Does anyone know where or what would have been the location of 'Wem Golf Club'?
My grandfather is listed in the PGA Membership book in 1922. Alongside his name it states 'Wem Golf Club'.
I have emailed Shropshire Archives and they have no mention of it. Before I put anything in the local paper, I wondered if anyone on here might know?
Thank you! Penny x
Hello Penny
Kelly's Directory of Shropshire, 1913 page 291 lists:-
Wem & District Golf Club (G. L. BRETHERTON & Rev. E. N. DAVIES, joint hon. secs.); links opposite Grammar school.
I can't see any mention of it in the 1941 Kelly's Directory.
This link to Google Maps shows the area as it is now.
I have a relative who came to the Wem area in 1929 and he says he has no recollection of a Golf Course.
Mike
Hi Hazel
I too had never heard of it. He was living in Newport, Shropshire at the time but the PGA book lists Wem and I just had to do some digging - but got nowhere with it!
I Google searched in the past but didn't ever see that website (haha) - so thank you so much! I will drop them a line and see if they can provide me with anything further.
PS. Got my dates all wrong (been a long day at work). 1922 is the next available yearbook they had - which he was no longer in - think he was in the army by then. It is the 1913 year book he was in, being elected in 1911
Thank you again x
Sorry Mike, I didn't see your message when I last replied to Hazel!
thank you for the information, it would appear that is where the golfmissinglinks people extracted their information from initially. I have since made contact with Shropshire Archives again who have had a second look and although no specific documents, there is mention of it in:
Iris Woodward's
The Story of Wem states on page 107 :-
'There was also for a few years round about 1913 a golf club with a course
at Green Hill Farm, at the end of Backhouse Lane, but the fine course at
Hawkstone club naturally rendered it superfluous.'
My Mother used to work in the Planning Department in Wem, so knew this was a spelling error and it was infact Bankhouse Lane.
So we've found the exact area now and intend to go have a look and somepoint - see if there are any such remnants of the golf course there, although doubtful we realise.
At least we know it existed now, and where it was located.
Thank you for your help.
Hi Penny,
I'm born and bred in Wem and also have never heard of this golf course! I'm very into our Wem history though so would be interested to know if you ever found any remnants of its existence? My nephew lives up Bankhouse Lane and I'm sure he'd be interested to know also!
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Hi Penny,
Having been born & bred in Wem (although long after 1922) I had never heard of the Wem Golf Club. Anyone who played seemed to go the Hawkestone Hotel course.
However if you Google Wem Golf Club, which I did, I came up with www.golfsmissinglinks.co.uk. This website states the following "This made a brief appearance in the 1900's. The professional in 1914 was A J HOCKEY and during WW1 W. WELLINGS (a local surname). The club disappeared after WW1".
There is an email address for the man who has put this website together and I assume he may be able to give you more information. Hazel