Bishop's Castle Golf Club, Shropshire. (1924 - WW2)

The golf club thrived between 1924-1938 on land (Lydham Heath) belonging to Col. Sykes of Lydham Manor. The Golf House/pavillion has survived and can be seen on the Bishop's Castle Community College playing fields at the entrance to the town on the crossroads. 
The silver Challenge Cup has also survived.  It was presented by Mrs. Garnett-Botfield (wife of a substantial local landowner).  Names of the cup winners: P.A. Lushington 1924, A.V. Greenhous 1925, M.H. Puckle 1925, A.V. Greenhous 1927, P.T. Howells 1928, G.H. Oulton 1928, G.C.T. Evans 1930, V.J. Sykes 1932, O.G. Williams 1933, S.C. Greenhous 1934, J. Mason 1935, B.H. Griffiths 1936, R.A. Eakin 1936, W.B. Clegg 1938.

A 9-hole course with a SSS of 68 and Par 72 with a membership of 50. Visitors’ fees 1/6d a round, 2/6d a day and 7/6d a week. Sunday play was allowed without caddies. Railway stations at Lydham Heath ¼ mile and Bishops Castle 2 miles. Local hotels were the Three Tuns and the Castle.

Result of a match played at Bishop's Castle against Knighton on 12th May 1928. 

Bishop's Castle Golf Club   Knighton Golf Club  
Com. Barnard 0 Capt. S Shrimpton 1
A V Greenhouse (half) 0 C F Pugh (half) 0
R H Hamer 1 P Parker 0
Dr J Adams 0 O J Outrim 1
I B Jones (half) 0 M James (half) 0
S Greenhouse 0 H B Watkins 1
R F Howells 1 D Sibbald  0
J Frost 0 Capt. Evans 1
G C T Evans (half) 0 R O R Medicott (half) 0
A M Whitehurst 0 G Wannan 1
       

Below is the result of a club match played in May 1929. As with many early records initials were sometimes missing, H B Watkins appears twice for the Knighton team.

Bishop's Castle   Knighton  
J B Jones 0 Capt S N Shrimpton 1
? Howells 0 C F Pugh 1
Canon Shipman 1 Philip Parker 0
S Greenhouse 0 T F Evans 1
? Sykes 0 Morris James 1
? Baker 1 E J Outrim 0
S Roberts 0 H B Watkins? 1
?Oulton 0 H B Watkins? 1
? Woodhurst 0 R R Medicott 1
Dr Adams 0 Dr D M Hunter 1
  2   8

 

  Secretary Greenkeeper
1935 P Trevor Howells, The Old Porch House, Bishops Castle. M Owen
1940/47 E F Probert M Owen

 Below is the result of a home match against Hereford (Mr Harding’s team) played on Saturday 24th May 1930. 

Bishop's Castle   Hereford (Mr Harding's team)  
Dr Adams  0 G E A Jones 1
J B Jones (half) 0 J K Bradshaw (half) 0
Canon Shipman 1 G H Butcher 0
Mr Greenhous(e) 1 G F C Higginbotham 0
C Evans 0 H P Barnsley 1
G B Shaw 1 T A Matthews 0
G Grainger 1 A C Lovesey 0
Mr Ainsworth 0 G F Harding 1
  4   3

 

Bishop's Castle Golf Club, Shropshire, Silver Challenge Cup.

The Bishops Castle silver Challenge Cup. Thanks to Patricia Theobold (BCHRC) for her contribution and picture.

 

Bishop's Castle Golf Club, Shropshire. Location of the course at Lydham Heath.

Location of the Bishop's Castle course at Lydham Heath.

 

 

Result of a match played at Knighton in April 1934.

Knighton   Bishop's Castle  
S N Shrimpton 0 V J Sykes 0
C F Pugh 0 C W Knight 1
Stuart Shrimpton 1 R Griffiths 0
T F Evans 0 E L L Roberts 0
H B Watkins 1 R M Jones 0
D Sibbald 1 C F Everson 0
W C Neil 1 D G Davies 0
G G Moreton 0 B Griffiths 1
  4   2

Bishop’s Castle Golf Club disappeared following WW2.