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Churchdown Golf Club, Chosen Hill Course, Gloucestershire. (1900 - 1919)

Founded in 1900 as Chosen Hill Golf Club it became Churchdown Golf Club from 1905; both clubs played on the Chosen Hill course.

The 9-hole course was laid out by the professional G H Causey of Malvern.

Below is a report on the inaugural meeting for the Chosen Hill Golf Club held in January 1901.

 

Chosen Hill Golf Club, Gloucestershire. The inaugural meeting held in January 1901.

From the Gloucester Journal Saturday 5 January 1901. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Churchdown Golf Club, Chosen Hill, Gloucestershire. Postcard showing the Churchdown golf course.

Postcard showing the Churchdown golf course. Image courtesy of Frank Accleton.

 

In October 1902 a match was played at Chosen Hill between the married and single members.

Chosen Hill Golf Club (Married)   Chosen Hill Golf Club (Single)  
G A Jones 0 H Langley-Smith 9
E S Lunnon 0 G T Wellington 3
E T Hancocks 2 J Fowler Steele 0
H Collier 5 F S Lunnon 0
W Maitland 0 H Wellington 2
H Hargreaves 1 Chris. Wilson 0
James Herbert 3 T H Arnison 0
Conway Jones 0 H R Milner 14
  11   28

Below is an extract from a report from the Gloucestershire Citizen Friday 21 November 1902 on the first annual dinner of the Chosen Hill Golf Club.

 

Churchdown Golf Club, Chosen Hill Course, Gloucestershire. The first annual dinner held in November 1902.

 

Chosen Hill Golf Club, Gloucestershire. The first annual dinner held in November 1902.

 

Chosen Hill Golf Club, Gloucestershire. The first annual dinner held in November 1902.

Images © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

In February 1903 the following advert appeared in the Gloucestershire Citizen. "Wanted, respectable woman (married or single) as Caretaker for the Chosen Hill Golf Club House - apply in writing to the Hon. Secretary, Dunrobin, Churchdown."  

Result of a match played at Churchdown against Cotswold Hills Golf Club in April 1904.

Chosen Hill Golf Club   Cotswold Hills Golf Club  
H Langley-Smith  0 G Grieve 8
J F Steele 2 H A Webb 0
E T Hancocks 0 A Lamb 3
Rev. E B James 0 L Bayley 1
R Fordham 3 H Dicks 0
W B Wood (halved) 0 C Parsons (halved) 0
E J Lunnon 8 F W Davey 0
H Collier 1 H E Billings 0
A Johnstone (halved) 0 R Webb (halved) 0
H J Berry (halved) 0 F A Faulkner (halved) 0
  14   12

Below evidence that the club becomes Churchdown Golf Club by January 1905.

 

Chosen Hill Golf Club, Churchdown. Report on the annual meeting in January 1904.

From the Cheltenham Chronicle Saturday 30 January 1904. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Churchdown Golf Club, Chosen Hill Course, Gloucestershire. In January 1905 the club is called Churchdown.

From the Gloucester Citizen Saturday 28 January 1905. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

You will see from the AGM reports above that the names are the same at the Chosen Hill Golf Club in January 1904 as those for the Churchdown Golf Club in January 1905. 

Card of the early nine-hole course:-

 

Hole Name Yardage Bogey
1 The Gate 395 5
2 The Spinney 247 4
3 Oystershells Green 208 4
4 The Saddle 150 4
5 Spion Kop 120 3
6 Rabbits’ Hill 293 4
7 The Crab 208 4
8 The Railway 416 5
9 Home 236 4
    2273  37

 

The professional from 1901 to 1905 was E J A Crook.

The following is from the 1905 Nisbet's Golf Yearbook; Churchdown Golf Club; Number of members 130; Hon. secretary - T Hamilton Arnison; captain, J F Steele; entrance fee 10s/6d and subs £1/5s.

In 1906 the secretary was still Hamilton Arnison, Rosedale, Churchdown, Cheltenham and the professional R Hopton (1905 to 1907).  The captain was J F  Steele. It was described as "a pretty sporting 9-hole course, situated  around Chosen Hill. The turf is good, and the greens excellent. There is a comfortable clubhouse." Course records were, amateur, G Grieve with a score of 74 and professional Ernest Crook 72. Visitors’ fees on application to the secretary, were 1/- a day, 2/6 a week and 7/6 a month. The station at Churchdown was 5 minutes away. Local hotel was the Old Elm.

Result of the June 1906 monthly bogey competition; WW Freeman (27), 1up; F W Whishaw (13), all square; Dr J J Foster (20), 2down; F S Lunnon (7), 3down; J Herbert (25), 9down; no returns from  E J Lunnon, Dr R D Moore, H T Jowett, C Mackness, F Wigg, H A Godwin, C C Sumison, W W Freeman.

Below is the result of a County Union Club match played on Saturday 7 March 1907 against Gloucester Golf Club on their Barnwood course.

Gloucester Golf Club   Churchdown Golf Club  
Rev F H Fowler 0 F S Lunnon 1
E F T Fowler 1 W H Langley-Smith 0
S R Hibbard 1 J F Steele 0
C H Scott 1 E J Lunnon 0
H Chadborn 0 E T Hancocks 1
H W Grimes 0 F M Norman 1
A Godwin 0 A Johnstone 1
C Wilson 1 R Ratcliffe 0
  4   4

On Saturday 11 May 1907 a County Union match took place between Churchdown and Cheltenham on the Churchdown course.

