The Livery Newsletter and Gazette Issue 28 Winter 2017 | Page 18

The Inter Livery Golf Tournament
– Prince Arthur Cup - 18 May
2017
The lunch
was deliciously catered by Mark Grove
18 holes in the morning; 3 course lunch and
beverages (!), 18 holes in the afternoon - a long day
on the golf course!
The Tobacco Pipe Makers and Blenders were back
in action this year at this most prestigious of golfing
events and with our team being Ian Panto and Jeff
Jeffrey, Andy Browne (potential new member and last-
minute stand in for Colin Ritchie who was undergoing
medical treatment) and Paul Taberer.
The annual Inter Livery Golf Tournament – the largest
one day, two course, amateur tournament in the UK –
was first held in 1927 at Walton Heath Golf Club.
That was the year in which Prince Arthur of
Connaught was invited to become a guest of the
Coachmakers’ Livery Company and then went on
to accept the Freedom and Livery of the Company
later that year. He was subsequently elected Assistant
and showed such an interest in the Company that he
became Master in 1932.
But his admission in 1927 to the Coachmakers was
a great honour and to commemorate the event, the
Master Arthur Hungerford Pollen presented the
Coachmakers’ Company with the Prince Arthur Cup –
an impressive silver gilt trophy that would be competed
for annually by the Livery Companies of London in a
foursomes’ golf tournament. See picture of the Cup!
The first tournament at Walton Heath, which saw
Companies represented by two pairs playing two
rounds of golf, was won by the Butchers’ Company.
As time went on, more Companies participated and
the event was held at a number of different golf clubs
before St George’s Hill became the venue from 1930 to
1958, then Wentworth from 1960 to 1978. The Prince
Arthur Cup returned to Walton Heath in 1979 and the
event has been held there ever since.
There are now up to 54 teams participating – the
maximum that can be accommodated – which means
216 players currently take part in what has developed
into one of the City Liveries’ most prestigious and
fiercely contested annual sporting events. Since there
are 110 Livery Companies and only 54 can compete
in any one year, a little spice is added in that the 12
and his team at Cook & Butler and we cracked
along at a goodly pace. Our guests were admirably
Companies with
the lowest Fran
scores
retire to allow
new
introduced
by Liveryman
Morrison
and our
competitors
to
enter
the
following
year.
Principal Guest, Tim Wonnacott gave a generous and
very
humorous
to which
I responded
initially
Special
thanks to reply
Richard
Wormell
(Honorary
by
drenching
in a glass Golfing
of water
- he was
Secretary,
The poor
Livery Tim
Companies
Society)
and
his
team
of
assistants
for
the
wonderful
organisation
very kind about it (sorry Tim!). I was very pleased
and show
logistical
management
of Livery
the event.
to
off the
newly found
Grant of Arms
and
Letters
Patent
been
missing
for and
many
Walton
Heath
is one which
of the have
world’s
most
famous
years
-
our
Clerk
tenaciously
sought
them
out,
and
prestigious clubs. The history of Walton Heath is
the
new Immediate
Master,
Chris Allen, and
his
exceptional.
The two Past
world
class championship
courses
IPM,
Mark Gower-Smith
have funded
a beautiful
have hosted
nearly ninety significant
amateur
and re-
presentation
and
they
are
now
resplendent
in
frames
professional championships and events, including
carved
with tobacco
(or close
also
five European
Opens, leaves
The Ryder
Cup, to);
the Sandra
U.S. Open
located
a
huge
banner
not
seen
since
1985
and
Angus
Qualifying and most recently the Senior Open
Menzies,
Clerk The
to the
Master
and taken
never on
shy
Championship.
world’s
top Mariners
players have
of
challenge
to it that of it these
was displayed
on the
and a enjoyed
the saw
challenges
two outstanding
Quarterdeck.
heathland courses for over a century.
The courses
were
designed
by apparently
Herbert Fowler
who was
Whilst
all this
was
going on,
biblical-
related
by marriage
to the
founder,
Sir over
Henry
Cosmo
style
downpours
were
being
had all
London
Bonsor.
The
Old
Course
was
opened
for
play
in
1904.
- oblivious to all that drama we ended our lunch
and
trooped
back
to the on
quarterdeck
Coffee,
“It was
a stroke
of genius
the part of where
Mr Herbert
Cigars,
and
Cognac
awaited
us
(I
did
mention
Fowler to see with his prophetic eye a noble golf that
course
our
Livery
enjoyed
dining Heath”,
on the wrote
High Bernard
C’s..) and
on the
expanse
of Walton
which
seemed
hit the
Liveryman
Jemma
Darwin.
James to
Braid,
five mark
times – Open
Champion,
Freeman
had
kindly
provided
the he torpedo
cigars
became the
first
professional
and
remained
until
and
1950. had had them placed in souvenir tubes with our
Crest emblazoned on it. Several of us also sported
Looking back in the records, I see that The Tobacco
a limited edition Livery Smoking hat - originally
Pipe Makers and Blenders has won the tournament just
conceived
as a sort of shooting hat, it serves its
once and that was in 1997.
purpose so well as a “team” hat, that of the twenty
The playing
this year
were
somewhat
ordered,
but conditions
one remained
by the
close
of the day!
miserable
damp
cool…same
Thank
you - to
the and
Master
Mariners for
for everyone…and
al lowing us the
sadly of we
not to
quite
sync
and a came
in well
down
use
the were
venue,
Tim in for
being
perfect
Principal
the
leader
board
at
36th
place!
Guest, and for everyone attending and giving my
year
such a special
Nevertheless,
a most start.
enjoyable and grand day; and in
typical fashion a highly competitive inter-livery spirit.
Well done to The Merchant Taylors, Builders
The second
Master
Merchants and Lightmongers for coming first,
and third respectively.
I hope we can get a team together for 2018!
Assistant Paul Taberer
18
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