Archives & Heritage: The First Thirty Years

A History of the South Perth Course (1908-1938)

At the time of writing the South Perth golf course is potentially on the cusp of its most profound changes since 1938 by which time the current layout had been established after three decades of ongoing change. It is therefore an appropriate time to consider the evolving early layouts that preceded the ‘1938 course’.

To date the evolution of the South Perth course has been poorly recorded or understood. While contemporary plans and records of the early course were almost certainly produced, they either haven’t survived or have thus far failed to reach the archive. As a result, the Club’s two published histories are notably devoid of the diagrams representing early course layouts that are a feature of most other golf club histories.

The account that follows has been made possible using the newspapers of the period. These papers provide many fragmentary descriptions of the course, particularly as additions or changes were undertaken. Many of the earliest accounts can be confusing given they assumed readers were familiar with layouts which have subsequently been all but forgotten. But with patience and increasing knowledge they can be comprehended. Reading these carefully and cross-referencing with other sources has gradually enhanced the knowledge of how the course evolved between 1908 and 1938 and the various waypoints on the journey.

The following account therefore includes quotes from and references to many of the most important newspaper articles, but there are many more that are uncited.
Credit is also due to past members who have taken an interest in the history of the course and have attempted to compile various records and accounts. Thes have also proven very helpful.

Note that the account that follows is primarily concerned with establishing and describing the various ‘layouts’ used between 1908 and 1938 and identifying some of the factors that influenced the nature and timing of various changes. Other elements of course design and development (e.g. boundaries, trees, bunkers and other hazards, watering and irrigation, playing surfaces) are referred to in passing but need to be the subject of further research.

The account that follows demonstrates that the history of the course is both fascinating and complex—indeed it is unlikely that many other Australian courses endured such a protracted and tortured gestation before reaching maturity! This has been the outcome of a severely constricted site; the challenge of managing the leasing cycle alongside the needs for course investment; the problems of establishing playing surfaces on the notorious Perth sand; and the vagaries in the early years of relying entirely upon members to undertake the design and in many cases the construction. As many observers have noted, producing a high-quality golf course under these circumstances has been a remarkable outcome.

The discovery and telling of the history of the course remains a work in progress. Please contact the Archives & Heritage Working Group if you know of additional relevant information or documents.

Paul Genoni, Chair, Archives & Heritage Working Group, 2024

THE FULL ARTICLE CAN BE FOUND BY CLICKING HERE:  THE FIRST THIRTY YEARS: A HISTORY OF THE SOUTH PERTH COURSE, 1908-1938

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