Railways and golf courses

[wellhouse]

The Devils Dyke branch (near Brighton) had a Golf Club Halt. I recall reading many moons ago that a bell rang in the clubhouse to advise members of approaching trains.

 

[john prytherch]

Harlech Golf Club is beside the Cambrian Coast line and, I recall, has its own crossing for access. My father was a great golfer and as I child I caddied for him there. I was more interested in the railway and have fond memories of 2236 passing with a long up freight, where one of the tees or greens (I cannot remember which) is very close to the line.

Anglesey Golf Club at Rhosneigr is beside the Chester & Holyhead main line. It may have holes on both sides of it, but, I am sure, none crossing it!

John Prytherch.

 

[Killingworth]

I started the thread after noting how so many famous golf courses were near stations and that Gleneagles had 3, the hotel, station and golf all going together. That led on to seeing how many other stations have 3 golf club houses within a mile.

Lots near the railways, and some almost within the mile criteria. Even with that tight qualification there are still quite a lot of active stations within a mile of 3 club houses. I've tried to highlight them within the thread. Troon is the clear winner with 5 courses within the mile.

A lot are coastal links courses with Scotland well to the fore. Prior to WW1 it seems to have been quite common to take golf clubs on a train. In those days the guards van had plenty of space and metal trunks and heavy leather luggage would often be sent in advance.

 

[Cricketer8for9]

[Prior to WW1 it seems to have been quite common to take golf clubs on a train. In those days the guards van had plenty of space and metal trunks and heavy leather luggage would often be sent in advance.[/QUOTE]

I thinks it’s also the case that prior to the First World War people tended to do less day to day travelling to play different courses and so had left their clubs in the course locker room. They thus did not have to carry their clubs with them. Although I’m less sure it wouldn’t altogether surprise me if they had regular caddies who would meet them off specific trains. And of course golf bags were much lighter in those days.

 

[Killingworth]

[Prior to WW1 it seems to have been quite common to take golf clubs on a train. In those days the guards van had plenty of space and metal trunks and heavy leather luggage would often be sent in advance.

I thinks it’s also the case that prior to the First World War people tended to do less day to day travelling to play different courses and so had left their clubs in the course locker room. They thus did not have to carry their clubs with them. Although I’m less sure it wouldn’t altogether surprise me if they had regular caddies who would meet them off specific trains. And of course golf bags were much lighter in those days.[/QUOTE]

I played golf for a time in the 60s and fellow golfers were mostly keeping their clubs in their lockers. Even the lighter weight bags being used would have been hard work to take on a train so visits to Gleneagles and Troon would have been special occasions.

 

[Cricketer8for9]

On a purely personal note I have got to one course by train (Royal Blackheath via Mottingham) and it’s not unknown in London, but still nowhere near common.

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Sunny Llandudno..... North wales golf club to the left, Maesdu to the right and a railway track separating them...

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.3081907,-3.8371103,1868m/data=!3m1!1e3

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.3074663,-3.8370244,233m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

[pdq]

Tenby - the club house is a 5 minute walk from the station, and the line is adjacent to to the course between Tenby and Penally

 

[Ploughman]

Southport must be one of the best places to get a variety of links courses, but the main station isn't within a mile of an 18 hole course.

Within Southport Hillside station fulfills the criteria of being within a mile of 3 club houses, Hillfoot GC, Southport and Ainsdale GC and Royal Birkdale GC.

Southport Municipal and the Hesketh must be just outside a mile from the station then?

 

[Statto]

Gleneagles has its golf courses because the railway built them! The hotel and golf courses were promoted by a private company but the Caledonian Railway assumed responsibility to complete and then own them. Of course the government sold it along with the other BTH hotels in 1983.
Other railway owned hotels with their railway owned golf courses were Cruden Bay, Turnberry, Moretonhampstead, Felixstowe, Tregenna Castle St.Ives.
Besides the obvious Denham Golf Club which is still open, there were halts opened across the whole country specifically for golfers in the early years of the twentieth century.
The link between other courses and railways such as Llandudno and Sheringham are purely coincidental.
The Wirral had one golf club which had three stations serving it - Chester Golf Club, Birkenhead Junction Golf Club and Chester Junction Golf Club.
Another Wirral station closely linked with golf today is Hoylake which serves the Royal Liverpool course

Also at Hoylake, the Hoylake municipal golf course is over the road from the station.
Wallasey Grove Road, you have short walk to Wallasey & Warren golf links
Hall Road is next to West Lancashire golf course
Eccleston Park is a strange one, the clubhouse is less than half a mile from Eccleston Park station, couple of holes are over the road from the station, because of the roundabout way to get the clubhouse, it looks a good couple of miles hike from Eccleston Park station.

 

[Bevan Price]

Also at Hoylake, the Hoylake municipal golf course is over the road from the station.
Wallasey Grove Road, you have short walk to Wallasey & Warren golf links
Hall Road is next to West Lancashire golf course
Eccleston Park is a strange one, the clubhouse is less than half a mile from Eccleston Park station, couple of holes are over the road from the station, because of the roundabout way to get the clubhouse, it looks a good couple of miles hike from Eccleston Park station.

If we consider distances "as the crow flies", and golf club includes the playing areas (green, fairways, etc. - not just the club house), then Thatto Heath station just fails to qualify for 3 golf courses. It is less than 1 mile from Eccleston Park Golf Course, about 1/2 mile from Grange Park Golf Course, but just over 1 mile from Sherdley Park Golf Course.

However Eccleston Park Golf Club is under threat of closure. Under the green belt destruction policy of St. Helens Council, they have suggested that the site should be used for housing.

 

[pappleby]

Long gone, Annesley and Hollinwell Halt on the Great Central, built really for Hollinwell Golf Course, next door!