Peterborough Golf Club, Botolph Bridge and Walton Courses. (1894 - 1930s)

The original Peterborough Gordon Golf Club was founded in 1894 with a 9-hole course at Botolph Bridge.

Peterborough Gordon continued until the early 1920s.

In 1922 Peterborough Weedon Golf Club appears but this name was short lived, about a year later Peterborough Walton comes on to the scene, at the same location. The nine-hole course at Walton adjoined the railway station. The club at Walton continued well into the 1930s and probably closed towards the outbreak of WW2.

Report on the formation of the Peterborough Gordon Golf Club in November 1894.

 

Peterborough Golf Club. Report on the formation of Peterborough Gordon the club in November 1894.

Peterborough Standard Saturday 10 November 1894. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Result of the first competition played at Christmas 1894.

 

Peterborough Gordon Golf Club, Wilton. The first competition played Christmas 1894.

Golf Friday 11 January 1895. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

The Ordnance Survey Map below is from the 1900s and shows the Gordon Arms Inn and Botolph Bridge. The first golf course was in this vicinity.

 

Peterborough Gordon Golf Club, Wilton. O.S. Map from the 1900s showing the location of the first course.

O.S. Map Revised 1899 to 1900; © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1902}.

 

Result of a match against Sempringham Abbey Golf Club in November 1894.

 

Peterborough Golf Club, St. Botolph Bridge Course. Result of a match against Sempringham Abbey Golf Club in November 1894.

"Golf" Friday 7 December 1894. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Result of a club match between Peterborough Gordon and Burghley Park played at Peterborough on Tuesday 27 March 1895.

Peterborough Gordon Golf Club   Burghley Park Golf Club  
Rev Peyton 0 W W Lowe 4
Rev R C Faithfull 0 E Carroll 3
H M Bell 4 H B Waite 0
Rev T Ward 0 R Wyche junr 7
A Simpkin 0 C Hunt 1
T H Norton 0 R W Phillips 3
H W Gates 0 G E Hewlett 4
  4   22

Report on the club and course in August 1895.

 

Peterborough Gordon Golf Club, Report on the club and course in August 1895.

 

Peterborough Gordon Golf Club, Report on the club and course in August 1895.

 

Peterborough Gordon Golf Club, Report on the club and course in August 1895.

 

Peterborough Gordon Golf Club, Report on the club and course in August 1895.

Golf Friday 30 August 1895. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Report on the annual meeting held in October 1895.

 

Peterborough Gordon Golf Club, Wilton. Report on the annual meeting October 1895.

Golf Friday October 18 October 1895. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Result of a match played in December 1895 at Orton, Burghley Park were the visitors.

Peterborough Golf Club   Burghley Park Golf Club  
Rev T T Peyton 0 W L de B Thorold 3
H M Bell 0 H B Waite 6
Rev T Ward 2 H V Iggulden 0
W H Sharpe 2 R Wyche junr 0
A Simpkins 8 E W Phillips 0
H W Gates 0 R G Evans 1
M V English 3 R Williams 0
  15   10

In December 1895 Miss Clemenger scored 83 and won the first ladies’ handicap competition for the gold brooch at Peterborough Gordon.

Result of a club match played at Peterborough against Belton Park in February 1903.

Peterborough Golf Club   Belton Park Golf Club  
Mr P Wood 1 Mr B C Thompson  
Mr W H Sharpe 0 Mr W E Thompson 1
Mr A Simpkin 0 Mr F W Thompson 1
Mr H Waite 0 Mr H Preston 1
Rev W P Rigg 1 Rev E Robinson 0
Mr F Bower 1 Rev G Goodwin 0
Mr H Latham 1 Mr R M Weldon 0
  4   3

In 1900 the Secretary at Peterborough Gordon was H W Gates, The Vineyard, Peterborough. Course records; amateur H B Waite 40, professional H Hurry 38.

  Secretary Professional/greenkeeper
1902-14 A Simpkin, London Road, Peterborough R Parker (p)
1906-20s H B Hartley, Cathedral Gateway.  
1922   John Smith (g)
1923   E R Hanton (p) John Searle (g)
1930s F S P Saunders, Midland Bank, Peterborough C Sunderland (p) John Searle (g)

In 1902 visitors were allowed one day free; afterwards fees were 1/- a day and 2/6 a week. The station at Peterborough was 1 ½ miles away. Local hotels were the Angel, Great Northern and the Grand.

From the 1905 Nisbet's Golf Yearbook; Gordon Golf Club; Instituted 1894; Membership of 124; Hon. secretary - B Hartley, Cathedral Gateway; Captain, W H Sharpe; Professional, R Parker; Entrance fee, 10s/6d and subs, 21 shillings; Nine-holes. The course is an inland one. The grass is good as are also the hazards. The lies however, are bad, but the greens are in fair condition.

Below is the result of a club match played at Belton Park on Thursday 11 February 1909. 

Belton Park Golf Club   Peterborough Golf Club  
B C Thompson 1 A F Percival 0
W E Thompson 1 C M Everard 0
Rev H M Cooper 1 A C Ferrier 0
F W Thompson 1 T Blunt 0
H Preston 0 H  Amies 1
W G White 0 H C Hall 0
W S Brown 0 H B Hartley 1
P C Elliott 1 W H Sturton 0
  5   2

Result of a club match played at Peterborough on Thursday 1 April 1909 against Grantham. 

