Harpenden Golf Club

Harpenden Golf Club was established in 1894, when a small group in Harpenden formed a club and began shaping a golf course on the local common. Their efforts were supported by Sir John Bennett Laws of Rothamstead, who granted them the rights to the land for a nominal annual rent.

The original golf course required members to rent a room from Mrs Gray for a clubhouse, but rapid growth in membership prompted the construction of a dedicated clubhouse in 1903. The golf course underwent a significant redesign post-World War I, transforming it into an 18-hole course.

Disadvantages related to the course's length led to the decision to move to a new location at Hammonds End, an endeavor funded by the formation of a public company, Harpenden Golf Club Limited. The new 7,000-yard course, designed by Hawtree and Taylor, opened in 1931 with adjustments to length made for contemporary golf club technology.

An exhibition match featuring George Randall, Abe Mitchell, Percy Allis, and Arthur Havers inaugurated the new course with Havers scoring the first hole in one on the 8th hole. During World War II, the course served agricultural purposes, hosting the Women's Land Army and transforming into a sheep farm, avoiding severe damage.

In 1954, Harpenden Golf Club marked its Diamond Jubilee, which included a celebratory dance and a competition for the Jubilee Bowl. The club's Centenary Year in 1994 saw a series of both golfing and social events to commemorate the milestone.