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Failsworth Golf Club, Nuthurst Road, New Moston. (1895 - 1972)

The club was founded in 1895.

The location of the first course is, as yet, unknown.

In June 1901 the club moved to a nine-hole course on Nuthurst Road.

The course was extended to eighteen-holes course prior to WW1.

In 1927 the course was reduced to nine-holes to make way for a housing development. 

Despite opposition from the local M.P a decision was made to sell the course in 1972. House building on what is now "The Fairway" commenced in 1973/4. 

The original club house on Hollinwood Avenue still exists and is now a Conservative Club, but all that remains of the northern end of the course is a path beside the railway leading to Nuthurst Road. The later clubhouse was on the south side of Nuthurst Road, set back a little, with car-parking space in front. 

Below is the result of a competition played on Saturday 18 July 1896.

Result of a qualifying competition for a prize given by Mr Ferguson was played on Saturday 5 December 1896, qualifiers were, E Birchenall, 102-18-84 and W Jagger, 118-20-98. They would go forward to play in the final along with; R Lakin, G Wood, A Taylor, D Benson, W H Newton and W Crossley. 

Below is the result of a ladies’ match played on 13 July 1899 at Clayton.

The second round of the Mellor Cup was played on Saturday 15 July 1899, results; Dr Beattie beat A Crossley, 1up; A Taylor beat C G Moeller, 4&2; Mr Hughes beat Dr Moore, 4&2; A C Ferguson beat Dr Morrow, 8&6; G E Ferguson beat T Etchells, 8&6; both W H Newton and Mr Birchenall had walk overs, Mr Beason had a bye. 

Extract from a report on the new course from the Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser Monday 10 June 1901. "On Saturday afternoon the new links of the Failsworth Golf Club were formally opened by Mr F Cawley, M.P. The course is one of nine-holes with natural bunkers. The proceeding were presided over by the Rev. C E Bahin, who extended a cordial welcome to Mr Cawley, who was presented by Miss Beattie, on behalf of the club, with a silver mounted driver. Mr Cawley, after congratulating the members on securing better links than the old ones at Failsworth, declared the course open and proceeded to hit the first shot with the driver."  

Below is the result of a match played at Clayton (Brookdale) in July 1901. 

In 1904/5 the secretary was Alfred Taylor, 18 Ashton Road, East Failsworth. The captain was A O Ferguson and the professional T Prince. Amateur course record held by J W Crossley, 75. Entrance fee was £1/1s and subs £1/11s/6d. 

Result of the June monthly medal 1908; W L Dyson, 90-24-66; A W Storey, 79-10-69; R T Grime, 99-26-73; J Crossley, 76-2-74; C Cooper, 82-8-74; H Dunkerley, 87-12-75; H B Kauntze, 100-24-76; W Newton, 104-28-76; F Newton, 92-14-78; F Dewhurst, 93-14-79. Winner of the ladies’ June 1908 medal was Miss Mary Crossley, 102-14-88; Miss J Crossley, 119-30-89; Miss H S Crossley, 106-16-90. 

Below is the result of a match played at Brookdale (also now defunct) in July 1909.

Below is the location of the clubhouse and course in 1910. The course at this time was on both sides of Nuthurst Road.

Ordnance Survey Map © Crown Copyright {1910}

Result of the fourth monthly competition played in January 1913. Mr A Parkinson qualified for the gold medal and Dr Low’s prize; A Parkinson. 102-20-82; R J Stephenson, 104-20-84; A A Hill, 95-10-85; J Yeadon, 97-12-85; W Schofield, 105-19-86; T Crossley, 96-8-88; W E Turner, 112-24-88. 

Result of the monthly medal held in February 1913, bogey score was 76; J E Alcock, 94-16-78; A Taylor, 88-7-81; W L Dyson, 93-11-82; J Yeadon, 94-12-82; H Howarth, 100-16-84; S Howarth, 101-16-85; A S Cossley, 104-17-87; R J Stephenson, 109-20-89; P M Cooper, 112-22-90; A Parkinson, 113-20-93. J E Alcock qualified for the gold medal and Dr Low’s prize, A Taylor also qualified for Dr Low’s prize.

The final for Dr Low’s prize was played in March 1913 in very rough weather. Eighteen qualified, following are the leading scores; H C Howarth, 92-16-76; W L Dyson, 92-11-81; K H Lawson, 95-12-83; G Howarth jun, 93-9-84; A A Hill, 98-10-88; A S Crossley, 106-17-89; A Taylor, 98-7-91; A C Harris, 105-14-91; R Morrell, 111-19-92.

Result of the gents medal January 1914; S Howarth, 96-16-80; R Heywood, 97-16-81; A L Dyson, 96-13-83; J E Alcock, 97-14-83; J W Horn, 99-14-85; T Crossley, 92-5-87.

