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Oxford University Golf Club. (1875 - WW2)
Oxford University Golf Club (OUGC) was founded in 1875.
Oxford University Golf Club's first home was on Cowley Marsh which was used for university cricket, the obstacles here where hedges marshes and trying to avoid the twelve university cricket pavilions. The golf club did not have a pavilion of its own, Balliol allowed the golfers to use their pavilion rent free.
The club moved location to Castle Park, Headington, (1889-1891); South Hinksey, (1891-1904/5); Radley Course, (1905-WW1); Southfield, (1923-WW2.)
Professionals at the club; Alfred Jones (1888-1891); John Campbell (1891-1892); Hugh Kirkaldy (1892-1895); Jim G Sherlock (1895-1908); Charles Gibson jun. (1908-1923); F H Taylor (1923-WW2)
In the Birmingham Daily Gazette on Thursday 2 July 1942 the death was announced at the age of 88 of Bishop Hamilton Baines. He was the first secretary of the Oxford University Golf Club, assisting to arrange the first match with Cambridge at Wimbledon Common in 1878.
The letters below appeared in "Golf" in October 1893 and confirms the early history of the club.
From "Golf" Friday 20 October 1893.
From "Golf" Friday 27 October 1893.
Competition result from March 1879.
Field Saturday 22 March 1879. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Result of a handicap played on 2 December 1881 at Cowley; Mr Ludwick Grant, 67-6-61; W Galbraith, 67-4-63; A N Cumming, 71-4-67; Guy W Hogg, 101-30-71; F R Oliphant, 90-9-71; W C Sidgwick, 93-18-75; W K Adam, 88-12-76.
From the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News Saturday 11 November 1882. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
From The Golfing Annual 1888/89.
The club then moved to Castle Park, Headington 1889-1891, where it spent two happy years.
Oxford University Golf Club button.
On Wednesday 25 February 1891 the University entertained the Warwickshire Golf Club at Headington Hill, it resulted in a landslide victory for the home team.
| Oxford University Golf Club | Warwickshire Golf Club | ||
| J B Pease | 3 | Colonel Boothby | 0 |
| H J Whigham | 8 | W O S Pell | 0 |
| R H Dun | 2 | Hon and Rev R C Moncrieff | 0 |
| G H Stewart | 7 | E C Hunter Blair | 0 |
| W D Davidson | 3 | T Latham | 0 |
| A E Ripley | 7 | Hon R H Lyttelton | 0 |
| G B Grundy | 7 | R O Milne | 0 |
| G M Style | 3 | A Rotherham | 0 |
| A Gordon | 0 | G F Twist | 6 |
| G E King | 0 | N W Brown | 0 |
| H C Stewart | 1 | F Smith | 0 |
| Hon D H Cairns | 0 | S H le Fleming | 0 |
| 41 | 6 |
In 1891 the club moved to a course at South Hinksey where it remained until 1904/5. Bernard Darwin referring to the this course said “Hinksey was certainly amusing and I have spent some not wholly unpleasant afternoons there squelching through mud and trying vainly to hole putts by coming off alternate worm casts. There was a short hole, on the fourth I think, where one played a pitching shot into the heart of a wood which was distinctly entertaining; but on the whole, it was not a good test of golf, or, if it was, then I would rather have my golf tested in some other way”
"Golf" Friday 12 June 1891. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Below is the result of a match played at Oxford against Coventry Golf Club on Monday 14 March 1892.
| Oxford University Golf Club | Coventry Golf Club | ||
| H J Wigham | 0 | Harold Smith | 2 |
| W D Davidson | 9 | A Rotherham | 0 |
| H Nicholls | 10 | F C Hunter Blair | 0 |
| F H Stewart | 0 | H Rotherham | 6 |
| C F Balfour | 1 | H W Bainbridge | 0 |
| P Balfour | 0 | W Hillman | 0 |
| L Armistead | 2 | T Latham | 0 |
| A R Hamilton | 0 | Rev F R Evans | 1 |
| A Pelham | 0 | J Powers | 7 |
| T Smythe | 0 | F A Moncrief | 2 |
| 22 | 18 |
Report from "Golf" 23 September 1892; "The Oxford University Golf Club, with a view to increase the sporting character of their links, are introducing a variety of bunkers at several of the holes. Tom Dunn, Tooting Bec Golf Club, recently went down and planned them out. The links are much improved, the putting greens in particular, and they reflect great credit on W Hodgkins the green-keeper. The services of Hugh Kirkaldy have been secured as professional."
