In 1991 we were congratulated by the R & A, who were under the impression that our centenary had been reached. This certainly “fluttered the dovecotes” in the Club. Had we completely missed our opportunity to celebrate the Club’s Centenary? The accompanying correspondence illustrating the confusion over this date also acknowledges eventually the validity of our foundation on the 24th May 1901 Graham Thomas clarified the situation with evidence from our minutes and other records, revealing that a Chester Golf Club had indeed been founded in 1891, but that it had never had any constitutional link with our Club, which had been started at the Bache in 1901. This other Chester Golf Club was established on the Sealand marshes about five miles from Chester, following a resolution at a meeting at the Grosvenor Hotel and ironically, after negotiations for land at Brewer’s Hall had fallen through.T his club was called “Chester Golf Club”, and it explained why our Club was called “Curzon Park Golf Club” when we moved there in 1912-13. We were only able to change our name after the Sealand Club disbanded in1940. It is interesting to record some details of this “other” Chester Golf Club. It was established on a piece of marshland, bought from a Mr. Howard, and not only was it 200 acres in extent, but also the Railway Company was prepared to provide a station for it. The Chester Tramway Company too was generous enough to set up a special return fare from Chester for 1s and 6d! The site for the new course was described as .... “an extremely healthy expanse of marsh, surrounded by picturesque scenery. The proposed nine holes are on a beautiful piece of turf, dry and level, and ensuring good lies, whilst in good time, putting greens as true as billiard tables can easily be made without expense. Further, there will be few, if any, lost balls, and nothing to try the temper much, like breaking clubs trying to extricate the ball from whins and stones or deep bunkers. Indeed the fault of the ground is its uniform flatness. There are not enough natural hazards, and the beginner may be inclined to think golf an easy game as he is not likely to get much punishment from a topped ball.” Starting with about 107 members it appears that the club united the office of President and Captain in the early years and two notables who held these honours were the Duke of Westminster and W.E. Gladstone! However from as early as 1895 a “cloud no bigger than a man’s hand” threatened the club. The activities of the Summers and Sons Steelworks had necessitated the moving of the platform built for the club by the Railway Company and by 1898 some of the golf links were swallowed up by the works and even the old clubhouse building at Hawarden Bridge was being used as offices. Eventually the whole course was taken over by the outbreak of the Second World War and by 1940 the club had ceased to exist. Our Club still maintains one link with the first Chester Golf Club - The Seniors Cup which we compete for, originally was played for over the Sealand course. |
