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Roundhay Golf Club, Leeds. (1890s - WW1)
Golf was reputed to have started on Soldiers Field in Roundhay.
From 1890 to 1893 land was rented at horse pastures, this course forms part of the current Leeds Golf Club.
In 1893 a nine-hole course was created on Wetherby Road and this was called Roundhay Golf Club.
It seems that in the pre-WW1 years the course was often referred to as the Roundhay Links.
In 1896 a meeting was held and a golf club was formed by Leeds Golf Club at Cobble Hall Farm. Interesting to note in the report below the mention of "Roundhay Golf Club - an organisation which has removed to other links some distance away."
Yorkshire Evening Post Saturday 23 May 1896. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The Roundhay Golf Club moved to play on a course at Wetherby Road opposite the Almshouses.
From Golf Friday 8 January 1897 - "Roundhay Golf Club - Wanted a green-keeper and professional, with thorough knowledge of the game and able to repair clubs - Apply with testimonials to H J Bowring, Gledhow, Leeds."
Leeds Mercury Monday 16 August 1897. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Result of the August 1897 medal; A C Briggs and W H Hudson (tied), 92-12-80. A C Briggs won the play off, 85-12-73.
In May 1898 Roundhay visited Windermere to play a club match. Below is the result of the singles, the foursomes matches were also won by Windermere 7-0.
| Windermere Golf Club | Roundhay Golf Club | ||
| G H Briggs | 3 | A C Briggs | 0 |
| A R Sladen | 3 | Dr Richardson | 0 |
| R H Hill | 5 | H J Bowring | 0 |
| J M Sladen | 0 | J C Sykes | 4 |
| A E Kitson | 4 | B S Fenn | 0 |
| Rev J M Moss | 9 | F B Hudson | 0 |
| 24 | 4 |
In April 1898 W Hazlehurst, the Roundhay professional, while playing a match with Horace Marshall, succeeded in lowering the course record to 71 (33 out 38 home). The previous record was 75, also made by Hazlehurst.
The Roundhay and Leeds clubs merged in 1900 and played at Cobble Hill. The Yorkshire Championship was reported as being played at Roundhay in 1907.
The photograph below of The Golf Links, Roundhay is dated 1905.
The 1905 postcard of the links at Roundhay. Postcard s23 W&T, Leeds. Authors Collection.
The report below mentions the Roundhay Links in Roundhay Park (not Cobble Hill).
From The Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic News 28 November 1914. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
The newspaper report below throws more light on the early history of Leeds (Roundhay) Golf Club.
From The Yorkshire Post & Leeds Mercury 5 December 1941. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
The current municipal course of the Roundhay Golf Club started in July 1922.