CLACTON-ON-SEA GOLF CLUB, FOUNDED 1892

Golf Club History

Clacton-on-Sea Golf Club was founded in 1892 when a small band of enthusiasts leased 40 acres of grazing land close to the town centre and roughly laid out nine holes.  After four years the land was taken back for residential development and the club moved to the other side of town where it leased 50 acres to provide nine holes, then a further 50 acres in 1909 to give 18 holes.  Much of that land is still part of the present course, though there have been many changes in boundaries and layout since then. 

THE CLUB
The golf club is a private members' club, administered by a Committee of Management comprising the Captain, Vice-captain, Immediate Past Captain, Treasurer and eight full members. Club Secretary Manager is Helen Woodrow. Membership categories are seven-day, junior and social. Playing Membership is currently limited to 650 playing members and Junior Membership limited to 100.

THE PROFESSIONAL SHOP
The professional's shop, next to the clubhouse, carries a wide range of equipment and clothing. Golf lessons are available by appointment. Golf trolleys and buggies are also available for hire. Green fees must be paid at the shop and handicap certificates produced before starting play. The shop is open seven days a week from 8.30am to 6.30pm or dusk, whichever is the earlier.
 
Clacton-on-Sea Golf Club, West Road, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex CO15 1AJ
Tel: 01255 421919, Fax: 01255 424602

THE COURSE
The course covers 110 acres and runs alongside the sea wall and inland to West Road. It is flat, part wooded and part open, and comprises five par 3s, nine par 4s and four par 5s. Total length from the competition tees is 6448 yards and the standard scratch score is 71. For Ladies it is 5526 yards (SSS72).

There is an excellent practice ground of 10 acres, which is accessed by carefully crossing the 18th fairway. Two practice putting greens and a chipping area together with two practice nets are located close to the clubhouse. Practicing on the course is prohibited, as is normal play from the white tees. The course is well bunkered and fleets, which cross fairways or form boundaries, are a peculiar feature providing many water hazards. The greens, considered to be among the best in Essex, are all watered by automatic sprinklers. There is no out of bounds within the perimeter of the course. Out of bounds is indicated at places by white marker posts, water hazards by yellow posts and lateral water hazards by red posts. The word fleet is the local term for a ditch or stream.

1st Hole – A well-placed second short is required being careful to miss the fleet to the left of the fairway. This will make the approach shot over the lake to a double green easier

2nd Hole - The green is protected by bunkers on three sides. The best angle to approach the green is coming in from the left hand side.

3rd Hole - Drive needs to be to the right half of the fairway, which will give you the best angle of approach to the green. This green slopes away from front to back.

4th Hole – Keep drive to the middle right of the fairway so you are not blocked out by the dogleg. The green is raised above the ground level with a two-tier green and a drop off the back, not the place to go.

5th Hole – Tee is set in bushy area so check wind direction before making club selection. The green slopes from left to right.

6th Hole – Check your yardage after tee shot making sure you can carry fleet with second shot. It is not a difficult shot from short of the fleet. There is 25 yards behind cross bunker to large flat green.

7th Hole – Use the teeing area wisely after looking to see on what part of the green the pin is situated and also check the wind direction.

8th Hole – This is the longest par five on the course made longer by being uphill. When playing approach shot make allowances for the dead ground over the brow of the hill. The green slopes from front to back.

9th Hole – The wind makes this hole different every time you play it. Keep drive to left of fairway bunker. When playing second shot keep in mind the swale in front of the green as this makes green look closer than it is.

10th Hole – This hole is a dogleg right hole. Drive up middle of fairway being careful of bunker on the corner of the dogleg. The cross bunker in front of the green is set back some 25 yards short of the green.

11th Hole - Needs a very straight tee shot out of a bottleneck with trouble on both sides of fairway. The longest green on the course so check pin position before playing your approach shot to green.

12th Hole - The long hitters need to think about tee shot as the fleet in front of the green can come into play in summer. Also laying back from fleet can make stopping ball on green easier. Achieve more spin on ball with fuller shot.

13th Hole - All the problems on this hole are around the green with fleets guarding three sides. The fleet in front of the green makes it difficult to judge the length of the approach shot and many people leave their approach shots short of the green.

14th Hole - A tricky hole, miss the fleets and the fairway bunker off the tee. Then hit the correct level of a two tier green but do not go over the back of the green as there is a large bunker waiting for you.

15th Hole - The hole can play anything from driver to 9 iron. Check your yardage and wind direction before making your club selection. There is trouble if ball overshoots green.

16th Hole - A nice par five with a fleet just out of range for all bar the longest hitters off the tee. The pond short right of the green comes into play if ball is pushed or leaked right with approach shot. You are playing to a double green shared with the first hole.

17th Hole - Possibly the prettiest hole on the course playing over a lake that also runs the length of the hole. The two-tier green is protected with bunkers on both sides of green. There is a large drop awaiting any ball that is hit over green.

18th Hole - From the competition tee a very difficult drive playing over the out of bounds fleet to an angled fairway. Place drive on right side of fairway to give a straight second shot between four bunkers guarding the approach to the green.

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Clacton-on-Sea, Essex the Sunshine Coast, has a long sandy beach, safe sea bathing, water sports, a pier with amusements and a great variety of Societies and clubs 

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