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Truro Golf Club, Penmount Course. (1912 - WW1)
The first club at Truro was formed in 1912 with a nine-hole course at Penmount Farm. It disappeared following WW1.
Early in depth report on the proposed Truro Golf Club in April 1912.
The West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser Monday 22 April 1912. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Report on the first general meeting in June 1912.
West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser Thursday 6 June 1912. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
At a meeting the following week a green committee was formed and a set of rules drawn up. There were now over 120 members. Viscount Falmouth had very kindly subscribed £5 to the club funds.
The Ordnance Survey Map below is from 1908 and shows the area around Penmount Farm and Sowswater Mill.
O.S. Map © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1908}.
Report from the Western Daily Mercury Thursday 24 October 1912 – “TRURO GOLF CLUB – AN AUSPICIOUS START WITH A SPORTING COURSE – A general meeting of the members of the Truro Golf Club was held on Tuesday evening. This was the first meeting since the establishment of the club in June. The Mayor (Mr W G Goodfellow), presided over a large attendance, which included several ladies.
The report of the committee, presented by the hon. secretary, stated that the nine-holes were ready for practice, but that owing to the wet weather and the lateness of obtaining two of the fields it was considered advisable to postpone the formal opening for a month or so. A pavilion has been erected at the entrance to the links, consisting of separate dressing rooms for ladies and gentlemen, and large central room, together with a serving room and a work room for the professional. Accommodation for motors and bicycles would be afforded at the old mill house. It was proposed to engage the services of a professional at an early date. The special thanks of the committee were due to Mr A C Polwhele, Mr H C Clemens and Mr A J Cornelius for very great assistance, financial and otherwise, and to the proprietors of a local newspaper who had offered to present a challenge prize in the shape of a silver rose bowl of the value of £10.
Mr E R Carlyon said the builder promised to complete the pavilion in a fortnight’s time, and he would like it generally known that the members can now play right round the course. The treasurer (Mr W E Grenfell) reported that the expenditure to date reached nearly £160 on the capital account, which left a deficit of about £50, being really the balance of the amount asked for from the members at the first general meeting. Out of current income about £60 had been spent on wages, rent, etc.
A set of rules drafted by the committee were considered, and were adopted with one or two slight alterations – Dr. Sharpe raised the question of the eligibility of ladies to serve on the committee – Mr Perry remarked that in other clubs the rule was that ladies had a committee of their own and their own secretary, and reported to the general meeting – It was thought that a similar course could be eventually adopted.
It was reported that no play should be permitted on Sundays and Good Friday.
The membership was stated to be 142, of whom 40 were ladies – Mr Lean proposed that when the membership reached 150 an entrance fee of £1/1shilling should be charged – The Mayor considered they should have an entrance fee after 25 December, but Mr Lean’s motion was carried.
The Mayor remarked that it was a matter for congratulation that they now had a golf course in Truro. He had been informed that the site was the best obtainable in the district, and as good golf could be obtained there as at any links.
The nine-holes which constitute the course vary in length from 117 to 407 yards. The holes are of an extremely sporting character, and are of great variety. The first tee is at an elevation of about 200 feet above the green and constitutes a tricky hole, it being difficult to judge the distance. The length of the hole is 200 yards. The second is a “dog leg” hole, the green being placed in a cup or basin at the corner of the field. Its distance is 275 yards. The third, a short hole of 117 yards, furnishes a nice shot for an iron, the green being protected by a bunker. The fourth 400 yards is at present in an unfinished state. It is one of the longest holes. The fifth has an excellent double bunker, which takes a long drive to clear. The distance of the hole is 407 yards. The sixth is one of the most sporting holes on the course, and is locally known as Spion Kop, being a rising drive of 144 yards into a cup protected by two hillocks. The seventh 307 yards is a blind hole. The eighth is an ordinary hole of 294 yards, but difficulty is presented by the sloping nature of the green. The ninth 397 yards is laid for some distance along the bottom slope of a hill, and unless the lower portion of the fairway is found the stance is not the best. There is plenty of rough along the course for the benefit or otherwise, of the reckless or careless, and the links should furnish capital sport”.
The elected officials were: President (The Mayor) W G Goodfellow; captain, G Gow; hon. secretary; H J Thomas; hon. treasurer, W E Grenfell; committee – E L Carlyon, M H Clemens, A Daine, J Forbes, A W Jordan, W C Perry, H C Sharp, W S Sitwell and S P Trounce
From the Western Morning News Tuesday 7 April 1914 - "Truro Club Cup - The twelve members who had qualified to compete for the challenge cup under stroke conditions have played off. The returns were poor, the general breakdown of the of the competitors being difficult to understand. The best card was Mr A W Gill's, who, with a 20 handicap, had a net score of 100. The next best returns were; H S Prideaux, G Gow (captain), and C E S T Lutley".
The final of the ladies' competition for the cup presented by the Hon. Evelyn Boscawen took place on Tuesday 12 May. Result; Miss K Kerr, Miss N Harries, Mrs Lord, Miss K Trounce, Miss T Kerr, Mrs Lutley, Miss W Jordan. There were three no returns.
The Annual meeting held in October 1915.
West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser Thursday 21 October 1915. Image © Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Following is a report from the Western Morning News Thursday 5 October 1916 - "TRURO GOLF CLUB - The annual meeting of Truro Golf Club was held on Tuesday, Mr G Gow presiding. The hon. treasurer, W E Grenfell, reported that the subscriptions and entrance fees amounted to £95/15s/6d, and they were only about three guineas to the bad on the year. The Hon. E Boscawen was re-elected president; G Gow, captain, W E Grenfell, hon. treasurer; H J Thomas and F M Jesty, joint secretaries; T H Williams, auditor. It was decided to abandon the qualifying competition for the challenge cup, but to arrange, if possible, a single day competition for the trophy in the spring".
There was great optimism for the club – but it didn't survive.
The following is from a newspaper report from February 1923 regarding the local hunt. This report confirms the location of the former course. It’s obvious that the short lived course has now disappeared “From Lord’s Wood they drove him across the Idless Valley and over the old Truro Golf Links, past Penmount, and on to Polwhele” The grid reference for the former Penmount Farm is SW83060,47700, co-ordinates 183060,047700.
We would like to thank Paul East who walked parts of the former course and sent us the images and course information below. Paul took the pictures in September 2020.
Below - “Photo below of what we think is the first tee position; picture is looking back at the probable first hole. Tee position is top left at the top of the slope. It’s a big clump of gorse bushes now (will be taking some cutters next time to penetrate the site with the hope of finding some evidence of a tee). The newspaper article mentions that the first tee was at a height of 200 feet above where the green was positioned. This is the only place that fitted the description.”
Below - “View from the first tee, straight down the hill. The first hole was 200 yards. First telegraph pole is 132 yards whilst the light green grassy area behind the trees is 283 yards.”
Below – “The top field which was probably the second green (behind the tree in the middle) this was the short 117 yard hole. One hundred years ago, the hedgerows would have been stone walls which divided the fields. The copse to the left of the tree in the middle would also not have been there. We think the strip of land to the right of the hedgerow is the 8th/9th fairways."
Below is another view of the eighth and ninth fairways.
The Google Map below pinpoints Penmount Farm, location of the former course.