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East Herts Golf Club, Barrow Field Course, Ware. (1898 - 1971)

The club was founded in 1898.

Professionals - F Weston, 1898 - 1906; A C Monk, 1906 - 1923; J Braund, 1923 - 1930s; W Brown, WW2 - 1950s; T Bovington, 1955/6; R King, 1956; A Hay, 1960/1; D Lewis, 1963 - course closure. 

The original nine-hole course on Barrow Field, Lime Kiln Farm, was laid out by J H Taylor. In 1910 James Braid carried out changes to the layout. 

The following report is from Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper of Sunday 8 April 1900. The links of the East Herts club, near Ware, were formally opened yesterday, when, after a luncheon at which the president, Earl Cowper, K.G., was present, an 18-hole match was played between Mr A J Balfour, M.P., and Dr John A Turner the hon. secretary. An interesting match was halved.

Below A J Balfour at the formal opening of  the East Herts Golf Club In April 1900.

From the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News Saturday 14 April 1900. Image © Illustrated London News Group.

Below the East Herts clubhouse in 1900.

From The Sphere Saturday 21 April 1900.Image © Illustrated London News Group.

In September 1902 J H Taylor took on the local professional, F Weston, in a 36-hole match, Taylor won the match by 3&2. Taylor took 148 strokes and Weston 150.

Following is the entry from the 1905 Nisbet's Golf Yearbook; Instituted 1898; Membership of 106 (30 ladies); Hon. Secretary - B J Gripper, Hartham House, Hertford; Captain, G H Gisby; Entrance Fee £1/1s and Subs, £3/3s; Nine-holes; Professional, F Weston; Professional record - 33 for nine and 66 for eighteen; Amateur record - 36 for nine and 74 for eighteen; Fees; 2s a day, Sundays 2s/6d; weekly 5s; £1 per month. The course is on high ground and very dry. Bunkers varied. Greens improving every year.

From Nisbet's Golf Yearbook 1911; The course is on high ground and very dry, and now measures 3,200 yards. Lengthened in 1910 under the advice of James Braid. Hazards varied, greens quite firs rate. 

In April 1911 K L Hutchings, the Kent cricketer, holed in one at the 140 yard fourth hole.

Below is the result of a ladies' match played at Nazeing Common Golf Club (now defunct) in September 1913.

The Golf Course on Barrow Field. Reproduced from the {1923} Ordnance Survey Map.

From the Golfer's Handbook 1933; Hon. secretary - F T Barker, Baldock House, Ware; professional, J Braund; green-keeper, W A Reed; 18-holes; membership of 250; visitors' fees on introduction; 2s/6d a round, 3s/6d a day,  5s at weekend.

Below Golf Clubs at Home - East Herts Golf Club November 1935.

From The Bystander Wednesday 13 November 1935. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

The above image shows; (1) Major R P Woodhouse (chairman,) Stephen Chapman (captain,) F T Barker (hon. secretary); (2) W S Ward (vice-president,) J Shand; (3) C B Wood, Lieut.-Colonel T H Walker; (4) W Thries, Dr. A P Ford, Dr. C H Medlock, Dr. F Kipling (committee); (5) H T S Radford, H Mannall-Eastwood; (6) S A Taylor, A J Jenkins, E E Hollick, H Garratt (president); (7) S Purkiss-Ginn, J Braund (professional); (8) E Wickham, R C Fortt.   

Report on the annual meeting December 1939.

Hertford Mercury and Reformer Friday 1 December 1939. Image © Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

From the Golfer's Handbook 1947; Hon. secretary, Major F Barber; professional, W Brown; green-keeper, W A Reed; membership 250; 18-holes SSS 71; Visitors' 3s/6d round, 5s a day.

In the mid 1950s; secretary, J Edington, "Oakdene" Hartford Road, Great Amwell; professional, T Bovington; green-keeper, W A Reed; 18-holes measuring 5,724 yards, SSS, 68; Records - amateur, C E Taylor 65 - professional, R Braund  65.

In the mid 1960s; secretary, Colonel H M Whitcomb; professional, professional, D Lewis; green-keeper, S Chamberlain; 18-holes measured 5,824 yards, SSS, 70;Membership of 350; Visitors' 7s/6d a round, 10s a day.    

Sadly the Taylor/Braid course was abandoned in the late 1960s when the A10 Ware bypass dissected it. 

The Eat Herts club moved to its present location at Hamels Park in June 1974.

Chadwell Springs Golf Club moved on to the revised nine-hole 3,209 yard former East Herts course in 1975. Unfortunately the Chadwell Springs club closed in 2016. 

Parts of the original James Braid designed East Herts Golf Course lie beneath the A10 bypass.