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King's Lynn and District Golf Club, Leziate Course. (1923 - 1975)

The club was founded in 1923.

The need for a club was discussed by a group of enthusiasts at a meeting held in December 1921. It was to be called the King’s Lynn & District Golf Club.

James Braid was approached to advise on the land selected for the course. He visited the site at the end of January in 1922 and confirmed by letter that the area would be suitable and that an eighteen-hole course could be laid out.

Braids letter read “I have pegged out tees and greens for a course of about 6,100 yards which may easily be lengthened or shortened if desired. A few essential bunkers etc. will have to be marked out and made at the same time as the greens are being constructed, the average width of the fairways should be about 45 yards and the average size of the greens should be 630 square yards (approx.)”

The course was opened on the 30 May 1923 with an exhibition match between Braid and James Sherlock, the Hunstanton professional, Braid winning 2&1. They went round in one and a half hours.

From the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News Saturday 9 June 1923. Image © Illustrated London News Group.

Sherlock and Braid on the opening day. Image supplied by Mr A Jones.

Result of the October 1924 spoon competition; Dr A B Dummere, 87-6-81; T Blunt, 87-5-82; R M Eaton, 102-18-84; W Nickson, 91-7-84; P C Elliott, 100-12-88; A S D Page, 107-18-89.

Ordnance Survey Map showing the former golf course and clubhouse.

O.S. Map Revised 1927; © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1929}.

In August 1926 the Chatterton Cup was won by H Massingham who beat P Elliott in the final by 3 & 1. A bogey competition was won by Mr Leslie Barnes. 

Below is the result of a match played at Woodhall Spa in October 1928.

Undated Ladies Scorecard. From the Christoph Meister Archive.

In the early 1930s the secretary was R C R Robinson, St Ann’s, King's Lynn. The club had a membership of 340. The professional was  A Gladman and the green-keeper C Large. Course records; amateur J H Thompson, 76; professional James Sherlock, 69. Visitors’ fees; 2s/6d a round, 3s/6d a day. 

Competition results June 1934.

Lynn News & County Express Tuesday 26 June 1934. Image © Iliffe News & Media Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

In 1947 the club address was at Middleton. The 18-hole course had a SSS and Par of 75.  Railway stations were at Middleton or Gayton Road both 1 mile away. Visitors’ fees were 3/6d a round and 5/- on weekdays, weekend and Bank Holidays 5/- a round , 7/6d a day, 15/- a week and £2 a month. Local hotels were the Duke’s Head and the Globe.

On Thursday 15 April 1950 R A Knight, Felixstowe, formerly assistant to Henry Cotton at Mid Surrey, set a new competition course record with a first round of 68 in the Eastern qualifying section of the Daily Mail golf tournament. Previous record, 69, stood for about 20 years, but Charles Ward (Little Aston) a Ryder Cup Player, carded a 68 in an exhibition match in 1949.

In 1960 the 18-hole course was 6,232 yards in length and had a SSS of 73. Visitors’ fees were 6/- a weekday, weekend and Bank Holiday 7/6d a day, 25/- a week and 50/- a month.

In the early 1970s the 18-holes measured 6,312yds and had a SSS of 70, membership was 650.

The club moved from Leziate to its present location at Castle Rising in 1975.

The Leziate site was purchased by British Industrial Sand who excavated most, if not all, of the land that golf was played on. The area has now been landscaped, the large part providing lakes and young trees.

A Braid course lost forever.