Leeds (Roundhay) Golf Club, Yorkshire. (1890s - WW1)

Golf was reputed to have started on Soldiers Field in Roundhay.

From 1890 to 1893 land was rented at horse pastures, this course forms part of the current Leeds Golf Club.

In 1893 a nine-hole course was created on Wetherby Road and this was called Roundhay Golf Club.

In 1896 a meeting was held and a golf club was formed to play at Cobble Hill (another name for Leeds Golf Club).

In May 1898 Roundhay visited Windermere to play a club match. Below is the result of the singles, the foursomes matches were also won by Windermere 7-0.

Windermere Golf Club   Roundhay Golf Club  
G H Briggs 3 A C Briggs 0
A R Sladen 3 Dr Richardson 0
R H Hill 5 H J Bowring 0
J M Sladen 0 J C Sykes 4
A E Kitson 4 B S Fenn 0
Rev J M Moss 9 F B Hudson 0
  24   4

The Roundhay and Leeds clubs merged in 1900 and played at Cobble Hill. The Yorkshire Championship was reported as being played at Roundhay in 1907.

It seems that in the pre-WW1 years the course was often referred to as the Roundhay Links.

The photograph below of The Golf Links, Roundhay is dated 1905.

 

Roundhay Golf Club, Leeds. The course in 1905.

The 1905 postcard of the links at Roundhay. Postcard s23 W&T, Leeds. Authors Collection.

 

The report below mentions the Roundhay Links in Roundhay Park (not Cobble Hill).

 

Leeds (Roundhay) Golf Club, Yorkshire. From the Illustrated Sporting Dramatic News November 1914.

From The Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic News November 28th 1914. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

The newspaper report below throws more light on the early history of Leeds (Roundhay) Golf Club.

 

Leeds (Roundhay) Golf Club, Yorkshire. From the Yorkshire Post  Leeds Mercury December 1941.

 

Leeds (Roundhay) Golf Club, Yorkshire. From the Yorkshire Post  Leeds Mercury December 1941.

 

Leeds (Roundhay) Golf Club, Yorkshire. From the Yorkshire Post  Leeds Mercury December 1941.

From The Yorkshire Post & Leeds Mercury December 5th 1941. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

The current municipal course of the Roundhay Golf Club started in July 1922.