Below, result of a match played at Oxford against the Worcestershire Golf Club on Saturday 12 November 1892. Included in the Worcestershire team was Harry S Colt who played his early golf at Malvern.
| Oxford University Golf Club | Worcestershire Golf Club | ||
| H J Whigham | 0 | E H Blackwell | 1 |
| F H Stewart | 0 | Rev H Foster | 6 |
| R B Pearson | 0 | H S Colt | 6 |
| P Balfour | 2 | E F Chance | 0 |
| L Robertson | 10 | E G M Carmichael | 0 |
| H T Knight | 3 | L S Milward | 0 |
| R H Dunn | 7 | Rev C Black | 0 |
| H Nicholls | 0 | A S Archdale | 1 |
| Viscount Encombe | 0 | W M Binns | 5 |
| R Lodge | 0 | H D Acland | 3 |
| F H Campion | 4 | H K Foster | 0 |
| 26 | 22 |
Below, result of a match played against Royal Ascot at Oxford on Saturday 26 October 1894. The course was heavy but Mr Lushington (OU) managed to go round in 68.
| Oxford University Golf Club | Royal Ascot Golf Club | ||
| R H Mitchell | 0 | F J Patton | 1 |
| R B R Mair | 0 | G W Rickets | 0 |
| A C M Croome | 8 | H Sawyer | 0 |
| G B Grundy | 4 | L B Keyser | 0 |
| F T Hope | 0 | F E Lidnell | 6 |
| P A Lushington | 15 | H C Clarke | 0 |
| 27 | 7 |
On Saturday 10 March 1900 the Oxford University team visited Royal Ascot, the visitors recording a convincing victory, result below.
| Royal Ascot Golf Club | Oxford University Golf Club | ||
| R H Mitchell | 0 | E C Lee | 2 |
| H Blackett | 0 | T M Hunter | 1 |
| G W Rickets | 0 | F H Mitchell | 2 |
| Captain Quinton | 0 | A Horne | 7 |
| E G North | 0 | C T Lawrence | 1 |
| S S Wollaston | 0 | J Bramston | 6 |
| R Creasy | 0 | H Beveridge | 8 |
| H H Longman | 3 | S Gillon | 0 |
| 3 | 27 |
Result of a match played at Oxford on Saturday 3 November 1900 against the Oxford and Cambridge Golf Society. Oxford ran out winners by 33 holes to 13; leading matches as follows; F A Mitchell (OU) beat T M Hunter (O and CGS) 2up; J A T Brampston (OU) beat H G Ellis (OCGS) 2up; H W Beveridge (OU) halved with B Darwin (OCGS); O T Falk (OU) beat J L Low (OCGS) 1up; H M Braybrooke (OCGS) beat J C Watt (OU) 4up; S D Barne (OU) beat E C Lee (OCGS) 8up; A C M Croome (OCGS) beat A C Hamilton (OU) 6up.
Pictures of a competition played on the South Hinksey course in November 1902.
Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News Saturday 22 November 1902.Image © Illustrated London News Group.
Below are two images of the South Hinksey course in 1904, not a favourite of Bernard Darwin. On the left on the third green (Mr J Graham jun., putting) on the right the eleventh green.
From The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News December 24 1904. Image © Illustrated London News Group.
The club moved to the eighteen hole course at Radley and Kennington, 1904/5-1915.
Below reports on the move to the Radley course in March 1905.
From the Western Daily Press Tuesday 7 March 1905. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News Saturday 11 March 1905. Image © Illustrated London News Group.
From the 1905 Nibet's Golf Yearbook; Number of members 450; Hon. secretary - L D Brownlee, Oriel College, Oxford; Permanent assistant secretary - J W Gynes, 4 Glebe Terrace, Oxford; Captain, A J Graham; Entrance fee £1/10s and subs £1/10s; 18-holes; Professional, J Sherlock; Terms for visitors, 2s/6d a day on introduction. "The University Club left the course at Hincksey in March, as it was too short and muddy, though there were many uninteresting shots to be played. The new course at Radley offers the hard-hitting undergraduate more opportunity of using his brassey, but woe betide him if he slices! he will be out of bounds at every hole but four." - A C M Croome.
Result of a trial match held at Radley in January 1911; M Tennant beat D Lyell 7 and 5; S Henderson beat G Forrester 5 and 3; E W Holderness beat F W H Roulston 2up; J C Craigie beat Mr Seton Gordon 4 and 3.
Result of a trial match played at Radley on Saturday 19 October 1912; G C Craigie beat R V Bardsley, 4 and 2; W McClure beat R N Jobson, 1up; G Platt beat R Lefevre, 4 and 2; G Barnard beat L Craig, 3 and 2; G Polson beat T Darley, 7 and 6; L de Gough beat N Curran, 3 and 2; L Blamley beat J Crole, 4 and 3; W Birch and A Mellor halved.
The Radley clubhouse on a postcard dated 1912. Image courtesy of Frank Accleton.
