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Ottery Vale Golf Club, Ottery St. Mary. (1909 - 1930s)
The first course was at Spence Cross and continued until the onset of WW1. It was sometimes called Ottery St. Mary Golf Club.
The club was reformed in 1920 with a course at Gosford. The club/course disappeared in the 1930s.
Report from the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette Friday 23rd April 1909 - "OTTERY ST. MARY GOLF CLUB - The first annual meeting of the members of the Ottery St. Mary Golf Club was held in the Pavilion on the polo ground. There was a good attendance and the course was declared formally open to subscribers. The following were appointed as committee to draw up local rules of play and for general purposes; Dr. Bartlett, J Pawley Bate, R Coleridge, Rev. J W Metcalfe, Captain Mitford, W A E Stamp and W Wyche with Captain Hartley and C Ranken as joint hon. secretaries. The statement of accounts to date was produced by Mr Ranken and showed a balance unexpended of 5d, out of which tools necessary for the club have still to be bought."
Pre WW1 the joint secretaries were Col. H S Scholes and C Ranken.
The annual meeting was held in the golf pavilion in June 1914. There were a large number of members in attendance, including; Mrs Gawne, Miss Winder, Miss Dickinson, Miss Randall-Johnson, Rev. J W Metcalfe, Sir James Monteath, Mrs Hart, Mr & Mrs Crocker, Rev. J C James and the two hon. secretaries, Col. Scholes and Miss Randall-Johnson, the latter replacing C Ranken. Rev. J W Metcalf was elected President of the club.
The club is disbanded in May 1915.
Exeter and Plymouth Gazette Wednesday 19 May 1915. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Report from the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette Monday 27 September 1920; “OTTER VALE GOLF CLUB REVIVAL – An effort is being made to restart at Gosford the Otter Vale Golf Club, which was closed down when the war broke out. At a recent meeting substantial report was announced, and a further meeting is to be held when a final decision will be taken. Meanwhile, would be members, who have not already done so, are asked to communicate with Mr C Ranken, of Gosford House.”
The December 1921 monthly medal was won by W H Sadler, 75 net, runner up was J B Pollard, 79 net.
The winner of the February 1922 medal was F K Cobbett, 81 net.
The winner of the April 1922 medal was F H Middleton, 72 net.
Result of a match played on the Otter Vale course against Honiton in May 1924.
| Otter Vale Golf Club | Honiton Golf Club | ||
| F Cobbett | 0 | H W Wise (3 and 2) | 1 |
| F Street | 0 | A E L James (2 and 1) | 1 |
| H Carter | 0 | D M Hadgkiss (6 and 4) | 1 |
| F Middleton (1 up) | 1 | R Thorne | 0 |
| J Burrington (halved) | 0 | D Hanwell (halved) | 0 |
| W Sadler (2 and 1) | 1 | F S Moon | 0 |
| B Anstice (3 and 2) | 1 | D Steele-Perkins | 0 |
| E Cobbett | 0 | D Perkins (4 and 2) | 1 |
| 3 | 4 |
Competition results from March 1925.
Exeter and Plymouth Gazette Thursday 26 March 1925. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
The Otter Vale Golf Club was listed in the Golfer's Handbook during the 1920/30s - In 1926 and the early 1930s the secretary was F H R Middleton, Bank House, Barclays Bank Ltd, Ottery St Mary, telephone 4. The green-keeper was Geo Wood. A 9-hole course that was situated alongside the A30 near Fairmile. The amateur record holder was J Burrington with 71. Visitors’ fees were 2/- a day, 8/- a week and 20/- a month. Sunday play was allowed without caddies. There were stations at Sidmouth Junction 1 mile and Ottery St Mary 2 ¼ miles away. Local hotel was the Kings Arms.