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Scarborough Golf Club, Ganton Course. (1891 - 1907)

The club was founded in 1892 as Scarborough Golf Club. 

Early professionals at Scarborough; Robert G Bird (1892 - 1896); Harry Vardon (1896 - 1903); Ted Ray (1903 - 1912.) Edward Ray moved from Ganton to Oxhey Golf Club (now defunct) in 1912.

The Scarborough Ladies' had their own 18-hole course.

It became Ganton Golf Club in 1907.

Entry from the 1891/92 Golfing Annual - Scarborough Golf Club; Instituted 1891; Hon. Secretary - Frank Bedwell; The course of 18-holes, which was laid out by Tom Chisholm of St Andrew's, is situated at Ganton. For an inland course it is a good one, and the putting greens, with the exception of two or three are of natural turf. The length of the holes are as follows; Hole One - 320 yards; Two - 280; Three - 300; Four - 240; Five - 260; Six - 230; Seven - 180; Eight - 200; Nine - 280; Ten - 260; Eleven - 190; Twelve - 250; Thirteen - 200; Fourteen - 310; Fifteen - 200; Sixteen - 180- Seventeen - 280; Eighteen - 200. Visitors can join the club as temporary members on reasonable terms.

Report on the new club in July 1891.

"Golf" Friday 17 July 1891. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The following is an extract from a report that appeared in the York Herald on Saturday 8 October 1892 - Scarborough Golf Club  - Tournament at Ganton - The club which was established in the spring of the present year, played its first annual meeting over the Ganton links yesterday in fine weather. The "greens" were in capital condition thanks to the care of  Mr R Bird, the club professional. One event was to come off, an open competition. Three prizes were offered, a silver cup valued at £4/4s, a silver cigar case £2/2s, a jug £1/1s. Mr G M Palmes in the course of the game made a phenomenal stroke of 207 yards, 130 yards being an average drive. Leading scores; Mr Roberts, 79-3-76; R S Backhouse, 90-12-78; G L Palmes, 97-18-79; G W Smithson, 87-8-79. 

Below is the result of a match played at Ganton against Cleveland Golf Club on Friday 19 May 1893. After the match "the visitors were hospitably entertained in the spacious clubhouse."

Report on the club and course in October 1894.

"Golf" Friday 19 October 1894. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Scarborough Golf Club - the "home" course of Harry Vardon in 1900.

From the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News Saturday 13 October 1900. Image © Illustrated London News Group.

The Scarborough Ladies' Golf Club - The following article is from the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News Saturday 13 October 1900 and accompanies the above picture - "Although the officials of the Gentlemen's Club, Sir Charles Legard, Bart. (the President,) Mr C G Broadwood (the captain,) and Frank Bedwell (the hon. secretary,) occupy similar posts on the management of the Scarborough Ladies' Golf Club at Ganton, the latter have a course and committee of their own, and deserve most of the credit for the ever growing success of their organisation. Mrs Cuff, Mrs C G Broadwood, Mrs Ellershaw, Mrs Wood Taylor, and Miss L M Young, all enthusiastic players, constitute the committee, and working together for several years they have established the club on a solid footing. There are now about 50 members including Lady Legard, Lady Evelyn Dawney and Miss Bertha Thompson, one of the best lady golfers in England. Miss Thompson is a regular competitor in the championship, and always enters from Scarborough. She played finely at Westward Ho! this year, reaching the fifth heat. The Scarborough ladies' course consists of 18-holes, and, except for crack players, is quite long enough. It measures about two miles and a quarter, the longest hole being fourteenth - 340 yards - and the shortest the sixth - 95 yards. The third hole measures 300 yards; there are five other holes over 250 yards each, and another five over 200 yards each, so with hazards plentiful the record score of 85, accomplished by Mrs Ryder Richardson, wife of the Royal Liverpool Club's secretary, and a semi-finalist in this year's championship, must be accounted a fine performance."     

The club was still listed as Scarborough Golf Club in the Nisbet's 1905 Golf Yearbook. Membership of  312 with 77 ladies. The Patron was His Majesty the King; President, Sir Algernon Legard, Bart.; Captain The Hon., R Jervis; Secretary, Eden H Gawne.

Also listed is the Scarborough Ladies' Golf Club, the secretary was Miss A Young, Scarsgill, West Ayton; Entrance fee 21/- and subs 21/-; Professional, E Ray; Professional record, H Vardon 64; amateur, E Gawne 69. 

In April 1907 a special meeting was held at the Grand Hotel, the captain, Mr C E Hunter was in the chair. The new rules, drawn up by a special committee, were adopted, and one of these altered the name of the club from "Scarborough Golf Club" to "Ganton Golf Club."  

Below is an interesting report on a proposed new course at Ganton in November 1923.

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer Thursday 1 November 1923. Image © Johnston Press plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

The Google Map below shows the area around Bond Hills, location of the proposed course.