UK courses no longer in existence

[Craig Disher]

Mark,
Greatstone GC existed until the late 1940s or early 1950s when it was abandoned. It was located south of Littlestone GC on the triangle of land between Coast Road and Dunes Road. The Romney Warren (recently renamed the Littlestone Warren) is an 18-hole course that is immediately adjacent to Littlestone GC.

There is another course near Rye that also went out of existence in the 1940s. It was located around the Camber Castle historical site and a few greens, bunkers, and tees can still be seen there. Someone told me that it originally was owned by Rye GC but I've never been able to find any definitive information about it.

[Jonathan Davison]

Mark
I think this subject is so interesting... maybe you will discover another Lido ?

And I am sure a UK version of Wexler's Lost links would be a great read.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Mark
I think this subject is so interesting... maybe you will discover another Lido ?

And I am sure a UK version of Wexler's Lost links would be a great read.

We tried a thread like this a couple of years ago to see if there were any "great" courses lost....

Addington New seemed to be the most likely but possibly only because there's so little information on many others...

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Adam,

The Great Orme course was about half way up. You could just make out vestiges from the tram on the way to the summit twenty or more years ago when our children were of that sort of age. There are occasional flattish bits, but as I remember it there was no way you could fit 18 holes in. The housing on this part is quite old - stoneworkers' cottages - so it's not that the course has been built on. I don't know how that relates to the proposed new development.

Who would know? Possibly:

Peter Lees - professional at Conwy for 40 years. Give him a ring and mention me.
John Roger Jones - big name in Welsh golf over the years.
Clive Brown - former Walker Cup Captain who started his golf in Llandudno. Mention me.

Sorry not to be more knowledgeable.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Adam,

I found this site on Google:
http://www.greatorme.org.uk/summit.html
It seems that the golf club must have been right on the summit, not where I thought it was at all. I'm surprised there was enough room up on the summit - there are some huge drops and steep slopes. Maybe another Old Head beckons!

Mark.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

I've stumbled across another possible NLE: Fort Anne GC, Douglas IOM. 18 holes, listed separately from Douglas GC. It is given as 1/4 mile from Douglas Pier Station.

[Jonathan Davison]

Mark
Do you know who designed some of these lost courses? I am curious about the North East courses.

[Melvyn Morrow]

For info on the Great Orme check out the article in The World Hickory Golfer by David Wyke   The following is the link to the article

http://www.worldhickorygolfer.com/page3.html

Melvyn

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Thanks Melvyn. The photo is lovely but it doesn't do justice to the severity of the slopes. I suspect Health and Safety would have something to say about it now! How the old chapel goers and methodist guest house occupants of Llandudno would recoil in horror at the thought of Llandudno's flesh pots! They don't even allow ice cream vans on the seafront.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Melvyn my scanner is unfortunately not working.  Could you find the time to post the details you sent me re Colts real first course. NLE?

[Niall C]

I remember playing in the British Boys at Barrasie and someone telling me there used to be another course that was adjacent to it...anybody know of this?

Michael

I strongly suspect that they were referring to the original Dundonald course which was situated where the present Dundonald course is now sited. Like Barrasie it was/is to the east or land side of the railway. On the other side of the track you have Western Gailes. If I recall rightly there was a private 9 holer laid out on the course for some old retired general or such like. That was before either of the Gailes courses were built. The first was Glasgow Gailes in 1892 (?) which lies immediately to the north of the Dundonald site, then I think Western was next followed by Dundonald. Dundonald was laid out by Tulloch who was the Glasgow Gailes pro/greenkeeper. Tulloch eventually went to Dundonald as pro/greenkeeper, and indeed did so while laying out the revised Gailes course which he partly designed with Willie Park.

By all accounts an interesting guy who originally came from Elie (I think) and who reputedly gave James Braid his first golf lesson. Anyway the Dundonald course was one of the longest around when built and was a relatively flat links although highly rated. I know it struggled with the great depression but not sure when it fell into disuse.

