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Clapham Common Golf Club, Greater London. (1873 - WW2)

The club was founded in 1873.

A 9-hole course situated on the common. Sunday play was never allowed. Play had to cease on the course at 9am from 1 March to 31 October and on Boxing Day, 11am during the rest of the year. The Railway stations were at Clapham Road and Clapham Junction 1 mile away.

The secretary from 1906 to 1914 was Charles P Hayllar of 64 Lessar Avenue, Clapham Common and the professional J Knott (1889 - 1914). 

The club was established in May 1874. At this time the club had about 25 members, the entrance fee was £1/1/s and the subs ten shillings (50p). Founder members were; Alexander Grace and Mr Liardet.

Clapham Common Golf Club button. 

The annual meeting was held at the Alexandra Hotel, Clapham Common, on the 20th November 1875, Eugine Cronin, Esq., M.D, president of the club, chaired the meeting, a vote of thanks passed to the retiring captain, James Kerr. Alfred J Siordet was elected captain for the ensuing year. Mr George W Lewis resigned as secretary due to work commitments abroad, he was succeeded  by Mr G N Molesworth. The following were elected on to the committee for the coming year; John Taylor, Charles E Cundell, George N Molesworth, Robert Morton, Alexander Grace, James Kerr and Alfred J Siordet.

In 1878 the club produced its new rule book, there was also a clubhouse, which the committee hoped would attract new members, and the club had invested in a hand mower for John Knott (see picture below), “keeper of the green”. The new president, Robert Fairlie, presented a gold medal for a scratch competition.

The following is from the 1888/89 Golfing Annual; Entrance Fee £1/1s and annual subscriptions 10s; Membership of 45; Captain - T R Pace; Secretary – J B Wood, 2 The Chase, Clapham. Competitions; The Fairlie Gold Medal (scratch) played for half yearly; Cronin Monthly Handicap Medal, and a Challenge Handicap Cup, played for on December 26th. In 1888 the Fairlie Medal was won in April by A Lubbock, with a score of 89and in October by J B Wood with a score of 98. The course is situated at Clapham Common and consists of nine-holes. Club competitions are two rounds.

The 1888/89 Golfing Annual continues with a description of the course. In the bottom paragraph there is mention of changes to the course.

In 1890 the secretary was J B Wood, 2 The Chase, Clapham, London SW.

Result of the Cronin monthly medal competition played on Thursday 2 April 1891; J W Grover, 104-20-84; C H Compton, 111-25-86; T R Pace, 101-14-87; T Ravenhill, 11-22-88; D F Russell, 112-20-92; F Normandy, 119-24-95.

Result of a competition played in April 1891.

"Golf" Friday 1 May 1891. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Competition result from October 1891.

"Golf" Friday 9 October 1891. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Competition result from November 1891.

"Field" Friday 13 November 1891. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Competition result from December 1892

Field Saturday 17 December 1892. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

As can be seen elsewhere on this website when golfers are sharing common land with the general public conflict often arises. Time restrictions were often put into place for golf, and play was often only allowed during certain periods of the year. The club received a letter from London County Council on the 28 June 1892 stating that as from this date until 6th July the hours of play will be restricted to the early portion of the day, before 10am. After that date however the game will be prohibited altogether on the common. This obviously came as a shock to the members and various measures were quickly put into place in an attempt to re-instate golf on the common. A compromise was eventually agreed with the council in September, although this meant playing at set times on the common.

From "Golf" 20 January 1893; "The first ladies' competition for a monthly medal presented by the committee was played for on Tuesday 10 January 1893 over a course of 12-holes. All competitors started from scratch in consequence of their having only joined the club at the end of the year. The field was small as the common was very wet after so much rain and snow, some of the greens being partly under water, but those who started must be admired for their enthusiasm in the game; Miss F E Wood, 111; Miss Berrie, 129; Mrs Woodhead, 131; Miss Isabel Brookes, 165; Miss A H Bradbury, 173; Miss M Bradbury, 189.  

From the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News Saturday 18 November 1893. Image © Illustrated London News Group.

Competition result from December 1893.

