Wollaton Hall and Park

The City of Nottingham’s purchase of Wollaton Hall and Park from Lord Middleton of the Willoughby family was completed on 18th May 1925, at which time Lord Middleton also offered the deer on the park to the city as a gift. The coal-mining Willoughby family had been landowners in the Wollaton area from the 13th century and built the present hall in the late 16th century. Wollaton Hall is a spectacular Tudor building, designed by Robert Smythson and completed in 1588. It is the home to the city’s Natural History Museum.

Golf Course

The first mention of a golf course was at a meeting of the Nottingham City Council’s Wollaton sub-committee in May 1925 when Tom Williamson was requested to submit a report on the feasibility of creating a golf course in the park. Tom, a golf professional, green keeper and club maker at Notts Golf Club from 1896 until his death in 1950, claimed to have worked on all but one of the courses within a 50-mile radius of Nottingham. His report was read out by the Town Clerk at a meeting in June 1925 after which the committee proceeded to Wollaton Park for an inspection.

Authority was given by the council in August 1925 for the laying of the golf course on just under 200 acres of Wollaton Park. Construction work started in the winter of 1925 and took exactly eighteen months to complete. Tom Williamson was paid 150 guineas for supervising the project.

Tom Williamson, John Henry Taylor, Harry Vardon & E. R. Whitcombe at the opening of the Club on 5th May 1927.

Golf Club

As the course neared completion, the Wollaton sub-committee met with the specific intention of forming a club with the draft rules being submitted to the council in April 1927. There were 108 names on the Club’s original membership list. The entrance fee was set at 3 guineas for men and 2 guineas for ladies with annual subscriptions set at 6 guineas for men and 3.5 guineas for ladies. Green fees were set at 2s. 6p. (12.5p) per day but 5s. 0p. (25p) on Saturdays. Play was not allowed on Sundays until 1959.

Within two weeks of formation the membership list had risen to over 200. The official opening took place on 5th May 1927 with an exhibition match involving Harry Vardon (6 times Open Champion), Ernest Whitcombe (English International), Tom Williamson and John Henry Taylor (5 times Open Champion) who stated at the luncheon “You have one of the finest courses in the country, one that will challenge comparison with the best”.

Today, we have a membership consisting of people from diverse and varied backgrounds, with over 600 men, ladies and juniors and over 100 social members. The club enjoys a lively and competitive atmosphere with members playing at a high level in local and regional events.

Wollaton Park Golf Club has evolved and grown over the decades to become one of the “must play” courses in the East Midlands, offering all the facilities you would expect of a premier golf club.

E. R. Whitcombe, Harry Vardon and John Henry Taylor all putting at the opening of the Club.

Opening took place on 5th May 1927

Within two weeks the membership list had risen to over 200 although at this time no play was allowed on Sundays by the Council. The official opening took place on 5th May 1927 with an exhibition match involving Harry Vardon (6 times Open Champion), Ernest Whitcombe (English International), Tom Williamson and John Henry Taylor (5 times Open Champion) who stated at the luncheon “You have one of the finest courses in the country, one that will challenge comparison with the best”. 

The first Captain was Mr. D. McCraith and the first Ladies Captain was Mrs. H. Barnsdale. Mr. A. S. Speak had the distinction of becoming the first golfer to have a hole-in-one on the new course at the 160 yard 13th hole.

Wollaton Park Golf Club has evolved and grown over the decades to become one of the true gems of golf in the East Midlands. It is now high on the list of “must play” courses in the region offering all the facilities you would expect of a premier golf club.

You will be assured of a very warm welcome when you visit and a golfing experience to treasure. The course is in a beautiful deer park with the impressive Wollaton Hall set on high overlooking parkland and lake.

The above includes extracts from the book “Wollaton Park Golf Club” by Allen Gofton, copies of which are available from the Club Secretary)

E. R. Whitcombe, Harry Vardon and John Henry Taylor all putting at the opening of the Club.