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Horsham Golf Club, Sussex. (1906 - WW1)
Founded in 1906 on a course designed by James Braid. It was stated at the time that Braid made good use of the natural features, including the trees and the light clay soil which allowed good drainage.
The club professional to 1913 was Leonard Lewis.
Below is an extract from the inaugural meeting held in February 1906.
From the West Sussex County Times Saturday 24 February 1906. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The proposed nine holes measured (it appears this could have changed changed by the time the course opened); Hole One - 376 yards; Two - 215 yards; Three - 460 yards; Four - 400 yards; Five - 297 yards; Six - 137 yards; Seven - 380 yards; Eight - 324 yards; Nine -286 yards; Total - 2,875 yards.
The course was formally opened on the 27 October 1906 with a match between two leading amateurs, S Mure Ferguson and Horace Hutchinson. Unfortunately both players struggled on the day, both failing to break 80, report below.
Above from the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News Saturday 3 November 1906. Image © Illustrated London News Group.
Below is the result of a match played on Saturday 12 October 1908 at Cuckfield against Horsham Golf Club.
| Cuckfield Golf Club | Horsham Golf Club | ||
| Major Payne Crawford | 1 | M Blunt | 0 |
| R B Phillips | 1 | C Dolphin | 0 |
| W H Dudney | 0 | H Blunt | 1 |
| Lord Denman | 1 | E Innes | 0 |
| B A Long | 1 | F Juckes | 0 |
| Rev R H Mertens | 0 | Captain Calvert | 1 |
| L E Dolman | 1 | W Campion | 0 |
| R M Thrupp | 1 | F Gibb | 0 |
| Major Payne Crawford & R B Phillips | 1 | M Blunt & F Juckes | 0 |
| W H Dudney & Lord Denman | 1 | C Dolphin & H Blunt | 0 |
| L E Dolman & S Leslie (half) | 0 | Captain Calvert & E Innes (half) | 0 |
| Rev Lewis Evans & R M Thrupp | 1 | W Campion & F Gibb | 0 |
| 9 | 2 |
On Thursday 6 July 1911 Harry Vardon, the Open Champion, was among the players competing in a professional competition held on the Horsham course. J H Taylor, Mid Surrey, Ernest Gray, Littlehampton and G Lewis, the local professional, were the other competitors. In the medal competition in the morning Vardon proved successful with a fine round of 72. Lewis was second with 74, Taylor third with 76 and Gray fourth with a score of 80. Vardon’s score as follows; Out – 4,4,7,3,3,3,4,4,3=35; Home – 4,3,5,5,4,4,4,4,4=37. In a four ball match in the afternoon the scores were, Vardon and Lewis, 72; Taylor and Gray, 71.
Pre-WW1 Ordnance Survey Map showing the golf course.
O.S. Map Revised 1909 © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1913}.
Below the annual meeting and appointment of a new professional in May 1913.
From the West Sussex County Times Friday 24 May 1913. Image © Johnston Press plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
In 1914 the secretary was F F Haddock, Solicitor, Horsham and the professional was E A Hooker. A 9-hole course at Broadbridge Heath the clubhouse was a converted barn on the Warnham Court Estate. Club membership at this time was 164. Entry fee was £2/2/0 and subs £2/2/0. Visitors’ fees were 1/- a round, 2/- a day, 5/- for three days,7/6 a week, 20/- a month. Sunday play was allowed after 2pm, without caddies. Station at Horsham L.B&S.C.R was 2 miles away.
The club disappeared following WW1.
Grid reference TQ15635,31680, co-ordinates, 515635,131680.