Bangor Golf Club 100 Years

• GOLF R • O C G L N U B A B • • C o D O W N 1903 2003 BangorGolfClub OneHundredYears JeremyStanley & PaulaCampbell 1 ©BangorGolfClub2003 DesignedandPrintedbyImpactPrintingandPublishing,Coleraine&Ballycastle. 2 CentenaryCaptain’sForeword TobeelectedClubCaptainofsuchaprestigiousGolfClubasBangormustalwaysbe consideredanhonour;tobechosenasCaptaininitsCentenaryYearisaspecialprivi- legewhichgivesmeimmeasurablepleasure. ThefoundersoftheClubwhoboughttheoriginallandanddesignedthecoursecould scarcelyhaveimaginedtherichlegacytheywouldleavethetownandthesurround- ingarea.TheChairmanattheinauguralmeetingsaid,“Idon’tknowmuchaboutgolf butunderstanditisagameforthosepastmiddleageanditattractsvisitors.” Hewouldhardlyrecognisethemembershiptodaywhichrangesfrom10-year-oldstothosein theireighties.Howcouldhehaveforeseenthemanyadvancesintechnologywhichledusfromhickoryshafts andfeathergolfballstothetrolleysandelectricbuggieswhichhavedonesomuchtoextendthegolfingactivities ofthosewhoarewellpastmiddleageandnotquitesonimbleastheyusedtobe? InBangorwehavebeenprivilegedtonurturethecareersofmorethanonefamousgolferandwewillalwaysbe proudtosaythatforthesemanywellknowngolfers,themagicallstartedhere! IhopeyouwilljoinwithmetoenjoytheextensiveprogrammeofcelebrationourCentenaryCommitteehave plannedtomarkthismilestone.Aswereflectonthepastandlookforwardtothefutureweshouldenjoythe memoriesandhelpbuildanevengreaterfuture. JohnWhittle 3 TheLadyPresident’sForeword CentenaryLadyCaptain’sForeword Havingbeenamemberfor37years IamindeedprivilegedtobeLady andLadyCaptainin1985,itisan CaptainduringBangorGolf honourtobeLadyPresidentof Club’sCentenaryyear,2003. BangorGolfClubinthisCente- naryyear,2003. AllmemberswillIknowen- joythishistoricalrecord,and Duringmymembershipthe itswriters,JeremyStanley Ladies’Branchhasflourished (MainSection)andPaula duetothecontinuingenthusi- Campbell(LadiesSection)are asmandhardworkofthevari- tobecongratulatedonprovid- ousLadyCaptainsandCoun- ingacomprehensivedocument cilmembers. whichshouldbeofgreatinter- esttoyoungandoldalike. Wealllookforwardtothenewcen- turyinthehopethattheClubgenerallywillcontinueto InmytwentyyearsintheClubIhaveseentheLadies’ progress. Sectionthrive,withnew,keenyoungplayersandthe JuniorandJuvenilegirlsshowinggreatpromiseand ThemanyvisitorstotheClub,whetherforgolforvari- potential. ousfunctionsandsocialactivities,arealwayswarmly welcomed,anditcantrulybesaidthatBangorGolfClub MixedFoursomes,socialeventsandco-operationen- playsalargepartinthesociallifeofthetown. sureextremelygoodrelationshipswithinallsectionsof theClub,whilefriendlymatchesandILGUcompeti- IknowyouwillenjoyreadingthishistoryofBangor tionsforgemanygolfingfriendshipsthroughoutNorth- GolfClub.Itisafittingtestamenttoallthemembers ernIrelandandparticularlytheNorthDownarea. pastandpresent. OurthanksareduetotheCentenaryCommittee,(Chair- MonaFox manMaxwellLedlie),theHistoricalCommitteeandthe manyothermemberswhohaveworkedhardandlong tomakeourCentenarycelebrationssuccessfuland memorable. MrsBethGillan. 4 Contents. ChapterOne. ............................................................ EarlyDays. ...................................................................... 9 ChapterTwo. ....................................................... TheOldCourse. ............................................................... 19 ChapterThree. ................................................... TowardsMaturity............................................................... 27 ChapterFour.............................................................. TheMove...................................................................... 35 ChapterFive. ..................................................... OurProfessionals. .............................................................. 47 ChapterSix. ............................................... OurTeamsandTrophies. ........................................................ 53 ChapterSeven. ........................................... SomeNotableMembers. ........................................................ 63 ChapterEight. ................................................. ThePostWarYears. ............................................................ 75 ChapterNine. ............................................ The20thCenturyCloses. ........................................................ 99 ChapterTen. ...................................................... The21stCentury...............................................................123 AppendixOne. ................................................ ListofClubOfficers............................................................131 AppendixTwo................................................. HonoraryMembers. ...........................................................132 AppendixThree. ............................................. MyGolfClubYears. ...........................................................134 Ladies’Section....................................................................................................................................................................137 AppendixA. .............................. CupsandTrophiesintheLadies’Section. ........................................169 AppendixB. ........................................... OfficersoftheLadies’Section. ..................................................172 5 Acknowledgements Albert Simpson, then Honorary Secretary, approached me Thanks also to the Ladies in the office; Pauline and Julie, in the car park one day in 1995 and said, “We need someone who patiently wrote letters for me, answered questions and to write the history of the Club. You’ll do that for us, won’t instructed me in using the photocopier. Thanks to successive you Jeremy?” How could anyone refuse? Secretary/Managers, Tom Russell first, and then David Ryan who has been a tower of strength in many ways, not least in Soon after starting I realised that help was needed, and sorting out computer problems. Martin and Bryce also were was fortunate to enlist Roy Mullan to do research. He has always ready to help. meticulously read through all the Club’s Minute Books and made invaluable notes. Besides that, he sorted out the Club Ian Wilson at North Down Heritage Centre kindly allowed photographs and captioned and dated them where possible. us to reproduce some historic photographs and gave advice His work has been invaluable. and assistance, as did Noelle Kavanagh of the Family His- tory Society when we were hunting for elusive portraits of Paula Campbell consented to write the Ladies’ Section, long ago Captains, two of which were provided by Tommy and she has proved an inspired choice. Ross the noted Bangor Historian. Many members gave me help and encouragement, princi- The GUI in Dublin and Brendan Edwards in Holywood pally Bertie Young, whose memory went back to the days of also assisted, and I gratefully acknowledge the loan of writ- the old course, as did that of Frank Hunter. Hugh Greer was ten material by Stuart McLeese, Bertha McGimpsey, Bertie kind enough to interview the Club’s older members. Smyth, Maureen and Eric Cameron, Sam Hamilton and Beryl Crothers. Hal McGimpsey and Billy Feherty both contributed pieces about their respective sons, and Alan McDade, as well as Jack Hamill contributed anecdotes about his father, and putting me right on many matters to do with golf, contributed about the Club, as did several other members. People kindly pen portraits of individual golfers. Bryan Blaikie also gave of lent me books, among them; Norman Drew, Charlie Burrowes, his expertise in golf matters. John Neill, Bertie Wilson and Roy Mullan. Thanks to A.S. Campbell for his notes on the Snooker Section, to Colin Maxwell Ledlie kindly proofread my draft, corrected much Gibson for notes on the Table Tennis Section and to Derek grammar, and produced the tables of Officers of the Club. Campton for notes on the Bowls Section. Thanks also to Jack There were many others who helped, among them the Secre- McCloskey who took photographs as required, to George tary/Managers of Ardglass, Clandeboye, Donaghadee, Helen’s Boyd for permission to use his 1944 aerial photo of the club- Bay and Royal Belfast Golf Clubs, and Trevor Grey, Histo- house and to David McNeilly who allowed us to reproduce rian of Bangor Grammar School. Thanks to all of you. some photos from his 1998 Course Yardage book, and to the 6 Acknowledgementscontinued... Ordnance Survey who allowed us to reproduce a section needed assistance in selecting the illustrations for this book. of their 1920 map of Bangor. They were unfailingly supportive, especially in the produc- tion stage and had to listen to me when things were not going Assistance was also received from Robin Adams of Trin- well. Thanks also to my wife for her support and all those ity College Library; Karen Latimer of Queens Science Li- cups of coffee. brary; and the staff of the National Library, Dublin, and the Linenhall Library. We received advice from John Hanna and Finally thanks to the Publishers, especially Tommy and W. Hanna who produced the Malone history, and more than Mark who, as they say themselves, “Kicked the thing into one hundred people donated or lent photos, newspaper cuttings shape.” Inevitably there will be some people left off this list, or other historic artefacts. and to them as well as to those listed above, thank you all. Without your help this book could not have been written. Special thanks to the other members of the Historical Sub- Committee, John Gavin and Alan McDade who gave much Jeremy Stanley. Historian. 7 BangorGolfClubCentenary

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