Niall

[Mark Pearce]

Our club annual dinner tonight provided a chance to chat with a couple of senior members.  The course Jonathan found was Benton Park GC, which to the best recollection of the senior members, moved in 1948 to become Arcott Hall GC.  Ironic, since this evenings grace reminded us to be thoughtfull of those less fortunate than us, particularly, in winter, members of Arcott Hall.

No-one has any recollection of Clairemont GC.

[Robin_Hiseman]

Mark

I can chip in with three notable NLE's.  The first is Bramshot GC, in Fleet, Hampshire, which is just a couple of miles or so from where I live currently.  By all accounts this was a very fine heather and pine course, borne out by the one photo i've seen of the par 3 10th hole, which looked really high class.  The site was abandoned pre-war to make way fror the Pyestock jet engine testing facility adjacent to Farnborough aerodrome, though they preserved the 10th tee, fully maintained, as a relic within the midst of the enormous factory site.  The club even used to have its own railway halt on the line between Fleet and Farnborough.  There is virtually nothing left of the course now.  Much of it was obliterated by the factory, which itself is shut down now and something of a monumental industrial relic.  It is still possible to locate where the clubhouse was and a few of the specimen trees around the old building remain to this day.  I thought I found an old tee in the middle of the woods when I was scoutnig around on my mountain bike a couple of summers ago.  I believe there are some old documents in our local library which I'm going to take a look at some day.  I'm very intersted in these NLE courses.

The second is Torrie House, to the west of Dunfermline, which was a James Braid designed 18-hole course, stretching to above 6,500 yards, Par 72.  There was talk about 10 years ago of resurrecting this course, which was just left to grow over sometime in the 50's I think.  I was invited to take a look at the site and several of the old green sites were easily identifiable, complete with grown in bunkers.  A fascinating place.

The final one is Langton Hall in Leicestershire.  This course was designed by Hawtree and opened for play in 1994, but it has gone again already.  I remember being sent out to measure the course for the course guide, in the company of one of the most beautiful girls I have ever met!  I played the course a couple of times, but there was never anybody there to collect a green fee!  Only 9 holes got built and they were pretty nice by all accounts, especially the holes set in the ancient park.  I'll try to add some images, when I can remember how.  If you go to Google Earth and find Church Langton, you can clearly see the outline of the brown, abandoned  USGA greens in the adjacent park!

[Niall C]

Robin

Torrie House - I think I know the course. You pass it on the road from the Kincardine Bridge with the course on the right hand side ? I seem to recall looking at a google earth type picture a couple of years ago which seemed to show the holes around the house being back in play.

Niall

[Marty Bonnar]

...and about an 8-iron to the West of Torrie (on the other side of the road) was a 9-Holer in the grounds of Valleyfield House, the gardens of which were Humphrey Repton's only Scottish commission.
The house was also the early workplace of the young David Douglas of 'Douglas Fir' fame.
Fife is sooooo cool!
 
FBD.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Mark

I can chip in with three notable NLE's.  The first is Bramshot GC, in Fleet, Hampshire, which is just a couple of miles or so from where I live currently.  By all accounts this was a very fine heather and pine course, borne out by the one photo i've seen of the par 3 10th hole, which looked really high class.  The site was abandoned pre-war to make way fror the Pyestock jet engine testing facility adjacent to Farnborough aerodrome, though they preserved the 10th tee, fully maintained, as a relic within the midst of the enormous factory site.  The club even used to have its own railway halt on the line between Fleet and Farnborough.  There is virtually nothing left of the course now.  Much of it was obliterated by the factory, which itself is shut down now and something of a monumental industrial relic.  It is still possible to locate where the clubhouse was and a few of the specimen trees around the old building remain to this day.  I thought I found an old tee in the middle of the woods when I was scoutnig around on my mountain bike a couple of summers ago.  I believe there are some old documents in our local library which I'm going to take a look at some day.  I'm very intersted in these NLE courses.
 

