshine and rain to maintain our course. I would also like to thank all the committee members, past and present and to the small army of volunteers who have worked so hard over so many years. Finally, to our members, you are the club and you are the future, so let us welcome in the next century in true Tehidy style.”