Centenary 1909 -2009
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Centenary 1909 -2009 MOLD GOLF CLUB Cilcain Road, Pantymwyn, Nr Mold, Flintshire CH7 5EH Competitions Greens Committee Committee Telephones: 01352 741513 (Clubhouse); 01352 740318 (Professional) E-mail: [email protected] Peter Roach Les Jeffcott Colin Jones Barry Brine Barry Haigh Keith Chamberlin CENTENARY YEAR 2009 OFFICERS Keith Chamberlin Bob Dukeson Gordon Hughes Nev George Ladies’ representa- J Dewi Ingman tive Iestyn Ingman Dewi W Ingman House Committee J Richard Jones Tony Moore Don Farrington Bob Naybour Mike Hayes Rishi Sharma Brian Clarke Roger Howes Mike Worsnip Mike Jones Finance Ladies’ representa- Committee tive Stephen Jones Social Committee Roy Fisher Janet Spence David Thurston Barry Haigh Roy Fisher Richard Jones Management Committee: Back row, from Don Farrington (House Chairman). Glyn Evans Jim Mash left: Peter Roach (Greens Chairman), Front row, from left: Margaret Ellis Margaret Ellis Dave Stephens J Dewi Ingman, Stephen Jones (Finance (Lady Vice-Captain); Martyn Norma Newall Tim Davies Chairman), Chris Mills (Secretary/Man- Scholes (Captain), Dave Ashworth Angela Morris Gaynor Jones ager), Dave Faulkner, Les Jeffcott (President), Elizabeth Harrison (Lady Tony Moore Charles Bull (Competitions Chairman), Tudor Hughes, Captain); Glyn Evans (Vice-Captain). Joy Burton Don Layfield Irene Leech Cover picture by Mike Worsnip 2 Captains’ foreword T WAS a great honour and privilege to be elected as the hours of editing which have culminated in the production of Captains of Mold Golf Club on the occasion of the club’s this unique book. It will serve as a lasting tribute to those hun- ICentenary Year. Thanks should be accorded to the founders dreds of committed members who over the century have freely for establishing the club and to all the members and staff over given their hearts and minds, the labour of their hands and not the last hundred years for all their conscientious work which infrequently the contents of their pockets “for the club” as they has given us today a golf course of which we can all be proud. would put it. We are certain that you will enjoy browsing through these By meeting the challenges of a changing world, Mold Golf pages for the stories and facts that have come to light, and also Club has successfully weathered two world wars and a change remember the many occasions and the people who over the of location. Today, justifiably, it takes its place among the very years have left their mark on the club. best. We would like to acknowledge the time and diligent work We look forward to the club’s continued development and of the members of the Centenary Committee who helped to we hope to enjoy many more happy golfing years well into its make this year of celebration especially memorable. second century. In particular we are very grateful to Bob Adams, Bob Tay- Martyn Scholes lor and Tudor Hughes for their painstaking research and many Elizabeth Harrison Club Captain Martyn Scholes and Lady Captain Elizabeth Harrison are pictured flanking the stunning Cente- nary plaque alongside the first tee. This new piece of high-tech artwork that faithfully captures the Mold course layout on zinc testifies to the skills of a handful of members. Colin Crowther, Viv Blackwell and Tony Moore, along with head green- keeper Colin Jones, spent months compiling digital course details from aerial photographs and plans. Photocast Products in Liverpool then translated the digital information into a zinc interpretation plaque using their deep-etch system, and this was mounted on a seasoned hardwood board manufactured by two more members Mike Worsnip and Brian Clarke. All 18 holes, tees, greens, bunkers, trees, areas of gorse and other features are displayed in relief and detail on the plaque, showing elevations and depressions of the course just like a map-model. 3 Contents The first years .......................... 5 The first clubhouse .................. 7 Victorian entrepreneur ........... 10 Clouds of war ......................... 13 Moving to Pantymwyn .......... 15 Battle of the bar ...................... 21 A new clubhouse ..................... 24 Roof blown off ........................ 29 18 holes in play ....................... 30 The ladies protest! ................. 33 A course for all seasons - the sixth in winter Picture: David Andrews Celebrating 75 years ............... 36 Centenary Year ....................... 43 Casino night ........................... 46 Having a ball .......................... 48 Showtime ................................ 52 Juniors .................................... 55 Seniors .................................... 58 Hurricane’s landing ............... 59 Green staffs ............................. 60 Disappearing hole .................. 64 Presidents and captains ......... 66 ... and the seventh in summer Picture: Colin Jones Winners ................................... 