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Chipping Sodbury Golf Club, South Gloucestershire. (1905 – 1990s)
The first nine-hole course was laid out on Stub Riding - the club continued at this location until the outbreak of WW1.
The club was reformed in 1930 with a nine-hole course very close to the old site – this course was lost with the onset of WW2 when the land was required for food production.
In 1954 a new nine-hole course was laid out on the Common and a club was formed. This club eventually failed but a splendid new 18-hole course opened on Mead Riding in 1971 and is still going strong.
Professionals at the club to WW1; A Wardle, 1906/07; G Stone, 1907 – 1911; I Moise, 1911 – 1913; G Russell, 1914.
In 1905 Harry Waldron, the Rodway Hill professional, laid out the original nine-hole course at Chipping Sodbury. (The Rodway Hill Golf Club is now defunct and the history of the club is recorded on this website.)
The formal opening of the Stub Riding golf course took place on Saturday 12 May 1906, Sir Gerald Codrington, officiated.
Open meeting in April 1907.
Bristol Times and Mirror Monday 8 April 1907. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Results from the first round for the cup presented by Mr R A Fox, Yate House, in June 1907; Major F J Winter beat W Fox, 5 and 4; Dr. T C Leman beat R N Coates, 2 and 1; Captain Julian Spencer beat J Gale, 6 and 5; R Wilson beat W Broderick, 5 and 4; F G Beatty, w.o. Rev. J Madden Ford, scratched; Ladies – Miss B Leman beat Mrs Woodbridge, 8 and 7; Mrs T C Leman beat Miss Codrington, 6 and 5; Miss Hooper beat Miss F Leman, 10 and 8; Mrs J W Trenfield beat Miss B Grove, 5 and 3.
It was reported in September 1907 that A Wardle, professional, would be leaving to take up a position in Manchester. G Stone, Rodway Hill, was to be his successor.
Result from the first round of the President’s Cup in June 1908.
Bristol Times and Mirror Tuesday 2 June 1908. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Result of the August 1909 monthly medal; Dr. Leman, 85; J Gale, 87; J C Barry, 91; W P Fox, 96.
The October 1909 monthly medal was a tie between G C Broderick and W P Fox, 83 net, the latter won the play off.
The winner of the November 1909 medal was W P Veale.
Report on the annual meeting held in February 1910.
Clifton Society Thursday 24 February 1910. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Result of the March 1910 medal; J B Kendall, 72; T F Tomlinson, 80; R Wilson, 81; J C Barry, 92.
The club was listed in the 1913 Nisbet’s Golf Yearbook.
Thanks to Dixon Pickup for the images below and the following information – A 28mm silver button hallmark Birmingham 1913 by James Fenton and retailed by Pleasance & Harper, Bristol.
Images courtesy of Dixon Pickup.
Report on the annual meeting held in March 1913.
North Wilts Herald Friday 7 March 1913.
The following officers were elected at the annual meeting in March 1914; President, R A Fox; captain, W P Fox; hon. secretary, Dr. T C Leman; treasurer, Charles G Watts; committee – J C Barry, R Henderson, R Wilson and C D Waters.
In 1915/16 the secretary was Dr. T C Leman, The Knoll, Chipping Sodbury.
Pavilion sold to Chipping Sodbury Grammar School.
Western Daily Press Friday 10 June 1927. Image © Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Although it was thought the club closed at the time of WW1 it appears from the above report that the first club continued into the 1920s.
The Stub Riding course and clubhouse are marked on the 1924 O.S. map. The map published in 1937 is identical to the one below.
Ordnance Survey Map © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1924}.
The Britain from Above image below, taken in 1929, shows the town, Chipping Sodbury. Stub Riding, location of the first course, can also be seen.
The club is revived in October 1932.
