Stratford-on-Avon Golf Club, Dingles Course. (1894 - 1925) 

Founded in 1894

The clubs first course was at Wilmcote Moor. It only stayed here for a short time before moving to a site where the Menzies Welcombe Golf Club is now. In 1925 the Stratford club moved to its present site at Tiddington. This leaves a gap of about 50 years before the Welcombe Hotel Club first appeared.

The first professional at the Stratford-on-Avon club was Jack Burns, winner of the Open Championship in 1888.  Other professionals at the Welcombe site; H Fitzjohn, 1896-98; A Fowler, 1899-1901; H Gisbourne, 1903-05; S G Harris, 1905-28.

Below is a report on the first competition played on the Wilmcote Moor course in October 1894.

 

Stratford-on-Avon Golf Club. Report on the first competition played in October 1894.

From the Leamington Spa Courier 3 November 1894. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Below is a report on the move to The Dingles, Welcombe Farm, in December 1896.

 

Stratford-on-Avon Golf Club. Report on the move to Welcombe Farm in December 1896.

From the Leamington Spa Courier 26 December 1896. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

The annual meeting was held in the Union Club in January 1898, G F Kendall, captain, in the chair. It was reported that an adverse balance of £9/17s. at the commencement of the year had increased to £26/15s/6d, but there had been a large influx of new members.

Below is the result of a match played on the Welcome Links at Stratford in December 1901.

 

Stratford-on-Avon Golf Club. Match played on the Welcome Links against Ipsley December 1901.

From the Alcester Chronicle Saturday 14 December 1901. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Below is the result of a match played on the Welcombe course against Ipsley Golf Club in January 1903.

Stratford-on-Avon Golf Club   Ipsley Golf Club  
W F Hutchings 7 S Whitehouse 0
E G Holtom 7 N Lunn 0
D B Sanders 0 J H Whitehouse 5
T H Lloyd (half) 0 Rev. Canon Newton (half) 0
G F Kendall 4 E E Browning 0
  18   5

The following is from the 1905 Nisbet's Golf Yearbook; Membership of about 100; Hon. secretary - C Lowndes, "Hartwell" St Gregory's Road, Stratford-on-Avon; Captain, D B Sanders; Entrance fee £1/1s and subs £1/1s; Nine-holes; Professional, G Harris; Terms for visitors, 1s a day, 3s a week, 7s/6d a month.

Below is the result of a match played at Fladbury, Evesham. on Saturday 20 February 1909.

Evesham Golf Club   Stratford-on-Avon Golf Club  
J G Baker 0 R Norbury (2up) 1
J H Baker (1up) 1 S Flower 0
K Wilson (at the 19th) 1 Rev. Phillpott 0
H Richardson (3&2) 1 T Norbury 0
B A Howard (at the 20th) 1 W Norbury 0
H J Smith 0 A Flower (2&1) 1
  4   2

Below is the result of a match played at Cotswold Hills Golf Club in November 1910.

Cotswold Hills Golf Club   Stratford-on-Avon Golf Club  
H Webb 0 S Flower (3&2) 1
H G Swift 0 W J Onions (2&1) 1
C V Frith 0 A D Flower (1up) 1
R Ratcliffe (5&4) 1 T F Norbury 0
W T Bailey 0 Guy Pemberton (4&3) 1
C J Knight (4&3) 1 Rev. H Wilson 0
  2   4

Below is the result of a match played at Ladbrook Park in February 1914.

Ladbrook Park Golf Club   Stratford-on-Avon Golf Club  
E Spencer 0 B Norbury (2&1) 1
G Haddelsey (7&6) 1 S Flower 0
W A Green (4&3) 1 R Hutchinson 0
G Sharrock (2&1) 1 T F Norbury 0
W H Gibbs (5&4) 1 M Ashwin 0
H C Church (3&1) 1 G C Evans 0
F H Thomason (8&6) 1 G H Payton 0
  6   1

The second teams played at Stratford.

Stratford-on-Avon Golf Club II   Ladbrook Park Golf Club II  
Rev. F Orpwood 0 J A Hall (4&2) 1
Rev. H Wilson 0 R Patterson (4&2) 1
F C Wellstood (4&3) 1 G P Gibbs  0
E Pency Gem 0 P Prescott (3&2) 1
G M Bird 0 E Squires (6&5) 1
F D Spencer 0 H R Griffin (3&1) 1
N Mullings 0 C F Haywood (6&4) 1
C Pratt 0 A A Howard (9&8) 1
  1   7

Report below on the new course in March 1925.

 

Stratford-on-Avon Golf Club, Alviston. Report on the new course in March 1925.

Birmingham Daily Gazette Tuesday 24 March 1925. With thanks to Reach PLC. Digitised by Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited. All rights reserved.

 

It was reported in December 1925 that the new links on Tiddington Road, had recently been opened for play. The course was planned by J H Taylor and constructed by Carter & Co.  

Ordnance Survey Map from the 1900s showing the Dingles course.

 

Stratford-on-Avon Golf Club, Dingles Course. Ordnance Survey Map from the 1900s showing the Dingles Golf Course.

O.S Map Revised 1904 - © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1906}.