Royal Liverpool Village Play

Royal Liverpool Village Play

The Royal Liverpool Golf Club (RLGC) was formed in 1869 and is respected as one of the finest golf club’s in the world. Less well known however, is the Royal Liverpool Village Play Golf Club (RLVP), the artisan club closely associated with it and which was founded only 26 years later, in 1895. In 2020, it celebrates its 125th anniversary. As its name suggests the club’s origins are more local and say much about its unusual and unique history.
The Village Play owe their existence to initial discontent shown over the land on which the course was built. Prior to the arrival of golf, the Hoylake ‘Warren’, was used by the Liverpool Hunt Club as an established horse racing venue and their regular meetings proved popular as a focus for colourful entertainment for one and all. However, golf and horseracing could never mix and vandalism soon became a constant issue. It would take a Hoylake tragedy to finally bring golfers and Hoylake townsfolk together. The devastating storm of December 1894 resulted in the tragic death of 5 local fisherman and caddies. Club members wished to put something back in to the town and an agreement was reached whereby local fishermen and artisans would be allowed to play at restricted times in return for their labour for work on the course, including weeding, bunker work and general repairs. Minutes compiled at that meeting show that The RLVP came into existence on 11th September 1895.
Records also suggest, that The Royal Liverpool Village Play Golf Club is the second oldest artisan club in the world after Northam in Devon and although numbers have dropped from an initial 200, to the current 50 playing members, the Village Play still carry out essential ‘divoting’ work, general course maintenance work and ball spotting duties throughout the year and at key championship events.
Like many artisan clubs they have their own clubhouse tucked away to the side of the short play practice area alongside the 18th green, and although not as grand as the main club, its facilities are more than adequate to serve its membership.
Over time main club members have marked their appreciation for the work carried out by the Village Play by offering up trophies in their name. The Ryder Richardson, (the handicap knock-out competition), The Glenda Jackson Trophy (her father was a Village Play member), The David Brown, The Pegram Cup and the Perrin Shield are just a few of these trophies and reflect the strong bond that the two clubs share. Others such as The Glover Cup (100 years old in 2019, and the Dan Tobey were donated by past captains and along with the Ladies and Colts trophies, are competed for each year in the true spirit of firm friendship and rivalry. In the early days even Hoylake’s finest, John Ball and Harold Hilton turned out for RLGC to play in The Glover, for this was also a time when almost every Village Play member was a scratch or single handicap player.
Over the years many distinguished Village Play golfers have made their mark on the game. Joe Lloyd, nicknamed the ‘General’, won the caddies medal in 1872 and after becoming professional at Pau in Southern France and later at Manchester, USA, he would go on to win the prestigious US Open title in 1897. He had come a long way from his early Village Play days.
Closer to home George Pulford, born in 1873, achieved a fourth place finished in the 1895 British Open and bettered this again in both the 1897 and the 1907 Opens by coming an impressive 3rd on both occasions.
More recently John Dalton, a much-loved Village Play member for over 50 years played in the Open twice in the early 60’s. John is one of a number of members who have given long and distinguished service to the club. Also of particular note are Richie and Bobby Lucas, who have given 86 years of combined service to the club. Others such as Reg Barton, a long-standing member for many years recalled seeing Bobby Jones’ famous win in the 1930 Open and Alf Padgham’s win 6 years later. More recently the club are indebted to Jimmy McVey, who at the age of 86 still works as one of the two starters for the main club. Jimmy can testify to an impressive 63 years of valued membership of the Village Play, 25 years of which were in the capacity of Chairman.
In 2019, the Royal Liverpool Golf Club reached a significant milestone – its 150th anniversary, and in 2020 the Royal Liverpool Village Play will commemorate 125 years of its own history. As their members celebrate and reflect on their long and valued partnership with the main club, they will also look forward to upholding the traditions of artisan golf for many more years to come.

Captions for pictures:
Picture 1
Famous Villagers

Pictures 2
Stalwarts of the Royal Liverpool Village Play with over 150 years membership between them. From left to right John Dalton, Jimmy McVey and Peter Williams.