“Golf at Frinton is nearly as old as the town itself,” wrote David Hamilton in The Golfers Guide to East Anglia. “The club was founded in 1895 and was situated on a nine-hole course designed by Tom Dunn on land now occupied by housing adjacent to the first fairway. That existed until 1904 when Open champion Willie Park Jnr. designed a new 18-hole course on the present site, an area formerly renowned for hare coursing. On the advice of famous course architect Harry Colt various improvements were made to the original design which left the layout largely as we know it today. However, the coming of the Second World War set back those improvements.
Frinton’s position on the Essex coast was thought to be a possible site for an enemy invasion so, with the exception of the first three holes, the remainder of the course was requisitioned by the Army and sown with mines. The resultant damage was considerable and it was not until 1947 that the course began to resume its former shape.
The current course is not excessively long by modern standards and, at first glance, the absence of trees may indicate an easy test. But that’s only part of the story. Fast, firm and undulating greens require sound putting, tidal ditches cross many fairways requiring good course management, and being on the coast, there is usually the wind to consider.”
The main 18-hole course was recently renamed in honour of Arthur Havers who was the 1923 Open Champion and Frinton club professional.
