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North Bedfordshire (North Beds) Golf Club, Biggleswade. (1891 - WW1)

The club was founded in 1891.

Also known as North Beds Golf Club.

Originally an 18-hole course laid out by Tom Dunn it was eventually reduced to 12-holes and was situated on Biggleswade Common (same location as Mid Beds Golf Club in the 1930s), flat and sandy with hazards of gorse and brooks. The stations at Biggleswade and Sandy were both 1 ½ miles away. Local hotels were the Swan and the Crown.

Throughout the 1890s and early 1900s  the secretary was Charles Burnett, Biggleswade and the professional A Vardon  junior. A 12-hole course at this time. The course records were, amateur R C Hayes Millar with a score of 76 and professional Alf Vardon 68.

Biggleswade Chronicle Saturday 5 December 1891. Content provided by THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Mr Robert Peel, the Right Honourable the Speaker of the House of Commons and president of the club, formally opened the new club at Biggleswade on Saturday 19 December 1891. 

Biggleswade Chronicle Saturday 26 December 1891. Content provided by THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Result of the first competition played March 1892.

Field Saturday 26 March 1892. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Below is the result of a match played at Biggleswade on 30 March 1892 against Huntingdon Golf Club (also now defunct).

Result of the monthly medal played on Saturday 7 May 1892; H Whitbread, 111-24-87; J Hughes, 94-6-88; A C McNish, 99-10-89; J Conder, 117-24-93; H Mann, 98-4-94; R Hughes, 102-8-94; A B Brackenbury, 108-10-98; H Lindsell, 129-30-99; J G Duberly, 111-10-101; A J Richardson, 122-20-102; A K Lindsell, 132-30-102; E A Dyer, 134-30-104; Dr Good, 115-10-105.

Result of a match played at Bedford Golf Club in June 1892.

Bedfordshire Times and Independent Saturday 25 June 1892. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Field Saturday 31 December 1892. Content provided by THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Below a report on the second annual meeting November 1893.

From the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News Saturday 25 November 1893. Image © Illustrated London News Group.

Result of a match against Cambridge University played in February 1894.

"Golf" Friday 16 February 1894. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Result of the March 1894 bogey competition; Mr D Mann, (15) 3down; Mr J Duberly, (6) 4dn; Mr H M Lindsell, (17) 4dn. Bogey score for the course was 82. The March final medal was won by Mr Lindsell with a net 84, the ordinary medal was won by the Rev W Royds, 113-30-83.

Result of a match played in March 1894.

“Golf" Friday 23 March 1894. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Result of the April 1894 medal; Mr D Mann, 97-16-81; Rev A Foster, 107-25-82; Mr Hubert Payne, 110-25-85.

On Saturday 15 December 1894 a valuable cup presented by the Marquess of Granby MP, captain of the club, was played for. The winner was Mr L C Daniel, 98-10-88 and the runner-up Mr Peter Payne, 107-16-91.

Result of the January medal in 1895; A C McNish, 101-8-93; Rev Worlow, 114-15-99; C Burnett, 130-18-112.

Field Saturday 4 January 1896. Field Saturday 26 March 1892. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

In February 1905 the committee appointed Alfred Vardon as professional. He was younger brother of the well-known champion golfer.

The following is from the 1905 Nisbet's Golf Yearbook; North Bedfordshire Golf Club; Instituted 1891; Membership of 48; Secretary - C Burnett; Captain - C Guy Pym, M.P; Entrance Fee £1/1s and Subs £1/10s; Twelve-holes; Professional - Alfred Vardon; Professional Record - Pedlar, 76; Amateur Record - R C Hayes Miller, 78; Visitors' fees, 2s/6d a week, 5s a month. The course is situated on Biggleswade Common. A flat course it is a fairly good specimen of an inland course, and the greens are very good indeed, but, rather small. There is at present no Sunday play.

Charles Guy Pym - Club Captain in 1905.

Result of the Winch Medal played in February 1906.

Biggleswade Chronicle Friday 23 February 1906. Content provided by THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

In August 1908 Mr R W Wright presented a silver trophy for the members of the "Town Section" of the club. D M Spong was the chairman of the committee who was arranging the contest; A J Brookbanks  is the secretary. Fourteen members were taking part.

In December 1908 the annual dinner was held at the Crown Hotel. Mr H M Lindsell, C.B., presided, among others present were; Mr Guy Pym. H Chaundler, Mr Winch, Mr Fletcher, R D Bridger, Dr C Burnett (hon. sec.) and others.

At the annual meeting in November 1910 Colonel Shuttleworth kindly promised to remove the deficit on the balance sheet. The gallant Colonel was elected President; Mr Fletcher, Captain; E B Winch and Edgar Marsh, Joint Secretaries.

New professional course record in November 1910.

Bedfordshire Times and Independent Friday 18 November 1910. Content provided by THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Bedfordshire Times and Independent Friday 10 February 1911. Content provided by THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

In 1914 the joint Secretaries were E Bluett Winch and E Marsh The Brewery, Biggleswade and the professional J Lawrence (1912/3). Now a 9 hole course there was  a membership of 48. The entry fee was £1/1/0 and the subs £2/2/0. Visitors’ fees were 1/- a day, 5/- a week, 7/6 a month and 10/- a quarter. Sunday play was not allowed.

Bedfordshire Times and Independent Friday 12 February 1915; "As a token of their appreciation of his services as secretary for some years, the members of the North Beds. Golf Club are presenting a suitably inscribed solid gold cigarette case to Mr Edgar Marsh."

North Bedfordshire Golf Club closed at the time of WW1. Mid Bedfordshire Golf Club opened a course at Clapham in 1913.