Hugh Boyle became a professional in the early 1950s and hit his stride as a tournament player in the 1960s, as well as undertaking teaching engagements in far-flung places such as Hong Kong and Pakistan. That he was a golfer of high quality became clear in 1965 when he finished second in the Senior Service Tournament, and in the top 20 in the Open. In the following year he won the Daks Tournament and the Yomiuri International Open, thereby becoming the first British player to win an event in Japan.

Hugh’s annus mirabilis was 1967 when he won five events, including the Schweppes and the Martini; he also represented Ireland in the World Cup. He qualified for the British Ryder Cup team, which was heavily defeated in Houston, not surprisingly since the American team included such luminaries as Julius Boros, Billy Casper, Arnold Palmer, Doug Sanders and Gene Littler. Hugh had the misfortune to draw Palmer, then at the height of his powers, both in the foursomes and the four-balls. Out first on the final day in the first series of singles, he lost to the formidable Gay Brewer, who was then the US Masters champion.

For nearly 20 years, Hugh was our club professional and then an honorary member until his death in 2015. His portrait, painted by Ann Hawksley, hangs in a prominent position in the Club House.

Out of a short list of six Alan Dailey is replaced by his brother Russell, the Professional at the East London Club in South Africa. Because of the geography he is not interviewed but is elected unanimously. He reports for duty twenty four hours after leaving his post in South Africa. He remains with the club until 1983 when he retires, becoming the Club’s longest serving Professional with over thirty years in the position.

In April 1951 Alan Dailey of Wanstead becomes the Professional. He plays in the Ryder Cup team in 1933 and finishes fourth in the Open in 1938. The Club gives him the right to take occasional leave of absence to play tournaments including the Open championship for which his expenses will be paid.

In 1952 Dailey accepts the job of Professional at The Berkshire. He takes all his staff with him except Nick Lyon. Nick Lyon becomes the Caddy Master, a position he retains until his death in September 1987.

Rather than advertise for a replacement the Club asks the Professional Golfers’ Association to circularise their Members.

In 1928 Leach is granted £10, by the Club, towards his Open expenses and his assistant Spen Attwood is given two pounds for the Assistants’ tournament .Attwood is the better golfer and in 1929 it is mooted that the Club should send him to the Open but since it clashes with the Spring Meeting he is not released.

In 1950 the Club decides that it needs a younger Professional with knowledge of the modern game, with the personality to impart this knowledge to the Members. Further he should be in a position, through his shop, to supply a variety of good quality equipment at a reasonable rate. Fred Leach is retired on a pension.

Sayers is replaced, as Professional, by Jack Fulford. His contract includes the right to eat in the Club House at special prices: plates of meat, two veg., bread and cheese for a shilling and to follow a dessert for four pence , a cup of coffee or tea for two pence and a plate of bread and butter for four pence or sixpence if with jam.

In October 1913 he is given two weeks leave of absence to play in the French Championship.

In 1916 Fulford is called up for active service. His wife, with the help of a club maker, fulfils her husband's position for the duration of the war. The Club continues to pay his retainer of one pound a week to supplement his army pay of seven shillings. In 1918 Fulford returns from the war to resume as the Professional and is allowed to set up a golf school which he is allowed to advertise in the Club House.

In 1920 Fulford has his retainer doubled to £100 per annum. Almost immediately he is in the Magistrates Court for being drunk.

In 1922 his assistant Mickey Daragon qualifies for the final at St Andrews of a Daily Mail competition and a subscription list is opened to cover his expenses.

In 1926 Fulford is again fined for being drunk. He is asked to resign.

When Jones resigns Sayers carries out the role of the Club’s Professional. In October 1912 he resigns to join his Father at his factory in North Berwick.

Rowland Jones was the Professional at Wimbledon Park from 1897 – 1935. He was one of the outstanding professionals in the first two decades of the twentieth century. He has been associated with the Club as he was employed to give advice on the layout of the new course which the Club was planning. He is appointed in November 1907 while continuing at Wimbledon Park, on terms he stipulates of thirty shillings a week for 1908 with a bonus of one pound a week for 1909.

At the same time Ben Sayers Jr is attached to the Club playing as a Tournament professional. When he wins the London professional Foursomes in April 1908 RWGC is given as his Club .It is also in the record of a match in 1908 when he beats I Hearn of Princes Mitcham over thirty six holes. He is only paid ten pounds a year as he can supplement his income through tournaments.

Bob Munro, a founder member of the PGA in 1901, is employed as Professional and Club Maker.

Robert Fullerton is appointed in December, having come down from St Andrews in 1898. He is the first Professional to be allowed to teach Ladies (before 10.30 and after 4.30, providing the instruction is given in the vicinity of the Club House). In 1902 Fullerton accepts a job in America.

