Formation & early days

FORMATION OF THE CLUB

The founding of Helsby Golf Club originated from a meeting on 28^th October 1901 at Heathercliffe the home of Mr James Taylor.  An option had been obtained over suitable land to form a nine-hole course at a nominal rent.

Those present agreed to proceed and at the end of the meeting it was noted that Helsby Golf Club was formed.

The original membership consisted of 18 Gents and 12 Ladies.

The annual subscription was set at one guinea for Gentlemen and half a guinea for Ladies.

The land for the original course 9 hole consisted of approximately 30 acres and was situated off Primrose Lane and bordered by Towers Lane, and the railway - the land that now constitutes the second 9 holes.

Right from the very founding of the Club, ladies have always been an integral part of Helsby Golf Club. From the first recorded minutes it seemed that ladies played in the same competitions as the men and from the same tees. The ladies handicaps in the early days were quite high and reference is made in one of the minutes to only permitting ladies with a handicap of 42 or less to play in competitions.

THE EARLY DAYS

March 1902, it was proposed to erect a movable pavilion. £1 debentures were issued hoping to raise £80.

July 1902, the first meeting was held in the new pavilion. Total cost of pavilion £87.6.21/2

September 1902, a meeting of all members was held to consider the state of the course as the grass had grown so long it was virtually impossible to play. They elected a Greens Committee.

The upkeep of the course was provided by the farmer who owned the land. He would cut the greens each Friday for the sum of 4 shillings and would periodically mow the fairways for the sum of £4 per year.

At the AGM in 1903, the accounts showed a balance of 7 pound 9 shillings. It was decided unanimously that this should be spent on ground improvements.

Visitor fees in 1904 were one shilling a day or five shillings a week.

A wine cellar was installed in the clubhouse at a cost of 21 shillings.

In 1905, an estimate to erect a cycle shed at a cost of £6.10.0 was rejected but a charge of 12/6 for enlarging the pavilion was accepted.

May 1905, a revised tender for the cycle shed of £4.15.0 was accepted and the cycle shed was completed in June.

Sept 1907, a letter was received from Reverend J Gallagher complaining that the sand in the tee boxes was too dry. The secretary was instructed to reply that steps were being taken to keep the sand moist during the hot weather.

Note: In these days tee pegs had not been invented and players had to tee up using a bit of sand. If it was very dry, you can imagine the problems they were having.

Nov 1909, a letter was received from Reverend J Gallagher resigning his membership. (Obviously the sand in the tee boxes was still too dry)

Jan 1910, the President proposed that considering the upset caused by the General Election (????) and the amount of sickness amongst members, the Annual Golf Dance be postponed till after Easter.

April 1910, at the AGM, a hearty vote of thanks was proposed to Mrs Martin for looking after the teas.

March 1911, Mrs Martin was elected as Captain of Helsby Golf Club.

Note: It is believed that Helsby Golf Club was the first Golf Club in the world to elect a lady as Captain of a mixed golf Club.

In 1914, the lease on the original land that formed Helsby Golf Club expired. The farmer required an increase in rental from £28 per year to £40 per year. Plus he required permission to run his cattle all over the course.

Note: Although earlier minutes do not specifically state that play was not allowed on Sundays, it is obvious from the remarks made at the AGM on 12^th September 1914 that this was so, and this must have been another factor that was considered in the proposal to move the course and the pavilion to the top of Helsby Hill.

In fact, during the early days of the Club, only a limited number of members could play on Saturday afternoons. If you were not one of the elite and you wished to play on Saturday, your name went onto a waiting list. Only when a vacancy occurred would someone from the waiting list be allowed to play on Saturday. There is reference in one of the minutes suggesting that only gentlemen with a handicap of 14 or less should be allowed to play on a Saturday.

On the 12^th September 1914, an Extraordinary General Meeting was called to consider the question of the ground. The President explained that the present lease had expired and the landlord would only renew the lease at a rental of £40 per annum. The club could obtain land on Helsby hill at a rental of £70 per annum on a ten year lease. He explained to members that with this land there was a house which could be let at about £15 per year, and the increased rental could be met by raising the subs to £2.0.0 . Sunday play would also be available and it was proposed that the club take this land for their links. This was put to the meeting and carried unanimously.

In October 1914, it was agreed that Sunday play should be allowed provided that no servant of the club be called upon and that no caddies be employed.

6^th March 1915, the first meeting in the pavilion on the new course was held. It was proposed that members of the club who had joined the forces be allowed to retain their membership during the war without subscription and the club wish them the very best of luck and a safe return.

