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Crichel Park Golf Club, Wimborne, Dorset. (1900 - 1950s)
The first evidence of a golf course for Crichel Park appears in 1900 when Tom Dunn visited and laid out a course for Lord Alington.
Sporting Gazette Saturday 2 June 1900. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The Map below from 1904 shows the golf course just south of Mill Hill.
© Crown Copyright {1904}.
Crichel House on a postcard dated 1904.
Nothing further has been found regarding the earlier club and course.
The club re-appears in the 1930s.
Below putter bearing the name of E C (Cecil) Wren who was professional at Crichel Park in the early 1930s. He eventually moved to Northbourne Golf Club, Bournemouth.
Above image courtesy of Nick Rota.
In June 1931 the following members qualified for the knock out stages for the captain’s (R J M Nabney) prize; Mrs R D Say, Mrs M Clark, Mrs E Grigg, E G Robertson, W T Clegg, J F W King, B Harding, W J Marsh, F K Rowe, F Burgan, H C Barnes, T E Stedman, Mrs C Sole, G C Willis, C J Reed and F W King.
Below is the result of a match played at Crichel Park against Ashley Wood Golf Club in June 1931.
| Crichel Park Golf Club | Ashley Wood Golf Club | ||
| E T Green | 0 | B C Hunt | 1 |
| B Harding | 0 | W J Pride | 1 |
| Capt. Sullivan (half) | 0 | L Sheldon (half) | 0 |
| F K Rowe | 1 | G L Beckett | 0 |
| F Burgan | 1 | J Walters | 0 |
| A E Wood | 0 | W J Marsh | 1 |
| E G Robertson | 0 | R Sprake | 1 |
| J F W King | 1 | E Stewart | 0 |
| F W King | 0 | T L Hughes | 1 |
| A J Bleathman | 1 | A Ashworth | 0 |
| G C Willis | 1 | J H Higgens | 0 |
| E F Stout | 1 | Capt. Haddon-Brown | 0 |
| W K Waters | 1 | Major P Stratten | 0 |
| C B Rawday | 0 | Colin Maggs | 1 |
| Harding & Radway (half) | 0 | Pride & Maggs (half) | 0 |
| Sullivan & Burgan | 1 | Sheldon & Walters | 0 |
| Wood & King | 0 | Marsh & Stewart | 1 |
| Green & Bleathman (half) | 0 | Hunt & Ashworth | 1 |
| Rowe & Bewsher | 1 | Sprake & Beckett | 0 |
| Waters & King (half) | 0 | Hughes & Stratten (half) | 0 |
| 9 | 8 |
Note that the spelling of Mr C B Rawday (Crichel) is given as Radway in the doubles.
It was reported in march 1932 that Andrew Jolly, formerly assistant at Edzell, had been appointed professional at Crichel Park.
The Captain’s Prize competition came to a conclusion on Sunday 17 July 1932. The finalists were W T Clegg and F W King both of Bournemouth. After a close game Mr King won by 2&1. The President of the club, Lord Alington, presented the prizes, and, in speaking of the club’s future, promised several improvements and more facilities for the members.
Below is the result of a match played at Crichel against Sherborne Golf Club in July 1932.
| Crichel Park Golf Club | Sherborne Golf Club | ||
| H Wilcox | 0 | S Adams | 1 |
| R J Nabney | 1 | H R Hall | 0 |
| C B Radway | 0 | M Welcher | 1 |
| M Clark (half) | 0 | R Castle (half) | 0 |
| F K Rowe | 1 | W H Wilcox | 0 |
| W K Waters | 1 | M Hutton | 0 |
| A E Mavick | 0 | N Coombs | 1 |
| Mrs Nabney | 0 | Mrs Stretton | 1 |
| Rowe & Waters | 1 | Wilcox & Hutton | 0 |
| King & Mavick | 1 | Coombs & Hall | 0 |
| Radway & Clark | 1 | Welcher & Castle | 0 |
| 6 | 4 |
Playing on the Crichel Park course on Wednesday 10 August 1932, Melvin Clark, Branksome, holed in one at the second. It’s interesting to note that the scorecards below show the second hole as being a par 5. It would be great to find a card or a copy of the layout of the course in the early 1930s.
Competitions played in September 1932.
