Calling club historians

[Mark Chaplin]

I have been asked to asssume the role of club historian/archivist. Interested to hear how others record and retain information on their clubs. Sadly the days of competition books, matchplay draw sheets, etc are on their way out as more and more is completed online.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Mark,


I've been involved in a number of club histories. I think the most important thing to do is to interview your older members - they may not be there to interview in due course. I think it's also important to interview past and present secretaries, head greenkeeper, steward, professional and those members who serve on the various boards and committees. There's no substitute for going through the minute books from day one. Get as many anecdotes from members as you can - they can bring a book to life. Note the suggestions books. It's important to work out who gets mentioned in the book and who doesn't and in what proportion to whatever they have done. Get as many photographs as you can from a long time ago to the present day. They can be stored electronically.


It's important to work out the size and format of the book at an early stage and a price for it. Can you afford it? You might consider publishing electronically rather than as a book. People don't get to hold it, but in this age many people don't mind. Are you having it professionally designed?


Will you update the book as captains succeed captains and so on? Will you use Captain or captain and how far into the book will you use such distinction. I am working on a book at the moment in which they want capitals for everything. It's tedious but I do it because I'm required to. It's that sort of a club.


When do you publish? Are you aiming at a specific celebration? Do you want to keep the book in chronological order throughout or split it off into separate sections, course, players, admin etc.? Do think about using graphics. They can split up text into bite sized chunks. You can also use lists of captains, church mice and so on for this. Make sure you photograph everything even down to the crested cups of tea. Make sure you get decent photographs of the green keeping kit - it's a big investment these days. Ecology seems to be important to show outsiders that much of your practise is beneficial to more than just the club and its members. Contrast modern practice with what was done in the past.


Do you have lots of photos of ken-speckled figures drinking gin in fancy blazers sir expunge such people from the book. Ladies, do you treat them separately or integrate them into the club, if they pay the same membership? Juniors probably have an increased presence these days.


Store your information in two separate places, just in case your clubhouse burns down.


I'll think of other things I'm sure.


Best wishes,


Mark Rowlinson. 

[Thomas Dai]

If you have a hard copy of something, photograph (scan) it. Not just obvious things like the course. Paintings/maps etc hanging in frames on walls. Inside rooms, even (empty) locker-rooms, kitchens, offices. Photograph the trophies and competition etc boards hanging on walls. Scan or photograph documents. Just snap (or video) away.

Going forward is important not just history. What is happening now is future history. Do an annual or even more frequent photo survey of almost everything - course, inside/outside clubhouse, maintenance buildings and equipment, special club features. Encourage the course manager to do the same...some already are.

With more and more correspondence being done by email/web etc these days and with passwords etc around establish how electronic data is stored and how it can be recovered if necessary.....it's future history.

As to storage, if there's a librarian or ex-librarian who's a member ask their advice and put some processes in place....when archivists/club historians change often so does the way things are retained/stored and thus the previous archivist may know where something is but the current one doesn't.

Clubhouse fires have greatly reduced the amount of historical information at many clubs. Consider what would happen to the data you ultimately collect in your new role if your clubs clubhouse burnt down sometime in the future.

I look forward to reading what others may suggest. Should be a bunch of tips for others of us involved in similar roles.

Good luck.

Atb

[Mark_Rowlinson]

I should also have said, appoint someone that you can work to as editor, and only one person. Try not to be answerable to a committee.

[Mark Chaplin]

Mark fortunately I'm only holding the reigns, we have a centenary book and with the 125 coming up I'm sure someone will write a 150 book.


I'm just interested in maintaining and adding to our collection of artifacts and recording today's events for the future.

[Ed Homsey]

Mark--


I have been historian at my club, Stafford CC, in western New York, since 1997.  I wish I knew then what I know now.  In particular, I wish that I had understood better the distinctive roles of the historian and the archivist.  About 10 years ago, I recommended the formation of a History and Archives Committee.  The committee's role was placed into the club's bylaws (very important for both political and practical purposes).  That committee has remained very stable, in terms of membership, and has played a terrific role in the formation and organization of the club's archives.  It is a very visible committee, and by now, is known,within the membership, as the committee that really works and functions well.  I will PM that committee's job description as well as the bylaws provision that was added to the club's bylaws.


Having a clear vision of how the archives should be organized, both digitally and otherwise, is very important.  The location of the archives is also important, i.e. in a safe, secure, archivally correct, and easily accessble location.


More later.

[Wayne_Kozun]

You might also want to see if you can get some aerial photos of various years.  And you might also want to try to archive what you can from Google Maps, Bing Maps and whatever else is available so that you can have a detailed satellite shot of what the course looks like today (or a few years ago when these satellite photos were taken).


If there were any important tournaments at your club look for newsreels.  My club held the Canadian Open in the 40s, 50s and 60s and newsreel movies are some of the best material that we have for what the club looked like at the time.