Appley Bridge Golf Club, Parbold Hall, Wigan. (1907 - 1951)

The club was founded in 1907.

A 9-hole course laid out on land belonging to the then Smith family, owners of Parbold Hall. The rent at the time was £45 a year.

Locally there is competition called the Victory Trophy, played for once a year by local clubs, Appley Bridge Golf club appear on the original plaque as winners.

The station at Appley Bridge was 1 mile away.

 

Appley Golf Club, Wigan, Lancs. Opening of the golf course in 1907.

The opening of the course in 1907.

 

The article and picture below are from the Wigan Examiner Supplement Saturday 15 April 1911.

 

Appley Bridge Golf Club, Parbold Hall. Picture of opening of the new pavilion in April 1911,

The opening of the new pavilion in April 1911.

 

Back row; All standing, Messrs J T Rigby, R Jackson, J Rigby, B Blackburn, T Bold, J Hart, F A Baldwin, E Witter, and Rev T Gleave.

Middle Row; standing, Mrs Catlin, Mrs Baldwin, Mrs Baywell, Mrs R Jackson, Mrs J W White, Mrs E Witter, Mr A M Shaw, Mrs S Haworth, Mrs Hart, Miss Furness, Mr C Spory, Mr F S Hammersley, Rev J C Catlin, Messrs J Seywell, L Griffiths, S Haworth.

Front Row; seated Miss J Layland, Miss Daisy Baldwin, Master E Rigby, Miss Holt, Master C Hammersley, and Master J Spory.

On Saturday about forty subscribers of the above links and a few friends assembled on the occasion of the formal opening of the new Golf Pavilion.

Mr F S Hammersley, the captain, explained that Mr T Bold had kindly offered to give the structure and had further very considerably altered and improved it at his own expense while certain other members and friends had given all the inside furniture and fittings so that the useful building would cost nothing to the subscribers.

Mr F S Hammersley specialty emphasised Mr T Bold’s generosity, and then called on Mrs Bold to formally open the Pavilion after presenting her with a key for the purpose.  Mrs Bold made a brief speech very suitable for the occasion and then declared the Pavilion open.

Mr J A Baldwin, the Vice-Captain, in a very effective speech, passed on thanks to the lady members who had done so much towards making the Pavilion what it was and for their kindness in entertaining the subscribers and friends to the number of about forty-five to a very excellent tea.  Mr J A Baldwin especially thanked Mrs Baldwin, and much applause greeted his remarks.

Mr Bold suitably replied on behalf of the ladies, and also replied to the remarks of Mr F S Hammersley, thanking him for what he had tried to do for the convenience of the members generally.

Mr J Seywell, the indefatigable Secretary of the links, by way of his work in connection with the Pavilion and his arrangements for the afternoon’s gathering, greatly contributed to its success.

The monthly competition, of only nine holes in consequence of the opening of the Pavilion, was won by Mr J A Baldwin while second place was divided between Mr F S Hammersley and Mr A M Shaw.

 

Presentation to the ex-captain in June 1912.

 

Appley Bridge Golf Club, Parbold Hall. Presentation to the ex-captain in June 1912.

 

Appley Bridge Golf Club, Parbold Hall. Presentation to the ex-captain in June 1912.

Wigan Observer and District Advertiser Thursday 27 June 1912. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

  Secretary Professional/Greenkeeper
1914 C Spary, Lyndale, Appley Bridge.  
1923/24 J H Shuttleworth, Grove House, Appley Bridge.  
1925 W O Fillingham, Ashfield, Appley Bridge. H James (g)
1926/30s J H Liptrot, "Glenside" Appley Bridge.  
1926/31   T Bamber (g)
1932/40   G Clements (g)
1930s (mid) J Stopforth, Greg-Na-Baa, Parbold, Wigan.  
1940 J F Barnes, Lyndale, Appley Lane, Appley Bridge.  
1947/49 J Guest, 16 Ashfield Terrace, Appley Bridge.  
1947   N Kenny (p&g)
1949   A Simpson (p&g)

 

Below is a full report on the annual meeting held in April 1913.

 

Appley Bridge Golf Club, Wigan. Full report on the annual meeting held in April 1913.

 

Appley Bridge Golf Club, Wigan. Full report on the annual meeting held in April 1913.

 

Appley Bridge Golf Club, Wigan. Full report on the annual meeting held in April 1913.

From the Wigan Observer & District Advertiser Saturday 5 April 1913. Image © Johnston Press plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

Results from competitions played in August 1913; Prize presented by John Molyneux for men's foursome won by J T Rigby and J N Shaw; Prize presented by Mr Ll Griffith for a foursome won by Mrs C Spary and Mrs J T Rigby; Committee prize - F Rigby, 90-13-77; W A Holker, 90-11-79; W H Jeffcoat, 110-30-80; T H Haworth, 103-14-89; A M Shaw, 112-16-95; R Arkwright, 130-24-106.

Result of a nine-hole mixed foursome played in October 1913; Mrs A M Shaw and W A Holker, 49; Miss N Furness and T Bold, 51; Miss C Furness and J T Rigby, 53; Miss Ball and J A Baldwin, 55; Mrs J T Rigby and A M Shaw, 57; Mrs C Spary and Mr Ll Griffith, 61; Mrs A E Wilding and A J Sheldon, 66.

