Please consider supporting our efforts.
| 
| Hits: 5133
Fakenham Golf Club, Norfolk. (1889 - WW2)
Founded in 1889.
Fakenham had a 9-hole, undulating course situated on Hempton Common, with hazards of sandbanks, furze, roads and water. James Dennis was the professional in the early years and was a wonderful character recognisable by his limp he also wore a trademark bowler hat.
The club was renamed in 1936 to Flag Moor Golf Club.
From the Golfing Annual Vol. V - 1891-92:-
"Fakenham Golf Club, Instituted February 1889; Annual Subscription, £1; Number of Members 41; President, Lord Hastings; Captain, Commander Hamond, R.N; Committee - Sir L J Jones, Bart., Rev. H C Rogers, N Hamond, G A Watson and O S Curtis; Secretary - Henry Newson, The Square, Fakenham; Green-keeper, James Dennis; Green, Hampton.
Prize winners in 1891; Hamond Cup (May) H Newson, 82; (October) G P Elwes, 85; Hastings Cup (May) H A Digby, 87; (October) C S Curtis, 84.
The course is dry and sandy and a fine sporting one. Fakenham Town Station is three minutes walk from the green. There is a small but very clean Inn on the green, and there are two good hotels in Fakenham."
Competition results from the spring meeting in May 1891.
"Golf" Friday 5 June 1891. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Results from the autumn meeting played at Hempton in October 1891.
"Golf" Friday 23 October 1891. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Results from the Spring meeting in May 1894.
"Golf" Tuesday 29 May 1894. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Results from the Spring Meeting in April/May 1895.
"Golf" Friday 24 May 1895. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The annual meeting and dinner was held at the Crown Hotel on Wednesday 9 February 1898, the captain, Rev J R B Owen, in the chair. Mr Charles Scott Chad was elected captain for the coming year.
Following are results from the Spring Meeting played on the Hempton course in May 1898. The driving competition was won by Capt. Digby, 199 yards 9 inches. Capt Digby also won the scratch challenge cup. Mr Curtis won the approach and putting after a tie with Mr F Andrews. The match play for Mr Dillon’s prize, limited to the eight lowest cards in the Hammond Cup, resulted in Mr Andrews beating Dr Fisher in the final. The club handicap prize was won by Dr Belding, who also took the Hastings Cup with a score of 69.
Entry from Nisbet's Golf Yearbook 1905; Instituted 1889; Membership of 57; Hon. secretary - Henry Newson, The Square, Fakenham; Captain, Ratcliffe Pope; Entry fee, 10 shillings and subs £1; Nine-holes; Green-keeper, James Dennis; Course records; professional - A Tingey, 34 for 9-holes and 73 for 18-holes; amateur - G H Bramley, 38 for 9-holes; D Turner Belding, 78 for 18-holes; Fixtures - Spring Meeting, Autumn Prize Meeting, Hastings Cup, Hamond Cup, Balding Cup, Captain's Prize; Terms for visitors, 1 shilling a day, 5s a week. The course is on Hempton Green, an elevated common a short walk from Fakenham Town Station. The round is one of nine-holes and is over slightly undulating grassy ground, with some excellent hazards of sand banks, furze, roads and water. There is good Trout fishing in the preserved waters of the Wensum River hard by the links. Local Hotels; "Crown," "Lion."
The proposed Hempton Village Golf Club in August 1907.
Eastern Daily Press Monday 26 August 1907. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Postcard showing golf being played on Hempton Common.
In 1914 there was a membership of 51 gents and 22 ladies. Entry fees for gents were 10/- and ladies 5/-, subs for gents were £1 and ladies 10/6d Visitors’ fees were 1/6d a day and 5/- a week. Sunday play was not allowed. The M&GN railway station was 5 minutes away, the Great Eastern 25 minutes.
