Bath Golf Club

Tom Dunn, who was the Tooting Bec professional at the time, extended Bath’s original 9-hole course on part of Hampton Down called The Warren to a full 18-hole layout in the early 1880s. J. H. Taylor recommended further expansion in 1906 – using ground from the adjoining ladies course.

Harry Colt modifications (which included the construction of the current 10th and 11th holes) were completed at the end of the 1930s to fashion the course that is still in play over eighty years later.

Sham Castle, as the club is known locally, is set out adjacent to a former stone quarry that operated on high ground overlooking the town of Bath, the course is blessed with free-draining soil that ensures fairways are normally found in tip-top condition.

With only two par fives and three short holes on the scorecard, the strength of the layout is found in its par four holes and strong sequences of these two-shotters are found at holes 1-3, 7-10 and 16-18.

The most memorable hole arrives at the short par four 17th, which doglegs right and upwards to a well defended, two-tiered green. Out of bounds is marked by a low wall that runs from tee to green 25 yards to the right of the fairway centreline, so golfers are advised to play conservatively if they hope to score four or less at this hole.