Royal Blackheath Golf Club

The course and its history

Golf was played on Blackheath, above the royal palace at Greenwich, in the early 1600s. The club's 1608 founding date is a long-held tradition rather than a documented fact, but it is undisputed as England's oldest golf club. It moved from the heath to Eltham in the 1920s. Tom Dunn laid out the present 18-hole parkland course in 1892, James Braid refined it in the late 1920s, and Ken Moodie led further improvements in 2014. It plays to par 71 and the club describes it as easy walking.

Booking and visitor practicalities

Visitor tee times are generally available Monday to Friday, usually between 8am and 6pm, with limited weekend availability at certain times of year. Book online up to four weeks ahead; for later dates or society days, contact the club office. A dress code applies on the course and in the clubhouse. Hire clubs can be booked through the professional shop. Dogs are not allowed on the course or in the clubhouse, except for assistance dogs.

Clubhouse and getting there

Eltham Lodge was built in 1664 for the royalist banker Sir John Shaw, designed by Hugh May, and has been the clubhouse since the 1920s. Its museum displays historic trophies, including a silver claret jug. The club is in Eltham, south-east London, within easy reach of central London and Kent.

Highlights

• England's oldest golf club, traditionally dated to 1608
• Par 71 parkland course laid out by Tom Dunn and refined by James Braid
• Grade I listed Eltham Lodge clubhouse, built in 1664
• Golf museum with historic trophies and memorabilia

Good to know

• Visitor tee times are mainly Monday to Friday and can be booked online up to four weeks ahead
• A dress code applies on the course and in the clubhouse
• Hire clubs are available from the professional shop; book in advance
• Dogs are not permitted on the course or in the clubhouse (assistance dogs excepted)

Frequently asked questions