On 27 January 1914 the Manchester Courier ran an interesting piece on the Failsworth club, it gives an insight to the club and a general course description at the time. “On leaving Victoria on a stopping train one reaches Moston station in eleven minutes, and the clubhouse is only a niblick shot distant from the platform. Surely if one reckons by the time required to reach it, this must be the nearest golf to Manchester. The second impression is that the name of the club is apt to mislead strangers unfamiliar with the geography of the outlying parts of the city. Although this is the Failsworth club, the clubhouse alone is situated in that district, and, after crossing the road to the first tee, the whole of the course is in Mostyn. The clubhouse is an eminently convenient building for a golf club, and the fact that in the first instance it was intended for a rather different purpose has been of decided advantage. The easy manner in which the course may be reached  is no doubt responsible for the fact that many of the members reside in such faraway places as Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Whalley Range and Worsley. Also the golf is decidedly cheap, for there is no entry fee, and the subscription two guineas.

Although when regarded from the point of view of length the course is on the short side, it does not necessarily follow that low scores will be achieved, for there are plenty of places which one can visit with the expense of many strokes. The two short holes are excellent, the seventh being a delightful example of the punch bowl variety. The short eleventh is also placed in a hollow, and, if not possessed with quite the same excellence is a good hole. Many of the holes are of the drive and pitch order, but the first, 543 yards, allows everybody a chance of opening their shoulders. And when there is a keen east wind blowing, one is glad when the green is reached. The tenth, or Alps hole, certainly offers the greatest difficulty. Just about the length of a fair drive from the tee, there is a deep gully to be crossed, the carry being about 175 yards or so, and the long hitters are tempted to go for it. The more usual plan is to play an iron shot up the hill and short of the gully, and from there drive home with a wood or iron. The gully is so difficult that a special rule exists which enables one to lift out and drop behind under the penalty of two strokes”

Result of the final of the club gold medal Saturday 21st March 1914. The winner was Mr H Purvis with a score of 95-14-81, runner-up Mr S Howarth 98-14-84.

In 1914 it was an 18 hole course with a membership of 180 gents and 50 ladies. There was no entry fee. Subs were £2/2/0. Visitors’ fees on introduction were 1/- a day, otherwise 1/6, 5/- a week. Ladies were requested not to play Saturday or on competition days. Sunday play was not allowed. Stations at Failsworth and Moston, the latter adjoined the course.

In 1921/22 the President was Joseph Johnston; Captain,  Joseph Edge; Hon Sec., Charles Rothwell; Groundsman, A Farrow.

Above is course information from the 1921/22 Members Booklet which belonged to John Robert Guest. Thanks to David Proud for the image.

In 1924/5 club membership was 150. Visitors’ fees were now 2/- a day, 7/6 a week and 15/- a month. Sunday play was now permitted without caddies.

In about 1927 the course was reduced to nine-holes when the LMS railway (who owned the land) decided to sell a portion to Manchester Corporation for housing. This concurs with the building of the houses around Chatwood Road, between Nuthurst Road and Hollinwood Avenue, which date from 1928 onwards. The eighteen-hole course originally ran from Williams Road at the south end all the way to Hollinwood Avenue at the north.

Below is the location of the clubhouse and course in the mid-1930s. The portion of the course to the north of Nuthurst Road now taken over for housing.

O.S. Map Revised 1932 to 1933; © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1935}.

In the mid 1950s membership was 150. Visitors’ fees, on introduction, were; 2/6 a day, 3/6 at weekend and bank holidays, 7/6 a week and 15/- a month.   

In 1960 membership was 130. From this time to the clubs demise in the 1970s the nine-hole course measured 2585yds with a SSS of 65. Visitors’ fees were 3/6 a day, 5/- at weekend and holidays. 

We would like to thank Martin Newey for his help with the history of Failsworth Golf Club and for the additional information below (compiled 2019-2021).

During the life of Failsworth Golf Club both Little Nuthurst Hall Farm and the land that the golf course occupied was owned by the Lancashire to Yorkshire Railway. The tenants rented the land to Failsworth Golf Club. The 1915 OS Map shows that further fields were rented to the north of the course extending the boundary up to Broad Lane/Moston Lane which is now known as Moston Lane East. The Club House occupied an existing two storey building called ‘Park House’ which stood at the junction of Owler Lane and Moston Lane. The clubhouse was then in Failsworth whilst the course was located entirely in New Moston. The first hole was 545 yards long and extended from the Moston Station boundary along Moston Lane (Moston Lane East) to a green located in the middle of what is nowadays the New Moston Infant School. 

Below Failsworth Golf Club juniors in 1967 - still playing 54 years later.

Left to Right – John Condliffe, Ian Lloyd, Andrew Williamson, Jeff Wood, Gordon Wood, Martin Newey (front).

“Pal” was the honorary dog member who walked the course many times with us juniors.

 Below Failsworth Golf Club details in 1969. 

Scorecard when club closed in 1973. Player - Andrew Williamson; Marker – J Condliffe.

During WW2 the course suffered bomb damage. The area once occupied by the course has now been taken over for housing.