THE EARLY YEARS


11 Te names of the fields indicate their previous use. Perhaps the most interesting


is the Iron Pit piece-it is well-known that Iron and Manganese were mined in this area until about 1873 and several old quarries and mines can be seen on the course. Records in Long Ashton Library (G. Tissington) show that up to 3000 tons of iron ore were extracted annually from this area. Te most spectacular feature on Golf Course land is the canyon behind the back 11th tee (150 feet long, 30 feet wide and 30 feet deep). However, areas such as the second hole, the quarry alongside the ninth tee, the hole behind the ninth green, the one alongside the tenth fairway (near the crossroad filled in the 1930’s and the area on the 11th fairway are clear evidence of iron ore mining and stone quarries on the golf course land. A serious accident involving a member and one of the quarries is described in Chapter 6, page 54.


WAR-TIME GOLF During the first World War (1914-18) all the members away on active service


retained their membership with suspended subscriptions. In 1914, Mr Albert Kam was appointed as Professional and Greenkeeper and he made considerable improvements despite the shortage of green staff. Presumably he made use of the Argyle & Sutherland Highlanders who according to the Minutes offered their services for pick and spade work and repaired and banked several walls on the course. Tese were the walls on the present 15th and 18th holes. Tis was in return for permission to dig trenches and carry out military operations on the course, provided they avoided the greens and tees. Tom Barnes who worked on the course at this time reported on Ray Burniston’s tape that trenches were dug across the 18th fairway ( 4th) and with a little imagination some trench-like depressions can still be seen in this area. In the meantime the Officers of the Argyles and the Scottish Rifles were allowed to play on the course without charge. At the same time Sisters and Nurses from the Red Cross Military Hospital (Ashton Court) were also permitted to use the course without charge. In 1914, our second President-Dame Emily Smyth died and her male


descen dant the Hon. Gilbert Irby (later Hon. G. N. Smyth) became our third President. Ashton Court at this time was used as a military hospital and in 1916 the Estate offered the Club the lease of the whole golf course for 15 years at £90 per annum. Tis was welcomed by the members because it removed the problems of being sub-tenants of farmers who were still using part of the land for grazing. During the latter part of the war, the greens staff was reduced to two-Mr Kam


was released and Mr Percy Attwood was put in charge. He had the use of the Pro’s shed to repair clubs in his own time. Following a meeting with all the Bristol Golf Clubs to determine how they could be used to help the war effort, it was decided


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