Howden won the Surrey Hills Gentlemen's Championship in 1900, three holes ahead of Louis Whyte. The amateur championship returned to the Sydney area in 1901, being played at The Australian Golf Club on 11 and 12 July. Howden won with a score of 352, 7 strokes ahead of Hugh MacNeil, although he had trailed by 5 after the first day. In 1902 he again won the championship of the Royal Melbourne club.
