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Southsea Golf Club, Eastern Parade, Eastney. (1914 – 1972)

The original Southsea Golf Club (Miniature Course,) Eastern Parade, Eastney, was founded in 1914 on a nine-hole course designed by James Braid.

The club continued to play at this location until the 1970s.

The Southsea Golf Club eventually moved to the modified course at Great Salterns which had been the home to the earlier Portsmouth Golf Club in the 1970s.

Extract from a report that appeared in the Portsmouth Evening News on Thursday 16 April 1914:-

“SOUTHSEA GOLF COURSE – Saturday’s Opening Ceremony – The Southsea minature golf course will be opened by the Mayor (Alderman J H Corke, K.L.H) on Saturday next. After the opening an exhibition match of 36-holes will be played by W B Smith, professional at Hayling Golf Club, and A Hamilton professional at Rowland’s Castle Golf Club.

The course was planned by James Braid, the well known professional of Walton Heath, and he took infinite pains to plan the holes to the best advantage of the six and half acres at his disposal. There are two holes about 100 yards, others of 70 and 80 yards, and one short one for putting of 45 yards. The first tee is close to the entrance in Eastern Parade and the first few holes follow the railings going eastward, and follow round the railings on the south coming west. The seventh, eighth and ninth cross the course at its widest part. Braid planned the holes in this way to avoid the danger of playing the balls into the roads surrounding three sides of the course. He said that most indifferent players were inclined to slice, and by his arrangement a sliced ball would go into the middle of the course and not into the road. Only a mashie and a putter will be allowed, but a net has been provided for practice with a driver or brassie.

The hazards are grass trenches and mounds. These were specified in preference to sand in the trenches, so as to avoid the hard hitting necessary in sand, and the danger of a too cleanly hit ball being sent out of the ground. The whole of the hazards specified by Braid have not been provided, but the remainder can be added later, if thought desirable.

The Parks Committee have fixed the charge at 1 shilling per day and sixpence for half day. These are, we understand, the first links of the kind to be properly planned and laid out for the use of the public.”

The picture below, apologies for the quality, shows the Mayor hitting the opening shot with a special silver- plated mashie, bearing a suitable inscription. Following the opening of the course the 36-hole match between W B Smith (Hayling) and A Hamilton (Rowland’s Castle) took place in front of a large enthusiastic crowd. Hamilton won the match 3 and 2 and took 114 strokes against Smith’s 119.

From the Hampshire Telegraph Friday 24 April 1914.

Result of a stroke competition played in July 1919; Ladies – 1st, Mrs E Phillips; 2nd, Mrs W French; Gentlemen; 1st, Mr Francis; 2nd, Mr Gately; 3rd, Mr Nancarrow.

The first inter-club match against Portsmouth Golf Club was played at Great Salterns on Wednesday 6 October 1926.

Entry from the 1933 Golfer’s Handbook; There is an 18-hole course at Great Salterns (with a 6-hole practise course), and a 9-hole miniature course at Eastney, Southsea, belonging to the Corporation over which the following clubs play. The Corporation charge for play on the 18-hole course is 1s/3d per round; 2 shillings a day; 7s/6d a week. For play on the 9-holes course the charge is one shilling per session of three hours.

Portsmouth Golf Club, Great Salterns; membership of 260; secretary – Capt. A L Ashby, R.N., (retired,) 34 Osborne Road, Southsea; professional, W J M Stait; green-keeper, A Tull; course records – amateur; Capt. W W R Aitken, R.E., 73; professional; H Amos, 67; club subscriptions, 1s/6d a fornight; 2s/6d a month; 5 s per annum; No Sunday play.

Southsea Golf Club; hon. secretary – Mrs J J Risien, 42 Grayshott Road, Southsea; green-keeper, G Goodall; course records – amateur; W Watts, 22; professional, A Tull, 20; station at Fratton one and half miles; No Sunday play. 

The annual meeting was held in December 1935. W W Evans was elected captain; A G Hiscock, vice-captain. G W Cocks was elected secretary in succession to Mr K Munro. It was announced that the Dashwood Cup competition was won by R H Torrington (12) who beat H G Hiscock by 3 and 1. 

Report on the annual dinner in December 1938.

Portsmouth Evening News Friday 9th December 1938. Image © Johnston Press plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOAR

The club champion in 1948 was D Freestone; runner-up, J Cobbett.

In October 1951 the champion of the Southsea Golf Club, B Walker, won for the third successive year and received a special cup at the annual meeting. This and the following trophies were presented by Alderman W J Lewis; Mever Cup, S Wagg; (runner-up, H Lakeman); Peters Cup, D Hawkins, (L Berry); Smallpiece Cup, Mr McCullough, (B Walker); Nancarrow Cup, T Barnett, (J Pinnock); Whiiting Rose Bowl, Miss D Fawdry, (Miss V Heasty) Dashwood Cup, J Cobbett, (T Barnett); Cayzer Cup, L Berry, (R Dyer); Alderman Gill Cup, D Jones (L C Cook); Hiscock Cup, Mrs M Voller, (Miss J Harries); The Spoon competition, E Molyneux; two ball foursome, L Berry and D Cloke. Officers elected; Chairman, E Dawson; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mrs E Voller; hon. assistant secretary, Miss D W Fawdry; committee – Dr. F O Clarke, L Berry, Miss V Heasty, D Hawkins, J Pinnock, H Lakeman, H Poulton and Mr McCullough.

The club and course at Eastney was listed in the Golfer’s Handbook until the 1970s ; Hon. Secretary – Mrs E Voller, 1 Branksome Eastern Parade; Green-keeper, S B Wagg.