"Golf" Friday 5 January 1894. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Result from the spring meeting played in February 1894.

"Golf" Friday 2 March 1894. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Result of the December 1894 ladies' medal; Mrs Woodhead, 82-4-78; Miss Helen Marval, 108-24-84; Miss A H Bradbury, 102-14-88; Miss Drake, 102-14-88; Miss Green, 131-22-109.

The challenge handicap cup was played over the eighteen-hole course on Thursday 27 December 1894; C E Last, 99-14-85; S Wallis Adams, 93-4-89; W S De Mattos, 93+3-96; E L Arnold, 107-10-97; J J Hayes, 101-8-93; A E Rowarth, 125-20-105.

Result from the spring meeting in February 1895.

"Golf" Friday 8 March 1895. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Extraordinary General Meeting held in March 1905.

This would not be the last time that conflict would arise, as can be seen on the above circular from the golf club.

Things seemed calm down after this and membership started to increase, by WW1 there about 120 members.

In the 1905 Nisbet's Golf Yearbook the secretary was Geo H Seward, 12 Battersea Rise, Clapham Common, the captain was A E Rowarth, green-keeper, J Knott; club membership 100; entrance fee 10s/6d and subs 10/6; amateur record, A E Rowarth 37; terms for visitors 2s/6d a month; nine-hole course; competitions, Cronin Medal (monthly), Fairlie Medal (bi-yearly), Compton Cup and Club Medal.

Competition Medal from 1905. 

John Knott the Clapham Common green-keeper.

In 1906 amateur course record held by A E Rowarth with a score of 37. Visitors’ fees, on Introduction, 5/- a month.

Clapham Common Golf Club spoon hallmarked Birmingham 1912, Vaughtons. Image courtesy Dixon Pickup.

From the South Western Star Friday 24 October 1913; "GOLF ON CLAPHAM COMMON - Members of the Clapham Common Golf Club held their annual meeting on Tuesday evening at St. Anne's Hall. Reports were received, officers appointed for the year, and new members elected. It may be news to many that there has been a golf club at Clapham - within four miles radius at Charring Cross - for 40 years. Play is carried on mainly in the early hours of the morning, as the players are engaged during the day. Golf at Clapham Common is by no means a rich man's game."

In 1914 the club had a membership of 120. Entry fees and subs were 10/6.

Above is a view of Clapham Common on a preWW1 postcard.

Part of the course was turned over to allotments for the growing of vegetables during WW1 but play was still carried on by those members who were not called to serve in the conflict.

The annual meeting in 1918 was held at “Stonehurst”, The Chase, the home of Mr T Mugford. The president, and the vice-presidents, Dr E Cronin and Professor Sims Woodhead were among the leading lights at the club at this time.

In 1922 the secretary was E J Morgan, 6 The Gables, Old Town, Clapham SW. Telephone Avenue 307.The  professional was R McGrath and the greenkeeper J Knott. The club had a membership of 50.

Report on the Jubilee Year in 1923.

Report from the Sportsman Wednesday 2 May 1923.

Although playing times were again restricted the club continued to prosper and the 50th Jubilee Dinner was held Stanley’s Restaurant, Lavender Hill on the 9th December 1923. The Fairlie scratch medal was presented to Mr J Dow. Presentations were also made to the retiring secretary Walter Morgan and to the long serving green-keeper John Knott.

Sad news report from April 1924.

South Western Star Friday 4 April 1924.

Result of a match played at Mitcham against Streatham in May 1928. Singles result below, Streatham also won the foursomes by one match.

Thanks to Keith Stevens for the above images. It’s thought that the spoon was the last ever scratch prize played for at the club prior to WW2.

The club was still listed in 1940 when the secretary was W R Terry, 282 Wandsworth  Road, London SW8. The professional was still R McGrath and the green-keeper R Wright. Membership was still 50.

With the onset of WW2 the common was again requisitioned for the war effort being used for food production and military exercise.

The Common at the time of WW2.

Following WW2 the Clapham Common Club course did not recover. The club carried on and now play their golf over the Mitcham Common Course.

The Google Map below shows the location of the former Clapham Common golf course.