Moseley Golf Club
Our History
Fans of the Lord of the rings by J.R.R. Tolkein will know that The Lord Of The Rings was originally written with the Moseley area in mind.
Places such as Sare Hole Mill and Moseley Bog featured in his now world famous novel. What very few people know is that Tolkein's uncle William was a founder member of Moseley Golf Club, and won the club's first ever medal competition with a net score of 112 off a handicap of 12. Together with eleven other members he founded the club in September 1892 on rented land from Billesley Farm, which now forms part of the club's buildings and is home to the steward and caterer. Since its inception the club has continually developed, with the membership voting in 1919 to buy the freehold of the course and to build the existing clubhouse, a very profound move indeed; a bold step from which members and visitors continue to benefit.
On the playing front Moseley Golf Club has achieved many honours, most notable of which are:
Stanley and Michael Lunt between them captained England on five separate occasions.
Michael Lunt won the Amateur Championship in 1963, and the English Championship in 1966, played in the Walker Cup and for the British Isles and England teams. In the Autumn of 2006 he was appointed Captain of The R&A. Michael remained a Moseley Member until his death in 2007. Stanley Lunt won the English Championship in 1934, and played for the England Team many times
An additional six members have represented England, as well as one for Scotland and two for Wales
H.C. Squirrell was the Welsh Amateur Champion on five occasions and played for Wales consistently over a 20 year period
In Club Competitions Moseley has an impressive record of success at County and Regional level and many individuals have won County titles.
On Saturday, April 26, 1930 an exhibition match was played at Moseley between two Ryder Cup players, Abe Mitchell, who was Samual Ryder's teacher, and Archie Compston, who played in the inaugural Ryder Cup Matches at the Worcester Country Club, Massachusetts, in 1927.
Mitchell won the morning matchplay round 2 and 1.
Mitchell also won the afternoon medal round by one shot. 71 to Compston's 72.
Abe Mitchell was Sam Ryder's golfing coach and the man said to be the model for the top of the Ryder Cup.
Archie Compston was one of Britain's leading pros from 1925 to the early 1930's and came close to winning the Open, being runner-up in 1925 and 3rd in 1928.