Club History
Humble Origins
Founded in 1903, this corner of East Kent on which the golf course stands today, is steeped in history. Kingsgate, once a poor fishing village, became the 18th century grand estate of Lord Holland. At the end of the 19th century, part of the estate was purchased by Sir William Capel Slaughter, founder of the international law firm Slaughter and May, and where, in 1903, he laid out the first golf course at North Foreland.
Humble Origins
On the death of Sir William, Lord Northcliffe, a newspaper magnate and owner of the Times and several other publications, moved into his summer retreat at Elmwood in Reading Street. In 1918 he purchased and enlarged the golf course, building a new clubhouse, then a single storey building from which, during World War II, club members would sit on the veranda watching skywards as the Battle of Britain raged overhead.
Humble Origins
The Club has played a pivotal role in shaping what the game is today – namely, the Ryder Cup, which features Abe Mitchell on the lid, a memorial to a great professional golf player who worked at North Foreland Golf Club.
