The new pavilion built
in 1910
The present Clubhouse was built
in 1910 and with Colt’s new course completed by
1923 the Club was attracting a good membership and many
visitors. In 1923 the membership was 430 full members
and visitors numbered 4000, and these figures remained
relatively constant for the next 17 years. In 1928 the
Club completed the purchase of the golf club for £2350
and in 1933 ladies were allowed to join the Club as
Associate Members. The Ladies had their own course built
in 1892, just south of the men’s course but in
1932 the lease was not renewed. As a result the men
offered the ladies the opportunity to join the men’s
Club provided they funded the necessary Clubhouse changes
themselves. In 1934 the men’s membership was 400
and the ladies’ 91.
After the 1939-45 war, membership
dropped alarmingly. For the next 10 to 15 years golf
clubs all over the country were struggling to make ends
meet. By the 1960s the Club Committee was assessing
the assets of the Club with a view to development. This
was the path which eventually led to the loss of one
of the finest holes of the course, the 13th, the ‘Old
Mill’ hole close to the Berrow Common. In 1976
the club received £65,000 from the sale of these
6 acres of land which at the time was hailed as a new
beginning. In a way it was but it had to be associated
with a complete reappraisal of the way the Club’s
finances were being run. This was successful and since
the 1980s the Club has enjoyed financial stability.
Aerial view of the course
(circa 1980)
Another feature which has dramatically
changed since the war is the shoreline along the western
boundary of the course. The high tide line has moved
a good 100 metres out to sea from its wartime position
along the edge of the current 4th fairway. This has
opened up land which the club has used for the development
of a new nine hole course (18 tees) and has provided
100 acres for ecological conservation in the form of
a salt marsh providing habitat for many rare species
of flora and fauna.
The nine hole was designed by Fred
Hawtree and opened in 1977. There were a number of difficulties
associated with the quality of soil used and the length
of time it took for the course to show any improvement
but there are some excellent holes and today it ranks
as a fine addition to the golfing experience at Burnham.
Ollie Fisher and Ross
McGowan
2006 English Open Amateur Championship
The Burnham and Berrow golf course
has been selected for many major amateur championships
throughout its existence. It has hosted over 40 such
Championships including the Men’s and Ladies’
Amateur Championships, the Men’s and Ladies’
Home Internationals, the Brabazon Trophy, the Men’s
and Ladies’ County Finals and 3 Varsity matches.
It is said of a good championship course that the best
players usually come out on top. That certainly appears
to be the case at Burnham where the final of the 2006
English Amateur Championship was played out between
the two best amateur players in the Country.
For further information on the history
of the club please refer to ‘Between the Church
and the Lighthouse‘ written by Philip Richards
available from the office of the Managing Secretary
at BBGC.
