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Borrowood/Borrowash Golf Club, Ockbrook, Derby. (1902 - 1938)
The club was founded in 1902 as Borrowash Golf Club. The club used both Borrowash and Borrowood names throughout its existence.
The nine-hole course laid out on farmland between the villages of Borrowash and Ockbrook. Although the ground was heavy, being clay soil, the turf and greens were good. The greens were enclosed by wire fencing to keep off grazing animals. The course was ideally situated at 400ft above sea level at the highest point. Sunday play was not allowed. The railway station at Borrowash was 15 minutes away. The course steadily improved in the early years and by 1914 a new pavilion type clubhouse had been built. In later years a disused railway carriage was used as an extension.
When the club closed in the early 1950s the extension was found to be very useful for other entertainment, as there was a girls’ private boarding school adjacent to the golf course fields.
There is evidence that the club may have had associations with the nearby British Celanese Company.
Report on the opening of the course in October 1902.
Derby Daily Telegraph 20 October 1902.Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Result of a professional match played at Ockbrook in September 1905.
Nottingham Journal Monday 4 September 1905. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Result of a club match played against the Derbyshire Golf Club on Saturday 3 March 1906 at Derby.
| Derbyshire Golf Club | Borrowood Golf Club | ||
| Dr Vaudrey | 0 | H Coles | 1 |
| Dr Moon | 1 | H P La Trobe | 0 |
| J White | 1 | J D Dale | 0 |
| C E Oliver | 1 | Dr Hunt | 0 |
| E T Hodson | 1 | A Cooper | 0 |
| C J Lynch | 1 | Rev J Mallalieu | 0 |
| E Colebourn | 0 | T Pares | 1 |
| Dr Barrett | 0 | Drury Dale | 1 |
| 5 | 3 |
Result of a match played at Borrowood against Bulwell Artisans in November 1906.
| Borrowood Golf Club | Bulwell Artisans Golf Club | ||
| T Pares (1up) | 1 | F Plumb | 0 |
| Dr. Hale | 0 | Dr. Garstang (3 and 2) | 1 |
| J O Dale | 0 | J Scott (6 and 5) | 1 |
| O Cooper (2 and 1) | 1 | J W Jones | 0 |
| F Black | 0 | J S Hardwick (2up) | 1 |
| D Dale (4 and 3) | 1 | F S Bryan | 0 |
| H La Trobe (5 and 4) | 1 | G Jackson | 0 |
| Mr Ilgner | 0 | R A Robinson (3 and 1) | 1 |
| H Glover | 0 | A G Drewry (8 and 6) | 1 |
| H Taylor (3 and 1) | 1 | O S Freck | 0 |
| E H Pares | 0 | G H Scottorn (3 and 1) | 1 |
| P Lane | 0 | A Wainman (4 and 3) | 1 |
| 5 | 7 |
Competitions played at Easter 1907; Mixed foursome; Miss Cleaver and Dr S Hunt, 98-19-79; Eclectic competition; F Black, 35 net (9-holes); The links had been extended to 18-holes.
New course record in August 1908.
Nottingham Journal Wednesday 19 August 1908. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Result of a match played at Ashby in April 1910.
Derby Daily Telegraph 12 April 1910. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Competitions played at Easter 1911; Mixed foursome bogey; Mrs Coles and F Black, 5down; Miss Macdonald and F Fletcher, 6down; Eclectic competition (nine-holes); R W Fletcher, 43-9-32; J H Hogg, 36-3-33; F Fletcher, 42-7-35; T Pares, 37-1-36.
Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal 5 May 1911. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
On 26 March 1912 a ladies match in connection with the Derbyshire Association Cup competition took place between Borrowood Ladies and Chevin Ladies, result below.
| Borrowood Ladies' Golf Club | Chevin Ladies' Golf Club | ||
| Miss Mugliston | 1 | Mrs Sayers | 0 |
| Mrs Coles | 1 | Miss B Murphy | 0 |
| Miss Elliott | 1 | Miss D Harrison | 0 |
| Miss I Macdonald | 0 | Miss N Murphy | 1 |
| Miss K Barron | 1 | Miss Toulmin | 0 |
| 4 | 1 |
Easter competitions 1912.
Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal 13 April 1912. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
On Saturday 27 April 1912 Borrowood played a home club match against Chilwell, result below.
| Borrowood Golf Club | Chilwell Golf Club | ||
| W E Woodward | 1 | Rev T G Shelmerdine | 0 |
| Rev Alexander | 1 | H Nicholson | 0 |
| F Black | 1 | A G Mellors | 0 |
| Dr Hunt | 1 | D J Marr | 0 |
| H Fletcher | 1 | F N Hill | 0 |
| F Fletcher | 0 | F D Mellors | 1 |
| J Macdonald | 0 | W Haseldine | 1 |
| H Astle | 0 | J Birkinshaw | 1 |
| 5 | 3 |
In 1914 there was a membership of 85. Entry fee was £1/1/0 and subs £1/11/6.
Ordnance Survey Map showing the Golf Course and Pavilion at the time of WW1.
O.S. Map Revised 1913; © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1919}.
In 1923 club membership was 75. Visitors’ fees were 2/- a day.
| Secretary | Professional/Greenkeeper | |
| 1904/5 | A Knight (p) | |
| 1905/6 | L G White (p) | |
| 1906-9 | H L Atkinson (p) | |
| 1909-24 | F J Perkins (p) | |
| 1914 | F Black, Ockbrook, Derby. | |
| 1923 | A C Faire, Ockbrook. | A G Perkins (g) |
| 1931-32 | H F Oxley of Greenside, Ockbrook, Derby. | Fred Knight (p&g) |
Report on the annual meeting in May 1924.
Derby and Chesterfield Reporter 16 May 1924. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Below is the result of a match played at Borrowood against Derby Golf Club in May 1930.
| Borrowood Golf Club | Derby Golf Club | ||
| Capt. Knight | 1 | F Bulllen | 0 |
| C Lomas | 1 | P Carr | 0 |
| J T Marsh | 0 | A C Greensmith | 1 |
| A Biddle | 1 | H A Payne | 0 |
| Rev Burtill | 0 | W H Potts | 1 |
| J T Gilbert | 1 | E E Willmette | 0 |
| Dr Hunt | 0 | J P McClelland | 1 |
| T C Gorton (half) | 0 | K I Browne (half) | 0 |
| H Rawson | 0 | A Milward | 1 |
| E Etches | 1 | J Nadin | 0 |
| 5 | 4 |
Rumours of closure quashed in August 1931.
Derby Daily Telegraph 24 August 1931. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Report on the annual meeting in April 1932.
Derby Daily Telegraph Wednesday 13 April 1932. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Report on the annual meeting in April 1933.
Derby Daily Telegraph 13 April 1933. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Presentation in October 1933.
Derby Daily Telegraph Wednesday 11 October 1933. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Thanks to Charles Bristow who supplied information and copies of the above documents from 1935 relating to the club. Mr S Clifford, who is shown on the receipts, was a relative of Mr Bristow’s wife.
Report on the defunct club in May 1937.
Derby Daily Telegraph 7 May 1937. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
A reunion dance for members of the club, which had closed in March, was held at Ockbrook Church room on New Year’s Day in 1938. Miss A Faire of Loughborough, deputising for her father, Mr A C Faire, presented Mr H Rawson, treasurer of the club, with a cigarette case and lighter, and Mr J Bowmer with a pocket cigarette case and lighter, in recognition of their services to the club.
As with many clubs in a similar situation it continued to be listed in the Golfer’s Handbook until the early 1950s.
Ordnance Survey Map from the time of WWII showing the Golf Course and Pavilion.
O.S. Map Revised 1938; © Crown Copyright (year of publication ca. 1947).