Leasowe Golf Club

Leasowe Golf Club started in 1891 and has steadfastly remained “men only” throughout its existence. It was formed as a 9 hole course situated adjacent to Leasowe Lighthouse and moved along the coast to the present site in 1894. The original course was taken over by Moreton Ladies Golf Club but their tenure there lasted only 10 years until the outbreak of the first World War when it was requisitioned for agricultural purposes and never rebuilt.

The legendary John Ball Jnr. was instrumental in the formation of the club and served as Captain for the first four years of its existence. He was 29 when the club was formed having in the previous year won the British Amateur Championship at his home club, Royal Liverpool, and the Open Championship at Prestwick. This feat has never been repeated and in total he won the Amateur Championship eight times. In between playing competitive golf and internationals all over the country he still found time to play in Leasowe competitions off a handicap of +10 and to serve in the Boer War with the Denbighshire Yeomanry.

A room at the Lighthouse served as the changing room until the move in 1894 when an approach to the adjacent Leasowe Castle was rejected. An issue of 4% debentures to the members raised the £455 required to build a clubhouse situated on the present site. The new course of 9 holes was laid out by the Royal Liverpool professional, Jack Morris, and John Ball Jnr. The Leasowe Committee resolved that all members should be asked to wear red coats with slate grey collars when playing on the links - now only worn formally by Captains and Past Captains.

Another innovation from 1894 was the arrangement with the Wirral Railway Company for the opening of a new station at Leasowe together with the provision of pony and trap transport to the course. By 1904 the course had been extended to 18 holes, some of which would have been seaward of the present course. Erosion of the sand dunes plus a period of controlled sand removal has changed the contours over the years but the sea defences have now been secured with the construction of a coastal walk and seaside park.

As most of the original golf clubhouses were constructed of timber perhaps it is not surprising how many of them were destroyed by fire. Leasowe’s loss occurred on 18 August 1963 when only the steward’s house remained after the clubhouse and all it’s records and trophies were burnt. Fortunately, the club had just increased its insurance cover and was able to rebuild the clubhouse and supply the members with brand new golf clubs.

By 1984 a land switch had been completed which left the club as owners of all its land and with no further responsibility for the sea defences. Two years later the members approved plans for an extension of the clubhouse which was completed and occupied in 1986. Landscaping with soil from Everton’s old football pitch has helped to enhance the course appearance.

Leasowe was a founder member of the Society and has produced four Captains - G Dudley West (1955/56), Bill Gillmore (1968/69), Ron Ceha (1984/85) and latterly David Laidlaw (2010/11). Ian Fraser (Captain 1975), who died in the Society's Centenary year, was awarded the Victoria Cross in World War II for sinking a Japanese Cruiser from a midget submarine.

Leasowe Golf Club Captains

Year Captain Year Captain Year Captain
1891 J Ball Jnr. 1937 A B Wallis 1983 D Chaddock
1892 J Ball Jnr. 1938 E Harvey 1984 H Jamieson
1893 J Ball Jnr. 1939 J A Dickinson 1985 L A Leach
1894 J Ball Jnr. 1940 J A Dickinson 1986 R B Howard
1895 R Johnston 1941 D A Gordon 1987 L A Montgomery
1896 J E Burton 1942 D A Gordon 1988 D E Laidlaw
1897 R W Lee 1943 D A Gordon 1989 T Page
1898 D Walker 1944 D A Gordon 1990 C E Dyer
1899 J A Gray 1945 D A Gordon 1991 G Wilkinson
1900 C H Burton 1946 T W Lowe 1992 K Trice
1901 R Dunlop 1947 L W S Grinling 1993 W E Baldwin
1902 C H Smith 1948 R Dean 1994 J Bickerstaff
1903 H Ridler 1949 J R Griffin 1995 L Bentley-Edge
1904 H Hartley 1950 F L Stanley 1996 G L Goodwin
1905 A Burrell 1951 W N Gillmore 1997 E A Owen
1906 G Doleman 1952 L G McConomy 1998 T M Hendry
1907 J P Carr 1953 H S Worthington 1999 J G Roberts
1908 J Ball 1954 W T Harrison 2000 P G Scott
1909 J S Kellett Smith 1955 J W Mackintosh 2001 C Jones
1910 W A Short 1956 A R C Walker 2002 P G Johnston
1911 J Williamson 1957 A W P Healey 2003 B Phelan
1912 E Henshaw 1958 G N Booth 2004 S Smale
1913 W F Skipworth 1959 J W Mackintosh 2005 J W Hayden
1914 J Marwood 1960 R E Brew 2006 J Ward
1915 J Marwood 1961 J H Crutchley 2007 S Lanceley
1916 J Marwood 1962 F T H Stone 2008 J N Marsden
1917 J Marwood 1963 A G Fulton 2009 J G Howard
1918 J H Rogers 1964 A G Fulton 2010 W Menagh
1919 J Byrne 1965 R N Mainwaring 2011 D A Wakefield
1920 C D McGinness 1966 S T P Bakewell 2012 C D Crail
1921 J E W Crook 1967 W J Wells 2013 J H Mallion
1922 A H Holford 1968 J F Jackson 2014 B Edge
1923 J H Summerfield 1969 W F Jordan 2015 J G Vaughan
1924 J P Carr 1970 J W R Gartrell 2016 J S Dunne
1925 G D West 1971 S J Craddock 2017 K R Campbell
1926 M H D’Arcy 1972 R H Ceha 2018 M J Jess
1927 M F Drinkwater 1973 W Marshall 2019 I R McGinn
1928 T H Jones 1974 W P Clayton 2020 M J Christian
1929 J A Carlile 1975 I E Fraser 2021 M J Christian
1930 P S Booth 1976 F Griffiths 2022 MG Underwood
1931 M H D’Arcy 1977 A E Bladon 2023 N W Hough
1932 J N Mainwaring 1978 J H Elsby 2024 R K Halson
1933 E Harvey 1979 C E Charnley 2025 P Whyte
1934 G D West 1980 H J Surridge 2026 A I Jones
1935 L Mickle 1981 H K Williams    
1936 B Dean 1982 T G Powell