LOBDEN GOLF CLUB
WHITWORTH - LANCASHIRE
Welcome to the Official Website of Lobden Golf Club
Founded 17th May 1888
The Hon. President The Lord of the Manor of Rochdale
Lobden Golf Club 1930's
The
charge for entering competitions in 1930 was 6d and no
member was
allowed to tee off before 10.00 am or start later than 5.30 pm.
Only 12 competitors qualified for the Captain's Final, four from each of the three qualifying competitions.
Matches home and away were played against Tunshill Golf Club.
It is interesting to note that the Opening Day fixture on 19th March 1932 was cancelled owing to the Rugby League Semi-Final between Wakefield Town & Swinton, played at the Hornets ground. Swinton won the match finished 7 - 4 in front of a crowd of 21,378 with gate receipts of £1,367 8s 10d.
Mr Harold Hawkard made arrangements for Allan Dailey, the professional at Bradley Hall Golf Club, Halifax, to visit Lobden on Saturday 14th October 1933, this being closing day of the gentlemen's fixtures.
The following was recorded in the minute book:
ALLAN DAILEY AT LOBDEN
Saturday October 14th was the closing day of the Gentlemen's Fixtures and by the kind arrangement of Mr Harold Hawkard we were favoured with a visit by Allan Dailey, Professional of Bradley Hall Golf Club, Halifax. A fourball match was played by Messrs Dailey & Hawkard against J Hill & A Silcock, the former winning easily. The latter put up a good fight but on an occasion such as this and playing to a gallery they appeared to be on the nervous side. Of course the centre of attraction was Mr Dailey and golf as it should be played.
He created a great interest from beginning to end and he was often applauded for his neat and clever work. His rounds were as follows:
Out: 4 4 3 3 4 4 4 4 2 = 32
In: 5 4 2 5 4 3 4 3 3 = 33 = 65
This is a record for Professional play at Lobden but many years ago Alex Herd returned a 66, the course at that time being shorter. The amateur record is still held by Albert Hill also with a 66.
After the match Mr Dailey gave an exhibition of driving and approach shots and it was remarkable how he controlled the ball, explaining beforehand was going to happen.
Tea was served in the Clubhouse by the Ladies Committee and in the absence of the Captain (Mr F Bussy) Mr Jas E Kershaw presided. Mr Kershaw in his remarks thanked Mr Hawkard for getting Mr Dailey to come to Lobden and said how everyone had appreciated seeing him play. Thanks were also extended to Mr Dailey for coming and for his kindness in giving advice. as he was about to take up a new post at Addington, Croyden, Surrey the speaker congratulated him and wished him every success. Mr Dailey suitably responded saying how he had enjoyed himself and he would be glad to come back to Lobden again.
During the evening songs were rendered by members of the Club.
Allan Dailey was one of 25 golfers who appeared in a set of Cards "Golf" by John Player & Sons in 1939. He played in the 1938 Open at Sandwich, Royal St George's.
At a ground meeting in April 1933 it was decided that a new short hole would be made from No 5 tee (155 yds) towards Rushy Hill and a new tee introduced on Rushy Hill to convert the existing 5th hole to the 6th, this being the current dogleg 6th. The new green was built by Mr Wm Cropper of Syke at a cost of £20. At this time is was agreed to accept Mr Cropper's quotation of £10 to remove the crown and relay the No 2 green. A later meeting approved that he also build new sixth tees on Rushy Hill for a further cost of £7-5-0. It was also proposed to do away with the present No 8 green and play through from the 8th tee to the last making a long hole at No 9. Working parties to be organised to introduce new bunkers at various holes. These alterations were brought into use on 30th Match 1935.
From 1935 the course measured:
1st 295 yds (bogey 4)
2nd 275 yds (4)
3rd 145 yds (3)
4th 232 yds (4)
5th 155 yds (3)
6th 375 yds (5)
7th 200 yds (3)
8th 247 yds (4) Par 3
9th 430 yds (5)
Total 2354 yds (35)
Prior to this the course had measured:
1st 291 yds
2nd 275 yds
3rd 145 yds
4th 232 yds
5th 375 yds
6th 200 yds
7th 247 yds
8th 272 yds
9th 248 yds
Total 2285 yds (35)
Bogey 70 Par 68
The Ladies tees measured as above except 2nd 225 yds (4) and 5th 351 yds (5).