69 4 In the beginning olf is essentially about people. Any warmly applauded, and Col. Lloyd responded, history of Mold Golf Club which Many glad to wishing the club every success in the future. Gfailed to give proper recognition to His daughter, Miss Lloyd, then drove the first those Victorians who made it possible would ball most successfully, and the links were de- be incomplete. clared open for play, after which two ‘four- It is perhaps important, also, to be aware of cultivate somes,’ as the golfers call it, were started and events on the wider scene against which Mold had a round in the links. Golf Club grew up. “The course is of 9 holes, but very ‘sport- It is likely that the second Boer War (1899- acquaintance ing.’ Some of the bunkers, which are mostly 1902), the deaths of Queen Victoria (1901) and stone walls, require a lot of ‘doing,’ especially King Edward VII (1910), the development of those with trees on the top. the Model T Ford (from 1908), Louis Blériot’s with a sport so “These links lie about two miles from crossing the English Channel (1909), the de- Mold, at a high elevation where the scenery is mise of Dr Crippen (1910), the generosity of of the grandest and the air most bracing, so that Peter Roberts in giving Mold its Town Hall exhilarating the locality alone should ensure a prosperous (1911), the maiden voyage of the Titanic future for the club, and play may be enjoyed The Herald’s prediction was borne out (1912) and the horrors of the Great War would every day in the week (except Sundays) when when they were able to report, in August, 1905, all have exercised the minds of the founder the links are closed. All applications for mem- “These links were opened on Tuesday, the members of the club. bership should be addressed to the hon. secre- 15th inst., when the attendance was small, There was a growing acceptance that the tary, Rhual Isa, Mold.” owing to two garden parties taking place in this best way to prevent illness was through physi- There is much in these early reports, not neighbourhood on the same day. Before play cal exercise and golf was coming to be recog- least the competition afforded by two garden commenced Major Whitworth (the hon. secre- nised as a beneficial addition to the major parties on the day the course was opened, to tary) said a few words thanking Colonel Lloyd, sports of the day which, certainly in Mold, suggest that, in 1905, golf was not within the the proprietor, for his great kindness in giving were cricket and football. reach of ordinary mortals. the club the use of his ground, which was In March 1904, The Flintshire County Her- It appears that the “gentlemen” referred to ald reported, “Several gentlemen have commu- in the first report included a number of the nicated with us asking that attention be called civic dignitaries of the day who appeared to to the desirability of forming a golf club for believe that a golf course would be an asset in Mold and District. So far as we can glean, golf furthering Mold’s claim to be a special place to is a health-giving pastime, and we believe if a visit. club was started for Mold there would be many They included bank managers, lawyers, who would become members.” doctors, businessmen, teachers, clergymen and By June of the following year, it was an- army officers. Aside from public service, and nounced that there was “a proposal on foot to golf, their shared interests included the Church, establish a golf club. It is to be hoped the pres- the Cosmopolitan Society, Freemasonry and ent movement will be brought to a successful the Territorial Army, founded in 1908. Some issue, as there are many in Mold who would be were to serve as officers in the First World glad to cultivate acquaintance with a sport of War. so exhilarating and health-giving a character. Colonel Lloyd’s father had been a merchant We understand that a tract of land on the Hafod and ship-owner, with a large estate in Tuscany. estate is considered a suitable venue for the Lloyd himself sat as a member of the Flintshire links, and probably we shall hear more about Colonel Edward Lloyd County Council, was made a magistrate in the proposal in the course of the next few President of Hafod Golf Club 1886, and became High Sheriff of Flintshire. weeks.” We are told that he was intensely fond of * 5 Search for missing links * hunting and other forms of outdoor sport, and when the new Committee was elected. It com- his stables invariably housed fashionable and prised: President, Colonel Lloyd; Hon Secre- high class thoroughbreds. Major Whitworth, tary, Major Whitworth; Treasurer, Mr R E recently arrived from Wimborne, in Dorset, Jones, together with Major Wynne-Eyton and had been an officer in the Warwick Regiment. Messrs W Lloyd Parry, R D Roberts, H Good- Although the Borough Pocket Guide to man Roberts and W E Trickett. It was consid- Mold of 1908 declared that golfers were ered that the outlook for the coming year was catered for at Hafod, there was no mention of it most favourable, and the club was filling a great want.