Childwall Golf Club
Childwall Golf Club has occupied three sites and has undergone three name changes since its formation in 1912. It started life as a nine hole course on the meadows bounded by Speke Road, Watergate Lane and Macketts Lane. The course was owned by Peter McGuffie, a wealthy ship owner, who had bought Woolton Hall, a former Molyneux family country house and opened it as the Woolton Hall Hydro Hotel. He built the golf course for the benefit of his family and the Hotel guests and in 1912 a group known as the Hydro Links players was formed and were allowed to use some rooms in the stable block. On 15 March 1913 they changed their name to the Woolton Hall Hydro Golf Club.
When the Hotel closed in 1915 the golfers operated the course under licence and in 1917 they obtained a five year lease and dropped the word Hydro from the title. At the expiry of the lease on 31 December 1921 the Council was unable to agree satisfactory terms with the McGuffie family and in the following year they found a new site leasing 52 acres from the Marquess of Salisbury. In May 1922 the name was changed to The Childwall Golf Club and twelve holes were opened followed by another six holes constructed two years later on an extra 24 acres of land.
In 1935 a new Town Planning scheme, plus the desire of Lord Salisbury to dedicate part of the course as a site for a voluntary Hospital, caused another change of location. This proved to be the defining moment in the club’s history because the members were able to raise £8,000 to purchase the 204 acres Holt Hall Farm estate and to instruct James Braid to design the 18 hole layout. In 1938 W H Baines, the Town Clerk of Liverpool, laid the foundation stone of the new Art Deco style clubhouse which was formally opened by the Lord Mayor on 10 June 1939. The forecast at that time was that one day the course would be one of the finest parkland courses in the area, an accurate prediction.
Childwall’s initial application to join the Society was rebuffed on 17 June 1926 when the Committee met at 6 pm on the day of the Annual Competition. The record in the Minute Book states “It was regretted that the application from Childwall GC for membership could not be entertained. The Committee did not see their way to increase the numbers”. As only 45 cards were taken out that day and 36 men sat down to dinner this would appear to have been a surprising decision. One can only speculate that the Committee might have been anxious to get back to the bar rather than have a long deliberation on the merits of Childwall’s case! However, a second application coupled with Grange Park on 2 May 1931 met with a more favourable response.
Childwall has produced three Society Captains, Jack Stanway Johnson (1962/63), George Morrow (1978/79) and John McAuley (2004/05). Jack Stanway Johnson played a signifcant role in the development of the Society having served as Honorary Secretary/Treasurer for a period of 35 years. Following his retirement he was elected as Honorary Life President of the Society and in the following year he presented a trophy bearing his name.
When the Hotel closed in 1915 the golfers operated the course under licence and in 1917 they obtained a five year lease and dropped the word Hydro from the title. At the expiry of the lease on 31 December 1921 the Council was unable to agree satisfactory terms with the McGuffie family and in the following year they found a new site leasing 52 acres from the Marquess of Salisbury. In May 1922 the name was changed to The Childwall Golf Club and twelve holes were opened followed by another six holes constructed two years later on an extra 24 acres of land.
In 1935 a new Town Planning scheme, plus the desire of Lord Salisbury to dedicate part of the course as a site for a voluntary Hospital, caused another change of location. This proved to be the defining moment in the club’s history because the members were able to raise £8,000 to purchase the 204 acres Holt Hall Farm estate and to instruct James Braid to design the 18 hole layout. In 1938 W H Baines, the Town Clerk of Liverpool, laid the foundation stone of the new Art Deco style clubhouse which was formally opened by the Lord Mayor on 10 June 1939. The forecast at that time was that one day the course would be one of the finest parkland courses in the area, an accurate prediction.
Childwall’s initial application to join the Society was rebuffed on 17 June 1926 when the Committee met at 6 pm on the day of the Annual Competition. The record in the Minute Book states “It was regretted that the application from Childwall GC for membership could not be entertained. The Committee did not see their way to increase the numbers”. As only 45 cards were taken out that day and 36 men sat down to dinner this would appear to have been a surprising decision. One can only speculate that the Committee might have been anxious to get back to the bar rather than have a long deliberation on the merits of Childwall’s case! However, a second application coupled with Grange Park on 2 May 1931 met with a more favourable response.
Childwall has produced three Society Captains, Jack Stanway Johnson (1962/63), George Morrow (1978/79) and John McAuley (2004/05). Jack Stanway Johnson played a signifcant role in the development of the Society having served as Honorary Secretary/Treasurer for a period of 35 years. Following his retirement he was elected as Honorary Life President of the Society and in the following year he presented a trophy bearing his name.