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Stockport (Davenport) Golf Club, Woods Moor Course. (1905 - 1910)
Stockport (Davenport) Golf Club was founded in 1905 with a course at Woods Moor.
It continued as Davenport Golf Club until 1910 when it moved to Torkington and became Stockport Golf Club.
From the Stockport Advertiser and Guardian Friday 20 July 1906; “Davenport Golf Club – Opening of the Pavilion – There was a good attendance of the members of the newly-formed Davenport Golf Club on Saturday, when the pavilion was formally opened. The Davenport links are picturesquely situated in the neighbourhood of Woods Moor, being bounded on the one side by the Buxton railway, and the course is one of nine-holes, twice round being equal to three miles. The links having been opened during the greater part of summer, and are exceedingly popular with the members. Two nights are devoted to ladies, of whom there is a goodly number. To the great regret of the members, Henry Bell, president of the club, owing to absence from home, was unable to open the new pavilion, but in his letter, which was read by the hon. secretary F Robinson, Mr Bell expressed the hope that the new links would be a source of enjoyment to the members. In his absence the pavilion was opened by the captain of the club, G A Orme, who said the club would supply a long felt want in the neighbourhood. They were fortunate in having secured that day the prominence of two prominent players, Messrs. Sidebottom and Taylor of Disley, who would give them an exhibition of golf. The pavilion is a handsome and commodious structure, fitted up with retiring rooms for ladies and gentlemen, and with smoke and other rooms. The rooms are comfortably furnished, and will be found a great convenience to the members.”
The first monthly medal competition was played on Saturday 26 January 1907. Owing to the bad weather only 12 cards were taken out; B Sellers, 102-18-84; J J Battersby, 111-25-86; T H Cocker, 103-16-87; A Briggs, 102-11-91; M Young, 111-18-93; J Longson, 114-18-96.
Stockport County Express Thursday 7 March 1907 – “Davenport Golf Club seems to be getting a very popular organisation. The membership is strong and the interest increasing. There are monthly medal competitions on the last Saturday in each month, and prizes for special events during the season have been given by; Mr W N Battersby, Dr Murray, J.P; D J Howie Smith; Tom Cocker; Club Captain, G A Orme. There is also a prize for the ladies’ section, the donor being Mr W E Hodgkinson.”
Result of the April 1907 monthly medal; F O S Leak, 91-9-82; H Newton, 97-14-83; E Beswick, 103-16-87; J T Green, 104-16-88; E Ritson, 105-16-89; H D Mason, 107-16-91; T E Forster, 114-22-92; J Longson, 113-18-95; G A Orme, 112-14-98; C R Brady, 117-18-99.
Manchester Courier Tuesday 7 May 1907. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
It was reported in January 1908 that the annual meeting for the Davenport Golf Club was held on Saturday 25 January. The annual report was produced to show that the club was prospering, on the year’s working there was a balance of £60. The club had a membership of 117 gentlemen and 55 ladies. The course had been improved which had resulted in a higher turnout of players.
Following is the result of the monthly medal played on Saturday 7 March 1908, bogey score was 78; William Meadows, 93-16-77; G A Orme, 96-15-81; J T Smith, 90-6-84; R Hyde, 103-18-85; F Robinson, 103-18-85; J Longson, 99-13-86; W S Whitfield, 108-20-88; E Beswick, 105-16-89; H Dillason, 109-18-91; B Sellars, 109-18-91; J J Battersby, 112-18-94; W Bancroft, 114-20-94.
Stockport Advertiser and Guardian Friday 3 April 1908 – “Damage to the Davenport Links – At the Stockport Borough Police Court on Saturday, a number of youths were summoned for doing damage to the Davenport club greens and bunkers. Peter Barrie, professional golfer to the club gave evidence. He had been watching the youths for some weeks, and on Sunday 15 March he saw them jumping on the greens and knocking at the bunkers with sticks. The bunkers were turfed three feet high. The greens were very soft, and were greatly damaged. The damage was nominaly assessed at 40 shillings, but it would cost a great deal more to repair the damage. The defendants were fined 2s/6d each and costs, and ordered to pay 8s each towards the damage. Altogethe the defendants had to pay 18s/6d each.”
Result of the monthly medal for July 1908; F O S Leek, 82-7-75; N H Smith, 85-9-76; A Gastall, 88-10-78; T E Forster; 96-16-80; J Howie Smith, 85-4-81; A E Daniels, 88-7-81; A Briggs, 89-8-81; R Hyde, 95-14-81; G A Orme, 94-12-82; M F Hickey, 101-18-83; J A Stott, 98-13-85; W Ralphs, 103-18-85; W Bancroft, 108-20-88; H E Corbin, 108-18-90.
Stockport County Express Thursday 15 July 1909 - "On the links of Stockport Golf Club Saturday was an important day. Thirty-four cards were taken out for the competition for the President's Cup, the gift of Mr Henry Bell, J.P., D.L. The trophy was won by Mr F O S Leek, who also carried off the first sweep. Mr W S Whitfield took the second sweep. The competition on the same links for mixed foursome was completed this week, when Miss A Hidderley and R E Hancock came out the winners, and carried off prizes given respectively by Mr W H Battersby and Mr W Slack."
Stockport County Express Thursday 29 July 1909 - "On the Torkington Estate about a quarter of an hour's walk from the Hazel Grove tram terminus, a great undulating stretch of meadowland has almost been converted into what will be one of the best inland courses in this part of the country. It is the new course of the old Davenport Club, now known as the Stockport Golf Club, and before describing its features it would be well to give the facts which have led to the new venture. It was in December 1905 that Mr Robert Hyde, Stockport's Town Clerk, and Mr George A Orme convened the meeting at which it was decided to form a golf club, provided seventy five members were obtained. This condition was quickly fulfilled, and a nine-hole course was laid out on forty acres of land at Woods Moor. The venture continued to receive considerable support, and the membership has steadily grown until it now stands at 170 gentlemen and seventy ladies. But there was that ever present plague of almost all golf clubs situated near a large town - a yearly tenancy. Worse even than that was the power of the Freeholders' Company to take at any time any portion of the course that was required for building purposes, and slices of cherished land disappeared at intervals. Then there was the a unanimous desire on the part of the members for an eighteen-hole course, so that taking everything into consideration it was only likely that the committee looked for pastures new. The Offerton Road, Torkington, course had an initial twenty-one year lease."
Below are results from the autumn meeting played in October 1909.
From the Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser Monday 4th October 1909. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The location of the first Stockport course at Woods Moor is marked to the centre of the above OS map © Crown Copyright {1910}
It was reported in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph on Monday 9th May 1910 that “J H Taylor (Mid Surrey), James Braid (Walton Heath), Harry Vardon (South Herts) and Alec Herd (Huddersfield) were to take part in a match at the opening of the new Stockport course at Torkington today” Result below.
Gloucestershire Echo Tuesday 10th May 1910. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The Google Map below pinpoints the location of the course at Woods Moor.