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A Golf Club derives much of its character from the environment in which it is created. The Kentish locality called Sidcup developed from a cluster of villages and hamlets such as Black Fen, Halfway Street, Old Sidcup, New Sidcup and the Parish of Footscray, which probably has the most enduring history.
Sidcup is about 12 miles from London in North West Kent. It derives its name from Cetecopp (AD 1254) which later became Sidycope and ultimately Sidcup. The older part of the present town is on a hill and slopes down the valley of the River Cray towards the south and east and towards the River Shuttle in the north.
The opening of the North Kent Loop Line of the South Eastern Railway in 1866 with direct links into London, gave it all the trappings of a new town. The change in the social environment resulted in an influx of city men and professional types. This assortment of people and the wealthier locals were the nucleus from which the golf club was formed in 1891. In North West Kent, Rochester, Sidcup and The Eltham (now Royal Blackheath) Golf Clubs were fledgelings of this time, but nevertheless, among the trailblazers of what is now a thriving area of prestigious members clubs and a nursery of fine golf talent.
Looking back of over a century of golf in Sidcup, there are many changes. The modern development created Sidcup Golf Club and took it to its halcyon years in the twenties and thirties. Ironically further development was damaging, ultimately by reducing one of the finest inland courses in the south, to a nine hole course in the fifties, with further inroads into the remaining site in the seventies. The 21st century has seen the club move into their new "home" sited on the golf course, with the old clubhouse site being transformed into a leisure centre.
Today, although smaller, the club is still the 8th most senior club in Kent. Others may have longer courses and more facilities but few can say they took part in the vote that led to St Andrews becoming the home of golf and contributed to the necessary funds required to keep "The Open" going from the turn of the century, which Sidcup have done.