History

Historical Statement From 1892

Box Hill Golf Club traces its antecedents to the Surrey Hills Golf Club which was a flourishing Club in 1892. In 1892 there were only two other Clubs in existence in the Melbourne area, they were Melbourne (later Royal Melbourne) and Geelong Golf Clubs.

The original Course was a block of land situated between Mont Albert Station and Whitehorse Road. This land was sub-divided in 1907. The subdivision saw the establishment of the Riversdale Golf Club in 1908 and in 1909 the Surrey Hills Golf Club continued at land situated from Albion Road to Whitehorse Road (part of which is now the Box Hill Cemetery). This land was again subdivided and the determined Surrey Hills Members moved to the east side of Middleborough Road and at this time changed their Club name to Box Hill Golf Club.

Again in 1912 the land was subdivided and the Club organised a lease of 70 acres of land, south of Canterbury Road (it was Delaneys Road in those days). In 1924 a further move was forced on the club as their land was again subdivided into what was to become known as the “Golf Links Estate”. At that time some of the Members formed a Committee and moved to “Tullamore” in Doncaster, this move saw the establishment of the Eastern Golf Club.

Also in 1924 other Members of the Surrey Hills Golf Club purchased land in the sand belt area and as a result established Huntingdale Golf Club. The name of Box Hill Golf Club lapsed until in 1933 Mr J. C. P. Wellard established the Box Hill Public Golf Links on its present site. Mr Wellard carried out significant work on the land, laying out fairways, tees and greens and developing a reticulated water system. The depression years saw a slowing down of development and after the depression came the war years with further retardation of development.

Historical Statement From 1952

In 1952 Mr Wellard was approached by Members of the Box Hill Golf Club who had played at the Box Hill Links to sell to them the land of the Golf Course, the agreement was made and a price equivalent to $75,000 set. The Club could not raise all of the money and so ended up purchasing only half of the land necessary for an 18 hole Course.

1967 the Club leased from the Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works sufficient land to construct and play on an 18 Hole Course.

In 1956 the Club applied for and was granted a Liquor Licence and contrary to local rumour it advertised its application in the Argus dated 11th March, 1955. Some say it advertised in some remote country Newspaper - not true.

Recently the Club constructed a new and modern Clubrooms and also has successfully negotiated the purchase of all land it previously leased from Melbourne Water Corporation and Melbourne Parks and Waterways and the Whitehorse City Council. This land was developed in to two new golf holes (present 15th and 16th) which in turn provide scope for the re-development of holes 13, 14, 17 and 18. The result has been the achievement of a very challenging par 72 Golf course

The Club has a proud history of determination and achievement in the face of significant adversity, the moves from site to site, the loss of Members to establish other Clubs and Courses and the recent significant advances all go to highlight the fact that the Club has been an integral part of Victoria’s Golfing history and has also been a significant community asset in the Box Hill area for over 108 years and will continue to be so for many years to come.