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Spalding (Surfleet) Golf Club, Lincolnshire. (1900s - 1925)

There was a brief appearance in the early 1900s when it appeared as Surfleet Golf Club, it later became Spalding and Surfleet and finally Spalding. 

The newly formed Spalding Golf Club was inaugurated on Saturday 27 October 1906 with matches between the Holbeach and Boston clubs. The Holbeach Club was represented by Mr C Harrison and Mr C B Hobday whilst Dr Wright and Mr W T Horry represented Boston. During the matches instruction was given to the local Spalding golfers who were relatively new to the game. The course on 53 acres of land was laid out on land in Spalding Marsh Rails, the exact locality being between the River Welland and the Vernatts Drain. 

In 1907/8 the professional was T G Hayes. 

There were 47 entrants for a stroke competition played in January 1907, leading scores; H Pennington, 118-28-90; E T Cooke, 104-12-92; H Dring, 123-30-93; W Newton, 125-30-95; E T Woods, 126-30-96; C L Harvey, 131-30-91; J Savage, 142-30-112; F White, 158-36-122. 

Below is the result of a match played at Spalding against Boston on Saturday 23 March 1907. 

There was a good attendance for the annual meeting of the Spalding club, under the presidency of Mr W Newton, which was held at the Red Lion Hotel on Friday 8 January 1909. It was reported that the lease for the old course at Spalding Marsh would expire in a few months time and it was resolved that a new club should be formed, members would be able to use the old course until the termination of the tenancy, at which time the new course would be ready for play. The new site consisted of about sixty acres, which is adjacent to the old course, close to Surfleet station, the difference being that the old course was beside the railway, the new one would be on the banks of the River Glen, there were numerous natural bunkers. The meeting fixed the entrance fee at 10s/6d, subs were 21/-.

At a follow up meeting at the Red Lion a week later arrangements were made to form a new club which would be called the Spalding and Surfleet Golf Club, this would replace the two courses that were already in existence at these places. The course would be on land adjoining the present course at Surfleet, it was hoped that it would be ready for play in March. The liabilities of the Surfleet club were to be taken over. The following officers were elected to the new club; E E Welby-Everard, president, J.P, of Gosberton; Dr B Sweeten, captain; W White, secretary; H Le Boeuf, treasurer; M Merry, solicitor; committee – Dr G L Barritt, Dr A J Stiles, Capt G J Barrell, W Newton, J Savage, E Milne, Mr Hamilton and Mr Barlow.

Reported in February 1909 that a first class professional had been engaged to lay out the new course, unfortunately no name was given. 

Below is the result of a club match played at Spalding against Holbeach on Saturday 13 March 1909. 

Result of the ladies medal for November 1910 at the Spalding and Surfleet club; Mrs Salaman, 106-16-90; Miss Casswell, 123-30-93; Mrs Cooke, 131-30-101; Miss Harvey, 131-30-101; Mrs D’Alcorn, 149-40-109; Miss Groom, 152-40-112.

It was reported in January 1922 that the Spalding & Surfleet club had decided to extend the course to 18-holes, and to raise the gentlemen’s subscriptions from 30/- to £2/10s and the ladies’ from £1 to £2. The club had nearly 200 members and it was stated that it would have to either enlarge the course or restrict play and limit the number of members. The club started the year with a deficit of £26 and finished with a credit balance of £54.   

The current Spalding Golf Club appeared in 1926.