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Giggleswick School Golf Club, Settle, North Yorks. (1892 - 1913)

Founded 1892/4.

From the 1905 Nisbet’s Golf Yearbook; Giggleswick School Golf Club; Instituted 1894; number of members 50; hon. secretary and captain – G Chatwood, Giggleswick School; Amateur course record - G Hoffman, 36; nine-holes. The course is situated on hilly ground near the school. Bogey score for the course is 42, and the length is about a mile and a half. All hazards natural.  

In 1906 the secretary and captain was E E Ainsley, Giggleswick School. A 9-hole course with natural hazards situated on hilly ground near the school, the bogey score was 42. Amateur course record, G Hoffman 36. Club membership of about 60. Visitors were allowed by request. Stations at Settle or Giggleswick were a mile away.

From 1908 to 1911 the secretary was H E Johnson.

In 1913 it was stated that the club was now defunct, as the boys no longer play golf.

Thanks to Barbara Gent the archivist at Giggleswick School for her help and for supplying the following information.

“The school golf club was set up in 1892 when the original links were marked out. In 1893 Geoffrey Lowe the professional came. At this date there were 23 “fellows” and several masters who played. I can tell you that the later nine-course was near the school chapel which was built in 1897 and stands a few minute’s walk away from the main school buildings. The Chapel is on a rocky knoll of millstone grit which would have provided hazards of numerous stone walls and a quarry. The greens up near the chapel were often soft due to the wet weather, it’s a very exposed area. Gradually the greens improved. In the meantime Settle Golf Club allowed us to practice on their course (when there were matches in the offing,) Settle Golf Club was on land owned by the school and was close to us. There were various cups awarded; The Hoffman Cup and the Osborne Cup. There is reference to golf at the school in the School Chronicle of April 1900. I cannot find any information as to when the course by the Chapel was abandoned but it must have been just prior to WW1. Our pupils now play on the Settle course.”

The School Chapel can be seen on the above map unfortunately the school golf course is not marked. Ordnance Survey Map © Crown Copyright {1910}