Livery Companies competing on the golf course
A team of 4 Turners joined teams from 45 other livery companies to compete for the prestigious Prince Arthur Cup on 19 May at Walton Heath golf club.
Over 36 holes were played in a classic foursomes format, our best showing was Les Thorne and Nigel Luson coming 6th on the New Course, the overall winners on the day being the Leathersellers.
Organiser Richard Wormald commented “how wonderful it is to see all ages represented from a wide range of livery companies, keeping a keen but friendly competition alive and thriving as it approaches its centenary in 2027“.
History of the Cup
Walton Heath Archivist Philip Truett writes: I remember how pleased Walton Heath was when the Prince Arthur Cup returned 52 years after the first playing of the competition in 1927. Indeed, surprise was expressed that it had taken so long for you to return to your roots! Those roots would have been put down with the help of the Club’s Proprietor and Chairman of the News of the World, Lord Riddell of Walton Heath. Indeed, almost certainly, you would have been his guests for the day.
Anybody with any sort of influence were his guests and the really influential ones would have been made Honorary Members. After all, it was his fiefdom! However, if I am right about this hospitality, a move the following year to Sundridge Park is more difficult to explain! Walton Heath would have been well known to Prince Arthur; his cousins the Prince of Wales, later Edward VIII and the Duke of York, later George VI were both Honorary members of the Club.
Lord Riddell had never seen the need for anything so vulgar as a Club Captain and it was only upon his demise in December 1934 that the new owners felt differently about such an appointment and, in 1935, asked The Prince of Wales to be become the Club’s first Captain. He was still in office when he became King upon the death of his father, George V, in January 1936, making Walton Heath the only English Club to have a reigning monarch as Captain.
We value our association with the playing of the Prince Arthur Cup – It is a special day in the Club’s year for many reasons – We have many club members participating, including, on occasions such as last year, winning team members, it is the only day in the year when both courses are closed to members to accommodate a Society visit, it is the largest gathering in the Club’s year and certainly the only such occasion when play is against Bogey! Long may our association continue.
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