Peter Paxton is appointed but by October he realises that his forecasts are wrong and that he is not making money so the Club agrees that he can leave.

In June 1896 J.H.Taylor, already twice Open Champion, and one of 55 applicants of which six were short listed, is appointed the Professional on a salary of 20s0d a week with free gas and coal, a free workshop and showroom. In return he has to be on duty for Members on the three days a week golf is played and keep in good condition the 9 holes for which RWGC were responsible. The salary of twenty shillings a week is neither here nor there, as he can command a fee of ten pounds for an exhibition match.

In January 1899 Taylor resigns, having received warnings from the Club regarding his failure to look after the course as soon after his appointment as 1897. He knows that he can earn more money playing exhibitions or as a tournament professional. Taylor admits ‘my two years at Royal Wimbledon were none too happy owing to causes that I need not explain, but the principal cause of my discontent was the restriction to three days play a week, which put my earning power at the caprices of the weather, a factor which at all times affects the Professional’s income to an extent that is rarely recognised.’ Taylor leaves in March to join Royal Mid-Surrey.

The Club decides not to appoint another tournament Professional. They invite applicants to make a commercial proposal for the rent of the showroom and workshop.

David is offered a reduced salary of £52 per annum (a reduction of ten shillings a week) which he accepts but with the title of Greenkeeper not Professional. When he tenders his resignation in June 1896 the Committee decides his replacement will be a Professional , a player as well as a club maker.

The Club advertises in the Field and receives ten applications from Thomson himself but without any success. There are several other applicants, which include Willie Park Jr of Musselburgh and the Professionals from Hoylake, North Berwick, Southport, and Dunbar and finally John Butchart of the London Scottish Golf Club (who had in effect being doing Thomson’s job for him.) This high standard of applicant reflected the high esteem in which the Club is held throughout the country.

The Committee unanimously agree and in October 1886 Alexander Patrick of Leven becomes the Professional with a salary of 30s 0d per week and a free shop.

He is given leave of absence in July and August of 1887 (presumably to play in professional tournaments) on condition that his brother takes his place.

In 1891 Alexander Patrick advises the Club that he wishes to return to Leven and recommends to the Committee that he is replaced by his brother, David, who he assures the Committee, would carry on everything he did.

John Thomson is hired as a club maker and is given an advance by the Club to start him off. Members are to pay cash for balls, clubs and repairs. Things do not go well and he is soon in debt but the real trouble is he is a poor craftsman as well as a poor businessman. In 1886 the Secretary of the London Scottish Club complains that their club maker is swamped by orders from Royal Wimbledon, which leads the Committee to conclude ‘that a better man should be got if the Club desires to obtain the position to which it is in every way entitled to aspire’. It is decided to employ a paid servant instead of the semi –independent Thomson who will, under the Green Committee, supervise the Course, take charge of the Caddies and make clubs and balls.’ Thomson is told if he does not get the new job he must go.

The first full time Professional is Tom Dunn who came from Musselburgh In May of 1869. He is obliged as part of his duties to clean the members’ clubs. All of this for 20 shillings a week. Tom is a prolific course architect and lays out a total of 137 golf courses before his early death at the age of 52.

Tom is responsible for extending the original seven holes on the Common to eighteen which were opened in 1871. The Field states ’the golfing ground on Wimbledon Common thanks to Dunn’s extensions is one of the finest courses in the country equal in extent and superior in number and variety of hazards to St Andrews.

In October 1877 Dunn, challenges the former Open Champion Old Tom Morris to a match on the Common over 36 holes. It pours with rain. The Field records every shot played by the two men; 367 of them. Old Tom Morris was 56 years old. At the end of the first 18 he is 4 down. The two players and the spectators retire to the 19th for a few libations and then return to the rain. Dunn wins on the 15th by 5 and 3 going round in 91 & 89 to Morris in 94 & 93.

In 1878 his younger brother ‘Young’ Willie Dunn is apprenticed to Tom at the Club from the age of 13 and paid four shillings a week. He grows up and learns his golf on the Common. He plays in the Open from 1882 to 1886, his best performance being ninth at Musselburgh in 1883.He goes on to win the first US Open in 1894 which was a match play event.

The first ‘unofficial Professional’ . When he isn’t working on the Butts as a marker he is employed by the Club three days a week. In March 1869 the Committee decides ‘to apply to the Commanding Officer for permission to engage Doleman as club maker and instructor to the Club for the Winter months at eighteen shillings a week, being the terms on which he is at present engaged as a marker.

His charge for two rounds on the seven hole course was two shillings or three shillings if he needed to hire a substitute when he was on duty at the Butts’.