Sussex Daily News- on the Hill Barn opening ceremony July 10th 1935
“The town of Worthing set a new standard in Municipal golf courses when the links which have recently been constructed at a cost of £16,000 to the ratepayers, were officially opened yesterday.”
Arthur Harrison Hill Barn Manager From 1935 to 1972
“I like to work against the collar”- Arthur Harrison- he enjoyed playing golf a few shots behind.
Pre War 1935-38
The course was just finding its feet as, Arthur Harrison became manger. A gifted craftsmen of putters and irons in the early years of the club before mass produced clubs had been invented. He was perfect as the starting manager of the club. Over his 37 years at the club he guided it through thick and thin seeing her through times of great hardship to her golden age. Both his friendliness, tenacity and determination to keep Hill Barn a place of excellent golf are remembered by some at the Club. The perfect man to guide the Club through the war.
War Time 1939-45
With Golf balls no longer being manufactured, the overwhelming majority of men being fielded to the army very few people could play Golf during the war. Only retired old boys and a few others came to play.
Post War- 1950s
It was just as the war ended that Hill barn recreation and rotary ground were joined together and became the entire site we know Hill barn as today. As the war ended many of the extra defences set up on the course such as tank traps and beach emplacements on the sea front were quickly removed by local authorities. It was around this time Hill Barn allowed for an all day ticket to the play the course as much as you wanted (or could manage) for just 25p.
The Swinging 60s
Hill Barn is voted best municipal Golf course by one of the top golf magazines at the time.
Henry Cotton (one of the most successful British Golfers of the time) played Hill Barn and mentioned the 17th was one of the finest par three holes he had every played.
Tony Jacklin wins the British open at Lytham St. Annes and had previously won his first Professional tournament here at Hill Barn Golf Club.
Ernie farmer previous club captain and club treasurer at Hill Barn, recounts that during the late sixties standards were extremely high and much higher than any other time in the 20th century at the club.
May 1969 the club was chosen to hold the Penfold golf tournament. A small extract from a local paper after the tournament: “Naturally a golfer is willing to see the best in a course where he has just won, but I really think the fact that Hill Barn was in excellent shape, with plenty of grass, helped me to win”.
Phil Higgins begins as Manager 1972- 1997
The Golden age 1970s-mid 1980s
In the 1970s Hill Barn went onto to hold the Penfold tournament twice more with some of the largest crowds ever seen at the Club in 1974 when local Golfer Tommy Horton won the trophy.
Hill Barn was known as the friendliest golf club in Sussex and their competitions and social events were of a high standard.
Tuesday May 8th 1984 a granite stone commemorating the Commando’s connection with Worthing during the Second World War, was laid by the third tee, at Hill Barn Golf Course.
Unfortunately during these Golden years the council did not take full advantage to capitalise on their profits as the proposed A27 bypass halted any dreams of a proposed indoor driving range (in one of the barns), a second course that was proposed but never acted upon and not looking to expand or increase funding for the thriving club. As such this golden age came to end and the storm clouds gathered for a very unfortunate turn of events.
From Golden age to dark storms
October 16th 1987- 1997
The night of October 16th 1987 an intense hurricane hits West Sussex, Hill Barn Golf Club was completely devastated by the disaster.
95% of the trees on the course were knocked down or unrooted between 9-10th fairway. The practise ground lost over 80% of the trees. In total 600 trees were destroyed. The Club was closed for a week whilst debris was collected and the club made playable again. But it took until 1997 for the council to purchase 40 new pine trees and in 1998 they purchased 20 more. After the hurricane Hill Barn Golf Club offered to put £2,000 towards the purchase of new trees, but the council refused the offer. All this led to a slight drop in the membership of the club.
The 1990s were mainly an era of rebuilding to what it once was. But without success, in 1992 adult members of the main club and HOGGs was a strong 290 but by 1998 it had dwindled to just 160. All in all the 1987s-2003 was quite a sad time for the club it’s golden age could have been far longer but due to the missed opportunities by the council and the dreadful storm the club fell from its extremely high quality as the council did not reinvest sufficiently to return the course to its former glory. For months and seasons after the storm longs piled high around the club of the fallen trees a sign of the era to come. A huge turn around would be required in order to revive the club to its former glory.
A new hope in new hands. 2003- Today.
Sally and Richard Haygarth approached the council in 2002 to discuss the purchase of Hill Barn. They recognised a hidden gem that had been left dust covered and buried for nearly 2 decades now. By 2003 work began on returning some of the former glory to this fine golf course with over £750,000 invested into the club. This included: a new irrigation system installed, new changing rooms built, a new shop added to the clubhouse, new greenkeeping equipment and much more.
Previously over the summer the lack of irrigation had meant the greens were bone dry in peak times, so the irrigation system combined with a new green keeping equipment and an elite force of fresh greenkeepers work began on the course and today you can really see the progress they’ve made to bring that legendary quality back to fruition.
By 2018 a new greenkeeping compound was created to aid in this ambitious goal of quality upkeep and just last year the bar has been refurbished (much to the delight to our members).
As you can see Hill Barn has had quite the history, from the Height of golf, heydays and hurricanes. We are honoured to continue this rich history and bring you the best golf possible.