Borrowood Golf Club, Ockbrook, Derbyshire. (1902 - 1938)
The club was founded in 1902.
Borrowood Golf Club had a 9-hole course laid out on farmland between the villages of Borrowash and Ockbrook. Although the ground was heavy, being clay soil, the turf and greens were good. The greens were enclosed by wire fencing to keep off grazing animals. The course was ideally situated at 400ft above sea level at the highest point. Sunday play was not allowed. The railway station at Borrowash was 15 minutes away. The course steadily improved in the early years and by 1914 a new pavilion type clubhouse had been built. In later years a disused railway carriage was used as an extension.
When the club closed in the early 1950s the extension was found to be very useful for other entertainment, as there was a girls’ private boarding school adjacent to the golf course fields.
There is evidence that the club may have had associations with the nearby British Celanese Company.
Result of a professional match played at Ockbrook in September 1905.
Result of a club match played against the Derbyshire Golf Club on Saturday 3 March 1906 at Derby.
Derbyshire Golf Club | Borrowood Golf Club | ||
Dr Vaudrey | 0 | H Coles | 1 |
Dr Moon | 1 | H P La Trobe | 0 |
J White | 1 | J D Dale | 0 |
C E Oliver | 1 | Dr Hunt | 0 |
E T Hodson | 1 | A Cooper | 0 |
C J Lynch | 1 | Rev J Mallalieu | 0 |
E Colebourn | 0 | T Pares | 1 |
Dr Barrett | 0 | Drury Dale | 1 |
5 | 3 |
Result of a match played at Borrowood against Bulwell Artisans in November 1906.
Borrowood Golf Club | Bulwell Artisans Golf Club | ||
T Pares (1up) | 1 | F Plumb | 0 |
Dr. Hale | 0 | Dr. Garstang (3 and 2) | 1 |
J O Dale | 0 | J Scott (6 and 5) | 1 |
O Cooper (2 and 1) | 1 | J W Jones | 0 |
F Black | 0 | J S Hardwick (2up) | 1 |
D Dale (4 and 3) | 1 | F S Bryan | 0 |
H La Trobe (5 and 4) | 1 | G Jackson | 0 |
Mr Ilgner | 0 | R A Robinson (3 and 1) | 1 |
H Glover | 0 | A G Drewry (8 and 6) | 1 |
H Taylor (3 and 1) | 1 | O S Freck | 0 |
E H Pares | 0 | G H Scottorn (3 and 1) | 1 |
P Lane | 0 | A Wainman (4 and 3) | 1 |
5 | 7 |
New course record in August 1908.
On 26 March 1912 a ladies match in connection with the Derbyshire Association Cup competition took place between Borrowood Ladies and Chevin Ladies, result below.
Borrowood Ladies' Golf Club | Chevin Ladies' Golf Club | ||
Miss Mugliston | 1 | Mrs Sayers | 0 |
Mrs Coles | 1 | Miss B Murphy | 0 |
Miss Elliott | 1 | Miss D Harrison | 0 |
Miss I Macdonald | 0 | Miss N Murphy | 1 |
Miss K Barron | 1 | Miss Toulmin | 0 |
4 | 1 |
On Saturday 27 April 1912 Borrowood played a home club match against Chilwell, result below.
Borrowood Golf Club | Chilwell Golf Club | ||
W E Woodward | 1 | Rev T G Shelmerdine | 0 |
Rev Alexander | 1 | H Nicholson | 0 |
F Black | 1 | A G Mellors | 0 |
Dr Hunt | 1 | D J Marr | 0 |
H Fletcher | 1 | F N Hill | 0 |
F Fletcher | 0 | F D Mellors | 1 |
J Macdonald | 0 | W Haseldine | 1 |
H Astle | 0 | J Birkinshaw | 1 |
5 | 3 |
In 1914 there was a membership of 85. Entry fee was £1/1/0 and subs £1/11/6.
Ordnance Survey Map showing the golf course and pavilion at the time of WW1.
In 1923 club membership was 75. Visitors’ fees were 2/- a day.
Secretary | Professional/Greenkeeper | |
1904/5 | A Knight (p) | |
1905/6 | L G White (p) | |
1906-9 | H L Atkinson (p) | |
1909-24 | F J Perkins (p) | |
1914 | F Black, Ockbrook, Derby. | |
1923 | A C Faire, Ockbrook. | A G Perkins (g) |
1931-32 | H F Oxley of Greenside, Ockbrook, Derby. | Fred Knight (p&g) |
Below is the result of a match played at Borrowood against Derby Golf Club in May 1930.
Borrowood Golf Club | Derby Golf Club | ||
Capt. Knight | 1 | F Bulllen | 0 |
C Lomas | 1 | P Carr | 0 |
J T Marsh | 0 | A C Greensmith | 1 |
A Biddle | 1 | H A Payne | 0 |
Rev Burtill | 0 | W H Potts | 1 |
J T Gilbert | 1 | E E Willmette | 0 |
Dr Hunt | 0 | J P McClelland | 1 |
T C Gorton (half) | 0 | K I Browne (half) | 0 |
H Rawson | 0 | A Milward | 1 |
E Etches | 1 | J Nadin | 0 |
5 | 4 |
Report on the annual meeting in April 1932.
Presentation in October 1933.
A reunion dance for members of the club, which had closed in March, was held at Ockbrook Church room on New Year’s Day in 1938. Miss A Faire of Loughborough, deputising for her father, Mr A C Faire, presented Mr H Rawson, treasurer of the club, with a cigarette case and lighter, and Mr J Bowmer with a pocket cigarette case and lighter, in recognition of their services to the club.
As with many clubs in a similar situation it continued to be listed in the Golfer’s Handbook until the early 1950s.