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Merton Park Golf Club, Maycross Avenue, Merton. (1913 - 1933)
The club was founded in 1913.
An 18-hole course with good drainage it was laid out by Tom Ball and had a length of 6,000yds. A clubhouse was under construction in 1913. There were stations at Merton 1 mile and Wimbledon 1½ mile away.
Wimbledon News Saturday 29 March 1913. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Report on the new club in October 1913.
Sporting Life Tuesday 7 October 1913. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
In 1914 the secretary was W Whytock, 41 Dorset Road, Merton and the professional Alfred J Miles (1913 to 1929) The club had a membership of 250. There was no entry fee. Subs for gents were £3/3/0 and ladies £1/1/0. Five day membership was available at £2/2/0. Visitors’ fees on introduction were 1/- a round, 2/- a day, with no introduction 2/6, weekends and Bank Holidays 2/6 on introduction, 5/- without. Sunday play was allowed with caddies.
Playing on the Merton Park course on Monday 20th April 1914 Mr A G Ross and A J Miles set up amateur and professional course records.
A J Miles; Out – 4,4,4,4,4,5,5,3,3 = 36; Home – 4,5,4,3,5,4,3,5,4 = 37, total 73.
Mr A G Ross; Out – 3,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,5 = 36; Home – 5,5,5,4,5,5,3,5,4 = 41, total 77.
(Alfred J Miles the Merton Park professional moved to the Mississauga Golf Club in Canada from 1924 to 1926. He returned to Merton Park following this brief spell away.)
The Merton Park Open Tournament for the “Victory Cup” took place on Monday 5th
April 1920. Mr A E Lawler of the Tooting Bec Golf Club won the trophy, results; semi-finals – W T Curtis (7), Merton Park, beat B H Woodford (8), Merton Park, 3 and 2; A E Lawler (18), Tooting Bec, beat E E Cutts (7), Merton Park, 2 and 1. In the final Lawler beat Curtis by 3 and 2.
In July 1920 it was announced that R (P?) Crawford, Leicestershire amateur cricketer, had been appointed secretary at the Merton Park Golf Club.
On Friday 11th June 1920 R (T?) Crawford, the club secretary, set a new amateur course record with a score of 69.
R Crawford figures; Out – 4,4,4,4,2,4,7,3,3 = 35; Home – 3,4,5,3,4,5,3,4,3 = 34.
Christopher Wooderson provides the following information about his grandfather. “In the early 1920s young William Thomas Morris used to caddie at Merton golf course. Apparently, as he got older, his game improved and he would play the club members for pocket money.”
Bombardier “Billy” Wells, the well known boxer, was a member at Merton Park. He was defeated in the semi-final of the Club’s Easter Meeting on Monday 17th April 1922. Playing off a handicap of 7 he lost to T H Baiden (6) by 2 and 1. In the final A W Hoad (9) beat Baiden by 2up.
In June 1922 Mrs Baker, playing with her husband, holed in one at the 153 yard thirteenth.
In November 1922 Bombardier “Billy” Wells and his partner, A J Miles, the Merton Park professional, were beaten in the final of the Croydon and District Alliance foursomes at Roehampton by H C Jolly and E H W Scott by 2 and 1.
Result of the April 1923 monthly bogey; Senior - J W Rickaby (9) 1up; Junior - F H Johnson (14) 2down.
W T (Bobardier) Wells won the final of the President’s Cup in July 1923. Wells was now a scratch player and a probable entrant for Amateur Championship in the summer.
The open amateur meeting concluded on Monday 21 April 1924. In the final W T Mackintosh of the Shooters Hill Golf Club beat W B Edgington (11) by 4 and 3.
During the early to mid 1920s the secretary was J Ennis. Visitors’ fees on introduction by member were 2/6 a round, 3/6 a day, 5/- a day without introduction, weekends and Bank Holiday 5/- with member, 10/- without, 15/- a week and £2 a month. Sunday play was allowed with members.
In August 1927 W F McMurcy holed in one at the 175 yard fifth hole.
Result of a four-ball foursome played in May 1928; E Clark (9) and W Angliss (15) beat W T Curtis (4) and A W Young (14). The club scratch medal; J H Biden, 82+77= 159; Monthly medal; Senior; G G B Mackenzie, 83-10-73; Junior; R V Welch, 82-16-66.
Result of the Innes Cup played in April 1929; G G B Mackenzie, 80-8-72; S G Rydings, 82-4-78 and R B Gray, 85-7-78.
Streatham News Friday 20 September 1929. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Result of the October 1929 monthly bogey; W T Wells (1), 1down; W S McMurchy (3), 2down; Ladies; Miss Craig (17), 2down; Mrs Stone (22), 5down.
Result of the November 1929 monthly bogey; Senior; G G B Mackenzie (6) and C S Scouller (10), tied 3down; Junior; E B Connolly (17), 4down. Final of the 36-hole Burton Challenge Cup; J Fox (16) beat W J Roberts (9), by 2 and 1.
In 1930 the professional was J Brown (1929 to 1933) and membership was 350.
Above is the Clubhouse and course in the 1920s. Authors Collection.
Another two views of the clubhouse and course.
Merton Park – The Tenth Green. (Authors Collection)
The professional in the late 1920s early 30s was J Brown. Membership was 350.
In May 1930 J Brown, professional, created a course record with a score of 68.
In 1932/3 the secretary was F W Hunphries and the professional was L King. Membership was 450. Visitors’ fees were 2/6 a round, 3/6 a day; at weekend and public holidays 5/- (with member), 10/- unaccompanied; 15/- a week and £2 a month.
It was reported in November 1933 that the Merton Golf Club’s course, which had been in existence for 20 years, had been sold for £85,000, and the 90 acres of land would be used for a building development when the club’s lease expired in March. It was stated that the club had secured the lease of more than 100 acres of land immediately adjoining their present course, and it was hoped to have the new course ready for play by spring 1934.
Unfortunately there is no evidence of the later course ever coming to fruition and the Merton Park Golf Club disappeared.
The Merton Park Golf Course can be seen on the Ordnance Survey Map below from the 1930s.
O.S. Map Revised 1932 to 1933 - © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1936}.
The Google Map below pinpoints the location of the former Merton Park clubhouse. The course extended towards and beyond Leamington Road to the west.