Cambridge Golf Club is understood to be the oldest golf club in the Waikato and with a course sculptured by the Waikato river over 150,000 years ago there is a great deal of pride in the Club's history.
Excerpts of the Club's history are reproduced with thanks to the late David Jecks, author of the book "Cambridge Golf Club Centennial 1900 - 2000.
Cambridge 1900 - The Arnold Property
A handful of golfing enthusiasts in the year 1900 arranged, after various meetings, to have the use of a property on the west side of Hamilton Road, owned by one John Arnold and they set about creating 9 holes. The Club was constituted in 1902. This was very early in New Zealand's golf history when it is realised that the Auckland and Manawatu Golf Clubs had only started 4 or 5 years earlier. The original members comprised 28 women and 27 men.
It is interesting that 'par' (or 'bogey' as it was called then) was 46 for 9 holes because some of the holes were so long that they deserved a par of 6 or 7. Subscriptions in 1902 were set at "ten shillings for Gentlemen and five shillings for Ladies".
In 1905 it was reported that the Hamilton Golf Club, which had been formed after Cambridge, brought 14 players to play an interclub match with Cambridge. The team arrived by the morning train and after partaking of lunch at Mr C. Hunter's residence proceeded to the Links. Cambridge proved the winners by 11 games to 3. The first interclub game with Rotorua Golf Club (Arikikapakapa) was played at Okororei, part way between the two Clubs due to the diffulties in transport in those days. The South Auckland Golf Association was formed in 1912 with affiliated clubs of Waihi, Hamilton, Rotorua and Cambridge.
1902 ... and they are ready to play golf at the start of the season
Move to the Rifle Range
In 1912 the club made its first approaches to the Defence Department seeking a lease of the Rifle Range, the site of the present course. Not successful at the time, and with a decline in interest in golf during World War I, it was not until 1920 that interest in this land was revived. At a Special Meeting on 29th October 1923 it was reported that the Rifle Range could be secured for a ten year license at a rental of 20 pounds per year plus rates (about five pounds per year). Although it was a permanent license, the Defense Department retained the right of entry and could still use the land on occasions.
Although play started shortly afterwards on the new course it was noted "That on account of the rough state of the fairways and greens players may place ....... within a foot of where the ball is lying". Improvement of the nine holes was allocated to various members who were responsible for top dressing the soil and fertilising the greens.
"George Calvert made use of the night cart fertiliser and his was the best green"
Present 1st hole sometime in the 1930s
19th Hole
By March 1931 the full 18 holes were in play and the clubhouse was situated on the high ground alongside the present 12th green. The present 14th, was the first hole.
An early gathering at the old clubhouse
World War II slowed the progress of the Club but by 1950 the laying of water reticulation to all greens had been completed and with the help of the then Member of Parliament (Mr G F Sim) the Club negotiated with the Lands and Survey Department to buy the freehold of the property for two thousand five hundred pounds. At the same time architect Gordon Stone was engaged to design a new clubhouse, opened on 13th August 1955. The original clubhouse comprised a building in Hinuera stone forms a small part of the clubhouse as it stands today.
The clubhouse became inadequate in the mid sixties and it was decided that extension was the best option and in 1968 the Club accepted a tender of $44,000 to build the extension of locker rooms and the extension of thelounge above. The kitchen and bar were also upgraded.
Original clubrooms After the extensions