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Stowmarket Golf Club, Suffolk. (1902 - WW2)
The Club was founded in 1902.
The first course was an eight-hole seasonal course. The second course was nine-holes and was situated at Lambert’s Hill, Finborough.
The current course opened in 1962.
In 1904/5 the secretary was Chas E Hitchcock, Chilton Hale, Stowmarket. It was listed as an eight-hole course. Entrance fee 10/6; ladies 5/-; subs 21/- and 10/6. Visitors’ fees were; 1/- a day and 3/6 a week.
The following description is from the 1905 Nisbet’s Golf Yearbook. “The course is arranged so as to play nine-holes out and nine home. From the end of April to September 1st play is impossible as the grass is too long. The hazards consist of roadways, trimmed hedges and ditches.”
Result of a match played at Stowmarket against Ipswich Golf Club in April 1906. After the match lunch was taken at the Fox Hotel.
| Stowmarket Golf Club | Ipswich Golf Club | ||
| Dr. S Hillier (12) | 1 | A C Wrinch (13) | 0 |
| Rev. T Simon (12) | 1 | Col. K D Murray (14) | 0 |
| C E Hitchcock (18) | 1 | A Hayter (14) | 0 |
| G W Portway (18) | 0 | J F Peacock (15) | 1 |
| Dr. S C Hounsfield (13) | 0 | D O Wollaston (16) | 1 |
| 3 | 2 |
Result of a match played at Diss in April 1908.
| Diss Golf Club | Stowmarket Golf Club | ||
| W Mayor | 1 | H E Wilkes | 0 |
| F Morgan | 0 | Rev. J F Fernie | 1 |
| Rev. C U Manning | 1 | G Portway | 0 |
| A J M Savill | 1 | C E Hitchcock | 0 |
| Rev. L R Moore | 0 | H Turner | 1 |
| R J Crichton | 0 | H Simon | 1 |
| 3 | 3 |
In 1911/ 12 the joint secretaries were Miss Prentier, Verandah, Stowmarket, and Miss Harper, Rose Cottage, Stowmarket. Course records were; amateur, Rev J F Vincent Fernie, 81; professional, Mr Thompson, 84.
Result of a match played at Diss Golf Club in October 1913.
| Diss Golf Club | Stowmarket Golf Club | ||
| A Alden | 1 | H J Wilkes | 0 |
| E D Macmahon | 1 | Rev T Simon | 0 |
| Hon. W H Lascelles | 0 | Dr J C Hounsfield | 1 |
| W M Thomas | 1 | H W Turner | 0 |
| G E K Burne | 1 | H Cook | 0 |
| J P Glover | 0 | L Tibbenham | 1 |
| 4 | 2 |
Between the wars the club had a nine-hole course at Lambert’s Hill.
The club to restart following the war.
Bury Free Press Saturday 16th August 1919. Image © Johnston Press plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
From 1923 to 1926 the professional was G Stone and from 1927 to WW2, L Button.
On Saturday 15th May 1926 Stowmarket played matches against Diss Golf Club. The first teams played at Stowmarket and the second teams at Diss. Result as follows.
| Stowmarket Golf Club | Diss Golf Club | ||
| J Harker (half) | 0 | W M Thomas (half) | 0 |
| A J Quig | 1 | G E Burne | 0 |
| Dr Hounsfield | 1 | G Seager | 0 |
| N Haywood-Smith | 1 | S C Aldrich | 0 |
| L Tibbenham (half) | 0 | H Warnes (half) | 0 |
| G Portway | 1 | Dr Pearce | 0 |
| H Turner | 1 | T Snelling | 0 |
| J Harker & A J Quig | 0 | W M Thomas & G E Burne | 1 |
| Dr Hounsfield & N Haywood-Smith | 0 | G Seager & S C Aldrich | 1 |
| G Portway & H Turner | 1 | Dr Pearce & T Snelling | 0 |
| 6 | 2 |
| Diss Golf Club | Stowmarket Golf Club | ||
| G Lenthall | 1 | T Hayward | 0 |
| E H Willan | 0 | W E Phillippo | 1 |
| E Newbold (half) | 0 | L Whittington (half) | 0 |
| C S Smith | 1 | D E Davies | 0 |
| W H Wake | 0 | G Lewin | 1 |
| W D Chitty | 0 | A H Perry | 1 |
| D W Comer | 0 | F Tibbenham | 1 |
| N H Beddington | 0 | G Treweek | 1 |
| G Lenthall & E H Willan | 0 | T Hayward & W E Phillipo | 1 |
| E Newbold & C S Smith | 1 | L Whittington & D E Davies | 0 |
| W H Wake & W D Chitty | 0 | G Lewin & A H Perry | 1 |
| D W Comer & N H Beddington | 0 | F Tibbenham & G Treweek | 1 |
| 3 | 8 |
In the mid 1930s to the outbreak of WW2 the secretary was C R Cullum, 63 Finborough Road, Stowmarket, the professional was L Button. The nine-hole course had a SSS of 70, club membership was 100. Visitors’ fees were, 2/- a round, 2/6 a day, 7/6 a week.
The annual meeting held in October 1937.
Diss Express Fiday 22nd October 1937. Image © Johnston Press plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
The annual meeting was held in November 1939, H W Turner in the chair. It was reported that following the recent temporary closure sufficient members had now joined to ensure the continuance of the club during the war. It was reported that the season had paid its way except that the purchase of a tractor costing £45 had resulted in a deficit of £35/15s. It was decided to continue the usual competitions but to postpone social events. G W Portway was elected president; A N Mills, captain and treasurer; A N MacKelvie, vice-captain; C R Cullum, hon. secretary; Miss Stedman, ladies’ captain; Mrs Culllum, ladies’ secretary.
At the time of WW2 the secretary was F E Tibbenham, 1 Temple Road, Stowmarket. The professional was L Button. The nine-hole course had a SSS of 70, and there was a membership of 100. Visitors’ fees were; 2/- a round of eighteen holes, 2/6 a day and 7/6 a week.
Following WW2 the club went into abeyance until the present course was laid out in 1962.
The map above shows the former clubhouse and course at Lambert’s Hill. Reproduced from the {1927} Ordnance Survey Map.
The Google Map below shows the location of the former course.