Golfing Society a brief history

Colin Nunn (Burton Bank 1975-1981) looks back over more than a 100 years of OM golf

The OMs Golfing Society was formed in 1907, the seven OM Members of Parliament, all Liberals, presented the society with its first trophy, the Members of Parliament Cup. The Society’s first meeting in 1908 attracted 32 entries, and the first match was in 1909 against the Old Cholmeleians, the OMs being the victors.

The OMGS pioneers were good golfers. In the 1913 match against the Old Cholmelians, the OMGS eight-man team had a combined handicap of 14, although the last pair were off a combined 15. The OMGs won by a whitewash. The first Spring meeting was held at Bushey Hall in 1910. Today we worry about slow play and hanker after the old days, but it can’t have been too speedy back then: the stoic OMGS did not allow a ‘no return’ and a net 112 was in last place.

The OMGS were well travelled – events were not generally held near the school – with St Georges Hill and Sunningdale being well-trodden. Duncan Anderson was Surrey County Champion and a St Georges Hill member, alongside several other OMs. Fixtures in the North were frequent, indeed three northern fixtures continued to be played until very recently and there was a considerable number of OMGS members in South Wales. The OMGS were good at publicity: the first match versus Old Merchant Taylors was reported in both The Times and The Express (OMGS won 11-7) and the results of the Spring meeting were reported in the Morning Post and The Times. It would be fair to say that inflation has made golf more expensive these days. The entry fees at early events were not recorded until 1928, at which the 36-hole Spring Meeting cost

12 ½p (in new money). The society thrived in the early years and, in 1937, an annual subscription of 50p was introduced. There must have been some considerable golfing inflation: the Hendon green fees for the 1937 meeting had risen to 17 ½p. Jim Davidson (Winterstoke 1924-1929)) left the school having represented Scottish school boys (a feat later repeated by Alasdair Black (Winterstoke 1962-1965) and became the backbone of the OMGS Hewitt side for the next 50 years.

In the 1931 Hewitt Jim played with J.E Dexter (Collinson 19361941) against Radley, and lost. In 1957 Jim once again played against Radley in the Hewitt, this time winning against E.R Dexter, the son of his 1929 partner. It is inexplicable why an Old Millhillian would have sent his son to Radley, and it’s a shame that Ted’s cricket and golfing fame couldn’t be attributed to time spent at Mill Hill.

In 1914 the Society appointed H.A. Link as its first Hon. Secretary. Alf Hawes was appointed as Hon. Sec in 1928, thus starting a Hawes family tradition that continues to this day, with Gordon Hawes (Winterstoke 1945-1951) being our very long-serving Vice-President. The OMGS has thrived primarily thanks to the considerable contribution made by the Hawes family. Gordon was the OMGS Hon Sec. from 1963 to 1974, Captain in 1976 -1977 and Vice President from 1979 to this day. Alf Hawes was crucial to the OMGS; he even subsidised the society out of his own pocket. Tom Hignett (Murray 1953-1958) also made a huge contribution to the OMGS as our treasurer from 1989 to 2011. The Old Millhillians have always been very active in Old Boys golf with a thriving fixture list, and competed in the first Halford Hewitt in 1924 and in the second Grafton Morrish in 1964

The OMGS record in early Hewitts was not great, indeed we suffered the ignominy of the Charterhouse taxi: J. S. Morrison pre-booked taxis to collect them at Chequers (at the 13th hole). The OMGS did at least make the taxi have to dawdle along beside the course to the 15th green. The taxi story came to light because Henry Longhurst was Morrison’s partner, and Henry wrote about the incident, although he discreetly did not mention the OMGS as the losing team.

It’s not known why the early years were not successful for the OMGS: D.B. Anderson was Surrey county champion, J.A.B. Davidson (Collinson 1925-1930) played for Scottish boys, in 1930, J.H. Todd played for GB seniors, thee Old Millhillians P.L. Smith, W.H. Don and G.E. Larman took turns to hold the Hendon course record and in 1938 J. W. Butler (Winterstoke 1924-1927) reached the semi-final of the English Amateur.

Whilst the OMGS were none too successful on-course, they appeared to have enjoyed the Hewitt enormously. Records report that the OMGS ‘were not early risers’, that they enjoyed ‘considerable fun and comradeship at the club and at the Royal Hotel’, and that ‘licensing laws did not affect them’. ‘Snooker fives’ was a popular game.

Playing fives with snooker ball ended with the inevitable: a broken window, and a passing Hewitt golfer being struck. In spite of this, and other ‘off-piste’ incidents we have stayed at the Royal Hotel every year.

The society must have been an insular bunch; the first match against the school wasn’t until 1952 and it wasn’t until 1968 that the society presented a trophy for the match.

It’s difficult to write a history without leaving out names; apologies for anyone missed, but people making a significant to the OMGS at the Hewitt over the years include Pat Russell, (Burton Bank 1957-1962) three-time winner of the Borough of Deal Cup, who sis still playing excellent golf well into his 70s. Alasdair Black (Winterstoke 1962-1965) and Derek Sigley (Murray 1952-1955), for so many years our top pair, on and off the course. Geoffrey Vero (Weymouth 1960-1965), our most capped player who, together with Paul Bennett, departed this world too soon. Colin Nunn (Burton Bank 1975-1981). Hon Sec of the OMGS since 1987. Jeremy Bohn (Priestley 1984-1989), such a prolific winner, and with his new partner Will Cheng, very hard to beat.

Garry Brandt (Priestley 1977-1982), James Kahan (Murray 1997-2002) and Alan Guthrie-Jones(Collinson 1968-1973) for being ever-present. James Ellis (Weymouth 2004-2009), our current captain.

For further details about joining the OMGS please contact: Colin Nunn Hon Sec (Burton Bank 1975-81)