Albany Golf Course

Statement of Significance

Albany Golf Course, an eighteen-hole links style golf course, established in 1900 with nine holes and enlarged in the 1960s, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
The place is the oldest links course in Western Australia and has been favourably compared to the best of the traditional links courses in Scotland;
The place is a well-composed example of an early 20th century public recreation reserve and links style golf course and makes an important contribution to the aesthetic qualities of the area;
In association with the Tjuitgellong/Lake Seppings wetland, the place provides an important habitat for more than one hundred species of water and bush birds;
When first established the place was a drawcard for summer tourists and an economic asset to Albany and has continued as an attraction to the town for over 100 years;
The place is highly valued by the general Albany community for its recreational associations in a seaside location and by the local and wider golfing community for the picturesque course and the challenge it presents.
The place has been associated with prominent people in Albany who were responsible for its establishment and for its ongoing operation and development.

The maintenance area, including a shed, is located about halfway along the old section of Golf Links Road and has little significance. The driving range was not part of the original links course, being developed at the same time as the new clubhouse, and is therefore of little significance.

Physical Description

The place is an 18-hole links style golf course, established in 1900 and expanded in the 1960s. A links course is one that uses the natural topology of coastal dune systems, on sandy soil and undulating, untouched fairways. Albany Golf Course is set on a ridge of consolidated dunes, behind the primary dunes and the landscape consists of the remnants of indigenous vegetation reinforced with plantings of indigenous species, embellished with Australian native plants and exotics. A recently built (2000) Clubhouse (excluded from the curtilage) is at the northern end.
The place also features the sites of the 1910 and 1955 Clubhouses (demolished) although little evidence of the former is visible.

History

As the town of Albany continued to prosper in the late 19th century, interest in the community turned to sport and recreation. An English golfer visiting Albany suggested the land at Binalup/Middleton Beach, beside Tjuitgellong/Lake Seppings, as ideal for a nine-hole "links" course, as the best golf courses were those on traditional links on seaside land: the word "links" essentially meaning undulating sandy turf-covered ground usually along a shoreline (boundary), and from there, to a golf course on such land.

The idea of a golf links at Binalup/Middleton Beach stirred the interest and enthusiasm of local keen golfers and leading citizens. By 1898, a committee had been formed with the idea to have the government grant a suitable piece of land and in return the committee would develop a course that would attract visitors to the town.

By 1899, the committee had raised £100 for construction of the golf course and formally requested the lease of 50 acres of land between Binalup/Middleton Beach and Tjuitgellong/Lake Seppings. A nine hole course was surveyed and planned out. The land was reserved as "Albany Park", eventually being placed under the control of a board of management whose members comprised of all golfers and members of the Club committee. The Albany Golf Club was then formed, and before the year was out, players were practising on the course - although not actually playing into the holes in order to give the greens turf time to establish.

On 3 February 1900, “Albany Park” links was formerly declared open. Later that year, and the first club shed was erected for members, being replaced with a more substantial clubhouse in 1910.

From its beginnings, the Albany Golf Club was predominantly a male domain, however the percentage of women members steadily grew. The first women's competition was held in 1908, and in 1916 the Albany Golf Club decided to promote women's golf, with the establishment of a women's tournament and their own day of the week on the course.

Initially starting out as a nine-hole course, with the grass attended to by resident sheep and with the odd stray cow crossing the fairway, by the 1960s it had eighteen holes, another new clubhouse, mowers were being used and annual golfing tournaments had been established attracting world-class players. By the 1990s, a new resort style clubhouse was built on land acquired at the northern end of the course which necessitated the reordering of the holes, and further discreet changes were made to the course in the constant endeavour to improve the game.

Although there have been physical changes and adaptations made in its over 100 year history, the intrinsic values and traditions of the Albany Links Golf Course, its ambience and setting, have remained constant, are still present and sit comfortably alongside those things that have developed as part of its evolution and maturity.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High
Authenticity: High/Moderate

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.