MARK GORTON CONTINUES OUR EPIC JOURNEY THROUGH The


History Objects


of Hoylake in 100 Our Secretary by Major F. P. Hopkins 61


Last year Royal Liverpool welcomed a very fine addition to the Club’s collection of art inspired by the Hoylake links.


Spotted for sale at auction by past Captain and golf historian, Blyth Bell, the


watercolour by Major F. P. Hopkins depicts a three ball including Jack Morris and Herbert Tweedie playing a Hoylake benefiting from a little artistic licence. Tweedie became Secretary in 1873. Hopkins, who went by the pseudonyms Major Shortspoon and Major S. Shortspoon, was a prolific painter of hundreds of watercolours, many of which capture golfing scenes that add greatly to our knowledge of the game as it was played when photography was still in its infancy.


A short spoon


Major Hopkins’ alter ego, it was not uncommon for pre-20th century golfers to carry several golf clubs known as ‘spoons’ because their faces were to some degree concave and therefore spoon-like. A player might select either a long, middle or short spoon, where the adjective referred to the length of the club’s shaft. This is an ancient short spoon on display at Royal Liverpool. It dates from 1814 and was made by Hugh Philp, one of the most admired club makers of his day. Spoons were consigned to


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history in the early 20th century when making concave club faces - ‘the spooning of clubs’ - was outlawed under the Rules of Golf.


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In case you’re wondering about


ROYAL LIVERPOOL GOLF CLUB MAGAZINE 2018–2019


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