The start of it all.
Excerpt from: THE WEEKLY ARGUS
SATURDAY MARCH 14th 1903.
Meeting of members of this newly formed club was held at the Town Hall,
Newport on Saturday evening for the purpose of considering and passing the
clubs rules, electing officers and transacting other business. Mr Horace S.
Lyne presided over a large attendance.
The chairman mentioned that the committee had made enquiries as to taking
additional land in order that the club might have an 18-hole course, but no
satisfactory terms could be arranged with the tenant.
The committee had discussed the question of erecting a clubhouse. They
estimated that the cost would be £500, and it would be so constructed that they
might, if necessary, remove it. An additional expense of £100 will be incurred
in the preparation of the links. Most clubs have raised the money for a
clubhouse by debentures, which had been paid back in full. A circular would be
sent round to the members shortly asking them to take up debentures. Mr Hazell
asked whether the committee had considered the possibility of taking a house
near the links,--The chairman replied that the matter had been considered but
there were many difficulties in the way of acquiring a house-- Mr Colburne
proposed that the committee be instructed to take in to consideration the
question of providing a clubhouse in the near future, subject to the money been
found, by debentures or otherwise. My Newman seconded the motion, which was
carried.
The meeting then proceed to the consideration of a draft copy of the
proposed rules. The Chairman said the rules had been prepared by the committee,
and although he did not suggest that they were perfect, yet they had been
framed after the rules of other golf clubs had been consulted. Possibly,
members would find after playing for a season or two that the rules could be
improved upon.--The draft rules provided that the committee should consist of
the. Captain, Vice Captain, Honorary Secretaries, Honorary Treasurer and nine
members of the club, of whom three should retire annually by rotation, but
should be eligible for re-election. Further, the candidate for membership must
be proposed and seconded by two members. In the event of an objection, the
committee should immediately post a notice in the clubhouse of a ballot for the
election of members which should be held during the following week, no ballot
to be valid unless the members actually recorded their votes, and one adverse
in five to exclude. No candidate might be nominated more than twice in each
year, with an interval of not less than six months. The subscription was fixed
as follows --- Gentlemen upon election, should pay and entrance fee of one
guinea, and annual subscription of two guineas. The annual rent of each locker
should be 5s. Ladies upon election should pay an annual subscription of one
guinea. Visitors being members of any recognised golf club, might be introduced
by any member without fee by entering their names in the visitors book or by a
member giving the visitor a letter to the steward or professional (a) as a
playing visitor for 3 days only in any year (b) as a non-playing visitor for
one week once during the year. The rules were discussed at great length, and
many alterations were suggested.
Two amendment-one limiting the exclusion of ladies to Saturday afternoon
only and the other that the rule be deleted- were defeated, and the rule
therefore stands as originally framed. The general feeling of the meeting was
that it would not be wise to allow ladies to play on one or both these
afternoons until the 18 hole course was provided. With some other slight
alterations the rules were adopted.
This was known as Ladyhill Golf club and
played for many years at Ladyhill,
The land being required for building purposes, it became necessary to find
another site and in 1923 there was a split and
two new clubs were formed.
Newport
Golf Club in Rogerstone and Tredegar
Park Golf Club in Bassaleg Road Newport.
See 1937