Mold Golf Club, Pantymwyn. Tel: 01352 741513.
History of Mold Golf Club
John Goodwin and Eddie Hughes, two of the original green keepers with the Model “T” Ford and gang mowers, C.1920’s.
“1909 - 2009”
“1909 - 2009”
Mold Golf Club was formally constituted at a meeting held in the Town Hall in the autumn of 1909. A Golf Club at Hafod Hall had been established in 1905, but a contemporary report indicates that, ‘owing to the stiff climb necessary to reach the course preparatory to play the interest flagged.’
The inaugural meeting of what was to become Mold Golf Club was presided over by Councillor W. E. Trickett, J.P. Chairman of the Mold Urban Council, and, ‘there was a large and fully representative muster of golf devotees of the neighbourhood present.’
It was, ‘unanimously decided to form a Golf Club for Mold,’ to be located close to Padeswood Station, on account of its accessibility by both road and rail.
‘Mr. R. E. Jones consented to act as Treasurer, and Mr Douglas Ravenscroft undertook the duties of Secretary. The following gentlemen were elected on the committee: Drs. Frazer (Buckley), Lunt, Trubshaw, and Messrs. E. P. Edwards, Captain Fairclough, J. B. Price, and W. E. Trickett.
‘It was decided that there should be an entrance fee of half a guinea for ladies and one guinea for gentlemen, and a yearly subscription of one guinea for all members.
‘A goodly list of members was enrolled at the meeting.’
Mold Golf Club’s first course, at Padeswood, was ready for play at the beginning of November, 1909. The first recorded event was a match held on 25th November between teams representing the Hon. Secretary and the Hon. Treasurer.
“A ‘Model T Ford’ pulling gang mowers was the first mechanical means of cutting the fairways”
The Club acquired its first clubhouse in January, 1910, when it bought the cricket pavilion from Mold Recreation Ground. Severe gales in February necessitated some ‘readjustment’ of the structure.
Competitions began in earnest at Easter and, at the first AGM, held at the Town Hall in November, 1910, the prospects of the Club were described as ‘exceedingly bright.’ The first Captain’s Prize, contested over 36 holes in May 1911, was won by Mr J Bradburne Price, who was elected hon. secretary in November of that year, when the first Ladies’ Committee was formed.
Medal competitions and inter-club matches, against Holywell and Hawarden, followed in 1912 and a ‘very successful’ Golf Club Social was held at the Drill Hall in December.
The Club’s activities were curtailed by the war years, but one of the post-war highlights was the success of Captain Norman Roberts in the first 36-hole scratch competition held by the newly formed North Wales Golfing Union at Prestatyn in 1922. Two Mold members featured in that event; Mr C C Marston had finished two strokes ahead but was disqualified for playing from a wrong tee!
Despite what had been heralded as the Club’s unrivalled accessibility, the attraction of its location at Padeswood was moderated by the fact that the course was low-lying and poorly drained. In August, 1927, there were reports of serious flooding in the area, with land being washed away, particularly in the region of Llong Meadows.
After the experience of the summer of 1927, the members considered that the land at Padeswood was ‘unsuitable for a golf course,’ and at a special meeting, held in March, 1928, it was unanimously decided to transfer the site of the course from Padeswood to Pen y Parc, Pantymwyn where, ‘the land is all mountain turf and is ideal for golf.’
‘One of the first steps was to secure the services of George Gadd, of Roehampton, one of the foremost golf professionals of the day, and his report on the proposed new course was extremely favourable.’ (George Gadd had been a member of the Great Britain team in the first Ryder Cup match played in America in 1927.)
It was reported that the course at Pantymwyn adjoined a bus route, was situated in the midst of beautiful scenery and commanded extensive views of Moel Fammau and the Clwydian Range on the one hand and the Wirral Peninsula on the other.
It is thought that play began, at what was to become the Club’s centenary home, in May, 1928.
Despite the growing popularity of Pantymwyn as a residential district the setting of the course remains delightfully rural.
The present testing, undulating course measures 5524 yards from the white tees and has a Standard Scratch Rating of 67. The LGU length is 5109 yards with a Standard Scratch Rating of 70.
The present testing, undulating course measures 5524 yards from the white tees and has a Standard Scratch Rating of 67. The LGU length is 5109 yards with a Standard Scratch Rating of 70.
Lady Members outside the Old Clubhouse
Tegid Morris with his team of green keepers, C.1984.