Colt, born in in 1869 in Highgate, England, was a very accomplished player in his youth, winning the R&A Jubilee Vase in 1891 and 1893 as captain of the golf team at Cambridge University, where he graduated and went on to practice law in Hastings. It was at nearby Rye where he ventured into golf course design in 1895, becoming Secretary of the Club and then later to the heathlands of Sunningdale and Swinley Forest.
From 1905, Colt began to venture out on his own design projects and in 1911 was approached by Walter George Tarrant to design a golf course at the St George’s Hill estate. At this time the estate was covered with scots pine, silver birch and rhododendrons so it took the particular talent of Colt to walk through the woodlands and mark out a course before any trees had been cleared to enable the various holes to be laid out.
Such was the skill which particularly attracted the attention of the the great golf writer Bernard Darwin, who wrote in the following terms of the transformation of the primeval forest:
The original layout made by Harry Colt remains largely untouched in the course we play today.
Probably the most significant change on the course was the relocation of the first green. The original green was built by Colt high up on the right hand plateau; this was abandoned in the 1930’s as members found the position too difficult.
This image taken from just forward of the Ladies’ Tee shows the newer position of the green from the 1930’s on the lower ground to the left.
Of note:
An image of the 1st hole taken from approximately the same position as it stands today.
Of note:
This image taken during construction of the 8th hole shows a huge green area with a very significant tier running diagonally across the plateau.
Of note:
The second image is from newspaper archives, 11th July 1914 showing a ladies’ competition in progress on the 8th hole. The image clearly shows play to a flag on the lower right hand green as well as a 2nd green cut on the upper left-hand side.
Of note:
The hole today has a much smaller green, only on the upper left hand section of the plateau and the old right-hand green is a run-off area that catches the weaker fading ball of a right-handed player. The remanence of protection of the old green is seen in the grassed-in hazard to the right of the walkway.
Of note:
This image was taken while the clubhouse was still under construction and so the course may not have yet been in play. Taken from the approximate position of the ladies’ tee, this view is widely thought of as the best vista on the golf course.
Of note:
An image of the 1st hole taken from approximately the same position as it stands today.
Of note:
To visit St George’s Hill, please call the Secretary’s Office on 01932 847758 to make your reservation or send us a message.
