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Tamworth Golf Club, Staffordshire. (1897 - 1935)
Tamworth Golf Club was founded in 1897.
The first nine-hole course was at Glascote. It then had two courses at Wigginton followed by a nine-hole course at Bonehill.
Below is a report on the opening of the Glascote course in 1897.
From the Tamworth Herald 27 November 1897. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Result of competition played on the Wigginton course of the Tamworth Golf Club in April 1907; Mr Godderidge, 96 scratch; Mr Dunn, 103 – 7 – 96; Mr Owen, 102 – 4 – 98; Mr Faux, 109 – 7 – 102; Mr Argyle, 113 – 7 – 106; Mr Oliver, 128 – 9 – 119. Mrs C Faux, assisted by her niece Bessie Faux, provided tea for the players.
The course at this time was at Manor Farm, it seems that the grass grew very quickly on the course and was the main reason for the high scores in the competition.
Tamworth Golf Club, Staffordshire. Club button dated 1907.
Below is the announcement of the “new” Wigginton course.
From the Tamwort Herald 28 August 1909. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
The club opened their new course at Wigginton on Wednesday 6 October 1909. Mr A E Smith and D Fox the professional from the nearby Whittington Golf Club entertained a good crowd with the opening game on the course. Officers and members of the committee as follows; President, Mr E Sehmer; Secretary, Lloyd J Owen; Treasurer, J E Combe; Committee members, A C Smith, S Thompson, C Faux, W A Sapey, A Morgan, L Clarson, G Kinson, Ferribee Sadler, J W Thomas, T W Shaw, R B Dunn and M Here.
Card of the course.
| Hole | Yards | Bogey |
| 1 | 320 | 5 |
| 2 | 350 | 5 |
| 3 | 390 | 5 |
| 4 | 190 | 4 |
| 5 | 210 | 4 |
| 6 | 120 | 3 |
| 7 | 210 | 4 |
| 8 | 230 | 4 |
| 9 | 220 | 4 |
| 2240 | 38 |
The first competition promoted under the auspices of the Tamworth Golf Club took place in April 1910. It was a bogey competition won by the club secretary, result; L J Owen (18), 2up; Harold V Argyle (18) and J E Combe (18), both all square. A handsome silver cup given by the president, Mr E Sehmer, of Wigginton Park, was also in progress.
Result of a club match played at Wigginton against Ashby (Ivanhoe) on 8 March 1911.
| Tamworth Golf Club | Ashby (Ivanhoe) Golf Club | ||
| A E Smith (1up) | 1 | T L Davenport | 0 |
| L J Owen | 0 | A Potter (3&2) | 1 |
| J W Collley | 0 | G Blakesby (5&4) | 1 |
| W T Oliver | 0 | W P Musson (7&6) | 1 |
| W Beevers | 0 | R J Carruthers (3&2) | 1 |
| C Faux | 0 | G Farmer (4&3) | 1 |
| J E Combe | 0 | Rev C W Loxmore (2&1) | 1 |
| Rev D Fraser (2&1) | 1 | E Bullen | 0 |
| H V Argyle (4&3) | 1 | E J H Eames | 0 |
| S S Mundy (9&7) | 1 | T Warr | 0 |
| 4 | 6 |
Tamworth played a club match against Branstone in March 1913. (see Branston entry)
May 1913 result of the Sehmer Cup, J W Colley beat E Tolson, result of the Captains Cup, S S Mundy beat D Fraser.
Result of the December 1913 medal; J W Colley, 89-12-77; P Ellis, 97-20-77; R P Percival, 94-15-79; W T Oliver, 98-14-84; A W Ellis, 101-17-84; H V Argyle, 103-17-86; C Faux, 106-16-90.
The club eventually moved to a 9-hole course at Bonehill. There were many attempts to extend this course, a 13-hole course in the mid 1920s, 12-holes from 1926 to 1929 and 15-holes in the 1930s. But it could never quite reach its target of 18-holes. With the need for an 18 hole course land was acquired at Drayton Manor and Drayton Manor Golf Club came into existence in 1935/6.
Report on the new course at Bonehill in December 1913.
