ABOUT THE CLUB - HISTORY

The early years of Ashton and Lea Golf Club, 1908 – 1913

Between 1900 and 1910 there was an upsurge in the number of golf clubs and course built to reflect an increasingly popular sport. Before 1879 there were 109 clubs of which only 22 were in England. By 1910 the number had risen to 1025.

In 1908 a golf course was built on what is now the dock area of Preston. The land, sold by the de Houghton family to the Port Authority, was rented for 5 years. The course, established by a group of gentlemen, became known as Ashton-on-Ribble Golf Club with Frank Calvert as the President. It became one of 29 founder members of the Lancashire Union of Golf Clubs when it was formed on March 8th, 1910 at the Midland Hotel, Manchester.

At that time there was much opposition from the Church and so no play was allowed on Sundays. The area was frequently under water, sheep kept the grass down and the greens were fenced off with wire.

Special rules for competitions included several for when a ball may be lifted:

• If it rest on or touch dung of any sort, when it must be dropped a club’s length further from the hole. The ball may be wiped.
• If it lodge in a rabbit scrape on the Putting Green, within ten yards of the hole, when it must be placed behind the scrape.
• If it be driven onto a putting Green other than that to which it is being played, when it must be dropped at the side of such Green, but not nearer the hole to which the player is playing. Note:- For the purpose of this rule, a ball shall be considered on a Putting Green if it lie within the wire fence.

In 1913 the Club moved from the dock area to its present site. This was land farmed by tenants on land owned by the de Houghton family. It became Ashton and Lea Golf Club.

More history to be added......