Result of a match played against Mid Norfolk Golf Club (now defunct) in June 1926.
| Mid Norfolk Golf Club | Fakenham Golf Club | ||
| N Vincent | 0 | Rev A R Hoare | 1 |
| E Gardiner Hill | 1 | R S Butcher | 0 |
| F T Alpe (half) | 0 | Rev P J Simeon (half) | 0 |
| J C Crossley | 0 | Dr W H Fisher | 1 |
| H Rodwell | 0 | I G Page | 1 |
| W G Milburn | 1 | H E Faulke | 0 |
| T B Probyn | 0 | J A Stoughton | 1 |
| J H Mason (half) | 0 | J White (half) | 0 |
| Hill and Vincent | 0 | Hoare and Butcher (1up) | 1 |
| Alpe and Crossley | 0 | Simeon and Fisher (1up) | 1 |
| Rodwell and Milburn | 0 | Page and Faulke (5&3) | 1 |
| Probyn and Mason | 0 | Stoughton and Heath (5&3) | 1 |
| 2 | 8 |
Result of a Ladies' match played at Fakenham against Swaffham in November 1926.
| Fakenham Ladies' Golf Club | Swaffham Ladies' Golf Club | ||
| Mrs Andrews | 0 | Miss Williams | 1 |
| Mrs H Dewing | 0 | Mrs Cathcart | 1 |
| Miss Fisher | 0 | Mrs Sawers | 1 |
| Mrs S Dewing | 1 | Mrs Dickie | 0 |
| Miss Butcher | 1 | Mrs Rammell | 0 |
| Miss Scott-Chad (half) | 0 | Mrs Ringer (half) | 0 |
| 2 | 3 |
In 1930 membership was 60. The station at Fakenham Town was ½ mile away. Local hotels were the Crown and the Lion.
Result of a Ladies' match played at Morley against Mid Norfolk Ladies' Golf Club (now defunct) in April 1930.
| Mid Norfolk Ladies' Golf Club | Fakenham Ladies' Golf Club | ||
| Mrs Vincent (3&2) | 1 | Miss Thistleton Smith | 0 |
| Miss James (4&3) | 1 | Mrs Dewing | 0 |
| Miss O Gardiner Hill (6&4) | 1 | Mrs Andrews | 0 |
| Miss D Gardiner Hill (3&2) | 1 | Miss K Palin | 0 |
| Miss Newbold (5&4) | 1 | Miss Goulder | 0 |
| Miss B Gardiner Hill (6&4) | 1 | Miss E Gardiner Hill | 0 |
| Mrs Vincent & Miss James (half) | 0 | Miss Thistleton Smith & Mrs Dewing (half) | 0 |
| Miss O Gardiner Hill & Miss D Gardiner Hill (4&2) | 1 | Mrs Andrew & Miss K Palin | 0 |
| Miss Newbold & Miss B Gardiner Hill (1up) | 1 | Miss Goulder & Miss E Gardiner Hill | 0 |
| 8 | 0 |
| Secretary | Professional/Greenkeeper | |
| 1914 | R Butcher. | |
| 1890s/1920s | Henry Newson (1890/1900s) | James Dennis (p&gk) |
| 1924 | S G Page, "Daylesford" Norwich Road, Fakenham. | F Claxton (p&gk) |
| 1930 | D Savory. | E J Meek (gk) |
| 1935 | A E Bird. | F Brodie (gk) |
| 1940 | E N Thorn. | A E Robinson (gk) |
Yarmouth Independent Saturday 8 October 1932. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Change of name to Flag Moor Golf Club in January 1935.
Lynn Advertiser Friday 11 January 1935. Image © Iliffe News & Media Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
In December 1935 Charles Townshend was appointed professional and green-keeper. Mr Townshend learned to play golf under the tuition of Tom King, the professional at Brancaster.
From the Lyn News and County Express Tuesday 7 July 1936 - "Mr E A Robinson, who has been engaged upon the Hunstanton links for the past ten years, has been appointed green-keeper an professional by The Fakenham Flag Moor Club. At Hunstanton last year Mr Robinson won the Jubilee Cup from three handicap."
Below are reports on meetings held in January and February 1937.
Lynn Advertiser Friday 29 January 1937. Image © Iliffe News & Media Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Lynn Advertiser Friday 5 February 1937. Image © Iliffe News & Media Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Report on the annual meeting in February 1938.
Lynn Advertiser Friday 18 February 1938. Image © Iliffe News & Media Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Mr E N Thorn presided at the annual meeting held in February 1939. The treasurer of the Flag Moor Club, Mr W Coote, reported on the previous year's working, there was a deficit of £12/8s, which had to be added to the previous overdraft of £36/10s. The membership was 47, of whom 26 were men.
In its final appearance in 1940 the club appeared as Flag Moor Golf Club. The 9-hole course had a SSS of 72 and membership of 60. Visitors’ fees were 1/6d a round of 18 holes, 2/6d a day, Sunday play allowed.
Ordnance Survey Map showing the golf course.
O.S. Map Revised 1950; © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1952}.
The current Fakenham club was founded in 1974.