Lancaster

Located just outside Lancaster, on the east bank of the River Lune, the course at Lancaster Golf Club is set in the grounds of Ashton Hall, the 14th–century mansion that now operates as the club’s rather grand clubhouse.

The club moved from its former location at Dolphinlee in 1933, with the new layout opening on 3rd May that year. The following edited extract is taken from John F. Moreton & Iain Cumming’s book James Braid and his Four Hundred Golf Courses:

“The course measured 6,560 yards and was laid out ‘exactly in accordance with James Braid’s plan.’ The turf was in ‘absolutely wonderful condition’, the fairways were ‘well-nigh perfect’, only one or two greens ‘needed attention’. The course even possessed a burn and a heronry.

Braid’s course had two holes over 500 yards, the 5th and 14th, and three short holes: the 3rd, 165 yards; the 13th, 150 yards; and the 18th, 154 yards. The burn was in play during the 1st, 9th, 10th and 18th holes.

The parkland course is situated close to the estuary of the River Lune, and was in two nine hole loops, with a number of doglegs, but only three par threes. And this was the perceived problem, along with the order of the two nines.

Very quickly, with Braid’s agreement, the two nines were reversed, holes 10 to 18 remain fairly faithful to his design, but the front half contains a new par three 4th and a new 7th though the other holes are structurally as laid out by Braid.”