Hampshire Golf - July 1991

Corhampton Celebrates! It's full steam ahead for club's big centenary year

Words by Colin Harding, Pictures by Tim Wood

Great strides in course development are being made by centenary celebration club Corhampton. Four more holes have been built to add at least 500 yards to the 6,088-yard par 69 course. And they won't cost the members a penny extra. Careful planning and a "friendly" bank have ensured that sufficient finance is available for this latest project in the course's upgrading. 

The construction work has been completed in 1991 - Corhampton's centenary year.  But the extra holes won't be open for play until next summer - hopefully in time for the club championship. And the finishing stretch looks set to become the longest in Hampshire.

Secretary Peter Taylor, who took over in 1983, said: "The development of the clubhouse and course has moved forward over the years at an affordable rate."

The extra holes will involve three par 4s of between 435 and 470 yards and a 180-yard par 3.  Holes 3, 11, 17, and 18 will be taken out of play. The new 18th will be a par 5 of around 520-yards using the 5th tee and fairway, finishing at the 18th green which will be enlarged. 

Mr Taylor said: "I can truly say that we are all looking forward to the new course being opened. When we first set about this was wondered what opposition we might have but I don't think we have had any opposition. The cost will be paid largely by subscription income - there is no levy on members which is a remarkable thing. Use has been made of its friendly bank."

The total cost including the land purchase was £260,000. The club purchased the 32 acres on the right of the 15th hole in 1980 at a cost of £105,000.
The old 17th and 18th holes will be used as a practice area. Future plans include buying an additional 30 acres for another nine holes. 

But the main topic on the agenda for members is the centenary celebrations - the bulk of which will be held during the week starting August 31.  During that time there will be a huge marquee put up on the right-hand side of the first hole. The clubhouse will not be in use for the week long celebrations. Included in the "centenary" programme is a match over the original nine holes followed by a barbecue, various competitions for all membership categories and a special trick shot show by Noel Hunt. There is also a two-day pro-am offering £10,000 prize money, and finals of the Corhampton Masters.

Almost 600 people will attend the centenary ball where television personality Leslie Crowther will be the main speaker. The finale is a charity cricket match between Corhampton and the The Lord's Taverners.  The club will raise £6,500 for the charity. A total of £3,000 has already been raised with any shortfall being made up from the centenary fund.  The veterans section this year has organised its own competition for 120 people. And it has raised £2,000 for a clock to be put on top of the clubhouse as a centenary gesture to the club. 

Incredibly, the club's oldest member celebrated his 90th birthday playing 18 holes. Former scratch golf Charles Lock, now 96, who joined in 1936, still manages two holes at a time - and plans to have a game with captain Mr Harvey as part of the celebrations.

Second round for captains

Centenary year is second tie around for both the ladies' and men's captains at Corhampton. 

Bob Harvey, a club member for 30 years, said: "Obviously I'm delighted - this year is very important to the club members. Corhampton is very friendly, like a family. One of the new ideas this year was to have a captain's "dine-in" which turned out so successful - attracting 72 members who have been members of Corhampton for at least 25 years - that members want it to be an annual event."  Businessman, Mr Harvey, a 17-handicapper, said "My emphasis is to make Corhampton become a professional club. I am sure we are going along those lines with the improvements to the course and clubhouse."

Mrs Haigh and her late husband, Allen, were both captains together in 1979. Mrs Haigh, who plays off 19, remembers all too well the former wooden clubhouse when the course was just nine holes. "I've seen quite a few changes since I have been a member - and they've all been for the better," she said. 

The ladies section has 108 members. The lowest handicap woman is Kerry Smith, who plays off one. And the oldest ladies member is former captain Elizabeth West, 93, who still manages seven holes with her daughter.