Bramshot Golf Club, Hants. (1905 - WW2)

The magnificent course, designed by Open Champion J H Taylor, opened in June 1905.

Sometimes spelt Bramshott Golf Club.

An eighteen-hole course with beautiful views over the surrounding country, the course was visited by many VIPs. The subsoil was of Bagshot Sand which was a perfect base for the growth of grass for golfing purposes. The course had many natural hazards including gorse, heather, bunkers, roads etc. The course was located between Fleet and Farnborough alongside the main railway line. The club eventually had its own station, called Bramshot Halt, which was alongside the course on the railway line to Waterloo. It is said that players paid their caddies to run to the clubhouse and warn them when the train was about to arrive. A new luxurious clubhouse opened in 1913 which included a billiard room, smoke rooms, lounge and dining rooms as well as 21 bedrooms. Following the opening of the new clubhouse the original clubhouse was used by the lady members.

The course was requisitioned by the Air Ministry in 1940, and it was rumoured that General Eisenhower stayed at the golf club at some stage. After the war the Ministry retained the land, the clubhouse was converted into offices, all quite small, in what had been the bedrooms in the Club’s heyday.  The clubhouse building was eventually demolished after vandals broke in and set it on fire.  

Certain features of the old course could still be made out (in 2004) and, as late as 1991, the name of Bramshot Golf Club remained on the name tag on the post box in Cove Road.

Article from the London Daily News 18 January 1905. "NEW COURSE AT FLEET - A new course of 18-holes has been laid out at Fleet under the direction of Capt. Seton and J H Taylor. At a general meeting of the Bramshot Golf Club, which has been formed in connection with the course, it was announced that sixty members had already joined, and there were vacancies for ninety more. The links will be ready for play in early June." 

Report on the opening of the course in June 1905.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hampshire. Report on the opening of the golf course in June 1905.

London Daily News Monday 26 June 1905. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

The following were the club officials in 1905; President, Lord Lawrence; vice-presidents, Sir H Seton Karr. M.P., C.M.G and W S Seton Kerr; provisional committee, Mr Ernley Blackwell, W P Clarke, W F Currey, J Hutchison Driver, Colonel F Dorling, H G B Ellis, Major F Fleming and Major C Orman; secretary, Captain W J Seton, 67 Lowndes Square, London S.W.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hants. The 1905 J H Taylor course layout.

Above is the plan of the course with yardages as laid out by J H Taylor in 1905.

 

Hole lengths and names on the above plan as follows; 1st Hole 400yds – Railway; 2nd 320yds – Pondtail (located at corner of Fleet Pond); 3rd Hole 450yds – Club; 4th Hole 300yds – Gorse; 5th Hole 470yds – Dog-Leg; 6th Hole 310 yds – Bottlenose; 7th Hole 390yds – Plantation; 8th Hole 370 yds – Upland; 9th Hole 300yds – The Turn;10th Hole 340yds – Right of Way; 11th Hole 300yds – Destructor; 12th Hole 120yds – Woodpecker; 13th Hole 350yds – Panorama (views over Aldershot town valley, hills, Mausoleum at Farnborough); 14th Hole 180yds – Horseshoe;15th Hole 480yds – Boundary; 16th Hole 200yds – Road; 17th Hole 410yds – Prosecution; 18th Hole 520yds – House.

The professional from 1905 until 1907 was Charles E Forrest. He was followed in 1907 by A W Butchart, who left in 1909, to be replaced by Tom Ball. 

Above is the location of the Bramshot course.

 

On Wednesday 27 November 1907 a professional foursome was played on the course. Taking part were J H Taylor and A W Butchart, the local professional, against Rowland Jones and P J Gaudin. Unfortunately the weather was not kind and it rained most of the day. Taylor was not in his best form, his wood shots particularly wayward but his short game was excellent. In the afternoon he and his partner won four holes in succession, thanks to some lovely chips and putts by Taylor. Jones and Gaudin played steady golf in the morning and finished the first round four up. In the second round Taylor and Butchart, after being five down after the second hole, won the next four, but they could not close the gap any further and Jones and Gaudin won the match by 1up.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hampshire. Professional match played in November 1907.

From the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News Saturday 7 December 1907. Image © Illustrated London News Group.

 

A local newspaper report of 1908 records a visit by Price Albert of Schleswig-Holstein. 

A professional foursome was held on Thursday 17 July 1908, in which J H Taylor (Mid Surrey) and A W Butchart (Bramshot) took on George Duncan (Hanger Hill) and C H Mayo (Burhill). Duncan and Mayo were the holders of the last London foursome tournament for the Dewar shields. The miserable weather did not affect the golf with some top class play throughout. At the end of the first round the match was all square, but in the afternoon Duncan and Mayo played brilliantly. They were four up at the turn and went on to win the match by 6&5.

In January 1909 a unique match was played on the course. A team of London journalists, which included Bernard Darwin, took on a team of London golf professionals. The match was played under handicap, the professionals playing off plus 6 and the amateurs played off their club handicaps, result below. 

London Journalists   Golf Professionals  
B Darwin (plus 4) won 3&2  1 James Hepburn (Home Park) 0
A C McCroome (plus 3) 2&1 1 J B Batley (Bushey Hall) 0
A J Robertson (scratch) 0 Rowland Jones (Wimbledon Park) 10&8 1
C Ambrose (scratch) 1up 1 W Hunter (Richmond) 0
T Wilkinson (scratch) 0 Ben Sayers jun (Royal Wimbledon) 6&5 1
A M Faulkner (2) 0 H Cawsey (Ashford Manor) 3&2 1
E H H Maxwell (4) 0 A Butchart (Bramshot) 6&4 1
R H Bromley Read (10) 0 J Milne (Neasden) 5&4 1
  3   5

In 1909 the secretary was Captain W J Seton and the professional A W Butchart. Amateur course record; P L Smith, 78. The course bogey score was 81. There was no entry fee, subs were £5/5s.

Below is a Golfers v Footballers match played at Bramshot in April 1909.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hampshire. Golfers v Footballers match April 1909.

Above image from the Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic News 10 April 1909. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

A new tournament was introduced by the club in 1910. It was called the Bramshot Cup and it attracted many famous players of the day. It was won in the first year by Ted Ray, below.  In 1911 Harry Vardon was the victor. Because of difficulty in raising prize money the competition was scrapped.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hampshire. Ted ray being presented with the Bramshot Cup in 1910.

Ted Ray receiving the trophy.

 

Below the most famous cricketer of all time pays a visit to Bramshot in March 1910.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hampshire. W G Grace pays a visit to Bramshot Golf Club in 1910.

From the Bystander Wednesday 16 March 1910. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hampshire. Article from Illustrated Sporting Dramatic News March 1911.

From the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News 25 March 1911. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

It was announced in June 1911 that the club professional, Tom Ball, would be leaving the club to take up a similar position at Raynes Park Golf Club (now defunct). Prior to taking up his position at Bramshot, Ball was attached to the West Lancashire Club. Born at Hoylake in 1882, Ball was a brilliant golfer he had been twice runner-up in the Open.  

The winner of the August 1911 monthly medal was A W Homershaw, 84 net; Burberry Challenge Cup was won by James Boyce, runners-up were J P Waters and  J Roraback.

The September 1911 monthly bogey competition was won by C Roraback, 4down.

The October 1911 monthly medal was won by Colonel W H Birkbeck, 87-16-71.

Result of the Burberry Challenge Cup played in July 1912; G Q Roberts (2) and Colonel W H Birkback (16) tied on 3down.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hants. The Clubhouse and course pre WW1.

Bramshot Golf Links and Clubhouse 1900s.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hampshire. Article from Illustrated Sporting Dramatic News June 1913.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hampshire. Article from Illustrated Sporting Dramatic News June 1913.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hampshire. Article from Illustrated Sporting Dramatic News June 1913.

Images from The Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic News 7 June 1913. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

Below the New Clubhouse in 1913.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hampshire. Article from Bystander New Clubhouse 1913.

From The Bystander Wednesday 18 June 1913. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

Famous names at Bramshot in September 1913.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hants. Famous names at Bramshot in September 1913.

Pall Mall Gazette Wednesday 17 September 1913. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

In 1914 the secretary was Major W Coleman and the professional was G Oke, who joined the club in 1911. He may have left in 1912 for War service but is still recorded as club professional in 1914, although it is thought that Jack Sidey took up the post in 1913, remaining until the club‘s demise. The club had a  membership of 200. The amateur course record was held by the Reverend W H Foster Pegg with a score of 74. No entry fee was payable at this time and subs were £5/5/0. Visitors’ fees were 2/6 a day, 1/6 after 1pm. Sunday play was allowed without caddies.

Twenty four prominent professionals gathered on Saturday 15 May 1920 to play in an event organised by the Bramshot Golf Club, amongst them were five former Open Champions.   An eighteen-hole medal round was played in the morning, two members of the old triumvirate finishing in first and second place. Following is an extract from a report at the time “Vardon started in a manner which did not promise his success, for his old weakness on the greens was evident, but he played soundly through the green that he was able to reach the turn in 37. This score, although representing sound golf, might have been better had Vardon been able to hole his putts. Coming home, however, he made amends, and quite a feature of his game was his good putting.”

His card read; Out – 5,5,4,4,4,3,4,3,5 = 37; In – 4,5,3,5,5,4,3,3,4 = 36 – Total 73.  

Other scores as follows; Harry Vardon (South Herts), 73; J H Taylor (Mid-Surrey), 74; Abe Mitchell (South Foreland), 75; C Johns (Purley Downs), 75; Rowland Jones (Wimbledon Park), 76, James Braid (Walton Heath), 76; James Sherlock (Stoke Poges), 76; Angel De la Torre (Madrid), 77; Fred Leach (Northwood), 77; George Duncan (Hanger Hill), 77; W L Ritchie (Worplesdon), 78; Tom Williamson (Notts), 78; R G Wilson (Croham Hurst), 78; J Sidey (Bramshot), 78; E Ray (Oxhey), 79; F Robson (Cooden Beach), 80; W H Horne (Durban), 81, Ernest Jones (Chislehurst), 81; Alex Herd (Coombe Hill), 82; George Gadd (Roehampton), 83; J B Batley (London Flying Club), 84; Jack White (Sunningdale), 85; A H Sibbald (North Hants), 85.

The afternoon was devoted to a four ball stroke competition which resulted in a tie for first place between Braid & Sherlock and Williamson & Mitchell both pairs finishing on 69.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hampshire. Article from The Bystander July 1920.

From the Bystander Wednesday 21 July 1920. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

Tour of the club and course in December 1920.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hants. Tour of the club and course in December 1920.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hants. Tour of the club and course in December 1920.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hants. Tour of the club and course in December 1920.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hants. Tour of the club and course in December 1920.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hants. Tour of the club and course in December 1920.

From Motor Owner Wednesday 1 December 1920. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

Result of a match played at Stoneham Golf Club in October 1921.

Stoneham Golf Club   Bramshot Golf Club  
W L Smith and O Gilbert 1 Capt. Pakenham and O B McAfee 0
H Hamblyn and R Woodward 0 Major Grant and Capt. Robinson 1
E Taylor and H Buchan 0 T A Ogden and L Stephens 1
F Hooley and P Bowyer 1 D R Finnis and W F Ricks 0
  2   2

In 1922 the secretary was P C Henderson. Club Telephone Fleet 40. Membership had slightly reduced to 180. The professional was J Sidey and the green-keeper W Soane. Course  Records were, amateur C V L Hooman and R Harris 74, professional H Vardon 73. Visitors’ fees were now 2/6 a round, 3/6 a day. At Weekend and Bank Holiday 10/- a day one round after 2pm 5/-.

The July 1923 monthly medal was won by J A Luke, 85-6-79.

Result of the August 1923 monthly bogey; J A Ogden (8) all square.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hampshire. Article from Bystander February 1924.

From The Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic News 16 February 1924. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

In 1925 the green-keeper was C Smith. Amateur course record held by Major Leroy Burcham 73.

