Junior Spotlight on a Club with a proven tradition of developing county golfers
Celebrating its 125th Anniversary this year, Sundridge Park GC has long been recognised not only for its outstanding facilities and rich heritage, but also for its commitment to nurturing golfing talent. Situated in Bromley, Kent, the club has established a reputation as one of the county’s leading centres for player development, consistently producing golfers who have progressed to represent Kent at junior, amateur and county level.
Throughout its history, Sundridge Park GC has provided an environment where aspiring golfers can develop their skills, compete at a high level, and learn the values of dedication, sportsmanship and excellence. The club’s championship courses, extensive practice facilities and strong competitive culture have helped create a pathway for talented young players to achieve county and national recognition.
A few stand-out examples of these are:
- John Macklen – Junior Captain (2000), Kent County Champion, now Head Professional
- Liam Burns – One of Kent’s leading current amateurs and former member
- Ainee O’Connor – Junior Captain (2015), now Assistant Head Professional
- Luke Spooner – Junior Captain (2013), now Teaching Professional in the USA
- Max Murray – Junior Captain (2021), now studying in the USA
- Kieran Parkins (2024) and Lennon Hill (2025) – both held the rare distinction of serving as Junior Captain and Club Champion in the same year
Among the club’s notable success stories is John Macklen, who joined Sundridge Park GC as a junior member and progressed through the ranks to become both Junior Captain and Club Champion. During his amateur career, he represented both club and county with distinction, culminating in his victory in the Kent County Championship in 2007. His journey exemplifies the opportunities available to talented young golfers at Sundridge Park.
The club’s ability to develop talented young golfers extends beyond competitive success and into careers within the game itself. A fine example is Ainee O’Connor, who served as Junior Captain in 2015 and is now the Assistant Head Professional at Sundridge Park. Having progressed through the club’s junior ranks, Ainee has become a highly respected and popular member of the professional team, helping to inspire and develop the next generation of golfers through her coaching and commitment to the club.
The club’s reputation for developing outstanding amateur golfers continues to the present day. Liam Burns, currently regarded as one of Kent’s leading amateur golfers, spent many years as a member of Sundridge Park, where he honed his game and developed the competitive foundations that have helped him achieve success at county level. His achievements add to the growing list of players with strong Sundridge Park connections who have gone on to distinguish themselves in amateur golf.
Similarly, Luke Spooner, Junior Captain in 2013, developed his game and leadership skills at Sundridge Park before pursuing a successful career in the golf industry. He now holds the position of Teaching Professional at a country club in the United States, demonstrating how the foundations established at Sundridge Park can lead to opportunities and success on an international stage.
More recently, Max Murray, who served as Junior Captain in 2021, has followed a similar path. Having benefited from the club’s supportive junior environment, Max is now studying in America.
The club’s ability to develop county-standard players and golf professionals has continued across generations. Numerous members have represented Kent in county competitions, while others have gone on to achieve success at national and international level.
What makes Sundridge Park particularly special is the consistency with which it produces talented golfers. Success has not been confined to a single era or individual; instead, the club has fostered a culture where young players are encouraged to improve, compete and aspire to higher levels of the game. The club’s coaching structure, competitive programme and supportive membership continue to provide an ideal platform for emerging talent.
Moving to the present day, Sundridge Park continues to play a significant role in the development of Kent’s finest young golfers. The club is proud to have numerous junior members who regularly represent Kent at county level, demonstrating that its tradition of producing talented golfers remains as strong as ever.
Among the current generation is Kit Hill, younger brother of former Junior and Club Champion Lennon Hill, who serves as the current Kent Under-14 Boys’ Captain. His appointment reflects both his ability as a player and the leadership qualities that have become synonymous with many of Sundridge Park’s junior golfers.
The strength of the club’s junior programme is further demonstrated by the number of Sundridge Park GC members selected to represent Kent at Under-14 level. Members of this year’s highly talented Kent Under-14 squad include Charlie Martin, Harry Dring, Charlie Bratt, Freddie Siddons and Jeremy Li, all of whom play their golf at Sundridge Park. Jeremy has recently moved clubs but spent many years as an SPGC Junior. Their selection for county honours is a testament to their dedication and hard work, as well as the supportive environment provided by the club.
Three younger boys, Sydney Scerri, Rory Shaw and Ralph Bridge, have recently joined the club and will soon hopefully also appear on the County’s radar.
While still at the early stages of their golfing journeys, these young players have already established themselves among the most promising golfers in Kent. Given their talent, commitment and achievements to date, there is every reason to believe they will progress through the county ranks and go on to represent Kent at older age-group levels in the years ahead.
The continued success of players such as Kit, Charlie, Harry, Charlie, Freddie and Jeremy demonstrates that Sundridge Park’s proud tradition of developing county golfers is not merely part of its history—it remains a defining feature of the club today. As new generations emerge from the junior ranks, the future of golf at Sundridge Park looks exceptionally bright.
The success of Sundridge Park’s junior programme is by no means limited to the boys’ section. The club has also developed a growing number of talented young female golfers who are making their mark within county golf. Truc Nguyen is already part of the Kent Girls County pathway, demonstrating the depth of talent emerging from the club.
Following closely behind is another exciting group of young girls, including sisters Kitty and Sadie Mahoney, and sisters Daisy & Poppy Cormack. All have shown tremendous promise and are developing rapidly within the game. Given their dedication, enthusiasm and ability, they appear well placed to follow in Truc’s footsteps and earn county honours in the near future.
The emergence of such a strong group of young female golfers further underlines the strength of the junior section at Sundridge Park. With talented boys and girls representing the club across the county pathway, the future of golf at Sundridge Park looks exceptionally bright, and the club’s reputation as one of Kent’s leading centres for player development continues to grow.
Many thanks to Nick Parrott, Golf & Facilities Manager at Sundridge GC, for help with the research.
