Seven friends met almost daily at Jack Coltman’s well-known City restaurant, “The Clarence”, and always reserved TABLE SEVEN.

One evening in 1933 they invited their wives to dine with them, at The Clarence, and afterwards to see the current show at the Palladium.  During the evening the menfolk, who were all golfers, decided they would each invite a friend to play a round of golf and so fourteen men attended the South Herts Golf Club.  After this meeting it was decided to form a golf society and to name it TABLE SEVEN.

A Mr Bartholomew (known as Bart) was made President, Walter Clark Captain and Jim Whiteley Vice Captain.

The principal meetings were held at Hadley Wood, which was Walter Clark’s club and Sudbury, which was Jim Whiteley’s club.  Later meetings were arranged at Wentworth, Sunningdale, Coombe Hill, Burgh Hill, Royal Mid-Surrey, Berkshire and in later years Denham.

During this period, from immediate post war to 1974/5, the A.G.M. was held after the afternoon round at Sunningdale (the guests were left in the bar, whilst a very short meeting took place in the dining room).  Also in those years, it was customary to dine in the evening at the clubs, with the exception of The Berkshire, where dinner was taken at “The Berystede Hotel, Ascot”.

During the war period, a few meetings were held, at which players took various items for auction and these raised approximately £2,500, which was given to the RAF Benevolent Fund.

It should be recorded that Tug Wilson, who it is thought was an employee of either Walter Clark of Jim Whiteley, acted as golf day Secretary, by preparing all the score cards, checking the returned cards and preparing a list of winners, ready for the Captain to announce.

Upon his retirement in 1973 a tankard was offered to commemorate some 40 years’ service to the Society and Tug’s 90th year.  The tankard was won by past Captain, Tom Goldsmith.  Upon Tug’s retirement, a member, Ken Poyser, who no longer played golf, but had turned his hand to bowls, took over the duties of golf day Secretary, until his retirement, when Eric Davies, the Society Secretary, carried on the duties, followed by Bob White and then jointly by Peter Slender and David Barrows until 2023.

When the Society was formed, it was decided to hold annually a Ladies’ Night and Jim Whiteley undertook to organise the first one at the Connaught Rooms, and subsequently the Ladies’ Night was held in the Ballroom of the Grosvenor House Hotel and always on the third Friday in January.  Jim Whiteley organised these nights up until he moved to Suffolk in 1978, when Bill Turner took over.  He retired in 1990 and the Secretary, Bob White, combined both duties.  In order for Walter Clark and Jim Whiteley to enjoy the benefit of a Ladies’ Night, as we know it today, they both served as Captain again in 1965-66 and 1966-67 respectively.

At Bill Turner’s Ladies’ Night in January 1978, a presentation of a Silver Jubilee Goblet was made to both Walter and Jim to celebrate their 80th birthdays during the year 1977.  They were the last two surviving members of the original seven founders.  Regrettably, apart from Bart, there are no records giving the other four founder members’ name and both Walter and Jim died during the early 1980’s and there are no other sources who can provide historical information.

At the beginning of the twentieth century Bob White who had effectively combined the duties of Secretary, Golf Day Secretary and overall Manager of the Society was honoured by the introduction of the “Bob White Trophy” for best aggregate points score over the golfing year.  Following Bob’s untimely death in early 2004 various changes have occurred with modification to venues and the omission of the “Ladies’ Night” but Table Seven has continued with the same friendly ethos as a Society that is open to all who enjoy not only the golf but the social aspect of our days out at some great venues.

. As Bob said “Table Seven was a Society for Gentlemen who play golf” but over the years it has expanded to welcome everyone who plays golf!

Table Seven Committee 2024: Captain: Tony Martin Vice Captain: Anthony Carr

Secretary: Phil Power Treasurer: Steve Sanderson Membership: Mike Harvey