Below is the result of a trial match played at Radley in January 1914. The course condition was described as being “in such a frozen state that play was rather fluky”
| H B Stokoe (2&1) | 1 | A R Melllor | 0 |
| J W Allen (4&2) | 1 | H S Malik | 0 |
| O C Bristoe (4&2) | 1 | B Woodbury | 0 |
| E J Lossen (3&2) | 1 | C H Jenner | 0 |
| R J Johnston (5&4) | 1 | T B Simpson | 0 |
| E C Russell (2&1) | 1 | F J Cristison | 0 |
| R W May (2&1) | 1 | E L Bury | 0 |
In 1914 the honorary secretary was G B Crole, University College and the captain W F McLure, Trinity College. The permanent secretary was J W Gynes, 4 Hill Top Row, Oxford and the professional C H Gibson junior. The Oxford University 18-hole course at Radley was laid out undulating hilly ground. The line of play was along the hill rather than straight up and down. This, it was thought, made allowances for the “carefree player”. The club had a membership of 450.
Also listed at this time was the Oxford City Golf Club Founded 1899 and the Oxford Ladies Golf Club, originally called the Cowley Ladies which was Founded in 1901. The Ladies club moved to Southfield Park in 1912, this site was to become Southfield Golf Club (current Club). The secretary at the ladies club prior to WW1 was Mrs How, 21 Merton Street, Oxford. There was a membership of 83. Entry fee was 10/- and subs were 18/-. Visitors’ fees on introduction were, 1/- a day. Ladies were only allowed to play to 1.30 in term time, at all times during vacation. Sunday play was not allowed.
The competition for the Oxford University President's gold medal was played at Radley on Wednesday 4 March 1914, result as follows; R W May (Brasenose,) 77; O C Bristowe (Christ Church,) 78; W F C McClure (Trinity,) 79.
It was reported in the Pall Mall Gazette in August 1915 that the course at Radley had been closed until the termination of the war.
Postcard dated 1918 showing the Franciscan College from the golf course.
The following is an extract from a report from the Scotsman in February 1922. "Oxford University Golf Club have embarked on a notable enterprise. They have launched a company, limited by guarantee, to take over the lease of suitable ground, and to make a course that will compare with any first-rate inland green. They are fortunate in locating ground in the locality, within two miles of Carfax, which has had the benediction of Mr H S Colt, who is to lay out the course."
Oxford City Golf Club to join OUGC at Southfield.
Oxford Chronicle and Reading Gazette Friday 7 April 1922.
Report on the new golf course in August 1923.
Reading Mercury Friday 31 August 1923.
Report on the opening of the Southfield course in October 1923
The Sportsman Thursday 18 October 1923.
In October 1924 the Probables beat the Possibles in a 21-aside singles golf trial on the Southfield course. It seems that the club had settled at the course at Southfield.
The following is from the Golfer's Handbook 1933; Oxford University Golf Club, Southfield; Membership 600; Hon. secretary, C Middleton; Permanent secretary, Major J R Mullings; Professional, F H Taylor; Green-keeper, J E Gibbons; Eighteen-holes; Amateur course record R H Baugh, 71; Visitors' fees, 3s/6d a day, 5s Sunday. There is no separate listing for Southfield Golf Club prior to WW2.
F H Taylor stamped six-iron golf club, professional at the club from 1923 to WW2. Image courtesy of John Hood.
Oxford University Golf Club Presidents Medal from 1926.
Match in November 1936.
The Tatler Wednesday 4 November 1936. Image © Illustrated London News Group.
From the 1937 Golfer's Handbook; Membership, 500; Hon. sec., K B Scott; Permanent sec., Major J R Mullings; Professional, F H Taylor; Green-keeper, J E Gibbons; Amateur course record - J G Hanson-Lawson, 70; 18-holes, SSS 75; Visitors, 3s/6d a day, Sunday 5s, 15s a week, 20s a fortnight.
In the 1947 Golfer's Handbook the club is listed as Southfield Golf Club (Incorporated with Oxford University Golf Club.) It continues to appear in the Golfer's Handbook with this title until the mid 1950s. After this the Oxford University Golf Club name disappears.
Cowley Marsh, the club's first home with unusual hazards, twelve college cricket pavilions, approximate positions marked.
Grid reference SP54075,04830, co-ordinates 454075,204830.
The South Hinksey course on the 1900 Ordnance Survey Map. © Crown Copyright {1900}
Location of the Radley course.
Grid reference SP51600,01135, co-ordinates 451600,201135.
Thanks to Mrs S A Durbridge for the following information in 2003 -
“Cranbrook Drive is built on the original site of Oxford Golf Club before Southfield was constructed. It is reputed that the Duke of Windsor played on this course when up at Oxford. The original golf house is still standing but could soon be demolished to make way for further housing development”