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Arden Golf Club, Solihull, Warwickshire. (1891 - WW1)
Founded in 1891.
A 9-hole flat course laid out on gravel soil. The GWR station adjoined the course.
The following clubs also played on the Solihull course; Henley-in-Arden Golf Club and Solihull Golf Club. Occasionally a club called Forest of Arden Golf Club puts in an appearance, the players representing this club also played for the Arden Golf Club.
It was mentioned above that a Forest of Arden Golf Club occasionally turns up. Following is the result of a match played at Solihull on Saturday 15 October 1892 against Kenilworth Golf Club, scores as follows; Kenilworth – T Latham, 0; Vincent Jepson, 0; Dr. E Kemp Bourne, 4; H R Hands, 0; J Sidebottom, 0; C G Middleton, 0; Forest of Arden – F A Bainbridge, 6; W Airey, 5; Rev. G W Barnard, 0; A W Brown, 3; A G Tonks, 4; F Wright, 5; result – Kenilworth, 4; Forest of Arden, 23.
| Secretary | Professional | |
| 1891-1895 | James Cunningham | |
| 1896/7 | G Whiting | |
| 1897-1902 | J W Whiting | |
| 1902-1905 | James Adwick | |
| 1905/6 | G Dukes | |
| 1914 | S P Leitner |
Below is the result of a match played against Kenilworth Golf Club at Solihull on Saturday 15 October 1892.
| Arden Golf Club | Kenilworth Golf Club | ||
| F A Bainbridge | 6 | T Latham | 0 |
| O Airy | 5 | V Jepson | 0 |
| Rev G W Barnard | 0 | Dr E K Bourne | 4 |
| A E W Browne | 3 | H R Hands | 0 |
| A G Tonks | 4 | J Sidebottom | 0 |
| J F Wright | 5 | C G Middleton | 0 |
| 23 | 4 |
Competitions and course record in May 1893.
From "Golf" Friday 26 May 1893.
The following is a report from the Birmingham Daily Post in July 1893. The Reverend Canon Evans was concerned about young men spending time on the Arden golf links when they should have been at school or work “The golf club, he believed, was responsible for the non-attendance of many boys. Young gentlemen who were supposed to be in business in Birmingham seemed to be able to play upon the golf ground from early morn to dewy eve. Every gentleman wanted an attendant, and little boys were admitted to the ground, and were paid small sums of money 3d, 6d or 1/-and the consequence was they sometimes had thirty or forty boys away from school. He hoped parents would face up and make sure their boys attend school regularly”
In September 1893 Arden, in this match called Solihull, played a match against Tanworth at Solihull. Result below.
| Solihull | Tanworth Golf Club | ||
| F A Bainbridge(captain) | 3 | Hon. and Rev R C Moncrieffe | 0 |
| O Airy | 11 | Rev G W Barnard (captain) | 0 |
| A E Wilson-Browne | 4 | A J Moncrieffe | 0 |
| M C Lord | 3 | C G Graham | 0 |
| H H Wright | 2 | W J Burman | 0 |
| 23 | 0 |
Below is the result of a club match played at the Arden Club in October 1893 against Barton under Needwood Golf Club (also now defunct).
| Arden Golf Club | Barton-under-Needwood Golf Club | ||
| F A Bainbrisge | 4 | C Palmer | 0 |
| O (G) Airy | 3 | A H Palmer | 0 |
| A E Wilson-Browne | 0 | P S White | 0 |
| A G Tonks | 2 | A R White | 0 |
| 9 | 0 |
Course record in December 1893.
From "Golf" 22 December 1893.
Result of the February 1894 monthly cup.
"Golf" Friday 9 February 1894. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Competition results from October 1894.
"Golf" Friday 19 October 1894. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Report on the Solihull club and course in November 1894.
The Birmingham Daily Gazette Wednesday 28 November 1894. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Result of a match Played on Stafford Common on Saturday 16 March 1895.
| Staffordshire Golf Club | Arden Golf Club | ||
| C S Hayward | 1 | H W Bainbridge | 0 |
| B T Fitzherbert (halved) | 0 | A E Wilson-Browne (halved) | 0 |
| H Gardner | 0 | O Airy | 2 |
| A Finch | 4 | E P Wright | 0 |
| G H Tunnicliffe | 0 | W P Wilson-Browne | 8 |
| 5 | 10 |
Competition results from April 1895.
"Golf" Friday 19 April 1895. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Result of a match played in April 1897.
"Golf" Friday 16 April 1897. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Competition played in May 1897.
"Golf" Friday 21 May 1897. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Below, result of a match played at Kidderminster on Saturday 15 April 1899.
| Kidderminster Golf Club | Arden Golf Club | ||
| J P Humphries | 0 | H W Bainbridge | 2 |
| W R Nash | 0 | A G Tonks | 1 |
| W H Grazebrook | 8 | M C Lord | 0 |
| G Grindley | 0 | A E Wilson-Browne | 1 |
| C K Harrison | 2 | H H Wright | 0 |
| E C Corbett | 1 | M Lindner | 0 |
| A C Oldham | 8 | C Wade | 0 |
| 19 | 4 |
Change of ownership of the land in 1899.
Birmingham Daily Post Friday 8 September 1899. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Result of a match played in May 1913.
Coleshill Chronicle Saturday 31 May 1913. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
In 1914 the club had a membership of about 100. Entry fees for gents were £3/3/0 and ladies £1/1/0. Subs for gents were £2/2/0 and ladies £1/1/0. Visitors’ fees on introduction were 1/- a day, 2/6 a day at week-end, 5/- a week, 10/- a month. Sunday play was allowed without caddies.
The result below is interesting, it’s a match played between the Hampton Golf Club and Hearsall Golf Club in June 1914. It was reported as being played at Hampton-in-Arden.
| Hampton | Hearsall Golf Club | ||
| G W Harriden | 0 | A B McLean (4&3) | 1 |
| F G Cross | 0 | W C Hunter (5&4) | 1 |
| B Evans | 0 | J Wormell (4&2) | 1 |
| H Sydenham (half) | 0 | A G Hadden (half) | 0 |
| G Senior (2&1) | 1 | R Wormell | 0 |
| H Burrill (3&1) | 1 | T Hancox | 0 |
| F Trusty | 0 | R H Tilt (5&4) | 1 |
| P Mantle (4&3) | 1 | J Haymes | 0 |
| D N Barrs (half) | 0 | B Hirons (half) | 0 |
| E G Bryant | 0 | J Simpson (4&2) | 1 |
| G Chambers | 1 | W Bednell | 0 |
| O Hauser | 1 | M Barron | 0 |
| 5 | 5 |
In June 1917 the death was announced in the Birmingham Daily Post of William Alston - "Mr Alston was an ardent golfer, and to the last played regularly at Olton, but prior to that he was one of the founders of the Arden Golf Club, Solihull, the links in connection with which were given up a few years ago."
The course shown on the map below is from the time of WW1. It continued to appear on O.S maps up to WW2.
O.S. Map Revised 1913 to 1914; © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1920}.
There is no evidence so far that the club continued after WW1.
Location of the Arden course at Solihull, the course was still appearing on O.S Maps in the 1930s.