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Corwen Golf Club, Denbighshire. (1909 - WW2)

The club was founded in 1909.

The course was laid out above the town and consisted of 9-holes of a very sporting character. The course was situated on the hillside, and from this elevation, an extensive view of the beautiful valley was obtained, as well as of the hills to the north. The station at Corwen was 15 minutes away. Local hotels were the Owen Glyndwr, Central and the Crown.

A local resident informed us that the course was located behind the Uwch Y Dre Housing Estate. We have since been informed that the course was a bit further along the road, above Uwch Y Dre.

There was also a suggestion that there had been a course near the recreation ground, possibly 18-hole pitch and put, we have no firm evidence of this. 

 

Corwen Golf Club, Denbighshire. Rare image of the Corwen golf course.

Early image of the Corwen golf course. Courtesy of Corwen Museum.

 

The image below is much clearer and shows the area (of the above picture) before the golf course was laid out.

 

Corwen Golf Club, Denbighshire. Before the golf course was laid out

 

The first round for the cup presented by the Hon C H Wynn took place at the end of July 1910. The qualifiers for the second round were; H R Jones v Glyn Owen; Tom Roberts v T Lloyd Jones; F WCarson v Dr Hindley; O A Lloyd v L G Owen (Bala).

In August 1910 the final match for the Rug Cup (presented by the Hon C H Wynn) was played.  Mr T Glyn Owen (the holder) played Dr Hindley. After a good game Mr Glyn Owen ran out the the winner. As Mr Owen had won the cup two years in succession he was entitled to keep the trophy.

 

Corwen Golf Club, Denbighshire. Pre-WW1 Corwen golfers.

Above is a pre-WW1 group of Corwen Golf Club members on a Pearce Photocard, Corwen, 1913. Unfortunately there are no names, can anyone help? Could it be the clubhouse building?

 

In 1914 the secretary was J Francis Jones, 5 London Road, Corwen. Membership at this time was 79. There was no entrance fee. Subs for gents were £1/1/0 and ladies 10/6d. Visitors’ fees were 1/6d a day and 5/- a week. Sunday play was not allowed.

 

Corwen Golf Club, Denbighshire. The golf course in the early years.

Overlooking the Corwen golf course in the early years the pavilion can be seen left centre on the brow of the hill.

 

Throughout the 1920s the secretary was W J Griffith, N P and Union Bank Ltd, Corwen. The greenkeeper was R Davies. Visitors’ fees were 2/- a day, 6/- a week and 12/6d a month.

Lieutenant Norman Davies Garner, Corwen, was one of the best amateur golfers in Wales at this time, he would go on to win many valuable prizes locally. 

Below is the result of a one sided club match played at Cerrig on Saturday 5th August 1922.

Cerrigydruidion Golf Club   Corwen Golf Club  
Rev W G Evans 0 N D Garner 1
G Humphreys 0 Jabez Evans 1
Tom Roberts 0 D Buckley 1
R O Roberts 0 S Roberts 1
Lt Buckley 0 J H Evans 1
R R Roberts 0 W J Griffith 1
R Williams 0 E P Griffith 1
R Roberts 0 H Williams 1
  0   8

A meeting was held on Wednesday 25th April 1923 Mr Eyton Williams, postmaster, was unanimously elected as secretary of the club, he replaced Mr W J Griffiths who has left the district. The new secretary was a keen all round sportsman and he was popular in both town and district. The new president was Dr Hindley, Carrog. Mr Norman Garner, Corwen, won all the golf competitions arranged by Ruthin Golf Club during the Easter holidays. Mr Garner and Mr Skilton were selected to represent Corwen at the NorthWales Club Championship Tournament which was to be held at Maesdu, Colwyn Bay.

Below is the result of a club match played at Cerrigydruidion in May 1924.

Singles.

Cerrig Golf Club   Corwen Golf Club  
H R Richards (3&1) 1 N D Garner 0
Idwal Davies (2&1) 1 Jabez Evans 0
Tom Roberts (1up) 1 Artro Owen 0
C R Roberts (half) 0 O A Lloyd (half) 0
R O Roberts 0 Gwilym Humphreys (5&4) 1
Frank Jones (4&2) 1 Henry Williams 0
J Winston Jones 0 T Lloyd Jones (5&3) 1
D M Evans 0 Brynle Hughes (2&1) 1
  4   3

Foursomes.

Cerrig Golf Club   Corwen Golf Club  
Richards & Davies 0 Garner & Evans (2up) 1
Tom & R O Roberts (2up) 1 Owen & Lloyd 0
Frank Jones &  C R Roberts 0 Humphreys & Williams (2&1) 1
Winston Jones & D M Evans 0 Lloyd Jones & B Hughes (3up) 1
  1   3

From 1930 to 1936 the joint secretaries were H B Davies, Yr Hafan, Corwen and B Hughes, Glaslyn, Corwen , and the greenkeeper was W O Jones. Membership at this time was about 90.

The photographs below of Corwen Golf Club members in 1935 were sent to us by a regular contributor who says that it’s probable that the gent in the centre is the captain. Also on the picture is the well known local golf champion N D Garner. We know for a fact that Willie Wilson is back-row second-left. 

Thanks to Richard Fisher who adds the following information. “Standing in the light top and the third figure from the right, is none other than Sam Roberts (S.B. Roberts), legendary Welsh amateur, three times national champion, five times winner of the Harlech Gold Cross (including victory over Gerald Micklem in a play-off in 1952), winner of the Golf Illustrated Gold Vase in 1939, and a pillar of the Welsh team for over twenty years: Roberts was unquestionably in contention for the Walker Cup team in 1940 but found his chances dashed by WW2.”

 

Corwen Golf Club, Denbighshire. The Corwen Golf Club Team in 1935.

 

Corwen Golf Club, Denbighshire. The Corwen Golf Club Team in 1935.

The Corwen Golf Club Team 1935.

 

Below is the result of a foursome match played at Dolgellau in July 1938. The Corwen club had played well through  the season so far, losing only one match, at Ruthin.  

Dolgellau Golf Club   Corwen Golf Club  
G Jones & W D Jones 0 N D Garner & D Rees 1
E Jones & R G Roberts 0 Dr Thompson & W A Hughes 1
R H Williams & G B Richards 0 M Goodlad & D Jones 1
A E Hughes & J Williams 0 W Wilson & C Pearce 1
C P Hughes & Dr Edwards (half) 0 J Thomas & L Williams (half) 0
T G Evans & W A Meredith 0 W G Astley & T Hughes 0
  0   4

In the club’s last year in 1940 the secretary was H B Davies, Tawelfryn, Corwen. Telephone 74. The greenkeeper was W O Jones. The 9 hole course had a SSS and Par of 66. The amateur course record was held by the very successful local amateur golfer N D Garner with a score of 63. Visitors’ fees were 2/6d a day, 1/6d after 4pm, 7/6d a week and £1/1/0 a month. Sunday play was still not allowed.

The Google Map below shows the area above Uwch Y Dre, location of the course.