In 1914 the entry fee for gents was £1/1/0 and ladies10/6. Subs for gents were £1/11/6 and ladies15/-. Visitors’ fees were 1/- a day, 3/6 a week and 10/- a month. Sunday play was not allowed.

Report on the annual meeting in March 1914.

 

Appley Bridge Golf Club, Parbold Hall. Report on the annual meeting held in March 1914.

 

Appley Bridge Golf Club, Parbold Hall. Report on the annual meeting held in March 1914.

 

Appley Bridge Golf Club, Parbold Hall. Report on the annual meeting held in March 1914.

Wigan Observer and District Advertiser Saturday 21 March 1914. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Results for a qualifying round for the Gerard Cup played in June 1914.

 

Appley Bridge Golf Club, Parbold Hall. Result of a qualifying round for the Gerard Cup in June 1914.

Wigan Observer and District Advertiser Tuesday 09 June 1914. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Early pictures are difficult to come by for many defunct clubs. Although the one below is not very clear it’s worth including for its rarity. The text reads – “The photograph of members was taken on Saturday afternoon after the final of the Gerard Cup which was won by Mr A M Shaw. The cup was presented by the Hon Mrs Gerard-Dicconson as shown on the inset.”

 

Appley Bridge Golf Club, Wigan. Presentation of the Gerard Cup to A M Shaw in July 1914.

From the Wigan Observer & District Advertiser Saturday 25 July 1914. Image © Johnston Press plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

In 1923/4 there was a  membership of 150. Visitors’ fees were 2/- a day.

From 1926 and in to the 1930s membership peaked at 165.

A sad letter sent by the J H Liptrot, club secretary, in January 1931.

 

Appley Bridge Golf Club, Parbold Hall. Sad letter sent by J H Liptrot the club secretary in January 1931.

Image courtesy of James Bamford.

 

In the Chorley Golf Club Hospital Trophy competition played in May 1931 W E Ashton of Appley Bridge Golf Club tied with two other golfers for the trophy, he returned a score of 90-14-76. He finished second in the play-off. J Stockforth, Appley Bridge, also played in the competition.

In July 1939 T Pinnett, a visitor from West Lancashire Golf Club, holed in one at the 175 yard fifth hole.  

On Sunday 17 December 1939 George Duncan, former Open Champion, played a match that also included the then Open Champion, Dick Burton, on the Appley Bridge course. In the afternoon Duncan had a round of 67, a course record and five strokes better than the scratch score. Duncan was partnered by James Adams (Royal Liverpool) they beat Burton and H E Walker, a former Cheshire amateur champion, in a match played over 36 holes. The match was in aid of the Mayor of Wigan’s war comforts fund, and a large crowd followed the play. Afterwards the balls used by the players were auctioned for £14/5shillings. 

In 1940 the  SSS was 70. Visitors’ fees were 2/- a day, weekends and Bank Holiday 2/6 a day.

In April 1940  James Stopforth, playing with a club member, holed in one at the 175 yard fifth hole.

Membership in 1949 was 160. Professional record of 67 held by G Duncan. Visitors’ fees were 2/6 a day, Saturday  3/- a day. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday after 2pm 2/-.

Folklore has it that one of the reasons for the closure (could have been the main reason) was loud and uncouth behaviour and drunkenness! Who knows?

The real reason for closure explained in a report in the Liverpool Echo Friday 10 November 1950. "Appley Bridge Golf Club is to be wound up at the end of the year. The landowner has told the club that he cannot renew the lease as he needs the land, his other farm having been acquired compulsorily for housing. Membership of the club is about 140."

Appley Bridge Golf Club had disappeared by 1951.

We would like to thank Stephen Craig-Smith for his help and and for his following recollections – “Any child growing up in Appley Bridge in the early 1950s knew where abandoned golf balls could be found with very little effort - walk down Finch Lane, cross Fairy Glen and take the footpath towards Parbold.  The older members of the community would talk, sometimes fondly of a village golf course that once existed west of Fairy Glen and south of Parbold Hall.

A clubhouse was built on the southern side of the course initially accessed by a track from Hall Lane running parallel with Fairy Glen as far as Delf House and then by a track to the club house itself.  

The club was finally wound up sometime around 1950 – it sported 160 members in 1949 but had closed by 1951.  Why it closed in the early 1950s after having survived the war years remains a mystery.

Village gossip maintains the club closed because of “loud and uncouth behaviour through drunkenness” but that would seem most unlikely in 1950 amid the rural tranquillity of the Douglas Valley lying between Appley Bridge and Parbold.

Membership numbers, running costs, competition from other golf courses in the area, or the right to lease the land would be the most likely reason for the club’s demise. 

By 1951 most traces of the Golf Course, including the club house, had disappeared from view – the only hint of its onetime existence being the outline of some of the greens and a plentiful supply of lost golf balls!”

 

Appley Bridge Golf Club, Parbold Hall. Recent picture looking over the former golf course.

Recent picture of the former Appley Bridge golf course. Image courtesy of Stephen Craig-Smith.

 

The Appley Bridge Golf Course, Clubhouse and Parbold Hall, can be seen on the Ordnance Survey Map below from the 1930/40s.

 

Appley Bridge Golf Club, Parbold Hall. The course, clubhouse and Parbold Hall at the time of WW2.

O.S. Map Revised 1938; © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1947}.