Bournemouth Amateur Golf Weeks in the 1930s

There were multiple factors that motivated local corporations to invest resources into the development of public municipal golf courses. However, for the seaside towns this included meeting the corporation’s objective of providing new and popular amenities that attracted new segments of tourists into the resorts. Consequently, the first municipal course in England was laid out at Meyrick Park in Bournemouth in 1894. The hosting of Bournemouth’s Amateur Golf Weeks demonstrates how they increased demand for and further broadened the nature of golfing participation, for locals and visitors alike, by helping to break down the traditional social and cultural barriers associated with the game. In comparison, in Scotland, while the majority of golf courses at the turn of the century were private members clubs, there was a greater propensity in the provision of pay and play municipal courses. A contemporary account, identified that, in Scotland, municipal golf enterprises were commonplace, but only a few rare exceptions were found in England. While these were popular with the local golfers, they also attracted considerable numbers of golfing tourists who journeyed to play. These golfing tourists would stay in the local hotels and spend money in the resort during their visit contributing to the local economy, thus justifying the corporation’s financial investment. To achieve this review, an analysis of the participants in the men’s section of the Bournemouth Amateur Open Golf Tournaments from 1936 - 1939 was undertaken. The records for these four years revealed the magnitude and the countrywide origins of the golfing tourists. A socio-economic analysis of the occupation, class and the age of the visiting players identify they were broadly representative of the typical 1930s club golfer. However, some advances in terms of class and gender participation were present amongst the golf tourists who visited Bournemouth