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Whaley Bridge Golf Club, Stoneheads. (1906 - 1960s)

Founded in 1906 with a nine-hole course.

The address was sometimes given as New Mills, Derbyshire.

During 1919 the Whaley Bridge Golf Club decided to extend the nine hole course to eighteen holes, James Braid visited the course to inspect the existing layout and the additional land. He spoke very highly of its golfing possibilities and was particularly pleased with the quality of the turf. The club was eagerly awaiting his proposals for the new lay-out. This extension would be made possible by the financial support and the constant aid given by Lieutenant Colonel Ramsden, the landlord who had always taken a keen interest in the club. It was hoped that the extension would be followed by a large increase in club membership. Unfortunately there is no evidence that these proposals for the 18-hole course were ever carried through.

A 10-hole course in the mid 1920s it extended to 11-holes in the 1930s when the SSS and Par was 70, the layout remined more or less the same until closure. Membership prior to WW2 was about 150 reducing to 100 through the 1950/60s. Visitors’ fees prior to WW2 where 2/6 a day and Sunday play was allowed. The station at Whaley Bridge was 15 minutes away. Local hotels were the Railway, Jodrell Arms and the Rams Head.

Following is a report on the opening of the Whaley Bridge course from the Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser Tuesday 3 April 1906 “On Saturday the opening of the new clubhouse and links took place in the presence of a large number of members and friends. This new course is situated on the moors on the high lands above Whaley Bridge, and the turf is equal to that of any seaside links, being well drained with a sandy sub-soil, and having splendid natural bunkers. Colonel Cotton-Jodrell, C.B, president, in accepting the invitation of the captain, Mr Fred G Merry to open the clubhouse, and to drive a ball from the first tee with the club presented to him by the members, made among other happy remarks, the announcement that he intended to present the club with a challenge cup. A vote of thanks to the Colonel for being present was proposed by the secretary, Mr G R Bates, and this was met with a most enthusiastic reception. The new links, which were greatly praised by many old golfers, as being a splendid sporting Nine Hole course” It was hoped that with the acquisition of further land the course could eventually be extended.

The first fixture of the Whaley Bridge Golf Club was held on the afternoon of Saturday 7 April 1906. Teams representing the secretary, Mr G R Bates and the captain, Mr F G Merry took part in a singles (S) and foursomes (F) match, result below.

Manchester Chronicle Tuesday 10 April 1906. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD

The names on the above report are not very clear, reproduced below.

Below is the result of a club match played at Chapel-En-Le-Frith in November 1906.

Below is the result of a club match played at New Mills in May 1908.

In June 1909 there was a good turn-out for a competition for a prize given by Mr Thomason. The result was a tie between J Kay, 87-12-75 and A Heaton, 99-24-75, both two down on bogey.

In June 1909, A Batley, the professional at Heaton Moor, played the nine holes of the Whaley Bridge course in a new record of 35, beating the previous record by 2 strokes. He completed the 18 holes in 73.

Result of a club match played at Whaley Bridge against Chapel-En-Le-Frith in July 1909.

The result of a ladies match played at Whaley Bridge against New Mills in July 1909.

In September 1909 the final for the Colonel’s Cup resulted in a tight finish, R E Knowles beating R Croathwaite on the eighteenth green. The ladies’ competition for Mr Thomason’s prize was won by Mrs R H Dawson.

Result of a club match played at Whaley Bridge in June 1914 against New Mills Golf Club.

Ordnance Survey Map showing the golf course and pavilion.

O.S. Map Revised 1919 to 1920; © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1924}.

Manchester Evening News Saturday 14 October 1933. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

It was reported in July 1942 that the major portion of the course was not suitable for agricultural purposes to aid the war effort. This was due to the altitude and the ground being stony and bearing no depth of soil. As ploughing was of little use the whole of the course was to be grazed. The clubhouse was to be occupied by the Home Guard.

In 1951 visitors’ fees were 2/6 a day and 3/6 a week. From 1956 to closure visitors’ fees were 3/6 a day, 5/- a day at weekends.

Whaley Bridge Golf Club annual dinner March 1951.

Buxton Herald Friday 16 March 1951. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

James Swindells, Whaley Bridge Golf Club, defends his title in the Evening News Week-end competition in 1954,

Manchester Evening News Tuesday 8 June 1954. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Alderley & Wilmslow Advertiser Friday 5 October 1955. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

From 1960 to the club’s disappearance in the late 1960s, the 11-hole course measured 4,810 yards and had a SSS of 65.

Location of the Whaley Bridge course.

I would like to thank the Whaley Bridge Local History Society, particularly the following members, RockBanker, Parabuild, R. S-S, and CllrJonG for their help and for allowing me to use the following information.

Third green (centre) fourth tee (centre left)

A view of the “panorama green” the clubhouse is in the distance.

Two tees in the far field for the eighth hole.

On the approach, the eighth green.

A view of the ninth hole from the tee. Thank you to Rock Banker for the above recent pictures.

The Whaley Bridge clubhouse. (Thanks to R. S-S for the above image and the information below)

Jack Ashworth was the green keeper and also the semi-professional. He ended up working for Whaley Council as full time Park Keeper. It was actually a 10 hole course but you could play 18 holes in the following sequence; The first was played once, then Holes 2-9 were played then repeated again in the same order as Holes 10-17, finishing with Hole 18 which was played just once. Holes 1 and 10 of the Golf Course were on the Club House side of the road and 2-9 on the other side of the road.

Below, card of the ten hole course.

The above image, supplied by CllrJonG, clearly shows a course of 11-holes and is probably from the late 1920s into the 1930s. Jack Ashworth was the greenkeeper and professional during the 1930s.