Encourage Young Players Call

Members of Northam Golf Club were asked to do all they could to encourage junior golf by Mr. A.J. Garland at the Club’s annual dinner at the Church Hall on Saturday.

Mr. Garland was responding to the toast of the “Royal North Devon Golf Club,” of which he is secretary.

At a recent meeting of the Devon Golf Club Union, added Mr. Garland, its President had spoken of the need to foster junior golf in the county. The Royal North Devon Club had at the moment twenty-two junior members, but he considered their standard of play was not good enough. He urged the Northam Club to encourage junior golf because the game was falling behind because of the lack of junior players. He envisaged difficulties in the future of filling important match vacancies if they had no-one of the required standard coming along.

Commenting on the friendly spirit existing between the Royal North Devon Gold Club and the Northam Golf Club, Mr. Garland said there was complete harmony between them.

The toast was proposed by the President of the Northam Golf Club, Mr. L.G.H. Braddick, who said he hoped the Northam Club realised its debt to the Royal North Devon Golf Club. Financially, he stressed, they were not having a very happy time, but fortunately over the week-end a good muster of the golfing community turned out for a game. He coupled with the toast the name of Mr. Garland who, he said, was a well-known and popular figure in golf throughout the country for his work in arranging competitions.

The toast to Northam Golf Club was proposed by the president of the Royal North Devon Golf Club, Capt. the Hon. Denys Scott, who wished the Club good fortune in the future and spoke in amusing reminiscent vein.

Replying, Mr. G.H. Cork said in Capt. the Hon. D. Scott, the Royal North Devon Golf Club had a president who was the very spirit of golf; as much part of Westward Ho! as the bunkers on the course. Mr. Cork hoped the two clubs would go forward with the same spirit and co-operation for their mutual benefit as they had done in the past.

Proposing a toast to the Club president, Mr. F. Gray spoke of Mr. Braddick’s keen sportsmanship and the interest he had shown in the Northam Club.

A toast to the caterers and artists was submitted by Mr. George Webber to which Mr. and Mrs. F. Patt, caterers, briefly replied.

The gathering was presided over by the Club Chairman (Mr. H. Heaman), who praised the work of the Club’s secretary (Mr. T. Shutt).

Entertainment was provided by Bob Mitchell and his concert party. 

Here is a link to the Club's website - RNDGC

Gazette article dated 26 February 1954