Club History

 

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Golf officially began in Bloemfontein when Dr CH Bidwell placed an advert in the local paper THE FRIEND, that simply read “It is the purpose to form a golfing club in Bloemfontein for which purpose a meeting of those interested in the game and desirous of joining the club will be held in the council chambers at 6 o’clock on Saturday afternoon next, 3rd February 1894″. The names of twenty gentlemen were enrolled as members of the club. The leading golf architect Robert Grimsdell was brought in to lay out a fully grass course.

In 1995 Peter Matkowich was brought in to do some alterations. All greens were re-shaped and bunkered, resulting in a far more challenging but rewarding layout.

The Club has hosted several prestigious tournaments most notably

*SA Open 1958 (Arthur Stewart)
*SA Open1964 (Allan Henning)
*SA Masters 1961 (Dennis Hutchinson with ..the course record of 64).
*SA Amateur 1906
*SA Amateur 1958 (Jimmy Boyd)
*SA Amateur 1964 (Richard Langridge)
*SA Amateur 1968 (Bob Williams)
*SA Amateur1975 (Peter Vorster)
*Various Inter-Provincial tournaments .Amateur, Veterans, and Sunshine Tour Events.

The Bloemfontein Golf Club is 115 years old. The Club has had many highlights throughout its existence and thanks to our loyal members, the Club has come to the point where we have over 850 members at present.