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Colwall Park Golf Club and South Herefordshire GC. (1907 - 1920)
Early report on the Colwall Park Golf Club in November 1907.
Hereford Journal Saturday 9 November 1907. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The original Colwall Park Golf Club was founded in 1907/8 and was located at Colwall Park, on the Ledbury side of the Malvern Hills. At this time the professional until 1909 was W E Hobley. This original course ran from the railway station near the racecourse along to Evendine Lane. The clubhouse was a black and white building known as Stone Holt (or Halt), next to Colwall Hotel.
The new Colwall Park course was formally opened on Friday 24 April 1908 with a match between former Open Champions James Braid, Walton Heath, and J H Taylor, Mid Surrey. Due to overnight snow playing conditions were difficult in the morning match play which was won by Briad by 4 & 3 (scores; Braid, 83, and Taylor, 85). In the afternoon a four ball foursome was played between Taylor and G H Cawsey (Malvern) against Braid and A J Hobley (Cheltenham). It was reported that due to a heavy snowstorm only eight holes were played and the match finished all square.
Above image of the match between Braid and Taylor is courtesy of Graham Rowley.
In 1909 the secretary at Colwall Park was A V Holman.
Above is a map of Colwall Park showing the Race Course in 1905 (prior to the laying out of the golf course). Colwall Station is towards the top centre. Reproduced from {1905} Ordnance Survey Map.
The following article is from the Hereford Times 16 January 1909:-
“Colwall Park Golf Links – A typical inland course, conveniently situated as regard railway facilities and in the midst of most picturesque surroundings. Its bunkers and hazards are for the most part natural. Although artificial bunkers (sand trenches) have had to be made in some instances, the course, which was laid out by A J Hobley, of Cheltenham Golf Club, was so planned that few artificial hazards were necessary.
The first half of the course is practically on the level with the exception of the ninth hole, which has a steep slope, commencing about 220 yards from the tee to a pot-hole green.
The following figures show the length and bogey of the holes; Hole One–440 yards-Bogey 5; Two–120–3; Three-296-4; Four-352-5; Five-495-5; Six-300-4; Seven-300-4; Eight-250-4; Nine-420-6; Ten-180-3; Eleven-360-5; Twelve-200-4; Thirteen-330-4; Fourteen-264-4; Fifteen-145-3; Sixteen-270-4; Seventeen-320-4; Eighteen-440-5; Total 5,482 yards, Bogey 76.
The turf is generally of good quality, and considering the course has only been played on for eight or nine months, its condition must be considered satisfactory. Everything possible is being done, we understand, to make the course a perfect one’ and it has certainly made a marked improvement in the last few months. So there is every prospect of the club enjoying a bright future.
The course is generally spoken of as being very “sporting,” and one which encourages straight play. It is, however, not a particularly hard course for beginners, although doubtless many such have sliced a ball into the wide brook at the “second,” got into the gorse at the ninth, or topped their tee shot and found the wood at the twelfth.
A word should be said as to the clubhouse, a half-timbered farmhouse, which has been converted into the clubs headquarters’ and makes as cosy a clubhouse as one could wish to find. It has been kept, as far as consistent with convenience, in the character of an old farmhouse, with beamed ceiling and leaded lights, and is furnished in keeping with the general scheme. The accommodation includes a ladies’ sitting-room and lavatories, men’s smoking room, dressing room and lavatories, and buffet. As there is no dining-room at the clubhouse, arrangements have been made with the Colwall Park Hotel, which is close at hand, to supply luncheons at club rates.
The President of the club is the Right Hon. the Earl of Chesterfield, and the hon. secretary, who leaves no stone unturned to further the best interests of the club, is Mr A V Holman.
Visitors, being persons whose usual residence is not within ten miles of the clubhouse, may, on the introduction of a member, be admitted as temporary members to use the clubhouse and links on payment of 2s a day, 7s/6d a week, and 21s a month. Ladies admitted as visitors pay half the rates. Doubtless that the club permits Sunday play will be a great recommendation in the eyes of many.”
Colwall Park Golf Club had disappeared by 1911.
In 1911/12 an 18-hole course was laid out on Old Castle Banks for the South Herefordshire Golf Club, same location as the earlier course. The club professional was George Weager. The secretary was Chales E Capon, Telegram “Heregolf” telephone number Colwall 65. A Smith was the club steward. A clubhouse was erected in 1913 and this house is now known as Red Roofs.
Report on the new South Herefordshire Golf Club at Colwall Park in June 1911.
Hereford Times Saturday 17 June 1911.Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Report from the Hereford Times Saturday 22 July 1911 - "SOUTH HEREFORDSHIRE GOLF CLUB - We are pleased to hear that the requisite financial arrangements in connection of the above club are now complete, and the work on the course and the erection of the new clubhouse will be at once proceeded with. There is every reason to believe that the Colwall Links will in course of time be among the most popular of inland courses."
Views of the South Herefordshire golf course at Colwall Park
View from the eighth green.
The third tee on the former course.
The seventh green.
Prre-WW1 postcards by Tilley of Ledbury of the South Herefordshire Golf Club 13th Green.
It was reported in August 1919 that the 1,100 acre Barton Court and Colwall Park Estate which included the Barton Court mansion house, racecourse and golf course was to be auctioned at the Star Hotel, Worcester, on 3 September 1919.
South Herefordshire Golf Club disappeared in about 1920.
The Google Map below pinpoints the location of the former South Herefordshire course.