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Staines Golf Club, Shortwood Common Course. (1890 - 1900s)
The following is from the Golfing Annual 1890/91; Staines Golf Club, Instituted 1890; Annual subscription £2/2s; Number of members, 60; Captain, Allan Hughes; Secretary - J E L Pickering, Tudor House, Staines; Green, Shortwood Common; Green-keeper, W Mitcham; The clubhouse is about five minutes walk from the station and the first tee is a few yards from the entrance gate. The course is about two and three-quarter miles around. There are some pretty hazards where straight driving is required and the greens are being got into excellent condition . . ."
Professionals at Staines Golf Club were; 1890 - 1893 W Mitcham; J Mitcham 1893/4; A Thompson 1894/5.
Result of the inaugural meeting played in October 1891.
"Golf" Friday 16 October 1891. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Result of the November 1892 monthly medal played at Shortwood Common; H Tyler, 88-12-76; W G Clibborn, 94-12-82; A Somervaile, 105-18-87.
Result of the December 1892 monthly medal.
Field Saturday 17 December 1892. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Result of the Sanger Cup competition played in March 1893; F Barrett, 111-28-83; H Tyler, 98-14-84; Captain F R Harrison, 98-14-84; G Struthers, 104-20-84.
Result of the May 1893 monthly medal; Captain F R Harrison, 84-14-70; Captain F W Slee, 95-20-75; J J Ward, 94-16-78; George Struthers, 96-18-78; G J Hunter, 95-14-81; Mr Elcho Spong, 108-26-82; R Bankes, 108-26-82; A King-Farlow, 97-14-83.
From the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News Saturday 25 November 1893. Image © Illustrated London News Group.
The following images are from a handbook issued by Staines Golf Club dated 1894/5.
Competition result from April 1894.
“Golf" Friday 18 May 1894. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Professional match played in October 1894.
"Golf" Friday 2 November 1894. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Result of the Sanger Cup competition played on Saturday 24 November 1894; Captain Harrison, 84-11-73; M W Mossop, 88-6-82; Rev F Williamson, 99-11-88; Captain Warren, 104-14-90.
In a match on 8 April 1895, with Mr A A Ogle, Alex Thomson the professional of the Staines Golf Club, broke the course record for the nine-hole course; 5,3,5,3,4,4,3,4,5 = 36.
Competition results from May 1895.
“Golf" Friday 31 May 1895. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The winner of the club's competition played on Saturday 14 September 1895 was H C Master, 102-20-82.
The winner of the De La Motte Challenge Trophy played on Saturday 5 October 1895 was G Hunter, 85-6-79.
Winner of the October 1895 monthly medal was M W Mossop, 88-4-84.
Winner of the November 1895 monthly medal was Francis Ashby, 87-5-82.
On Saturday 7 March 1896 travelled to Chiswick Golf Club and lost the match by 20 holes.
The winner of the Junior medal for March 1896 was J Carander, 113-28-85.
In April 1896 the bogey competition was won by W E Townsend with a score of 4down. Picture of the winners medal below.
Images courtesy of Colin Palmer.
In May 1896 the cup presented by the captain, Mr Miller Mossop, was won by J K Frost, 205-44-161 (36 holes)
The September 1896 monthly medal was won by F Barrett, 95-16-79.
The Delamotte Challenge Cup was played on Saturday 24th April 1897 and was won by W E Townsend, 99-16-83.
Result of the April 1898 monthly medal; M Mossop, 78; A R Dearman, 82; F Snow, 83; F Barrett, 84; G Hunter, 85; A R Jennings, 86; H C Master, 86; E R Dilton, 96. There were several no returns.
In June 1898 the Captain's Cup was won by M Mossop, 162.
Thanks to Tony Smith for the following contribution on the history for Staines Golf Club.
From the Staines Borough Guide circa1910 - Prior to 1898 a handful of ardent golfers were wont to exhibit their skill on the breezy but somewhat cramped and unsuitable expanse known as Staines Common.
The succession club status of Ashford Manor Golf Club is borne out by an entry in the Staines Borough Guide for 1910 which states that in 1898 the "ardent golfers of Staines migrated to Ashford"
The following is taken from an issue of Golf dated 21 April 1899 - "We have pleasure in congratulating golfers in the neighbourhood of Staines on the new links at Ashford (Middlesex) where an 18-hole course has been laid out on some 120 acres of land and a club has been formed under the title of The Ashford Manor Golf Club. The course itself is laid out on old pasture and common land with a sand and gravel soil and should prove an exceptionally good and dry course in winter. It is studded with gorse and brambles and there are a considerable number of natural hazards including some old gravel pits. Nine holes have been open for play for the past eight weeks and the rest have just been completed. The club has at present some 140 members, including a number of the members of the old Staines club who combined to form a nucleus."
It is a matter of contention as to whether the Staines club became the Ashford Manor club as the Staines Borough Guide for 1910 declares emphatically that the Staines members migrated to Ashford in a body. However, Kellys Directory for 1899 states that Miller Mossop was" Secretary of Staines" Golf Club in 1899.
However, some contend that they probably continued as separate entities until about 1908.
The Golfing Annual continues to list Staines every year until 1908. However, the entries lack detail and are identical from 1900. The Victoria History of Middlesex in 1906 also still referred to the old Staines club, noting that it was "within three miles of Ashford links."
Shortwood Common in the mid 1890s (no golf course marked). © Crown Copyright {1895/6}
The Google Map below shows Shortwood Common which remains largely an open space.