Home

The Golf Club

The Golf Complex

The Golf Course

Where to Find Us

Useful Links

Latest Club News

A brief history of Little Hay Golf Club and Complex

Little Hay Golf Course was opened in September 1977 and Little Hay Golf Club was officially formed in December of that year.  In its early years the course, built on farmland, was very stony and had only a few newly planted trees. 

The original clubhouse was a small building in the shape of an ‘A’ frame and will be remembered with a hint of nostalgia by many of the original members.  This was replaced a couple of years after opening, when Dacorum Borough Council, the owners of the course, built a much needed new, larger Clubhouse.
 
David Johnson, the resident PGA professional, took over the franchise for the course and complex, and he continued to manage the facility until 1999, before moving on to pastures new.  During his time at Little Hay, David arranged for a 25 bay, floodlit driving range to be built and planted more trees.

Originally the course started with a par 5, with the 1^st tee just outside the pro-shop.  The course was later changed, so that the original par 4 10^th became the 1^st hole.  In April 2000, when Dacorum Borough Council took over the management of the course, it reverted to its original layout.  

Chris Gordon has managed the golf complex since Dacorum Borough Council regained the operation of Little Hay, ably assisted by his team in the pro-shop. George Reid, the head green keeper, does a tremendous job in keeping the course in fantastic condition throughout the year. 

**********************

Shortly after the opening of the course, a golf magazine writer named John Stobbs, became aware that another new club, Great Hay, had also recently opened in Telford. He wrote to both clubs suggesting they have an annual competition. This was accepted and the challenge has run both home and away annually ever since.

As 2002 marks the silver anniversary of both clubs, there was a special one-off Ryder Cup style tournament, held over the weekend of 28th & 29th September at Tewkesbury.  To find out who emerged victorious, check the Mens's News Page.

***********************

The club has grown over the years. It has thriving and friendly seniors, ladies, juniors and men's sections. With many mixed competitions played throughout the year, golfers from all sections have an opportunity to share their love of golf. 

We have teams in the Herts Scratch League, and Herts Friendly League, and play many other friendly matches during the year against other local clubs.  We are also members of the National Association of Public Golf Courses (NAPGC), which provides members from all sections of the club with the opportunity to play in national competitions.  In 2001, one of our ladies became the Bronze Division Ladies Champion of England, and our mixed foursomes team made it to the Area Final of the Hawtree Cup.  In 2002, we had 3 ladies competing in the national finals, and we had 2 men competing in the Men's Championship at Woodhall Spa.  One of the men's teams also reached the Zone Final of the Clapham Common Shield - a Greensomes Stableford competition - where they narrowly lost to a team from Basildon.  In 2003, we had 2 ladies competing in the national finals, one of our men became the Division 2 Men's Champion of England, and one of our Seniors won the Veterans Championship.