Enville Golf Club celebrates its 75th anniversary

Golfers at one of Britain's top clubs took a trip down memory lane to celebrate its 75th anniversary.

Officials dug out photographs charting Enville Golf Club's history.

Nearly 200 golfers gathered to help mark the anniversary with a special tournament at its course near Stourbridge.

Author Graham Rowley also compiled a booklet called Enville Golf Club: No Common Group featuring documents including scorecards, letters and postcards from the past.

The club was founded in October 1935 by 11 players. It now has about 900 members and a waiting list.

The Professional Golf Association ranks it among the top 200 in the country. It has two courses - Lodge and the original Highgate.

It is the home of an Open Championship qualifying event - hosted for four years - and there are hopes of a new green on the 11th hole of Lodge Course in 2011.

Improvements were made to the 11th and 15th holes on the Highgate Course. "It is important to keep improving the course to create new challenges to help retain our membership," said club captain Freddy De Freitas.

He helped put together the picture display for an anniversary dinner and tournament after becoming captain this year after a 37-year association with the club, along with wife Lesley, a former ladies' captain.

"It has been wonderful to be associated with the club for so many years — there is really good camaraderie among members," he says.

It was set up in October 1935 by players at the Churchill and Blakedown and Stourbridge clubs wanting a full 18-hole course. Sir John Grey agreed to lease land known as Enville Common for a course. Some of the first holes were designed on former Open Champion Alf Padgham's advice.

Enville Golf Club officially unveiled its 18-hole course in May 1938 after it was recognised by the English Golf Union.

In the war the 39th Battalion Enville Home Guard used it for nights out and training. John Henry Edwards, son of founding member SJ Edwards, died after shrapnel pierced his abdomen in one exercise.

His son, Brian Edwards, has been a member for more than 50 years.

In 1968 Ron Hinton was appointed club professional with wife Joyce as stewardess. The club also moved into a new clubhouse — once Morfe Farmhouse.

Their elder son, Paul, became club assistant professional and younger son, Philip, was Staffordshire Amateur and Open Champion in 1972. A year later nine new holes were opened — and a further nine by 1983 to open the 18-hole Lodge course.

For the anniversary Mr De Freitas organised a tournament with 196 players last month. He and Enville president Alan Thomas also won a game against Churchill and Blakedown 's outgoing captain Jim Stevenson, and president Chris Deacy to mark the anniversary.