Also in 1925 the club was merited with a mention in Bernard Darwins book "Golf Courses Of Great Britain"

The winner of the March 1926 monthly medal was J E Sellers, 79-6-73.

Result for the Gold Medal (for 1925 medal winners) played in April 1926; Capt. J M Marron, 84-2-82; monthly medal (morning), H B Warner, 87-9-78; (afternoon) , B C Lear, 97-22-75; T N Burberry, 98-21-77.

In June 1926 the winner of the Wolmer Challenge Cup was E M Gawne, 80-5-75; monthly bogey winner was Capt. Reid (16), 4 down.

Winner of the August 1926 monthly medal was W G Hubbard, 93-11-82.

The winner of the Australia and New Zealand Cup in September 1926; F M Allen (6), 2 up.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hampshire. Article from The Sketch May 1926.

From The Sketch 5 May 1926. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

In the early 1930s Bramshot Gold Club held a competition which attracted leading players including Bobby Lock and Henry Cotton.

In January 1931 Mr F G Williams holed in one at the sixth, the first time the feat had been accomplished on the course.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hants. Article from The Tatler May 1933.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hants. Article from The Tatler May 1933.

From The Tatler 3 May 1933. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

Bramshott Golf Club, Hants. Allan Lawrie Competition July 1934.

From The Bystander 24 July 1934. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

It's difficult to read the names on the above image, they are as follows; (1) R G Cookson, secretary; Colonel MacLean; E Greensmith, ex-captain and the oldest member; (2) T S Derbyshire (Committee); (3) C Spencer Wilmott (Committee); R V Callander; (4) J Craddock (visitor); T M Burgess (Bramshot); (5) L Moxey, C E Sledmere, L G Callingham (Committee); (6) J G S Baker, E B T Jenkins; (7) I R Patey and H Martin Row, both visitors; (8) A D Millar, club captain, and Major P H Slater.

The Alan Lawrie Trophy for players of 10 handicap and under, was won, out of an entry of over seventy, by W T Dunn (Coombe Hill.) A D Millar, Bramshot Captain, is one of the very few Americans to hold this office in an English club. 

In April 1935 Jack Sidey, the Bramshot professional, set a new course record of 68. He had an inward half of 32. The par for the course was 72.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hampshire. Article from Illustrated Sporting Dramatic News April 1936.

From The Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic News 17 April 1936. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hants. From The Bystander May 1939.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hants. From The Bystander May 1939.

Above images from The Bystander 31 May 1939. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

In the last year in 1940 the secretary was R G Cookson. The 18 hole course had a SSS of 75 and a Par of 72. There was a membership of 200 at this time. The greenkeeper was still C Smith. Course Records were, amateur W B Armstrong 69 and professional A G Matthews 67. Visitors were required to be members of recognised clubs. Fees were 5/- a day, 3/6 a round, weekends and Bank Holidays 5/- a round.

Below is a plan of the later amended course layout.

 

Bramshot closed at the beginning of WW2 and eventually became completely overgrown. Despite its earlier splendour, it never re-opened, possibly because there were insufficient members to support two clubs, North Hants Golf club was only a mile away. (Above pictures Authors Collection).

Bramshot Halt was closed in the early War years, after several workmen, who had been engaged in constructing the nearby Southwood Army camp, were killed whilst trying to cross the track.

The southern part of the course became developed as the National Gas Turbine Establishment after WWII. One of the roads through the centre of the site is called The Fairway in reference to the former golf course. It actually still has a strip and circle of grass which is thought to be one of the original greens. This whole site is now derelict and is due to be redeveloped into a large distribution depot.

Certain features of the old course can still be made out, and, as late as 1991, the name of Bramshot Golf Club remained on the name tag on the post box in Cove Road.

Bramshot Golf Club, Hants. Clubhouse demolition in the 1980s.

The Bramshot clubhouse in the process of demolition in the 1980s.

 

Bramshot Golf Club, Hants. The boarded up clubhouse awaiting demolition.

The boarded up Bramshot clubhouse. (Both of the above images copyright and reproduced courtesy of John Vincent).