Club information | |
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Coordinates | 51°23′00″N1°17′30″W / 51.383333°N 1.291667°W Coordinates: 51°23′00″N1°17′30″W / 51.383333°N 1.291667°W |
Location | Greenham, Berkshire, England |
Established | 1873 |
Type | Private Members club |
Owned by | Members |
Operated by | Newbury & Crookham Golf Club Limited |
Total holes | 18 |
Website | https://www.newburygolf.co.uk/ |
Newbury & Crookham Golf Club is located about two miles from the centre of Newbury, Berkshire on the fringes of Greenham Common. The Club is the result of an amalgamation in 1946 of two clubs: Crookham Golf Club, founded in 1873, and Newbury District Golf Club, founded in 1923. [1]
The present course, as envisaged for the Newbury District Golf Club, was opened for play in 1923. It was designed and constructed by John H. Turner and James Sherlock. John H. Turner was formerly engaged at RMC Camberley, Thornock, Gainsborough, Flackwell Heath, Denham, and, by 1922, Frilford Heath. His contribution was by far the greater, being responsible for most of the design of the course. James Sherlock was first engaged as a professional at Oxford University before moving to Stoke Poges and, by 1922, to Hunstanton. His best performances in the Open Championship were 6th at Sandwich in 1904 and 8th at St Andrews in 1905. He was a frequent winner of professional tournaments. [2]
Crookham Golf Club was founded in 1873 at the initiative of Captain Robert Dashwood Fowler RN [3] and the Rev. John Scott Ramsay who graduated MA from United College, St Andrews University [4] in 1863 and took up a living in his first church at nearby St Paul's, Kingsclere Woodlands in 1872. During his time at St Andrews he evidently practiced "the Golf" so that, when he arrived in Kingsclere, he already had a reputation as a "well known player from St Andrews". The location of the Crookham Golf Club course was on Crookham Common adjacent to, and on the North side of the road from Newbury through Crookham. [5] The first mention of Crookham Golf Club was in the Berkshire Chronicle on 3 May 1873 [6] with a call to people interested in becoming members of the Club. They adopted a local hostelry, the Traveller's Friend, as their "Clubhouse".
There certainly seem to have been some holes of interest on the Crookham course. One of note was the 13th named The Avenue. The Avenue was a line of lime trees, still visible today on Greenham Common. Play to the green was over these trees. Horace Hutchinson, a noted golfer in his day, described it as “A short hole played over an avenue of tall trees. It was not a blind hole as you could just get a glimpse of the flag between the stems.” He went on to say that “Some of our course constructors might make a note of this hole; and might do worse than copy it. I should say that one of its kind a round is enough”. The length of the course direct between the holes was three miles one hundred yards, comprising 18 holes two of which were used going out and coming in.
The afore mentioned Horace Huthchinson won the Open Challenge Cup, now known as the Newbury & Crookham Medal, three times over the spring, autumn and spring of 1878/1879. His home club was the Royal North Devon, as the competition was an Open Challenge the best players of the day would come to compete for it.
The Crookham Handicap Challenge Cup, now known as the Newbury & Crookham Bogey, was the equivalent of a monthly medal. The first winner in 1874 was C.S Cunliffe, an army man from Aldershot. One of the founders, the Rev. Ramsay, was a prolific winner, with seven victories between 1874 and 1876. Another prolific winner was Captain Cecil Lyon.
The development of golf at Crookham was a convienient venue for those wanting to play in Open Golf competitions as the course was situated close to Thatcham train station on the Great Western Railway, and midway between the other three golfing venues in the south of englend, Westward Ho! (Royal North Devon), Blackheath, and Wimbledon. Club membership was mainly made up of landowners, masons, bankers, flourishing tradesmen and the clergy.
Newbury is a market town in the county of Berkshire, England, and is home to the administrative headquarters of West Berkshire Council. The town centre around its large market square retains a rare medieval Cloth Hall, an adjoining half timbered granary, and the 15th-century St Nicolas Church, along with 17th- and 18th-century listed buildings. As well as being home to Newbury Racecourse, it is the headquarters of Vodafone and software company Micro Focus International. In the valley of the River Kennet, 26 mi (42 km) south of Oxford, 25 mi (40 km) north of Winchester, 27 mi (43 km) southeast of Swindon and 20 mi (32 km) west of Reading.