Western Daily Press Monday 17 October 1932. Image © Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
From the Western Daily Press Tuesday 11 April 1933 – “After a lapse of 10 years the Golf Club at Chipping Sodbury was revived last summer, and as a result of hard work on the part of some of the members the greens are now in good condition, whilst the fairways are also rapidly improving. .A clubhouse has been erected. The membership is about 50 and new members will be welcomed by the committee. The chairman is Major D Brown, M.C., and Bert Howell is hon. secretary. Arrangements have been made for the formal opening of the club to take place on Saturday 27 May, when the Duke of Beaufort will perform the opening ceremony”.
Report on the new course in May 1933.
Western Daily Press Friday 26 May 1933. Image © Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Report on the opening of the new course in May 1933.
Western Daily Press Monday 29 May 1933. Image © Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
The second annual dance was held in the Town Hall in October 1933 when upwards of 100 attended.
In April 1934 A C Corder, club member, holed in one at the 173 yard second hole.
Report on the annual meeting in July 1939.
Western Daily Press Thursday 13 July 1939. Image © Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
The course was used for growing crops during WW2.
The old club play a match in April 1949.
Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette Saturday 30 April 1949. Image © Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
In the mid 1950s it was decided to re-form the club.
There was a good attendance for a public meeting in the Town Hall, Chipping Sodbury on Wednesday 7 April 1954. The Duke of Beaufort was invited to become patron and the following officers were appointed; President: Mr. L. Montague Harris; chairman: Mr. A. J. Howell; secretary: Mr. A. Lochnell-Campbell; treasurer: Mr. Newton; captain: Mr. S. Ramsay; vice-captain: Mr. A. Johnson; committee: Messrs. L. Gale, A. Johnson, S. Ramsay, R. Benson, Davis, S. Hobbs, Squires, L . Tily, Cox, H. C. Hull, Roberts, M. Searle, M. Hull, C. Tyler, L. Hopkins and Dr. O'Sullivan. A nine-hole course was laid out on the common.
The Duke of Beaufort officiated at the opening of the course on Wednesday 25 June 1955. Following the opening ceremony the Duke hit the opening shot.
There were no permanent ground staff employed so presumably the maintenance of the course would have relied on members and volunteers to carry out any work. The common was used for grazing animals and presumably members of the public would also have had right of way over the land. The club struggled on thanks to a few faithful members who organised various fund raising events. The club was close to being wound-up at this difficult time.
There was a revival of fortunes during the 1960s, membership numbers increased and the condition of the course steadily improved.
By the late 1960s the hard times seemed to be well and truly over and a brand new course was becoming a reality.
There was no appearance for Chipping Sodbbury Golf Club in the Golfer's Handbook until 1972 when both the new and old course appeared.
The Chipping Sodbury "Old Course" was listed in the Golfer's Handbook from 1975 and was still appearing in 1998. Listed as a nine-hole course; total yardage, 6,194 yards; SSS 69. In 1975 the green fees were 54p weekdays and £1.08p weekends. In 1998 the green fees were £4 weekdays and £5 weekends.
The new 18-hole Beaufort course on Mead Riding opened in 1971.
Thanks to Adrian Stiff who visited the former common course in September 2022 and provided the pictures and hole descriptions below.
Adrian adds “50 years ago I played my first round of golf on Chipping Sodbury common. Sadly the course is no longer there, so I walked it instead. I remember that round clearly as it was a foggy morning and every hole seemed long.
Scorecard; Hole One, 368 yards; Hole Two, 476 yards; Hole Three, 334 yards; Hole Four, 210 yards; Hole Five, 405 yards; Hole Six, 168 yards; Hole Seven, 390 yards; Hole Eight, 375 yards; Hole Nine, 476 yards. In 1973 holes 2, 3 and 4 were changed, 3 and 4 remained exactly the same length but hole 2 was reduced in length to 380. (holes 2 and 3 had new greens) hole 4 played to the same old green. This was because holes 2 and 3 were considered too near the road.
All the greens were small maybe about 200 -300 square yards, they had fences around for 365 days of the year, the actual surfaces were very good.”
The former first hole.
The second hole was moved further left in 1973, this picture is from the former tee.
Looking down the third hole.
Picture taken from behind the former sixth green.
Old tee plinth.