Tamworth Herald Saturday 20 December 1913. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
| Secretary. | Professional/greenkeeper. | |
| 1915-1930s | F Nickells. | |
| 1920s | James Husband. | |
| mid 1920s | S Clifford, Glascote, Tamworth. | |
| 1930s | L R Kerridge, "Cranford" Ashby Road. |
"Putting Cleek" clubhead below marked F Nickells Tamworth.
Image courtesy of Jerry Hockett.
In the early 1920s membership was 70. Visitors’ fees were 1/- a day, 3/- a week and 7/6 a month. Local hotels was the Peel Arms and the Castle.
Result of a match played at Burton-on-Trent against Shobnall Golf Club (now defunct) in September 1923.
| Shobnall Golf Club | Tamworth Golf Club | ||
| M Beardsley (3 and 1) | 1 | F H Argyle | 0 |
| H Alger (2up) | 1 | A E Smith | 0 |
| J Dunnicliffe (5 and 4) | 1 | Mr Musson | 0 |
| J Robinson | 0 | W T Oliver (1up) | 1 |
| C H Brown (6 and 4) | 1 | Mr Fletcher | 0 |
| S H Davis (3 and 1) | 1 | Mr Clifford | 0 |
| A W Garson (2 and 1) | 1 | Mr Beevers | 0 |
| W H Radford (6 and 5) | 1 | Mr Bode | 0 |
| J Beddows (6 and 4) | 1 | Mr Birkett | 0 |
| Summers (professional) (halved) | 0 | F Nickells (professional) (halved) | 0 |
| 8 | 1 |
In 1924/5 there was a membership of 150. Visitors’ fees 2/6d a day, 3/6d at weekend and Bank Holiday, 10/- a week and £1 a month. Sunday play was allowed with caddies.
Following is the result of the August 1926 monthly bogey; H J Wood, all square; R H Briggs, 2down; W Tate, 2down; H Lewis, 4down.
Result of the 1926 December monthly medal; W H Waldron, 91-16-75; R V Wood, 97-18-79; W H Bowen, 94-12-82.
Result of a match played in June 1931.
Birmingham Daily Gazette Thursday 2 July 1931. With thanks to Trinity Mirror. Digitised by Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited. All rights reserved.
Result of a ladies’ match played at Nuneaton in July 1931.
| Nuneaton | Tamwworth | ||
| Mrs Matthews & Mrs King | 1 | Mrs Hunt & Miss Tate | 0 |
| Miss Oakey & Miss Martin | 1 | Mrs Turner & Mrs Fitch | 0 |
| Miss Mort & Mrs Wooton (half) | 0 | Miss Maxted & Mrs Simpson (half) | 0 |
| Miss Oakey & Miss Morton | 1 | Miss Lowe & Miss Morrison | 0 |
| Mrs Baxter & Miss Thomson | 0 | Miss Shuttleworth & Mrs Lassetter | 1 |
| Miss J Oakey & Miss Hankinson | 1 | Miss Hudson & Mrs Brown | 0 |
| 3 | 1 |
Below, result of a foursome match played at Tamworth against Nuneaton in June 1934.
| Tamworth Golf Club | Nuneaton Golf Club | ||
| E H Hunt & L R Kerridge | 1 | Dr J Broderick & J Wade | 0 |
| R J Brown & P Smith | 1 | J Parnell & C Hirst | 0 |
| E S Warrilow & G Mayhew | 1 | M Ayres & H Falconbridge | 0 |
| W Tolson & D R Gelling | 1 | F Clarke & J Hamilton | 0 |
| 4 | 0 |
Result of the August 1934 monthly medal; Div 1 – L Mawer, 86-14-72; E H Hunt, 82-6-76; Div 2 – R E Jones, 84-24-60; W Moseley, 87-18-69; P Dingley, 90-20-70; A R Turner, 87-16-71; C H Moore, 88-17-71; C S Boulton, 90-18-72.
Tamworth Golf Club at Bonehill made its final appearance in the mid 1930s, there was a membership of 260. Course records were, amateur G R Rix (67) and professional F Nickells (66).
A new club was formed called Drayton Manor, their course opened in 1937. As can be seen in the text below Drayton Manor claims the early history of Tamworth Golf Club (founded 1897.) No doubt a few familiar names from the old club can be seen.
From The Bystander Wednesday 2 June 1937. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Location of the Bonehill course. Grid reference SK19305,02945, co-ordinates 419305,302945.