Western Gazette Friday 30 September 1932. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Western Gazette Friday 6 January 1933. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
From 1935 to 1940 the secretary at Crichel Park Golf Club, telephone Witchampton 33 was Francis K Rowe, The Square, Wimborne, telephone Wimborne 62. The professional was A Jolly and the greenkeeper M (or N) Williams. An 18-hole course laid out on land belonging to Lord Alington. It had a SSS of 72 and Par 71 with a membership of 300. Course records were; amateur, R E Garret 71, professional A Jolly 69. Visitors’ fees were 2/6 a day, 2/6 a round on Sundays. The station at Wimborne was 5 ½ miles from the course. Local hotels were the Crown and the King’s Head.
Below is the result of the singles club match played at Weymouth in July 1935, the home team also won the foursomes.
| Weymouth Golf Club | Crichel Park Golf Club | ||
| C E Jennings | 0 | L H Jotham | 1 |
| H B Gosney | 1 | C W Hancock | 0 |
| W Porteous | 1 | F W King | 0 |
| R Adams | 1 | W T Clegg | 0 |
| A E Challen | 1 | L F Wade Brown | 0 |
| E W Hutchings (capt) | 1 | H J Woodward | 0 |
| J W Northwood | 1 | C Sole | 0 |
| R G Wheeler | 1 | M Clark (capt) | 0 |
| H S Goodwin | 0 | W F Bewsher | 1 |
| G Howley | 0 | E Froud | 0 |
| W Carter | 1 | F K Rowe | 0 |
| 8 | 2 |
Below is the result of a ladies' match against Bridport played in April 1938
| Crichel Park Ladies' Golf Club | Bridport Ladies' Golf Club | ||
| Mrs Jotham (11) (2 and 1) | 1 | Mrs Denning (16) | 0 |
| Mrs Smith (15) (20th) | 1 | Mrs Craig (18) | 0 |
| Mrs Boon (16) | 0 | Mrs Carter (19) (8 and 6) | 1 |
| Mrs Bewsher (19) (2 and 1) | 1 | Mrs Stephens (24) | 0 |
| Mrs Sole (21) (7 and 5) | 1 | Mrs Ottenshaw | 0 |
| Miss Custance (22) | 0 | Mrs Bushell (25) (5 and 4) | 1 |
| Mrs King-King (29) | 0 | Miss Brierley (27) (2 and 1) | 1 |
| 4 | 3 |
In April 1939 the brothers Edmund Bell (handicap 11) and Cooper (8) Vaughan both holed their tee shots at the fourth hole. The hole measured 178 yards (the green being situated at the top of a hill) all carry.
In March 1941 Crichel Park opened its season with a home match against Bovington. The visitors won by 4½ to 1½ .
Below is the result of a match played at Crichel Park against Meyrick Park in August 1941.
| Crichel Park Golf Club | Meyrick Park Golf Club | ||
| Dr C H D Bartley & J P L Chappell (half) | 0 | A P Anstey & B Oliver (half) | 0 |
| W T Clegg & H P Greenwood | 0 | D Roberts & F W King | 1 |
| E R Roose & A F Martin Stewart | 1 | E Barham & F Irvine | 0 |
| Colonel W Elliott & AW Graham | 1 | G Thomas & R Attridge | 0 |
| 2 | 1 |
The course was in excellent condition for the playing of the Wimborne Hospital Cup on Sunday 14 September 1941 which attracted 82 competitors. W J Cutler won the silver cup and the runner-up was C Knott, both scored 69. Other prizes; first nine holes, Captain B E C Williams; back nine, F W Warner. A feature of the play was that of B C Hunt who achieved a “two” on the sixth hole by holing his pitch from “the foot of the hill”
At the AGM in March 1942 Sir Kaye le Fleming was elected chairman and captain. Several charitable competitions were arranged including the annual tournament for the Wimborne Cottage Hospital.
In 1947 and to the clubs closure in the early 1950s the secretary was N O Gilbert, “Parkhurst” Crichel, Wimborne, telephone Witchampton 210. The professional was G Clifford-Goodlad and the greenkeeper T Smith. Following WW2 the course had been reduced to 9 holes with the SSS still at 72. Professional course record held by G Clifford-Goodlad 68. Visitors’ fees were 3/6 a day, 10/- on Sundays and 10/6 a week.
A view across the fields to Crichel Park golf course. Postcard by I. M. Biles, Witchampton.
Scorecard for Crichel Park. Author's Collection.
Crichel Park scorecard dated July 1937, note the increased yardage. Author's Collection.
Location of the golf course at Crichel Park in the early 1950s.