HISTORY OF THE SOCIETY OF LIVERPOOL GOLF CAPTAINS
The Society had its inception in the desire of Captains and Past Captains of the Clubs on Merseyside to meet in competitions once a year and afterwards at dinner, in order to continue the happy association formed during their periods of office. The first meeting was in 1908 at the Woolton club, and twenty-three Captains were named in the newspaper report and photographs as participators in the competitions. The prizes were presented by Colonel Winwood Gossage and Mr. H Johnson; the Clubs represented were royal Liverpool, west Lancashire, Formby, Birkdale, Woolton, Chester, Heswall, Wallasey, Bromborough, west derby, Huyton and Ormskirk. Similar meeting took place in 1911 and 1912, likewise at the Woolton Club and the Clubs whose names appeared additionally were Hesketh, New Brighton and Leasowe. After the First World War the completion was revived at Woolton in 1920 and 1921, and in the following years the honour of entertaining the Captains has been sought by the various clubs in succession. In 1924 Mr. Harry Hayco, an ex-Captain of the Hayton Club, presented a Hanson trophy in the form of a cigar and cigar box to be held by the Club of the winner of the Annual Competition, and is always brought into use at our Society dinners. In 1939 the late lord Leverhulme, then our Patron, presented a large silver salver, which is now awarded to the Club bringing in the best aggregate of three returns at the competition.
Mr. J. F. Clegg of Woolton, who had inspired the competitions from their commencements in 1908 was officially appointed Secretary in 1930 in order to give continuity to the series, and in the year 1938 the movement had progressed sufficiently for an advisory committee to recommend the formation of an organisation on the lines of the society of London Golf Captains (which was started in 1911), and the holding of Annual Dinner's apart from the competition. The first of these Annual Dinners were hold in the Adelphi hotel, Liverpool on the 23^rd January, 1939, when Mr. Roland Marshal of the Royal Liverpool Club presided over an attendance of 56, and resolution established the Society were duly passed. Mr. J. F. Clegg was appointed the first Captain. The outbreak of the second world war stopped the society's activities until 1948, when the competition was revived at Southport & Ainsdale Club, and Mr. Fred J. Lees of the Prenton Club, who had for nine years held the dual position of Secretary and Treasurer, was made Captain, his place being taken by Mr. G. O. Papworth, a Past Captain of the West Derby Club. The Annual Dinners at the Adelphi hotel was resumed in 1949 and have since become a colourful feature in the social life of Merseyside, and the attended by successive lord mayors of Liverpool as well as by guests distinguished in the hierarchy of golf. In 1950 the Earl of Derby graciously accepted our invitation to become patron of the society in successions to the late Lord Leverhulme, and it was with regret that the Society learned of his death in November 1994.
An Inter-Society match with London Captains took place at the Formby Club in 1952 whilst their Autumn Competition was staged in our locality: a well attended dinner followed, and the liaison proved so enjoyable that the encounters have continued intermittently. In similar manner we entertained newly-formed Manchester society at Royal Birkdale in 1956; this has become a keenly-fought annual contest of the Stewart shield presented by the then captains of the Society, Mr. D. Norman Stewart of the Royal Birkdale Club.
In 1966 a friendly association was formed with the Edinburgh and Lothian's Captains' Society and occasional matches are played as opportunity offers, during the society's visit to Scotland for autumn meetings , and representatives exchange visits at the time of each annual dinner.
Mr. William lodge of the Bidston Club was elected Captain of the society in 1958 after serving 6 years honorary Secretary and Treasurer. He was succeeded by Mr. J. Stanway Johnson of the Childwall Club who served (apart from his year of captaincy in 1962/63) in these offices with distinction until 1993. On his retirement, Mr. Stanway Johnson was presented with a specially commissioned plate and elected Honorary Life President, a position he held until his death in 1997. Mr. J. A. B. Johnson, although not a member of the society, was appointed Honorary Secretary & Treasurer to succeed his father. 'Tony' followed his footsteps until he too retired in 2003 and was elected as an honorary member in 2004. Mr Eddy Hampson of the Bidston Club was elected Secretary & Treasurer in his stead.
In April 1994, Mr Stanway Johnson presented the President's Trophy in the form of a glass claret jug to be awarded as a team prize at the Society Autumn Meetings. In 1998 the Trophy was re-named the Jack Stanway Trophy.
The Autumn Meetings have become an increasingly attractive feature of the Society's activities, being held initially at two year intervals from 1952 with a visit to the London area, but since 1965 these have continued on an annual basis with visits to various venues in the United Kingdom and Eire.
In 1978, Mr. Ben Spaven of the Grange Park Golf Club, a Past Captain of the Society, feeling that Captains of Clubs were aggressively being pointed at an earlier age, donated a silver slaver for competitions among' Society members of 65 years of age or more, who had scored the largest number of points (under the Stableford system) at the Annual Competition.
In the year 1987 the Society mourned the loss of its Captain, Dr. John Benstead of the Royal Birkdale Club. His widow dr. Nancy Benstead generously presented a silver salver to the Society. Designated as the John Benstead trophy, the salver is presented to the player who has the highest number of the Stableford points over the three rounds of golf at the Autumn Meetings.
In September 1998 the Society was presented with a Dublin Chrystal vase. Initially it was known as the 'Bord Failte trophy' (played for as a 'best over 65 years of age' price at Autumn Meetings) but in 2003 the Trophy was renamed 'the Tom Wolfenden Trophy' in recognition of the outstanding service to the Society by the 1989 Captain.
Several Members have distinguished themselves in the wider sphere of golf outside the Society, including John Behrend (Royal Liverpool) and Dr. David marsh (Southport & Ainsdale) who were both elected as Captains of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. Fred Caroe (Haswall) was elected President of the English Golf Union in 2005 - following in the footsteps of Peter Wilson (Formby in 1999, Stuart Cookson (Heswall) in 1994, Peter Dutton (Prenton) in 1989, Dr. David Marsh (Southport & Ainsdale) in 1988, John Wild (Wigan) in 1985 and Frank Fawcett (Woolton) in 1973.
Other members have been honoured by being appointed president of county unions. The Society is pleased to record these achievement and to bask in the reflected glory of them