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Oakwood Park Hotel Golf Club, Conwy. (1906 - WW2)

I would like to thank Peter Stott for the following contribution. Peter’s family had important family connections with Oakwood Park Hotel. “The Oakwood Park Hotel was designed and built by my Great Grandfather, James. The Hotel opened in March 1898. The golf course, designed by Alex Herd, followed in 1906. James called it a “links” course, it is way above sea level, situated on the Sychanant Pass road alongside Conway Mountain. When Conway Council decided to make a right of way across the golf course, James instructed my Father to get a tractor from the Home Farm and tow out all the signs, even after they had been concreted in! Hence no right of way existed, one didn’t argue with James. There were many distinguished visitors to Oakwood Park. George Bernard Shaw stayed many times but I doubt he played golf as according to my Father he was always reading. Amy Johnson and King Alfonso X111 of Spain were other notables. James died in 1934 and the Hotel was sold by auction in 1936, it closed as a Hotel in 1940”

Peter Stott also supplied the plan and layout of the course and the postcards of the clubhouse, below.

Above is the plan and layout of the Oakwood Park Course.

The image above is from the bottom right corner of the plan and layout.

The golf pavilion.

Golf pavilion with the hotel in the background.

There were a good number of entries for the 1907 “Christmas Golf Tournament” at Oakwood Park. The mixed foursomes were won Miss B Hale (Carnarvonshire) and Mr A H Ash (Wembley). It was the first year for the Challenge Cup, a superb trophy supplied by the Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Company. It was won by Mr J H MacCarthy (Foxrock, Dublin), Mr A H Ash was runner-up and won a handsome medal. The Oakwood Park Hotel medal was won by Mr S C Jones (Royal Liverpool), Mr C H Plant South Staffs) was second.

The following description of the course was given at the time of the above competition “The links are laid out on private ground, and extend over sporting country, commanding beautiful views of the mountains, lakes and sea. It is a full course, containing many fine golfing features, and at holiday times is the centre of attraction to golfers from all parts of the United Kingdom. Many excellent improvements have been made, a number of greens are to be re-laid with mountain turf, and a new golf house is in course of erection”.

Following is a press advert from January 1916 stating, Oakwood Park Hotel – in its own ground of 270 acres, within 2 minutes of the 18 hole golf course; professional Paxton; coarse fishing and rabbit shooting on the estate; own farm and garden produce.

Club information from the early 1920s: visitors’ fees were 3/- a day, 12/6d a week and 35/- a month. Sunday play was allowed with caddies. The station at Conway was 1 mile away. Local hotels were the Castle, Erskine and the Deganwy Castle.

In 1923 the delightfully situated Oakwood Park Hotel was described as being in a sheltered and sunny position, and ideal in winter as it had central heating and also electric lights, and ballroom (Spring Floor). The hotel had its own excellent 18 hole golf course. Sunday golf with caddies was allowed. A J Matthews was the professional at Oakwood Park in 1923. In the Welsh Professionals' Tournament, he scored 83 in his 1st round and 84 in his second round.

During October 1924 F O Bennett, now the professional at Oakwood Park, competed in the Welsh Open played at Maesdu finishing with a score of 323 for the four rounds, 28 shots behind the winner B S Weastall of Colwyn Bay.

In the 1930 the course records were: amateur J Warner (68); professional F O Bennett (64). Visitors’ fees were 1/6d a round, 2/6d a day, 6/- for a weekend, 12/6d a week and 35/- a month.

In the club’s last year in 1940, the professional was still Frank Bennett. The 18-hole course had a SSS and Par of 68 and a membership of 96. Course records were: amateur M Goodwin (67); professional F O Bennett (61). Visitors’ fees were, 2/- a round, 3/- a day, 6/- a day at weekend, 12/6d a week and 30/- a month.

Thanks for the following information and memories from Ted Parry: “The Hotel was built in about 1890, and between the wars was a very popular holiday venue being well known for having David Lloyd George among its guests. The golf course was attached to and surrounded the Hotel and was in a very scenic area on the edge of the Snowdonia National Park. One of my earliest memories (about 1938) was riding on a tractor involved in grass cutting on the course; my father was a groundsman there. Unfortunately the Second World War saw the demise of the Hotel, which became at various times a public school, mental home etc. The golf course survived for a while, but gradually became disused and reverted to pasture land. A few years ago the hotel, which had also fallen into disrepair, was splendidly restored but only for use as several private residences. The golf course was never recovered and continues as grazing land. However the clubhouse and professional’s shop remain in reasonable repair having been sold for private use. Humps of ground which formed the tees can still be seen on the former course”

View of the Oakwood Park Hotel course.
Grid reference SH76140,76660, co-ordinates 276140,376660.