Peterborough Golf Club   Grantham Golf Club  
A F Percival 0 W E Thompson 1
C M Everard 0 T Norton 1
A C Ferrier 1 Rev H M Cooper 0
T Blunt 1 W S Brown 0
G C Hall 1 W E Dalby 0
W H Sturton 0 J S Glover 0
  3   2

Below is the result of a match played at Burghley Park on Thursday 15 April 1909. 

Stamford Golf Club   Peterborough Golf Club  
H B Waite 1 H  Amies 0
T B Blunt 1 A C Ferrier 0
C Atter (half) 0 H B Hartley (half) 0
W C Bower 0 R Y Norris 1
P W Johnston 0 J H Bowles 1
C S Jeffrey 0 F S P Saunders 1
  2   3

In May 1909, after a most successful season at the Gordon Golf Club A C Ferrier won the annual gold medal in the first class, Mr H W Allain took the second class.  

Result of a foursomes match played at Hunstanton in June 1912.

Hunstanton Golf Club   Peterborough Golf Club  
L Butler Smith and C W Archdale (2 and 1) 1 A F Percival and A C Ferrier 0
P T Chatterton and E Crabb (4 and 2) 1 T Blunt and H J Amies 0
C E Durrant and G P Cracknell (2 and 1) 1 C C Hall and M V English 0
W B Wedgwood and G F C Archdale (3 and 2) 1 H B Hartley and W H Sturton 0
  4   0

In 1922 there was a membership of 150. Visitors’ fees on introduction 2/- a day, 7/6 a week.

Competition results from April 1922.

 

Peterborough Golf Club, Walton Course. Competition results from April 1922.

Peterborough Standard Friday 14 April 1922. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

In 1923 membership had risen to 220. Sunday play was allowed after 1pm.

Presentation to officials in December 1924.

 

Peterborough Gordon Golf Club, Wilton. Presentations in December 1924.

Stamford Mercury Friday 26 December 1924. Image © Iliffe News & Media Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

In a foursome competition played on Boxing Day morning in 1924 the winners were H R Brodie and W G Davies. The afternoon competition was won by W C Farrow and H A Nevill; runners-up, Mr Sturton and A G Stapleton.

Below is the result of a match played at Market Harborough on Thursday 30 April 1925.

Market Harborough Golf Club   Peterborough Golf Club  
R Justice 0 D S Bruce 0
E E Plowman 0 J Kirk 1
E Simpkin 1 E G Eastwood 0
J H Wood 0 A C Ferrier 1
F Trasler 0 J H Bowles 1
A Hill 1 H S Hartley 0
S Wood 1 A S P Saunders 0
H G Coales 0 C H Godwin 1
  3   4

Ordnance Survey Map from the 1920s showing the course and clubhouse.

 

Peterborough Gordon Golf Club, Wilton. O.S. Map from the 1920s showing the course and clubhouse.

O.S. Map Revised 1925; © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1927}.

 

Below, result of a match played at Woodhall Spa in May 1929.

Woodhall Spa Golf Club   Peterborough Golf Club  
Major S V Hodgkin 1 J T S Flynn 0
V A Pollock 1 J E G Hassall 0
H M Wallis 1 J A Kirk 0
Capt W J Alexander 1 J Hunt 0
E M Morris 1 C H Skingley 0
C E Solar 0 S O G Willson 1
B C Morrison 1 V Jackson 0
C S Eaton Evans 1 W C Farrow 0
Major S V Hodgkin & V A Polllock 1 J T S Flynn & J E G Hassall 0
H M Wallis & C E Solar 1 J A Kirk & S O G Willson 0
Capt W J Alexander & B C Morrison 1 J Hunt & V Jackson 0
E M Morris & C S Eaton Evans 1 C H Skingley & W C Farrow 0
  11   1

Below is the result of a match played at Sutton Bridge in September 1929. 

Sutton Bridge Golf Club   Peterborough Golf Club  
Dr Collins 0 J Hunt (6&5) 1
J Duvall 0 T M Dougal (3&2) 1
W Lewis 0 S O G Wilson (5&4) 1
J Halifax (3&2) 1 V Jackson 0
G O Stephenson 0 J H Bowles (2&1) 1
W H Hickman 0 J T S Flynn (2up) 1
J Fletcher (4&3) 1 G D Andrews 0
A Fletcher 0 W G Davis (2&1) 1
  2   6

Competition results from January 1933.

 

Peterborough Golf Club, Walton Course. Competition results from January 1933.

Peterborough Standard Friday 6 January 1933. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

Walton course to be developed for housing. Peterborough Walton and Milton to combine and move to a new course in October 1936.

 

Peterborough Golf Club, Walton Course. Report on the Walton course to be developed for housing.

 

Peterborough Golf Club, Walton Course. Report on the Walton course to be developed for housing.

 

Peterborough Golf Club, Walton Course. Report on the Walton course to be developed for housing.

 

Peterborough Golf Club, Walton Course. Report on the Walton course to be developed for housing.

Peterborough Standard Friday 30 October 1936. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

Peterborough Golf Club. Location of the Walton golf course.

Location of the course at Walton.

 

 

Peterborough Milton, founded in 1938, is the current club.