THE MIDDLE PERIOD


29


was appointed to the post in 1948. Wally soon settled in at Long Ashton and in 1949 acquitted himself well in the Open at Sandwich. (See Chapter 10, page 76 for details of Wally’s and other Professionals achievements). Sydney Clifford resigned as Chairman of the Directors in 1949, a post he


had held for twelve years, through one of the most difficult periods in the Club’s history. To mark his outstanding services to the Club including supervising the building of the new Clubhouse he was elected the fiſth President. Sydney was the first President who was not a member of the Smyth family. (See Chapter 14, page 93, Club Presidents). He had previously been Club Captain for five years and was President of Gloucestershire Golf Union in 1939. Sydney probably made a bigger contribution to Long Ashton Golf Club than any other member. Tribute was paid in 1949 by the new Club Chairman, John Box, (George Box’s


father) to the Debenture holders, who for the last seven years had received no return for the money they had lent to the Club to build the new Clubhouse. Indeed, many members had handed back their Debentures for cancellation. Te Minutes note that this amounted to a staggering £3,325 and helped to balance the accounts for that year. Te big event of 1950 was the exhibition match arranged on 27th August


with Bobby Locke, the Open Champion (twice in succession) who was a personal friend of Wally Smithers. Te Open Champion (Plate 19) played two fourball matches with Wally and four leading amateurs. Te chosen amateurs were Alf Benson and Graham Griffiths in the morning and Ken Lyon and Jack Harrison in the aſternoon (Plate 20). Over 2,000 spectators watched these matches and Bobby Locke was particularly compli mentary about the quality of the Long Ashton greens. He said ‘’they were the best he had played on and wanted to roll them up and take them back to South Africa.’’ Plate 21 shows the Certificate given to the golfers who beat Bobby Locke’s score in support of the British Golf Foundation. On a lighter note, the House Committee 1950


decided in to give priority to the


playing of mixed bridge over ‘’ping-pong’’ in the dining room. Tey also provided members with a bar billiards table in the


PLATE 19 The Open Champion - Bobby Locke on the first tee in 1950.


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