History of Club

The Golf Club was established in 1912, opening on 1st March as a nine-hole course, being named Clapham Park Golf Links after the Clapham Park estate on which it was built.

Lancelot Clark, who farmed Clapham Park, was a keen golfer who, preceding the opening of the club, would invite friends and colleagues to hit golf balls onto primitive greens, roughly cut and wired off from grazing sheep.

Offical Opening

The course officially opened in April 1912 with a 36-hole exhibition match that featured Charles B. MacFarlane, the celebrated Scottish Amateur Champion from Prestwick.  Clark, together with G.P. Macfarlane, laid down a new 18-hole course, which was opened in May 1913 with an exhibition between Macfarlane and George Duncan, who went on to win the Open Championship in 1920. Although very different to the existing layout, the course was on the same footprint as the present one. At this time, the club was re-named Mid-Bedfordshire Golf Course at Clapham.

Early Years

During World War I, the course closed and was used by the Bedfordshire regiment. In September 1920, a match took place between George Duncan (the then Open Champion) partnering James Braid (five times Open Champion) representing Scotland against J.H. Taylor (five times Open Champion) and Abe Mitchell representing England. With the lead changing hands several times, Mitchell put his tee shot two feet from the pin on the par 3, 18th hole to halve the match with a birdie.

Following this match, J.H. Taylor undertook one of his first design commissions together with Fredrick George Hawtree in the re-construction of our course. A new golf pavilion opened in 1921 and the newly completed course on the 26th April 1923. This layout was much the same as it is today and saw the first introduction of bunkers to the course.

On 25th March 1926, the club changed hands and was re-structured under the present name of Bedford & County Golf Club with £1 shares being issued to members. At this time, a 14-year-old Henry Longhurst was learning his golfing skills under the Club professional George Muggleton. Henry remained a member of the club until going up to Clare College, Cambridge.

The club progressed, but through the Second World War a large part of the course (holes 6 through to 15) was requisitioned by War Agricultural Committee and Nissen huts were erected for use by the RAF and WAAF.

Fully Restored

After the war, the course was in a pretty poor state and it was only through the laborious work of members under the guidance of Jack Simons, the Head Greenkeeper, that nine holes were restored and allowed golf to be played, although under somewhat primitive conditions.

It was not until June 1952 that the full 18- hole course was fully restored and officially opened by Dai Rees with an exhibition match which also featured Alan Mawson, the club’s professional, and Leslie Day, the club’s leading amateur.

Modern Times

Over the past 50 years the course and facilities have been enhanced with new improved drainage, extending the tees to enable year-round usage, a new clubhouse and outside terrace and raising standards to levels that modern golfing demands.

The current Members and Board of Directors are determined to maintain the club’s reputation as both a friendly, welcoming golf club and a challenging test of golf.