Robin, Longhurst often refers to Bramshot as if it were one of the best of the ‘Pine and Heather’ brigade.  I would love to see what you find.  Good luck.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Pittenween Golf Course - is this lost and closed - is it Anstruthers but buy why different dates

Pittenween 5.08 1889



Andtruthers 10.07.1889



Any thoughts does not seem to be the same course or is it - can anyone find them both on Goggle Earth?

Melvyn

[Jon Wiggett]

There used to be a course at Daviot in the Highlands. Does anyone have any information on that one?

Jon

[Robin_Hiseman]

Robin

Torrie House - I think I know the course. You pass it on the road from the Kincardine Bridge with the course on the right hand side ? I seem to recall looking at a google earth type picture a couple of years ago which seemed to show the holes around the house being back in play.

Niall

Niall

I think that may be the private course designed by Mackenzie and Ebert.  it's very nearby, but there is nothing at Torrie House any more.  The Torrie House is immediately north of Torryburn and south of the A985.  The site is shown below...if the link works.  I can't get a preview either.

[Adrian_Stiff]

I remember an old golf course footprint at Aviemore c1973, from memory it was 9 holes and had been disused for some time. I do clearely remember several cut & fill type greens though and individual holes were evident.

[Niall C]

Robin

Looking at your photo it looks abit like the site I'm talking about but the site I'm talking about is on the right as you come from Kincardine which would be about right, but it also definitely has old green and bunker sites in the fields that are currently under pasture. You can still see the shapes.

Niall

[Adrian_Stiff]

Has google 1945 UK been extended... seems a lot more now than there was. St Andrews 1945 is there, I cant remember seeing it before.

[Robin_Hiseman]

Niall

Then we're very possibly talking about the same place.  The old shapes are still there.  It's just on the western fringe of Dunfermline, with a prominent set of standing stones visible from the road.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Has google 1945 UK been extended... seems a lot more now than there was. St Andrews 1945 is there, I cant remember seeing it before.

Thanks Adrian,

Good source to go back and see the old Eden layout....

[Mark_Rowlinson]

This is the site of the former Mirrlees Golf Club and the original home of Davenport GC which went on to become Stockport GC when it moved to Torkington.


Davenport Golf Club was instituted in December 1905 and golf began to be played at Woodsmoor early the following year.  Certainly the full nine holes were in play by that summer, according to an account of the opening of the new pavilion, carried in the Stockport Advertiser of July 20th 1906.  It mentions that the nine holes, played twice, were equal to a distance of three miles.  The course was popular with members and it was noted that two nights ‘are devoted to ladies, of whom there is a goodly number.’  George Orme, Captain of the Club, opened the pavilion in the absence, through illness, of the President, Henry Bell.  An exhibition match followed between two Disley players, named Sidebottom and Taylor.  They played the nine holes twice and on the first time round Sidebottom set a new course record of 41 (against a bogey of 40).  Taylor fared rather worse, coming to grief when he hit his ball into a hedge.  On the second round Taylor did better, scoring 42 to Sidebottom’s 45, and the match was halved on holes, but as the Advertiser records, ‘They would have done much better had they been acquainted with the course, which offers pitfalls to players unaccustomed to it'.   

The pavilion, which had been bought from the engineering firm of Boulton and Paul, was sold to Fulshaw Golf Club for £60 when Davenport moved to Torkington.  Fulshaw had been founded in 1907 following the relocation of Wilmslow Golf Club from this site in 1903.  Subsequently Fulshaw became Alderley Edge Golf Club and the pavilion served the club well until as recently as 1971.  As to the old course at Woodsmoor, when vacated by Davenport, it became the Mirrlees Golf Club and survived until 1988, vestiges of its fairways and green sites still being visible to the observant golfer’s eye on the approach to the railway bridge on Bramhall Moor Lane.