Aberdare Valley Golf Club, Rhondda. (1907 - 1947)

Founded in 1907.

Originally a nine-hole course it was extended to eighteen holes in the mid 1920s. Sunday play was not allowed until the late 1920s. 

The following report is from the South Wales Daily News Thursday 13 February 1908; "ABERDARE VALLEY GOLF CLUB - Work on the ground at Cefnpennar, under the direction of H Morris, the club professional, is progressing rapidly, and there is every prospect of the links formally being opened in the spring. The president (Lord Aberdare) has most generously undertaken to  provide a pavilion for the club. The membership list is filing rapidly, and the list of original members will close on 1 March."

Competition result from October 1909.

 

Aberdare Valley Golf Club, Rhondda. The Whitting Cup competition played in October 1909.

Merthyr Express Saturday 16 October 1909. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Result of a match played on the Aberdare Valley course in June 1910 against Pontypridd Golf Club.

Aberdare Valley Golf Club   Pontypridd Golf Club  
Austin Evans 1 H Crockett 0
Trevor Williams 1 R Jones 0
R Ll Williams 1 O T Goad 0
W G Thomas 1 John Parry 0
E T Leyshon (half) 0 L J Morgan (half) 0
Rev. Sinnet Jones 0 W E Summers 1
Gwilym Jones 1 O R Owen 0
G T Davies 1 F Lingham 0
  6   1

It was reported in October 1910 that the first annual club championship meeting was held. The club championship shield was won by Stuart Powell who beat Harry Powell by 3 and 2. 

Secretaries
1914                       Owen Williams, 80 Commercial Street, Mountain Ash
1922                       Alex McCormack, Monk Houses
1924 - 1947           G Salusbury-Roberts, Town Hall, Mountain Ash (later of the Bungalow, Mountain Ash)

 

 

Professionals

Greenkeepers

Course records

1914

J Morris

 

 

1922

J S H Morris

William Bebb

W L Morgan (a) 75
J S H Morris (p) 70

1924 - 1930

Stewart Bowen

H Jeremiah

 

1935

R Evans

E Phillips

 

1940 - 1947

R Evans

E Benyon

 

Report on the annual meeting in January 1913.

 

Aberdare Valley Golf Club, Rhondda. Report on the annual meeting in January 1913.

Merthyr Express Saturday 1 February 1913. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Entry fees for gents in 1914 were £1/1/0, and for ladies 10/6d. Subs for gents were £2/2/0 and ladies £1/1/0. Membership of 167. Visitors’ fees were 2/- a day, 6/- a week, 15/- a month. Sunday play was not allowed. By 1922, there were 139 gents and 66 lady members. This membership varied only slightly  throughout the club’s existence, but had reduced to about 110 by 1947. Fees increased to 2/6d per day, 10/- a week, and £1 a month in 1922, remaining the same until 1947.

In April 1919 the Easter Cup presented by Lord Aberdare was won by T H Davies, 85-9-76.

 

Aberdare Valley Golf Club, Rhondda. The golf course and pavilion on the 1922 Ordnance Survey Map.

Aberdare Valley Golf Club/Course is marked in the centre of the above map. Reproduced from the {1922} Ordnance Survey Map.

 

Course to be extended in February 1922.

 

Aberdare Valley Golf Club, Rhondda. Report on the extension to the course in February 1922.

Merthyr Express Saturday 4 February 1922. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Result of a match played on the Aberdare Valley course against Ystrad Mynach Golf Club (now defunct) in April 1928.

Aberdare Valley Golf Club   Ystrad Mynach Golf Club  
Dr. J V Holmes 0 D S Davies 1
W N Morgan 1 Rev. W Thomas 0
S G Collis 1 U C Williams 0
G A Phillips 1 Tudor Lewis 0
Roger Williams 1 David Lindsay 0
Bernard Edwards 1 R Jenkins 0
  5   1

Report on the annual meeting held in February 1929. 

 

Aberdare Valley Golf Club, Rhondda. Report on the annual meeting in February 1929.

Western Mail Friday 15 February 1929.Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

The picture below shows Douglas Duncan (left) at prize presentation May 1930.

 

Aberdare Valley Golf Club, Rhondda. Picture of prize presentation in May 1930.

Western Mail Monday 26 May 1930. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

On Saturday 4 October 1930 Stewart Bowen, the club professional, holed in one at the 118 yard seventh hole.

Result of a match played at Aberdare in May 1931.

 

Aberdare Valley Golf Club, Rhondda. Result of a match played in May 1931.

Western Mail Friday 8 May 1931. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

 

Aberdare Valley Golf Club, Rhondda. Report on club member H O (Tony) Anthony in January 1938.

Western Mail Thursday 27 January 1938. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

Report on the annual meeting held in February 1939.

 

Aberdare Valley Golf Club, Rhondda. Report on the annual meeting in February 1939.

Western Mail Thursday 23 February 1939. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

In 1947 the SSS was 71. Railway stations at Dyffryn Crossing and Mountain Ash were one mile away. 

Aberdare Valley Golf Club had disappeared by 1951 and the current club, Mountain Ash appears.