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Phoenix Park Golf Club, Thornbury, Bradford. (1922 - 2006)

The club was founded in 1922.

Nine-hole course.

From the 1933 Golfer's Handbook; Phoenix Park, Thornbury; Membership 150; Hon. secretary - J W Bottomley, English Electric Co., Phoenix Works, Bradford; professional and green-keeper, S Earthey; Station Laisterdyke, three quarters of a mile;  Visitors' fees, 1s/6 a day; 3s/6d Sundays.

Below a rare report on the club in June 1936.

From the Yorkshire Post & Leeds Intelligencer Tuesday 9th June 1936. Image © Johnston Press plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Following WW2 the secretary was C Stott. Visitors’ fees were 1/6 a day, 3/6 on Sundays.

The secretary during the 1950s was C Stott, English Electric Co, Phoenix Works, Bradford. Membership 200. Station at Laisterdyke ¾ mile. Visitors’ fees were; 3/6 a day, 5/- at weekend.

In 1960 the secretary was S Smith. The professional and green-keeper was J Westby. Membership was 200. The amateur course record was held by Jack Stenson with a score of 67. SSS was 63.

In the mid 1960s the secretary was E Holroyd. All other information as before.

During the 1970s the secretary was M Lumb. Membership was 190. The nine-hole course measured 4,855 yards and had a SSS of 63. The amateur course record was shared by Jack Stenson and E Power, 67. Visitors’ fees were; 37½p during the week and 50p at weekend. 

In the early 1980s the secretary was G Glover and the professional was B Stevens. The course now measured 4,955 yards and had a SSS of 64. Course records were; amateur – S Turner, 69; professional – B Stevens, 69. Visitors’ fees were £2.50p. Membership of 200.

In the later 1980s the secretary was G Dunn and the professional B Ferguson. The course measured 4,982 yards with a SSS of 64. Amateur course record set by C Lally with a 66. Visitors’ fees £3. Membership was 180.

View of the course.

In the early 1990s the secretary was B Mitchell and the professional B Ferguson. Visitors’ fees £5.

In 2006 membership had reduced to 130.

Thanks to Colin Barker for the images below and the following information - “Scorecard from 19/4/1988 for Phoenix Park which although having the same yardage for each hole as the one you illustrate does have significantly different Stroke Indexes for some of the holes - I have no explanation as to why the y would have changed however”.

At closure the nine-hole undulating parkland course measured 4,982 yards with a SSS of 64.

Hole One – 449 yards – par 4 –SI 1; Two – 280 yards – par 4 – SI 5; Three – 321 yards – par 4 – SI 4; Four – 375 yards – par 4 – SI 7; Five – 130 yards – par 3- SI 9; Six – 265 yards – par 4 - SI 2; Seven – 153 yards – par 3 – SI 8; Eight – 157 yards – par 3 – SI 6; Nine – 361 yards – par 4 – SI 3.   

It seems as though the course deteriorated towards the end of its life. Players were complaining of losing balls on the fairway due to the long grass. The greens were maintained to a reasonable level but in general the course was in poor condition.