Established in 1890, Woodford Golf Club is the second oldest in the Essex Golf Union. The nine-hole course in Epping Forest was designed by Tom Dunn, who went on to be the architect of the Open championship course at Royal Cinque Ports, Deal, Kent. In 1890, Golf Illustrated quoted Scotsman Dunn as expecting the Woodford course to "rank among the best around London". And Golf World rated five of his course designs among the top 10 in Britain. Dunn, who was both a professional golfer and a club-maker as well as a course designer - like most of his Scottish compatriots of the time - laid out more golf courses in England than any other designer. Among them were the first nine at Lindrick, Notts, and the course for another "red-top" club, London Scottish on Wimbledon Common. Tom also taught the rudiments of golf to two Prime Ministers, W.E. Gladstone (1809-98) and A.J. Balfour (1848-1930). The 50 original members of the club paid one guinea (£1.05) for their entrance fee and annual membership. A ladies' section was established in 1892. The members at that time were professional folk - the likes of lawyers, bankers and doctors - who objected to playing golf with their grocer, baker or candlestick maker. So a a different class (second-class) of membership, the artisan section, was created for the tradesmen (i.e. the hoi polloi) who had to perform tasks on the course, especially when the greenkeepers were away, for cheaper golf fees and restrictions on when they could play. Of course, the artisans were barred from the clubhouse, small as it was. Among the folk admitted as artisans was Fred Mumford, a postal worker, who joined the club in 1936 and was a member for 69 years until his death aged 95 in November, 2005. After the Second World War, the club had the foresight to scrap its artisan section and all the artisans became 5-day members. Fred went on to be awarded life membership in 2003. The club survived World War One reasonably well but not War Ministry depredations in World War Two. Fearing landings by German gliders, the ministry had anti-gliding trenches, each 20ft wide and 4ft deep, carved across the 1st, 6th and 8th fairways and down the side of the second. These trenches were not filled in until 1947. After that, the club set about re-establishing itself. It celebrated its centenary in 1990 and since then has rebuilt the clubhouse on Sunset Avenue in 1997 to provide members and visiting golfers with modern changing rooms complete with shower facilities and a pleasant bar and dining area.

Drive north along the A104 After passing the Castle public house and a parade of shops turn left (one way) up High Elms Then turn right. The club car park is next to the school on the left opposite the clubhouse. From the M25:

Leave at Junction 26 Take the A121 towards Loughton Turn off at the Wake Arms roundabout and on to the Epping New Road (A104) Continue along the Epping New Road (A104) south until you reach the Green and then turn right into High Elms Then turn right towards the Sunset Avenue car park.