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Chapter 2

Consolidation

It will be seen from the foregoing chapter that although Haverfordwest Golf Club was established in June, 1904, the playing of the game at The Racecourse did not start until about a year later, and then only on a modest scale. This is understandable for apart from the paperwork, money had to be raised, the course cleared of an immense amount of gorse, etc., the fairways rolled, the greens prepared, equipment purchased or hired and members enrolled. There was also the matter of teaching beginners the rudiments of a game notorious for its vagaries and frustrations. Overall, it must be conceded that the pioneers did a grand job!

There is no record of who drove the first ball on the new course or who played the first game or, indeed, when exactly it took place. Certain it is that by the late summer of 1905 the Club had a membership of over 50 and the course was in regular use. The first trophy for competition among members was presented to the Club that year by Dr. Henry Owen of Poyston, and a splendid one it was, consisting of a massive silver cup, of which the Club was so proud that it had it placed on display at the Salutation Hotel, where the Club made its headquarters.

The cup was played for in a monthly medal competition and the first winner on December 6, 1906, was Mr. R. B. Dyer, who returned a card of 104 – 28 – 76. There were nine competitors. There is nothing like a complete list of winners of this trophy but over the years they included the following (with runners up):

FEBRUARY 7 1907

Daniel Jones

MARCH 5 1908             Gross    Handicap     Nett

J. L Jenkins                       117              48               69

W. G. Douglas Willian    100             29                71

H.D. Williams                     96               21                75

F. A Scott                             93               18                75

M. E. Morgan                     124             48                76

R. Johns                              102             19                83

D. Jones                              126             36                89

W. Howell Walters           109             18                91