'OLD MILL'

Par 3, 192 Yards, SI 16

UPDATE COPY

One of the best loved and most famous holes on the course came into existence when the course was extended to 18 holes in 1897. Named after an old derelict mill which the tee was built next to approximately 50 yards behind the existing tee. The old mill was famous for the murder of a Mr. Hicks by his wife after coming home drunk once too often.

The hole changed very little until it was sold off in 1975. The tee shot was played at an angle across a sandy track called the ‘Old Kent Road’ which had a high bank on one side for almost the full length of the hole which can now be seen running through the back gardens in the houses to the left of the existing 14th hole.

This hole was first played as the 10th hole and was the first homeward hole on that layout. Following further extensions it was played as the 11th in 1901, and as the 14th in the 1910 and 1923 extensions. It then became the 13th in 1938 when the previous 13th hole a short par 3 between the church hole and the old mill hole was abolished and new 14th hole constructed which was played to a green on the site of the existing 14th green from a tee which is now used occasionally as a temporary winter tee on the left hand side at the 15th.

Sadly the old mill hole was sold off in 1975 to help fund the course developments. A new 14th hole (The existing one) was built by remodelling the old 14th green and constructing a new tee to play the hole from the opposite direction.