Churchdown Golf Club   Cheltenham Golf Club  
G T Wellington 2 E H Topham 0
H Langley-Smith 0 Capt G Johnson 2
F S Lunnon 1 G W Blathwayte 1
J F Steele 2 Col Willoughby 0
E J Lunnon 2 N N Alston 0
Rev O E Hayden 2 G C Jobling 0
R Ratcliffe 0 Rev T Bolton 2
H R Milner 2 H S Lemon 0
J E Barton 1 Rev E Bennett 1
Dr R D Moore 0 T M Horsfall 2
D B London 0 P L Sulivan 2
  12   10

Below is the result of a County Union match played at Rodway Hill against Churchdown on Thursday 10 October 1907. The previous match ended in a narrow win for the home team, but the Bristol team took ample revenge in this match.

Rodway Hill Golf Club   Churchdown Golf Club  
Rev A H Sharpley 0 F S Lunnon 2
H A Robbins 2 J F Steele 0
E W Pratt 2 E T Hancock 0
S V P Drapes 2 A Johnstone 0
Dr H W Aubrey 2 G A Baker 0
Ernest J Taylor 2 R F Guyton 0
A Quant 2 H R Milner 0
Rev J Bentley 2 B Jones 0
  14   2

The professional from 1907 to 1910 was M J Lewis.

Result of a match and report on the course in April 1908.

 

Churchdown Golf Club, Chosen Hill Course. Result of a match played in April 1908.

 

Churchdown Golf Club, Chosen Hill Course. Course changes in April 1908.

Gloucester Journal Saturday 18 April 1908. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

Below, result of a match played at Churchdown against Cotswold Hills on Saturday 27 April 1912.

Churchdown Golf Club   Cotswold Hills Golf Club  
E J Lunnon (Half) 0 D Bailey (Half) 0
F S Lunnon (Half) 0 L K Barnett (Half) 0
R E Knight (Half) 0 C J Knight (Half) 0
B Auden 1 W Bailey 0
E T Hancocks 0 O Gilbert 1
Rev B James 1 B Frith 0
Dr Moore 1 A G Madgwick 0
Dr Foster 0 C V Waylen 1
D E Griffiths 0 Capt Taylor 1
  3   3

Result of a match played at Churchdown against Tewkesbury Golf Club (now defunct) in October 1912.

Churchdown Golf Club   Tewkesbury Golf Club  
E J Lunnon (halved) 0 F J Healing (halved) 0
S Lunnon 0 W A Boyd (2up) 1
B Audon 0 P Woodgate (3 and 1) 1
E T Hancocks (2 and 1) 1 L G Badham 0
R D Moore (1up) 1 S H Dennison 0
L F Sessions (3 and 1) 1 N G Moore 0
H R Milner 0 W W Jackson (4 and 3) 1
A E Beaven (8 and 6) 1 T H Moore 0
  4   3

At a special general meeting held on Monday 16 December 1912, the president, Sir Percy Cunynghame, Bart., occupied the chair. The generous terms offered by the Churchdown and General Land Company for a seven year lease of 90 acres of additional land was accepted. The preparation work was to begin immediately on the additional nine holes, it was hoped that the full 18 holes would be ready for play in the spring. The annual subscriptions were to be raised from £1/10s to £2/2s, lady members from 15/- to £1/1s.

In 1914 the secretary was D E Griffiths NA, Churchdown, Cheltenham. The professional was F Bannister (1910 to 1919) he volunteered for war service in 1914. It was now listed as an 18-hole course situated round Chosen Hill, Churchdown. The turf was good and the greens excellent. There was also a comfortable clubhouse. The club had a membership of 138. Entry fees for gents were £1/1/0 and ladies 10/6. Subs for gents £2/2/0 and ladies £1/1/0. Visitors’ fees were 1/- a day, 2/6 a week and 7/6 a month. Sunday play was not allowed.

The club went into abeyance at the time of WW1.

The following report appeared in the Gloucestershire Echo in August 1919. "To decide the future of the Churchdown Golf Club a meeting will be held at the Schools, Churchdown, on August 22nd, at six o'clock. All interested please attend.The report below suggests that there was a good chance of the revival of the club at the meeting in August 1919.

 

Churchdown Golf Club, Chosen Hill Course, Gloucestershire. Hopes of a revival of the club in August 1919.

From the Gloucester Journal Saturday 30 August 1919. Image © Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

Despite the optimism shown at the above meeting no further reports were found regarding the Churchdown Golf Club.

Lilley Brook Golf Club opened in 1922 and F S Lunnon, the treasurer in the above report, had become a member of the new club.

Below is an interesting letter titled "History of Gloucester Golf Club" sent to the Gloucester Citizen in April 1937 from a former member of the Churchdown Golf Club.

 

Churchdown Golf Club, Chosen Hill, Gloucestershire. Letter titled History of Gloucester Golf Club.

From the Gloucestershire Citizen Monday 19 April 1937. Image © Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

From the Gloucester Citizen Thursday 21 November 1963; “Churchdown Golf Club disbanded some time after part of the course was ploughed up during the First World War. This is the information given by former member Mr T Field, Estcourt Road, Gloucester. Mr Field says that the club used to be on Pirton Lane prior to the Great War. At first there was a nine-hole course but later it was extended to 18-holes. He recalled that R Hopton was the professional before moving to the Cheltenham Golf Club. His successor was Frank Bannister. Stalwarts included Jack and F S Lunnon and Sir Percy Cunningham. During the Great War a field which formed part of the course was ploughed up and this was the beginning of the end for the club.”

 

 
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Churchdown Golf Club disappeared in 1919.