The Addington

The great thing about peeling back the layers on a classic course are the things you uncover in the process. Endless shot types with the mounding and the short grass surrounds, you could spend all day chipping around the green!

One of the most versatile holes on the property, the tenth plays as a par 5 on the Colt routing and a par 4 on the Abercromby routing, as seen here. It's the same hole, but the questions it asks are drastically different.

This old photo of the 14th looks normal until you realise the fairway used to hug the trees on the left, which are hiding a steep cliff. Once complete, this hole will be one of the finest examples of strategic golf, where you must hug the danger for the best angle in.

Our suspension bridges do more than catch the eye. They're a testament to how Abercromby and Colt tackled the course's most severe terrain, proving the architects weren't shy about calling in engineers when the land demanded it.

Thought we'd hop on the Olivia Dean trend.... #OliviaDean

The 12th is looking just as it did over a century ago, though back then it was the eighth, with the course starting on what is now the fifth. When horse and cart access up the hill proved impractical, the clubhouse was built at the foot of the hill and the routing revised.

Perdu, 11, 13, and 17. The varying one-shotters of our back nine.

Our opener is unusual for two reasons - it’s a par 3, and it was originally meant to be the 15th. Even so, it does a fine job of setting the tone. Bunkers cut tight to the green and plenty of movement around the putting surface give players a proper introduction to what’s ahead.

Two years ago today I joined @TheAddingtonGC — hard to believe how quickly the time has passed. Proud of the progress we’ve made and what we’ve built as a team. Excited for what’s ahead, with our sights set even higher. 📈

Jonathan and his team getting the course dialled in ahead of spring. We can’t wait for another summer of firm fairways, width and angles.

On 6 February 1952, our Club Patron, King George VI, passed away. Until then, the club had been informally known as “Royal Addington”, a nod to the many royals who had played here. With the King’s death, that title quietly fell away too, 74 years ago today.

It feels like almost every great club in the UK has suffered a clubhouse fire at some point. For us, it came later than most. February 2nd, 1952, almost seventy-four years ago to the day.

Looking back down the 12th, most people admire the hole’s topography without realising what they’re seeing. In the centre of the fairway sits a WWII bomb crater – a nod to our history and a quiet reminder of the 200-plus lives lost in Croydon during the raids.

The creation of 'Perdu', our short alternate hole that plays as the 10th in the Colt routing, was a true labour of love. Restored from historic images showing where a green once stood, it's now a thrilling short par 3 with a dramatic green with immense scale and wild contours.

Instagram is full of 2016 throwbacks at the moment, so we thought we'd give it a go... #2016trend

"With the exception of the 5th at Pine Valley, the greatest one-shot hole in inland golf." A line Henry Longhurst penned long ago, and one he’d surely smile at today as the hole nears full restoration.

Improved Green Complexes: 1. More short grass to encourage creativity around the greens. 2. Bunkers cut closer and greens expanded, creating exciting new pin positions. 3. Tee boxes blended into the surrounds for smoother transitions and a cleaner look.

2025 brought us one step closer to completing our restoration. We can’t wait to see what 2026 has in store.

The versatile third will play between 150 - 260 yards. More of a long par 3 on our Abercromby routing and a drivable 4 on the Colt routing, closer to its original design intent. A true half-par hole. A welcome bit of variety for a hole that will become the 17th in years to come.

Farewell 2025 – here’s to 2026 and another year of course improvements. Happy New Year, everyone!

From all of us at The Addington – Merry Christmas! Here’s hoping your day is filled with good food, good company, and of course, plenty of logs on the fire.