Total 2211 yds Bogey 72.
Harry Tweedale Norris (centre back row) c1930's. Anyone know the name of the dog!?
The Accounts for 1935 show receipts for subscriptions of £205.17s.0d for Gentlemen and £67.14s.6d for Ladies. The club took £12.4s.0d in green fees and a new Triple Mower plus the housing of same cost £106.15s.1d which was purchased from voluntary subscriptions from the members of £108.0s.0d The cost of wages (£214.8s.0d), upkeep of the links, a new lawn mower and horse hire amounted to a total of £305.8s.1d. The cost of prizes amounted to £5.4s.6d. A balance was carried forward to 1936 of 6s.1d.
The Report for Season 1937 stated - 'It was generally admitted that the course had been in exceptionally good condition throughout the season, with the exception of No 8 green, which was attacked by our formidable foe, the leatherjacket; this was quite beyond our control and is likely to happen on the best of courses. I understand that it has cost a certain Lancashire Club (championship course) £1,000 to combat the plague'.
The report goes on to say - 'It is certainly encouraging to the Committee to see that the average number of competitors is well up to the 1937 standard. The average per competition was 28. It should be noted that in the last qualifying round there were 36 competitors who took out cards..... The Fourball competition seems to gain in popularity and we sincerely hope they will continue to do so. A suggestion has been put forward that some of the competitions be increased from 18 to 36 holes'.
Below is a copy of the expenditure from the annual report for 1938.
1938
The following is from the Manchester Guardian
Rochdale Golf Clubs' Jubilee
The hazards of early golf existence are to be seen reflected in the celebrations this year by the Rochdale clubs of the same anniversary. Both Lobden G.C. and Rochdale G.C. claim 1938 as their "golden jubilee" year. It is the same celebration, but the question is: Whose is it? Or, rather, are both entitled to it? The facts are these. A Rochdale Golf Club was founded in 1888 with a nine-hole course at Shawforth. The land was found to be unsuitable, and so a move was made in the same year to Lobden, where another nine-hole course was built and still exists - fifty years later. At Lobden the Rochdale Golf Club throve; the course could not accommodate all the people who wanted to play, and so another nine-hole course was made at King's Road and members were at liberty to use either course. This state lasted until 1905, when the lease at King's Road ran out. By this time eighteen hole courses were becoming so much the rule that the Rochdale G.C. felt it must come into line if it were not to be accused of being old-fashioned. As the need for reorganisation was imminent it was decided to build eighteen holes at Bagslate and to abandon Lobden. But the affections of many were tied to Lobden, and they refused to leave the scene of so many joys and sorrows. So Lobden became a club of its own under that name and held its first general meeting on February 7th, 1906, but their course was already eighteen years old. The moderns went to the new course, taking their old name with them. They had completely new quarters in 1906, but their name was already eighteen years old.
Course or Club.
Thirty-two years later Lobden and Rochdale both claim to have reached a jubilee. Several questions arise, but it is better not to ask them in Rochdale. On the face of it both clubs are entitled to a jubilee, Rochdale as a club and Lobden as a course, though this is not laid down as a definite ruling and is merely a diplomatic attempt to reach a bilateral agreement. It may be pertinent to ask if in 1956 Lobden will celebrate the golden jubilee and the formation of their club (the centenary of the course following thirty-two years later). And will Rochdale G.C. celebrate in 1956 the golden jubilee of their course at Bagslate (the centenary of the formation of the club following thirty-two years later)? Perhaps they may yet have a joint function to celebrate the golden jubilee of the establishment of golf in Rochdale and to honour pioneers who must have had courage and patience to found a game which a large section of the community now enjoys under happy conditions.
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Work began on the nearby Watergrove reservoir in the 1930's providing work for 550 unemployed local people. To make way for this, several farms, hamlets and communities, were destroyed.
In
1939 the number of clubs, that a golfer was allowed to carry, was
limited to 14.
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