The Open Championship, often referred to as The Open or the British Open, is the oldest golf tournament in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Founded in 1860, it was originally held annually at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Later the venue rotated between a select group of coastal links golf courses in the United Kingdom. It is organised by the R&A.
John Henry "J.H." Taylor was an English professional golfer and one of the pioneers of the modern game of golf. Taylor is considered to be one of the best golfers of all time. He was a significant golf course architect. Taylor helped to found the British PGA, the world's first, and became respected for his administrative work. He also wrote two notable golf books.
The Old Course at St Andrews, also known as the Old Lady or the Grand Old Lady, is considered the oldest golf course. It is a public course over common land in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland and is held in trust by the St Andrews Links Trust under an act of Parliament. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews clubhouse sits adjacent to the first tee, although it is but one of many clubs that have playing privileges on the course, along with some other non-clubhouse owning clubs and the general public. Originally known as the "golfing grounds" of St Andrews, it was not until the New Course was opened in 1895 that it became known as the Old Course.
Thatcham is an historic market town and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire, centred 3 miles (5 km) east of Newbury, 14 miles (24 km) west of Reading and 54 miles (87 km) west of London.
The following is a partial timeline of the history of golf.
Thomas Mitchell Morris, otherwise known as Old Tom Morris, and The Grand Old Man of Golf, was a Scottish golfer. He was born in St Andrews, Fife, the "home of golf" and location of the St Andrews Links, and died there as well. Young Tom Morris, also a golfer, was his son.
Newbury Racecourse is a racecourse and events venue in the civil parish of Greenham, adjoining the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England. It has courses for flat races and over jumps. It hosts one of Great Britain's 36 annual Group 1 flat races, the Lockinge Stakes.
William Park Jr. was a Scottish professional golfer. He won The Open Championship twice. Park was also a successful golf equipment maker and golf writer. In his later years, Park built a significant career as one of the world's best golf course architects, with a worldwide business. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2013.
Horace Thomas Rawlins was an English professional golfer who won the first U.S. Open Championship in 1895.
Fred Herd was a Scottish professional golfer from St Andrews. In 1898 he won the fourth U.S. Open at Myopia Hunt Club, in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. This was the first U.S. Open to be played over 72 holes, requiring the competitors to play eight rounds of Myopia's nine-hole course. Herd turned in a card totaling 328, 84-85-75-84, averaging 82 strokes per 18-hole round.
Christopher Thomas Kidd was a Scottish professional golfer who played in the late 19th century. He won the 1873 Open Championship on his home course at St Andrews, Scotland.
National Golf Links of America is a prestigious links-style golf course in Southampton, New York, located on Long Island between Shinnecock Hills Golf Club and Peconic Bay. Though the course is noted for hosting the initial Walker Cup in 1922, which the United States won 8 and 4, it has never hosted a major men's championship. The Walker Cup was again held at the National in 2013. The private club has been called "America's snootiest golf course" due to its exclusive nature.
The 1873 Open Championship was the 13th Open Championship, held 4 October at the Old Course at St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. Tom Kidd won the Championship by a stroke from Jamie Anderson. This was the first Open Championship not held at Prestwick. The Championship was still contested over 36 holes; now two rounds of 18 holes rather than three rounds of 12. Since the new "Champion Trophy" was not ready in 1872, Kidd became the first golfer to receive it at the Championship. "The trophy conferred on the successful golfer is a silver cup which, however, can never become the absolute property of any winner. Along with the honour the winner receives a medal and likewise a money prize."
Donnington Grove is a Strawberry Hill Gothic mansion, now a hotel and country club, and associated Golf Course at Donnington in the civil parish of Shaw-cum-Donnington, near Newbury, in the English county of Berkshire. It is overlooked by Donnington Castle.
Henry Alexander Lamb was a Scottish amateur golfer who played in the late 19th century. He is most associated with Royal Wimbledon Golf Club. Lamb finished second in the 1886 Amateur Championship, losing 7 and 6 to Horace Hutchinson in the finals. He placed seventh in the 1876 Open Championship and finished in eight place in the 1873 Open Championship.
James Allan was a Scottish professional golfer who played in the late 19th century. Allan was a runner-up in the 1879 Open Championship.
Horatio Gordon "Horace" Hutchinson was an English amateur golfer who played in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Hutchinson won the 1886 and 1887 Amateur Championships. He had three top-10 finishes in the Open Championship, his best result being sixth in the 1890 Open Championship.