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Burlescombe Golf Club, Red Ball Course. (1926 - WW2)
First appeared in the mid 1920s when the secretary was R T Faulkner, Midland Bank, Wellington, Somerset. A 9-hole course. The professional and green-keeper was P H Johnson. Visitors’ fees were 2/6 a day and 12/6 a month. The railway station at Burlescombe (GWR) was ¾ mile away.
Below a report on the new golf club at Burlescombe in February 1926.
Western Morning News Thursday 25 February 1926. Image © Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
At a general meeting in March 1927 Mr C L Forster of Wellisford Manor was appointed captain. As a cottage was available for use as a clubhouse, it was proposed to raise the subscription to three guineas to meet the extra cost. Thanks were expressed to Mr J Fox and Mr F J Bowchier for giving two lots of clinkers for the gateways.
The opening of the new clubhouse took place on Saturday 20th October 1928, a match with Pickeridge was played to celebrate the opening. The weather was ideal and the greens were in excellent condition. The match was won by Pickeridge by 5 games to 2. Tea was provided by the club, the catering being arranged by Mrs Johnson, the wife of the club professional.
From the Taunton Courier May 1928. "An enthusiastic meeting of members was held at Shapland's Rooms, in the chair Mr Wiles of Broadleigh. He explained that a satisfactory agreement had been made with the landlord as to the grazing of cattle and horses on the course. He added that arrangements were being made for the provision of a clubhouse at an early date. It was unanimously decided to form a new club, to be called the Burlescombe Golf Club (1928,) and to adopt the rules of the late club subject to the modifications necessitated by the fact that the new club would be a members' club and not a proprietary club. The following officers were elected; President, Harry Wiles; captain - C Forster, Wellisford Manor, Wellington; Secretary - Jack Fox, Easterland, Wellington; treasurer - R T Falkner, Midland Bank, Wellington. It was resolved that the annual subscription for men should be £3/3s; ladies £2/2s. Members under the age of 21 £2/2s."
The annual meeting was held in May 1930, H Wiles presided. An increased membership was reported, largely due to the comforts of the clubhouse and other improvements. The following officers to serve; President, H Wiles; captain, C L Forster; hon. treasurer, W H Kirkman; hon. secretary, G A Wilson; committee - J H C Hill (Tiverton,) E Twyford, J Scott Davidson, E Oxley, H Sharp, A S Birkbeck, J A Gogge, J A Ebdon, F H Aldridge, F Lee Mitchell, E C Fisher, Major Mathias, Capt. S G Williams, Dr. M St. C Hamilton.
It was reported in August 1931 that alterations and improvements were to be made to the course. It had long been realised that the high banks in some places were rather a serious handicap to any but the "tigers" and after consideration, and at no little expense, the committee had decided to construct the course "to meet more of the requirements of the average golfer." A contract was made with Messrs. King to remove a large section of the high bank in the centre of the sixth hole and replace it with a wire fence, and to treat the eighth in the same manner. A similar section of the intervening bank at the third would also be removed, it was hoped to reconstruct the fifth and seventh greens. Provision had also been made for the construction of at least four new tees.
From the Golfer's Handbook 1933; Secretary - G A Wilson, Midland Bank, Wellington; professional and green-keeper, P H Johnson; Visitors' fees, 2s a day, 7s/6d a week, 30s a month. Sunday play allowed.
Result of the Hamilton Cup (mixed foursomes) played in April 1935; Mrs Shapland and F H Alldridge, 94-22-72; Miss M Ebdon and A G Trembath, 90-17-73; Mrs Smith and S H Westcott, 94-19-75; Mrs Griffin and H Sharp, 100-22-78; Mrs Dodd and N M Pontefract, 100-21-79.
Results of matches against Tiverton Golf Club played in April 1939.
"A" Teams at Burlescombe.
| Burlescombe Golf Club "A" | Tiverton Golf Club "A" | ||
| A E Griffin ( 7 and 5) | 1 | H G Edwards | 0 |
| F H Aldridge (2 and 1) | 1 | W N Thornby | 0 |
| H Sharp | 0 | L W S Brownhill (7 and 5) | 1 |
| S J Richards (Halved) | 0 | R C A Robinson | 0 |
| R W H Wilson | 0 | W V Harris (2up) | 1 |
| H Upton | 0 | Rev. R G Cruwys (3 and 2) | 1 |
| Dr. Hamilton | 0 | F Longmead (1up) | 1 |
| A H Richards | 0 | E J Strong (2 and 1) | 1 |
| 2 | 5 |
"B" Teams at Taunton.
| Tiverton Golf Club "B" | Burlescombe Golf Club "B" | ||
| Rev. D K D Christopher (5 and 4) | 1 | N W Pontefract | 0 |
| S A Young (4 and 2) | 1 | J A Ebdon | 0 |
| A W Dymond (4 and 3) | 1 | G Rowlands | 0 |
| T D Button (3 and 2) | 1 | G Prideaux | 0 |
| E C Fisher | 0 | H B Wall (2 and 1) | 1 |
| D A Rickards (2up) | 1 | R E Yates | 0 |
| P Maunder (5 and 4) | 1 | J S Davidson | 0 |
| R Wilson (3 and 2) | 1 | A W Neville | 0 |
Also in April 1939, playing in the Mid-Somerset Golf Club open meeting at Langport, two members of the Burlescombe Golf Club Mrs Dodd and Mr S Shapland, won the first prize.
Below the club is wound-up in November 1939.
From the Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser Saturday 25 November 1939. Image © Local World Limited/Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
In 1940 and 1947 the secretary was Ewart Oxley, Sunny Bank, Wellington. The professional and green-keeper was still P H Johnson. The 9 hole course had a SSS of 69 and a membership of 120. Visitors’ fees were now 2/- a day, 7/6 a week and 30/- a month. Sunday play was allowed.
Although it was listed in the 1940 and 1947 Golfer's Handbook the club had disappeared at the onset of WW2.
Ordnance Survey Map showing the Red Ball Inn in the centre. The golf club used the pub as their headquarters, it was also location of the clubhouse.
O.S Map Revised 1929; © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1932}.