Whittington Heath Golf Club which is one of the oldest in England and has been described by Martin Hawtree as “Classic golfing country”.
According to the 1860 Post Office Directory, Whittington Heath comprised 338 acres on the south-east side of the village and was an open sheep walk, where the Lichfield Races were held.
The Lichfield Races had been moved to Whittington Heath from Fradley in 1702 and during the eighteenth century became one of the leading meetings of the Midlands. In the early 1740s the races were held in the first week of September and lasted two days, extending to three in 1744, and formed the focus for a great social occasion with well-attended public breakfasts and dinners, balls and concerts taking place and in and around Lichfield. The line of the course was apparently altered in the early 1740s to give spectators a better view. By the 1750's Lichfield was the only race course in Staffordshire.
In 1766 the landlord of Lichfield's Red Lion pub advertised that he intended to set up a viewing stand and a booth at the course and in 1773 a grandstand was erected by public subscription. From the 1780s onwards a decline set in, although the opening of a new stand in 1803 suggests at least a temporary revival of its fortunes. In this year a larger stand was donated by Lord Paget in 1803 with a flat lead roof added for viewing in 1829, this stand was sited close to where the second tee is now. Between 1840 and 1875 a new brick grandstand was built adjacent to the main road between Tamworth and Lichfield but the racing days at Whittington Heath was numbered. General William Dyott described the 1836 meeting as "a wretched affair" and by 1850 it was reported that the race-goers were "a coarse and common crowd with hardly a gentleman's carriage to be seen".
Whilst the races were declining, the military use of the Heath was growing. Officers in the local militia (a forerunner of the Territorial Army) were using Whittington Heath for training and manoeuvres. In 1881 the amalgamation of many old “numbered” regiments formed new named regiments, including the North and South Staffords. It was decided to establish permanent depots in each regimental area and Lichfield was selected for the Depots of both Staffordshire Regiments. In 1875 the Marquis of Anglesey agreed to the sale of his land; he (and one other) were paid £5,000 in March 1876 and the common land was bought from the Commoners of the Manor of Longdon for £14,211 in February 1877.
Construction of the Barracks for the Depots of the two Regiments and for a Militia Battalion (of which there were four in the county) started in 1877. The Barracks were simple in design based around a large parade square, whilst some of the original buildings survive to this day, many have disappeared, for example the Military Hospital, which was sited to the north of the present day Officers' Mess.
In 1895 race meetings finally came to an end, when, despite local protest, the War Office banned them, saying it was "undesirable to hold a race meeting at the gate of the barracks."
The old grandstand for the race course was taken over as a Soldiers’ Home. The Home continued in use by the Army until 1957, when it was acquired by Whittington Golf Club from the War Office for a clubhouse. Previously its Clubhouse was on the site of what is now the Whittington Arms.
Golf at Whittington began as a result of the passion for the game of Colonel George Simon. He was a Lieutenant Colonel of the Army Medical Service, who founded the Club which for some years was just a military one. Simon decided that a nine hole Golf course would boost the morale of troops stationed at the barracks. In 1886 he had a quiet word with the Commanding Officer requesting permission to work on creating a golf course. He selected positions for 9 holes and greens and soldiers on fatigue duty were set to work. With a mammoth roller and two scythes spaces were cleared and smoothed out of the heather.
Eventually civilian members were elected and gradually these members took over the running of the Club. Whittington Barracks Golf Club secured a lease on the course in 1910, (in 1994 Whittington Barracks Golf Club bought the land from the army, becoming Whittington Heath Golf Club. This was financed by the members).
In 1927 Mr H.S. Colt was brought in to re-model and extend the course to eighteen holes, and a wonderful job he made of it, producing a par with any in the country. Not a slogging course the length only 6490 yards, but one that makes the player think where he will put his tee shot and gives him a problem with his second. There is heather and gorse to contend with for those who stray from the straight and narrow and one does occasionally wander among the oaks which have grown during recent years.
During the Second World War, Whittington Barracks was essentially handed over to the US Army to serve as their 10th Replacement Depot. The white GIs were accommodated within the Barracks, the coloured soldiers camped out under canvas on the Heath.
Although large parts of the heath were occupied by the military during two world wars, the Club continued in being throughout and some holes were kept in play, albeit in poor condition and in 1945 it was even suggested that the course no longer existed. Through the efforts of the then Professional, Fred Fox, and others the course was rapidly recovered.
After the War the two Depots of the South and North Staffords returned, but by January 1959 the two battalions had been amalgamated and Whittington Barracks became the Mercian Brigade Depot. During the 1960s there was a major programme of modernisation which involved the demolition of old buildings and the development of the married quarter's estate. In 1986 the Mercian Brigade ceased to exist and Whittington Barracks became the depot of the Prince of Wales's Division until January 1993 when this depot too closed and Whittington Barracks became the home of the Army Training Regiment.
In 88 years the Club has had only four Professionals starting in 1905 with David Fox and then a Mr W. Goodrich for a brief period before Fred Fox, David's brother took over in1931 until 1968, when Adrian Sadler took over. Adrian retired at the end of December 2009, the reigns being handed over to Mike Raj, Assistant Professional to Adrian from January 2010.
There is no doubt that Whittington Heath is a Club with character, the more you play the course the more you wish to and in the Clubhouse you will find the atmosphere of friendliness, so necessary to complete a perfect days golf.