Annual Dinner

Each year at the end of the season, your society puts on a dinner. Dress code is black tie and has been held for the last 39 years in the impressive surrounding of the HAC headquarters in City Road.

This year it will take place on Thursday October 26, once again at the HAC.

Please click the below link to request tickets or ask further questions, which will be managed by the Hon Sec.

Some History of the Annual Dinner

The first dinner was held in February 1909 at The Waldorf Hotel, with 60 attendees. This year in October 2023 we will celebrate our  90th. All the golf society’s dinners have been held in London except in 2001 when the Centenary Dinner was held at the Burford Bridge Hotel near Dorking and preceded the Society Centenary Golf Day at Walton Heath held on the following day.

The Centenary Dinner was attended by 124 members & guests including representatives of the Cardiff Exchange, Foreign Exchange, Japanese Shipowners, London Shipowners, London Metal Exchange , Lloyds Golf Club, Stock Exchange Golf Society and two committee members from Walton Heath Golf Club. During the evening a presentation Gold Medal was awarded by the Society to Tryphon Kedros, our ex President, for his outstanding contribution over many  years, including taking a BEGS group for many years to Corfu Golf Club (where he was also their President) and where they were entertained royally.  A stalwart of the London Greek shipping community Tryphon was made an Honorary Member of the Baltic Exchange in 2018 after 65 years uninterrupted service and continued to attend the office until after his 100th birthday. Sadly Tryphon died peacefully in Vouliagmeni, Greece in March 2021 aged 108.

The winner of the Centenary Silver Medal created specifically for the event was Bob Childs, who still remains an active member of the Society, having served as Captain and President in the years since. For the Centenary golf day, a bumper field of 112 players grappled for 36 holes over the two courses at Walton Heath on a glorious sunny day. We are ever hopeful for similar conditions when we enjoy our 125th anniversary in 2026, for which plans are slowly taking shape

Going back to the dinner, the 4th was held on the evening of our first home match versus the Cardiff Exchange in 1912. The 2 teams played at Walton Heath, and the Cardiff players were guests at the black tie dinner at the Connaught Rooms in Great Queen Street, just off Holborn

After the Great War, the traditional Dinner re-commenced in 1923 and until 1950 they were held bi-annually, but since then they have been a popular annual event.

 These are the venues used to host the dinners:

• The Waldorf Hotel , Aldwych - 3 times

• Connaught Rooms, Great Queen Street - 3 times

• Hotel Metropole, Whitehall Place - 4 times – (now called the Corinthia Hotel)

• The Criterion Restaurant, 224 Piccadilly - 1 event

• Claridges Hotel, Brook Street - 5 times

• The Savoy Hotel, Strand - 1 event

• Mayfair Hotel, Stratton Street - 2 times

• Trocadero Restaurant, Coventry Street - 2 times

• The Empress Club, Dover Street - 1 event

• New Banquetting Hall, Baltic Exchange - 1 event

• Hyde Park Hotel, Knightsbridge - 8 times

• Queens Room, Baltic Exchange - 14 times

• Whitehall Court , The Enbankment - 2 times

• Devonshire Club, Devonshire Row - 1 event

• Park Lane Hotel, Park Lane - 10 times

• The Burford Bridge Hotel, Dorking - 1 event - Centenary Dinner

• HAC Headquarters, City Road - 30 times

The Honourable Artillery Company Headquarters on the City Road has been home to our dinner since 1993, it remains a popular event and impressive venue 30 years on. Since 2009 we have been granted access to the full Company facilites, including the member’s bar Sutling Room, thus allowing more space before and after the meal.

Each dinner since 1912 has featured the mutual exchange of toasts between the respective Captains of the Baltic Exchange and Cardiff Exchange Golf societies - we look forward to our 100th match with our good friends in 2026, which also coincides with the society’s 125th  anniversary, so it is likely to be quite a dinner.

The Society’s singles knock-out trophy The Gold Cup is traditionally presented to the winner by our President at the dinner, a tradition that dates back to 1909.

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