University Golf Match

15 March 1938 – The Bideford & North Devon Weekly Gazette

The University golf match, for the first time in its history, will be played on the links of the Royal North Devon Golf Club at Westward Ho! on Tuesday and Wednesday, the 22^nd and 23^rd March.

22 March 1938 – The Bideford & North Devon Weekly Gazette

All over the world golfers will read and hear of the Oxford and Cambridge University Golf match which is being played on the Royal North Devon Golf Course today (Tuesday) and tomorrow. It is an occasion that gives considerable local satisfaction and not to golfers alone, who, however, will doubtless follow the proceedings in large numbers. It is the first time the University match has been played on this course. Members of the teams have been here some days practising.

Oxford and Cambridge combined in a match by foursomes on Sunday against the Royal North Devon Club on the Westward Ho! course, and won easily by 18 to 5, with one halved. In the morning Oxford won by 7 to 4, with one halved, and in the afternoon by 11 to 1. Langley and Goodban, probably the strongest pair at either University, played brilliant golf, to win their two matches, but Kenneth Scott (son of the Hon. Osmund Scott and nephew of Hon. Michael and Hon. Denys Scott) and J C Lawrie, the Oxford leaders, had the misfortune to lose twice. Results:

At Westward Ho! yesterday (Monday) reserves of the two Universities met in a foursome and two singles in a dinner match. Results:

The order of play is:

The course:

29 March 1938 – The Bideford & North Devon Weekly Gazette

Great weather and a world-famous course in top condition – the scene was set on Tuesday for the first visit of the Oxford versus Cambridge Golf match to the Royal North Devon Club’s course at Westward Ho! and some thrilling golf was produced. This, the diamond jubilee inter-varsity golf match was won by Cambridge with an aggregate of ten matches against Oxford’s four matches, with one halved. Cambridge, winners for the past three years, were favourites but they did not find this victory an easy one. Walker Cup selectors watched the games. 

The foursomes were played on Tuesday and the last stroke of the day gave Cambridge a lead of three games to Oxford’s two. On Wednesday, in the singles Cambridge won by seven games to two. What gave the matches additional local interest was that the Oxford captain was Kenneth Scott, one of the Walker Cup trial men, son of the Hon. Osmund Scott, who is this year’s president of the Royal North Devon. He and the Cambridge captain, George Carter, made a great match of it in the singles, Scott’s effort after being four down at the end of the first round and reversing this to be dormie one being outstanding.

Other members of the teams have also played at Royal North Devon Golf Club meetings.

Naturally, the ‘Varsity golf match attracted a considerable number of visitors to the district. Wednesday, being early-closing-day and a brilliantly final one too, brought hundreds down to the links to follow the games. There was always a crowd watching the fourth and fifth from the sandhills. The biggest crowd of all followed the two captains.

Results: