MELTON MOWBRAY GOLF CLUB – 1925-2025
Congratulations to the Leicestershire club who are celebrating their centenary year in 2025 with a series of events. Club officials sent us the following words and pictures.
Our special year commenced on April 5th with a flag raising ceremony which included a flag golf competition followed by a birthday tea party including a special birthday cake.
More than five years in the making, a history story board showing all the highlights from the past 100 years was commissioned and is prominently displayed in the Clubhouse.
Commencing on June 8th with our annual ‘Pork Pie’ Open, the actual celebrations ran over the next two weeks. Internal competitions for all category of members who were also invited to bring a friend to join in. The events included over 55s, a ladies Hickory Golf event, a challenge between under 55 vs over 55s, a mixed event and a Pairs Invitation.
The fortnight all culminated with an inter-team challenge involving all categories of club members finishing with refreshments and live music from the Melton Session, a local folk club.
On May 30th, 40 members of the club were privileged to attend a dinner in the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers’ museum at the Tower of London. A superb three course meal with unlimited wines was enjoyed by all, before a short briefing by the Yeoman Warder to prepare for the Ceremony of the Keys. This spectacle has been taking place without a break for the past 800 years.
Further events throughout the year included a classic car show and we were honoured by the Leicestershire Captains’ Society as they chose us to host two inter county captains’ events.
Possibly the most memorable event of our year (and certainly the most poignant) occurred on Saturday September 13th. The club has long been a cornerstone of the local sporting scene, but on that day it elevated itself to something even greater—a symbol of unity, heritage, and community spirit, to remember the Battle of Britain Anniversary, and support the annual Wings Appeal, on behalf of the Melton branch of the RAFA.
The annual golf competition that followed was a beloved fixture in the club’s calendar commencing in 1966, so in this special centenary year for the club it offered the unique opportunity to return this event to the club calendar.
The day was made all the more remarkable with the grateful assistance of the Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight with an awe-inspiring flypast of the iconic Avro Lancaster bomber, followed by a MkXIX PM631 Spitfire painted in its blue livery exactly as it was in 1957, with its recognisable Griffon engine sound as it roared over the clubhouse.
The competition itself was a masterclass in friendly rivalry. Players from the club brought their best swings, all vying not just to win the Wings Appeal Trophy, but for the shared joy of the game.
Yet as the Lancaster passed gracefully above the fairways, conversation ceased, and golf clubs were briefly forgotten. All eyes turned skyward, reflecting on the legacy of those who served and the sacrifices that aircraft like the Lancaster represent. It was a moving tribute that added a sense of gravitas and history to an already meaningful event
