Walmley Golf Club was formed at a meeting in Erdington, Birmingham on 22nd September 1902 after a group of friends, who couldn't play tennis on Sundays, had got in to the habit of knocking a golf ball back and forth in William Ashford's fields, using a bag of golf clubs that two of them had won in a lawn tennis tournament. A nine-hole course was opened on 20th December of the same year with about fifty members taking part.

The course was extended to eighteen holes in May 1908. During the next two years more land was acquired, together with the purchase of a large Victorian house to act as the Clubhouse.
The course was improved and developed steadily until World War II came when, amongst other difficulties, half the course was ploughed up.

In 1962 the Club bought the freehold of nearly all the land in use and sold the land to the north east of Brooks Road that the Clubhouse stood on. The sale of this land enabled the Club to buy the freehold of all the remaining land and to build the modern Clubhouse now in use to a design that allows wonderful panoramic views of the course. 
As the course was now wholly owned by the Club, extensive tree planting could take place to create an attractive parkland Course.

In 1982 more land was purchased and the course was further developed to create the 3rd, 4th and 5th hole and provide the water features that the course now possesses.
Further details of the Club history may be obtained from the Walmley Golf Club Centenary Book available from the Club, price £10.00.

Contact the Secretary

Old Hole

The old hole used to be at the top of the now 12th hole.

The photograph is taken from the tee of a par 3 that was reputed to be one of the best short holes in the Midlands. The tee is probably now where a house stands on the north side of Brooks Road at the junction of Kempson Avenue. The photo is taken looking down onto the par three green with the present 12th and 13th holes in the distance. In the centre of the photograph can be seen three small Larches that are now the big trees to the left of the 12th Fairway.

Historic Photos & Videos

The view of the golf course is of what was the 9th hole on the old layout and the green was about where the current clubhouse is located. The filming is from where the oak tree is at the back of the 18th hole.

Of The 2 men talking the bald one is Ted Barber who would have been greens chairman at that time or maybe Captain which he was at some time.

The filming follows the players in front of the clubstore then the pro’s shop and finishes at the mens changing rooms. The filming is from the putting green in front of the old clubhouse which you can see in the painting in the current clubhouse.

(Selby Betts)

The video shows the building of the 18th green as it was then. It is now the 9th green. When the Club purchased the course it sold the sites of the houses on the left of the 10th tee mainly to members at the time so they don't show on the video.
On the front of the video is a man in a dark jacket, this is Ken Dodsworth who was the professional at that time.

(Selby Betts)

Walmley Members Celebrating 75 years  1902 - 1977 and Pictures of the Old Club House