Killara Golf Club lies on the traditional land of the Darramugaral people. “Killara” means “always there” or “permanent”.
Around 1805, the area now known as the North Shore was opened up for settlement following an expedition by George Caley.
Early land grants to Samuel Midgely and Joseph Fitton, signed by Governor L. Macquarie. These areas of land were to become part of Killara Golf Club in the early 1900’s.
Orchardists, farmers and timber cutters moved in and gradually the suburbs of the North Shore were established. J.G. Edwards has often been described as the “father of Killara” for his prolific work in developing the area. He is buried in the cemetery adjacent to St John’s Church, Gordon.
The North Shore Railway Line was officially opened 1st January 1890. It ran from Hornsby to St Leonards with nine stations - Hornsby, Waitara, Eastern Road Turramurra, Pymble, Gordon, Liindfield, Roseville, Chatswood, St Leonards. Four trains per day made the return journey.
Killara Station was officially opened on 10 July 1899. J.G.Edwards offered 29 first class passenger tickets each day to encourage players to the golf course.
The Lindfield Golf & Recreation Club was constituted at a meeting of a group of golf and tennis enthusiasts in September 1899. The meeting was held under a tarpaulin strung between trees somewhere near Clanville Road, Roseville.
Charles Danvers was the first President of the Lindfield Golf & Recreation Club. He remained in the position of President for three years: 1899 - 1901.
The first Captain of Killara Golf Club was E.W. Giles. He served as Captain from 1899 to 1900.
The first clubhouse was built in Archbold’s Paddock soon after the first general meeting in September 1899. The small timber clubhouse held only 4 or 5 members at any one time.
Little is known of the early Club Secretaries. It would appear that prior to 1919 members of the Club acted as Secretaries in an honorary capacity. Annual reports show that the following served in that capacity between 1900 and 1918: George Johnson, Bob Brewster, H. Cohen, S. Hague-Smith and Frank Middows.
The lease of land at Lindfield was withdrawn in 1900 after one year. A better site for the Club was found by J.G. Edwards and he was instrumental in the purchase of 36 acres of land at Killara.
On 8th September, 1900, members of the Lindfield Golf and Recreation Club met at the Chatswood Hall, Chatswood and resolved to float the Club into a company with a capital of £2000 in two thousand shares of £1. One of the objects of the company was “to purchase lease or otherwise acquire land at or near Killara ….
The first annual report was tabled for the year ending 30th September 1900. At this time, there were 61 full members and 10 lady associate members.
On the land which was purchased for the golf club was an old cottage which was converted to be the first clubhouse on the new location. This cottage later became the green keeper’s house.
This event was started at Killara in 1901, and mirrors an event commenced at the Home of Golf, St. Andrews, in 1760.
The Directors’ Trophy for Women was first played for in 1901. This was a Handicap Medal played over 18 holes. Mrs H.Y. Braddon won the event and Mrs F.G. Braithwaite was runner-up. Both players had a handicap of 4 and presumably were played off the same tees as the men.
The men’s Club championship along with the Silver Putter competition are recognized as the first two major competitions of Killara Golf Club.
The first Committee of Lady Members was formed on 23rd April 1903 at a general meeting held at the clubhouse. Mrs Braddon was appointed as Chairman.
The first Associate/Lady President was Mrs H. Braddon. She held this position from 1903 to 1907.
Killara Golf Club has a long history of involvement in the women’s golf of NSW. In particular, our Club was one of the founding members of the NSW Ladies Golf Union formed in 1903. The founding clubs were Killara, Manly, Royal Sydney and The Australian.
The first Associates Club Championship was played in 1903. Mrs Robson-Scott won the inaugural event to become our first Associates’/Ladies’ Champion. She was a member of the first Ladies’ Committee and held a handicap of 12.
Miss K. Egan was elected as the first Associate Captain in 1904 and again from 1906 to 1909.
In 1904 the Club purchased 11 acres of land running to Golf Links Road.
In 1905 the club engaged the services of two well known golf professionals: Carnegie Clark and Dan Soutar. “They were contracted for three years ‘for the sum of thirty shillings a week….
Eric Apperly was a junior member of Killara Golf Club. In 1905 and 1906, he won the Club Championship.
For a short period of time in 1906/7, Victor East became a Professional at Killara having completed his apprenticeship at Royal Sydney. He left Killara in early 1907 to travel around the country.
With the exception of the years of the World Wars, Killara and Newcastle Golf Clubs have played matches against each other twice a year since 1907. It is believed to be the oldest continuous interclub match in the southern hemisphere and perhaps the world.
The building of a new clubhouse of brick and weatherboard commenced in 1907 on the site where the present clubhouse now stands. It was occupied in 1908 and officially opened by George Edwards on 13 March 1909.
In 1907 the Club purchased a further 25 acres which it had been leasing. In 1909 this land was used to create five new holes. Four new holes were squeezed into the Home Paddock to bring the course to 18 holes.
By 1910, Killara had names for every hole, but the only one still in use by 1926 was Spion Kop. It was reported in 1926 that many courses do not name their holes, with one exception. The only name that has been universally adopted is “The Nineteenth”!
In 1911 another 14 acres was acquired which included the old dairy at the eastern end of the Fiddens Wharf Road paddock. By then, the Club owned 86 acres of land. Five new holes were introduced and five were eliminated in the Home Paddock to reduce congestion.
“By beating Hunters Hill in the final round,… Killara secured the 1911 premiership, and fittingly concluded a brilliant season in which it had defeated every opponent to it in the home-and-home matches.” (News article September 1911).
By 1912 the Associates’ membership had grown to 74 with 16 to 20 women competing each week. Killara had enough women members to field a Grade team and in 1912 won the Metropolitan Grade Four for the first time.
In January 1915, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that the Killara Golf Club had formed a Rifle Club. Members would practice on the range at Hornsby and on a miniature range on the golf club land.
The first paid Secretary was T.C. Douglass who remained in the position until 1929.
The Killara Shield is the oldest event in the NSW Golfing Calendar. The shield was provided by the Club in 1920 to the NSW Golf Association for foursomes gross stroke competition between two pairs nominated from each Group 1 club
In November 1922, a meeting of servicemen was convened at the Club by Paddy Dwyer and the Killara Golf Club Ex-Service Members’ Association was formed.
Walter “Watty” Clark came to Killara in 1922 as the Professional after war service. He was a golfer of some renown and a member of a prominent golfing family.
in 1923, more land was purchased (Foys Land) west of Golf Links Road. The course remodelled to a championship 18 holes course. The total land owned by the Club was 121 acres (49 hectares).
Killara Golf Club won the men’s “A” Team Premiership again in 1923.
W. M. (Billy) Hughes, famed as the Little Digger when he served as Australia’s Prime Minister during World War 1, was a member of Killara for many years. Our records indicate his membership began around 1925 when he opened the Sixteen Suburbs Fete. He remained a member until his death in 1952.
One of the most colourful, unusual and successful social events ever held at the Club was the Sixteen Suburbs Fete held on 21st March 1925. This was a charitable function sponsored by the Club to provide funds for the Royal North Shore Hospital.
The Killara ladies won the Metropolitan Grade One for the first time since it began in 1904. Since then, they have won the event again in 1932, 1949, 1964 and 1975.
In 1928, a team of eleven young men formed the Killara Golf Club A team. This team won the Premiership in that year.
Between 1929 and 1930, land which was not being used for the championship course, was developed into the short course. It remained a good training ground for young golfers and less experienced golfers. By 1955, it could no longer be maintained properly and was subsequently closed and left as unused land.
Killara held the first Father & Son Cup in 1931. It continues to be played annually today as an 18 hole foursome stroke open to amateurs.
The first Mother and Daughter Cup was contested at Killara in May 1931. Miss P Hipsley and her mother won the inaugural event which continues this day to be played annually at Killara.
On the 19th March, 1932 the Sydney Harbour Bridge opened. Not only did the bridge bring the city suburbs together, but the whole project brought a focus of national optimism during the Great Depression.
On the night 3rd August 1932 the new clubhouse was levelled by fire. The flames of the fire were visible for kilometres around and despite rain and the desperate efforts of brigades, the clubhouse was consumed by the fire in a spectacular fashion in front of a crowd of 2000 onlookers, many members among them.