Bloxwich Golf Club is this year celebrating its 100 years anniversary. The South Staffordshire club established in 1924, marked this special occasion with a weekend of commemorative events in early June, culminating in the unveiling of their Centenary stone.
With 144 years combined and continuous membership between them, honorary life members John Baugh and Paul Bottrill were invited to unveil the stone. The ceremony was witnessed by Bloxwich Golf Club’s current and past Presidents and Captains, members and visiting guests representing Bloxwich’s neighbouring clubs.
John Baugh, a proud and distinguished member for 77 of the Club’s 100 years, spoke about his time at Bloxwich and how over those years the course has changed from being wide open with views from the clubhouse across many of the holes, to the mature tree-lined parkland course it is today.
John also noted a significant date in the Club’s history, that being in 1988 when some 300 members contributed an additional interest free loan of £400 on top of their annual subscription to purchase 790 shares, equal to 87.7%.
This majority enabled the formation of Bloxwich Golf Club (1988) Ltd at which point ownership became that of the members. Today, that control remains with the members.
It was the end of the first World War that paved the way for a stretch of land to be purchased on which the course sits today. In 1919 and for a mere £55.00, 96 acres of green belt land was bought from the Duke of Sutherland by local greengrocer Howard Pinson.
It was subsequently sold on for much more, when at the same time the Georgian manor house known as the Field House was also purchased. Today, that original building bought for a clubhouse at the time of the Club’s establishment, is still home to its members and visitors alike.
The course layout has changed little over the years with individual holes occupying the ground they were originally laid out on. Nine holes now form an outer loop and nine an inner loop to the course which features many natural hazards.
It was certainly a test for the golfers participating in the recent Staffs Amateur Championship, which Bloxwich was proud to host. 16 year-old rising star Ronnie Groves from South Staffs GC was the winner, his score after 36 holes, 141 was just one-under par.
