This year sees the 50th Anniversary of the Ladies' Section at Royal Cinque Ports. There are a number of celebratory events being held to mark this auspicious occasion, culminating on 29th June with a Lunch for all lady members, past and present.

The Ladies at Royal Cinque Ports have had a chequered history, starting in 1901 when the Ladies' Club was formed. Evidence of this can be found in the L.G.U. Handbook of 1908, but it seems that during or after the First World War, this Club was disbanded.
Between the Wars a nine hole short course was in existence, situated beyond the first green and going out to Sandown Castle and back, but that disappeared when the council houses were built.

At this time Deal was solely a Gentlemen's Club, although Ladies were allowed into the Clubhouse for luncheon. However, after the last War, things began to change, and Ladies were allowed, on payment of an annual fee, to become Permit Holders, with permission to play on the Course. Liquid refreshment in the clubhouse was always awkward; a small room above the stairs down to what is now the Ladies' changing rooms was the Ladies lounge, and a hatch abutted onto the Men's' Bar. It was necessary to knock and when the steward answered, thirst could be assuaged, hopefully with settlement on the other side of the hatch! When Bernard (Bun) Davis became Captain in 1952, he most generously donated a bar in place of the hatch, and naturally the mixed lounge became "Bun's Bar".

"Johnny" Salisbury Jones was the founding Captain, and subsequently the first Lady President, and with her were approximately twelve other Founder Members, two of whom are still with us today - Past Lady President Mrs Doreen Wilson-Haffenden and the current Lady President Miss Pam Lane.

Numbers gradually increased, and today the Ladies Section has 136 playing members, and another 30 social members. The Ladies' Section has made a notable contribution to the Club since it is because the L.G.U. staged a British Ladies' Open Amateur Championship at Deal in 1904 that the Cinque Ports golf club achieved championship status. Over the past 20 years the club has hosted several prestigious events for ladies, including several Inter-County Finals, and most importantly, the British Ladies' Amateur which was held in 1988, and the European Girls Team Event held in 2004. The Ladies Section boasts several English Internationals, and many County players. Three of our members have played in the prestigious Curtis Cup - Helen Wadsworth, Linda Bayman and perhaps our most famous member, the 2004 British Ladies Open Champion, Karen Stupples.