On 8th October 1894, General Sir Frederick Marshall KCMG wrote to Mark Smallpiece, Lord of Puttenham Manor, asking if he would allow a group of Army Officers, Charterhouse School Masters and local businessmen to form a golf club on his land at Puttenham Common. The fact that General Marshall was a special favourite of Queen Victoria at the time probably helped sway his judgement and, thus, Puttenham Golf Club was born, with the General quickly established as President. As it happens, Queen Victoria herself had already visited the site that was to become Club when she stood on Frowsbury Hill (now the 2nd Tee) on a warm summer’s day in July 1858 to take the salute of 20,000 members of the British Army during a Royal Field Day. Puttenham Golf Club can therefore make some small claim to Royal connections.

Puttenham’s first Captain, Major Howard Fairtlough, the Club Professional Albert Howlett and the Committee were responsible for laying out the original nine holes which measured just 2,413 yards with a "bogey" of 39. The oak tree on the fairway at the 1st hole, which has since become the Club's emblem, was already a mature tree in 1894 and still looms menacingly as it waits for that errant tee shot, just as it did over 100 years ago! In 1935, the Club was given permission to extend the course by a further nine holes and by October 1937 Puttenham Golf Club could boast 18 separate holes.

Having bought the freehold to the Club from the Smallpieces in 1981, the opportunity arose the following year to buy a further 44 acres of land adjacent to the course, known as Monk Grove Copse. Purchasing the extra land meant a potential re-design of the course, with five new holes earmarked for the copse area, and Donald Steel appointed architect. Puttenham's new course layout was officially opened in June 1990 with a yardage of 6,070 from the White Tees and 5,556 yards from the Yellow Tees.