Clovelly Golfing Experience 18-hole round of golf at Clovelly Country Club for 4 players – (Price Guide: R2,200.00)

Description

Used initially by a group of naval officers stationed at the nearby Simonstown base (who were mainly transitory), and a number of enthusiastic golfers from the area, the Clovelly Golf Links was formed, and was for a start, only a nine hole course.  This was around the 1920’s.

It was two years after the Great Depression of the late 1920’s that Clovelly was rescued from closure by two entrepreneurs, Gus Ackerman and Michael Pevsner, who purchased the property and, in 1932 formed the Clovelly Country Club which was officially opened in 1934.

The property was originally the farm “Klein Tuin”, and was purchased for the sum of 3 000 pounds. Gus Ackerman and Michael Pevsner’s stated purpose was “that the aforesaid land shall only be used for sporting and other activities of the Clovelly Country Club from the membership of which no person shall be debarred by reason of nationality or religion..

In these early years, members sometimes played golf with red balls to avoid losing them in the sand and often, after their round, would go out onto the course and plant grass. It was also at this time that a large number of members left to form Westlake Golf Course which was nearer geographically and had a different Constitution.

With a dire need for members, money and amenities, it is amazing that by the end of 1932 an 18 hole golf course and 4 tennis courts had been built. Farmers further up the valley were not keen to release water and already in these early years Clovelly drilled boreholes to ensure a reliable and economically viable source of water. The designer of the course was Dr CM Murray with Mr R Grimsdale, a talented and experienced specialist in this field.

In addition in these early years, many of the Club’s gardens were established with shrubs and plants from members own gardens and two bowling greens were built to commence a new activity.

1 December 1934 Judge Gardner opened the new Clubhouse replacing the tiny dwelling that had served the members as a changing room.

The first official drive was made by Judge Gardner. In the second image we see a gathering of notables. In the back row wearing a black hat is Dr. Murray, the architect of the course. We also see Mr. Gus Ackerman, Mr. Michael Pevsner and Mr. Harry Solomon – a prominent WP golf player at the time.

From 1903 there had been a 9-hole golf course in Simonstown. Limited space spurred a group of naval officers to lease a stretch of land made up of sand dunes and scant vegetation, formally known Klein Tuin Farm, in order to found a 9-hole golf course in the Fish Hoek Valley. The original membership was made up of, at most, one hundred stationed naval officers and local golf enthusiasts.

By the end of 1932 Michael Pevsner, a Russian immigrant and Chairman of a large tobacco company, and Mr. Gustave “Gus” Ackerman, a local businessman and member of Mowbray Golf Club, also regarded as one of the best-dressed men in Cape Town, had purchased Clovelly with the stated purpose that the land: “…shall only be used for sporting and other activities of the Clovelly Country Club…” On 1 December 1934 Clovelly Country Club was officially opened, with Judge Gardener driving off the first tee.

Name of Sponsor/Company: Clovelly Golf Club
Website: https://clovelly.co.za/
Other links: FB: https://web.facebook.com/ClovellyCountryClub?_rdc=1&_rdr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clovellycc/
Value: R550