North Wilts

In 1932, it was decided to engage an architect to survey the club’s 9-hole course and recommend improvements. Harry Colt was contacted and he spent a day on site, drawing up a report that was presented to the committee on 4th January 1933.

Colt’s survey ended: “I hope that with the plans enclosed and with this report, together with help from the accompanying photographs, you will be able to carry out the work satisfactorily. When it is done I feel confident that the golf will be more interesting and more exciting to the good player, without being impossible for the long handicap one.”

When additional land became available, Ken Cotton and Charles Lawrie attended the club’s AGM in 1969 to inform the members about the possibility of expanding the course to an 18-hole layout. Work began in earnest in the spring of 1970 and Cotton and/or Lawrie were regular visitors.

According to the book North Wilts Golf Club 1890-1990 by John Lumley, “Cotton was a sprightly octogenarian with very fixed opinions. However, the Committee decided some aspects of his layout could be improved but were uncertain as to how the great man might react.

Lunchtimes with Cotton and Lawrie always contained a lively liquid ingredient and this was specially so on his next visit when he accepted the club’s suggestions without demur! Work now continued apace as greens and tees were constructed, top-soil imported, bunkers and banks seeded.

The great day came in 1971 when the new holes were opened for limited play heralded by a gala day to mark the occasion in October 1972 when Wiltshire played the Western Counties. So many people had played their part in this huge step forward.”