8^th May 1915, an estimate for painting the pavilion both outside and inside was accepted at a cost of £6.0.0. It was passed that no shooting be allowed on the course as it was considered unsafe for members. Club accounts were £40 in the red.

11^th August 1915, Mr Cooper - the tenant of the house on the new course - was offered the work of looking after the links two days a week at the price of 5/- per day including the mowing and rolling of the greens when necessary twice a week. The treasurer asked Mr Cooper for an annual rent of £15 for the house but, as Mr Cooper said he could not afford it, the committee agreed to reduce the rental to £13 per year.

24^th Nov 1916, an offer to rent the course for sheep grazing was accepted at 25/- per month, to graze about 50 sheep

28^th April 1917, owing to financial problems the Greens Committee were requested not to spend any money beyond the employment of Mr Cooper and that for only one day per week. Mr Cooper subsequently asked for an increase in pay of 1/- per day which was granted.

22^nd Nov 1917, payments of caddies were increased from 3d to 4d per round during the winter months.

16^th Feb 1918, following requests from the Ministry of Agriculture it was decided to offer farmer Mr W Davies the use of a field adjoining the pavilion for the production of food, providing he erected fencing to keep the sheep off. Mr Davies declined the offer as the cost of manure and fencing was far too expensive.

20^th March 1920, first matches agreed to take place with Runcorn Golf Club.

4^th Dec 1920, the secretary attended a meeting for the founding of the Cheshire Union of Golf Clubs. Helsby were among 36 clubs joining the Union at an annual subscription of one guinea.

AGM of 1921 decided that juniors should not be allowed to play on Saturday afternoons.

8^th Nov 1921, proposed and carried that in future where a ball is played out of bounds the penalty shall be loss of distance only. (Apparently they made their own rules)

21^st Jan 1922, it was agreed the groundsmen be allowed to grow potatoes between the third green and the fourth tee.

3^rd Feb 1923, at the AGM Mrs J Edmonson was elected Captain of Helsby Golf Club and was requested to continue with making teas.

14^th Sep 1923, Mr Arrowsmith the owner of the land agreed to extend the lease to the club at an increased rent.

5^th Feb 1927, Green Fees increased from 2/- per day to 2/6 per day.

1^st Dec 1928, problems with rabbits overrunning the course (what’s new).

12^th Dec 1928, resolved that any member may shoot rabbits over the course and that the groundsmen share them.

29^th Mar 1930, Secretary to write to Mersey Power with regard to supplying electricity to the pavilion for electric lighting.

5^th May 1930, for financial reasons, the committee resolved not to have electricity installed in the pavilion.

24^th Jan 1931, the cost of a new fairway mower was put at £50. Each member was asked to contribute at least 10/- toward a fund to purchase the mower.

14^th Feb 1931, the groundsmen’s wages for a 48 hour week agreed at £135 per year.(£2.12.0 per week) In the winter the groundsmen only worked 40 hours per week but the accumulated difference between 40 and 48 hrs had to be worked off in the growing season at the discretion of the greens committee.

It was resolved that all golf balls found on the course should be bought in by the club and exhibited for sale in the clubhouse.

The ladies section joined the LGU.

9^th July 1933, Mersey Power offered to supply electricity to the clubhouse for £5 per year for two years. Committee deferred taking a decision.

31.Aug 1933, Mersey Power’s offer to install electricity was accepted. (Let there be light)

THE SAGA OF THE HORSE

11^th June 1921, Mr Britland suggested buying a horse that would help with the various jobs round the course. The committee decided to leave the matter over for this season.

6^th Aug 1921, the handicap committee rejected a request from the ladies to erect forwards tees so that the ladies could play from them.

8^th Nov 1921, Mr Britland brought forward the question of buying a horse again. After further discussion it was decided to leave it over for consideration at a later date.

17^th Nov 1921, Mr Britland informed the committee that he could buy a horse for about £10. It was decided that Mr Britland should find out what arrangements could be made for stabling and looking after the horse

18^th Nov 1921, it was agreed to purchase a horse at the cost of £10 and a harness for £6. The farmer Mr Ford was prepared to look after and stable the horse at a cost of 6/- per week.

 7^th Jan 1922, the question of damage being done to the course by the horse was discussed and it was agreed that it could not continue, and the horse would no longer be used on the course. Mr Britland was instructed to see Mr Ford and come to some arrangement with him.