In the golfing world, Northam has gained its own small niche in the game’s history books as the home of John Henry Taylor, one of the Great Triumvirate who was British Open champion no less than five times.

But Northam licensee Peter Long believes that Northam has an even greater claim to fame golfwise by having provided more professionals for the game than anywhere else in the country. With the help of his customers at the Kingsley Inn, Northam, Peter has so far traced 76 golfers who left Northam to join the professional ranks. The list, an impressive one in size alone, includes two Open champions; the famous ‘JH’, and Denmore Shute who in more recent times won the American Open. George Cawsey, John Rowe and Bert Way were presidents of the Professional Golfers Association in this country and Bert Way was also president of the USGA. Peter Mills was a Ryder Cup player....one of the Way brothers, Jack, won the United States senior championship in 1962 at the age of 84. The list includes several sets of well known brothers including the Andrews, the Fulfords, the Gibsons – well known for their club making skills including a set for Queen Victoria’s dolls house - the Hearns, the Shutes and the Taylors.Again Mr Long’s researches have shown that 23 sons of Northam went to the United States, three to Canada, two to France. And others went to New Zealand, India, Switzerland and one, Albert Jenkins, even went to Lundy, where a nine hole course was formed. Newest professional is Jim Long, the 24 years old son of Mr and Mrs Long who joined the professional ranks five years ago and who is now assistant pro at the West Herts club. Here’s the list as it stands today: Arthur Andrews, Bryant Andrews, Amber Andrews, Phil Andrews, Walter Andrews, Cecil Ash, Tom Bellworthy, Eddie Bond, R Braund, William (Bis) Curtis, George Cann, George Cawsey, Jack Cawsey, George Cawsey jnr, Eddie Davis, Jack Dingle, Batt Fulford, Harry Fulford, Tom Fulford, Horace Fulford, Jack Fuldord, Bobby Fowler, Eric Gibson, Charles Gibson snr, Charles Gibson jnr, Jack Gibson, Robert Gibson, Bill Gibson, Ben Goss, Fred Griffey, Alfie Hearn, Jim Hearn, Monty Hearn, Stanley Hearn, Nelson Hamlyn, William Hoare, Albert Jenkins, William Lock, Nick Laws, Jim Long, Frank Lock, Frank Lewis, W Lewis, ... Lilley, Tom Mounce, Peter Mills, M McNamara, Jack Moore, J Ogate, John Olde, George Oke, William Oke, Fred Pye, George Pennington, Fred Pennington, John Rowe, Charles Rowe, William Rowe, Harry Shute, Denmore Shute, Cyril Shute, Herman Shute, Fred Saunders, Albert Saunders, Harry Snell, Jumbo Slocombe, Ernie Slocombe, J H Taylor, J J Taylor, Charles Taylor, Reg Taylor, Josh Taylor, Bert Way, Jack Way, ... Way and Norman Wickett. Read the full Gazette article for more information 2 March 1973