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Bentley Green Golf Club, Great Bentley, Colchester. (1891 - WW1)

Founded 1891 when the professional was W Swallows.

From The Golfing Annual Vol. V - 1891-92.:-

"Bentley Green Golf Club, Instituted November 1891; Entrance Fee - Gentlemen, Ten Shillings; Ladies, Five Shillings; Annual Subscriptions - Gentlemen; Ten Shillings; Ladies, Five Shillings; Number of Members, 40; Captain; Col. S Parr-Lynes, R.A; Hon. Secretary - Cecil H Morton, Fairlight Tower, Colchester; Committee - Capt. C P Barchard, Ralph W Cladwell, Capt. L P Ditmas; Capt. N D Findlay, R.N., Lieut.-Col. R S Green; Green-keeper, W Swallows.

Club handicaps are held on the last Thursday in each month. The course is situated on the famous old village green at Great Bentley, East Essex. It consists of nine-holes and is about a mile and a half round. The turf is excellent, and, considering the short time they have been made, the putting greens, though small, are very fair. The colts, however, which feed on the green at times, play sad havoc with these, and this will always be a slight drawback. The hazards (other than the colts!) are ponds, ditches and roads. The headquarters of the club are at present at the Lion Inn, which is on the green."

The Lion Inn, club headquarters, can be seen on the map below, the golf course is not marked.

Ordnance Survey Map © Crown Copyright {1898}

The result of the first monthly handicap played on Thursday 24 March 1892; Lieut.-Col. W R Houison-Craufurd, 117-12-105; C H Morton, 122-10-112.

Result of the May 1892 medal; Lieut.-Col. W R Houison-Craufurd, 95-10-85; Capt. C P Barchard, 111-22-89; Capt. W R Inglis, 139-50-89; Lieut.-Col. W T McLeod, 120-20-100.

Result of the September 1892 medal; R W Caldwell, 120-52-68; Lt.-Col. W T McLeod, 104-26-78; C Behrens, 114-36-78; F J Newton-King, 123-30-93; Lt.-Col. S Openshaw, 105-10-95; C H Morton, 104-8-96. 

Result of the January 1894 monthly medal; Colonel W Merriman, 111-18-93; Lieut. Col. W T McLeod, 109-15-94; CH Morton, 107-10-97. 

Match against Felixstowe and a professional match played in March 1894.

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

Result of the monthly competition June 1895; Col. W Merriman, 97-18-79; R S Standen, 98-18-80; Lieut.-Col. W T McLeod, 90-9-81; Lieut.-Col. J E Harden, 106-20-86; Capt. L P Ditmas, 100-13-87; R W Caldwell, 110-22-88; H H Morgan-Brown, 97-8-89; E J Dampier, 107-18-89; Capt. C H W Donovan, 107-18-89; Capt. C S Keith, 109-20-89; Lieut.-Col. F S Openshaw, 104-11-93; Capt. E O Smith, 109-16-93; Lieut.-Col. W R Houison-Craufurd, 99-5-94; C H Morton, 98-3-95. No returns; E H E Morgan, Col. A Campbell, Captain S L Colton, Rev. P Raymond.

Result of the ladies' monthly competition June 1895; Mrs Allan, 127-40-87; Miss Lovell, 117-27-90; Mrs W R Houison-Craufurd, 142-40-102; Miss Donovan, 132-25-107; Mrs Edwardes, 115-4-111; Mrs Corrance, 142-24-118. No return from Mrs L P Ditmas.

Below is the result of a Ladies' match played at Bentley Green against Felixstowe Ladies' Golf Club in February 1896.

Result of the monthly medal played on the 26 January 1899, in gusty cold weather; Colonel Merriman, 101-13-88; Captain Cadell; 110-15-95; Colonel Stewart, 115-15-100; Major Stafford, 124-15-109; there were no returns from Colonel Harden and Major Gully.

Result of a match played at Maldon in April 1899.

Club button.

A series of monthly medal results for 1900 for the Bentley Green club. Interesting to note, most competitors appear to be high ranking officers.

January – Colonel Merriman, 111 – 13 – 98; Colonel Horden, 119 – 15 – 104; Mr C T May, 125 – 20 – 105. The following players had no returns; Colonel Gower, Captain Caldwell and Mr Douglas Round.

May – Captain Caldwell, 99 – 15 – 84; Colonel Stewart, 103 – 15 – 88; Colonel Merriman, 107 – 13 – 94; Mr R S Standen, 107 – 13 – 94; Mr R G Wylde, 111 – 16 – 95. No returns; Colonel Hare, Mr W G Carpenter, Major Gully and Major Stafford.

Result of a match played at Bentley Green in September 1900 against Clacton Golf Club.

October – R G Wylde, 99 – 16 – 83; Major Sladen, 103 – 16 – 87; Colonel Sykes, 99 – 8 – 91; H M Henderson, 103 – 12 – 91; Captain Berryman, 103 – 11 – 92; Hon A G Lawrence, 138 – 13 – 125. No returns; Colonel Horden, Colonel Hart, J M Phillips and B Shannon.

December  – Captain Nelson, 100 -12 – 88; W Boyd-Shannon, 120 – 16 – 104.

The Golf House, Great Bentley, in the 1900s.

Results from 1900:-

Monthly medal played on Thursday 25th January; Col Merriman, 111-13-98; Col Harden, 119-15-104; C T Moy, 125-20-105. No returns from Col Gower, Capt Caldwell and Douglass Round.

Monthly medal played on Thursday 22nd February; Col Stewart, 122-15-107; Major Gully, 122-13-109. No returns from C T Moy and Col Harden.

The May 1903 monthly medal finished in a tie between R G Wylde and Lieut-Col J E, Harden, 95net.

In 1906 the secretary was Major W J Jenks, Drury Lodge, Colchester. A 9-hole course. Visitors’ fees, on introduction, were 1/- a day and 2/6 a week. The station at Great Bentley was 200 yards away.

Thanks to Frank Accleton for providing the above image.

The probable location of the Bentley Green course.

Grid reference TM11335,21890, co-ordinates 611335,221890.

Bentley Green Golf Club disappeared at the time of WW1.