The Livery Newsletter and Gazette Issue 29 Summer 2018 | Page 26

The Inter Livery Golf Tournament – The Prince Arthur Cup

Foursomes Format - 18 holes in the morning ; 3 course lunch and beverages , 18 holes in the afternoon .
The Tobacco Pipe Makers and Blenders were fortunate to get a team together for this magnificent event on 17th May 2018 - being Adrian Marshall with Colin Ritchie and Simon Orlik with Paul Taberer . We played in the same flight as the Tin Plate Workers and Marketors who were wonderful to spend the day with .
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
The lunch was deliciously catered by Mark Grove and his team at Cook & Butler and we cracked
Butchers Company . As along time at went a goodly on , pace outstanding . Our guests heathland were admirably courses for more Companies participated introduced and by Liveryman over a century Fran Morrison . and our the event was held at Principal a number Guest of , Tim Wonnacott gave a generous and different golf clubs before very humorous St George ’ s reply
Winston to which
Churchill I responded played several initially
Hill became the venue by from drenching 1930 to games here and was a member 1910- poor Tim in a glass of water - he was
1958 , then Wentworth very from kind 1960
1965 . about it ( sorry Tim !). I was very pleased to 1978 . The Prince Arthur to show Cup off the newly The found courses Livery were designed Grant of by Arms returned to Walton Heath and Letters in 1979
Patent which Herbert have Fowler been who missing was related for many by and the event has been held there years - our Clerk tenaciously marriage to sought the founder them , Sir out Henry , and ever since . the new Immediate Cosmo Past Master Bonsor , . Chris The Old Allen Course , and was his There are now up to IPM 54 teams , Mark Gower-Smith opened have for play funded in 1904 a
.
beautiful representation that and they “ It was are a now stroke resplendent of genius on in the frames part
participating – the maximum can be accommodated carved – which with tobacco of leaves Mr Herbert ( or close Fowler to ); to Sandra see with also his means 216 players currently located take a huge part banner prophetic not seen eye a since noble 1985 golf course and Angus on in what has developed
Menzies into one
, Clerk of the to the Master expanse Mariners of Walton and Heath never ”, wrote shy
City Liveries ’ most prestigious and of a challenge saw to Bernard it that Darwin it was displayed . James Braid on , the five fiercely contested annual sporting Quarterdeck . times Open Champion , became the
events . Since there are 108 Livery first professional and he remained Companies and only Whilst 54 can all compete this was until going 1950 on , . apparently biblicalstyle in any one year , a little spice downpours is added were being had all over London in that the 12 Companies with the Past records show that The Tobacco
- oblivious to all that drama we ended our lunch lowest scores retire to allow new Pipe Makers and Blenders has won and trooped back to the quarterdeck where Coffee ,
competitors to enter the following the tournament just once and that year . We may have qualified Cigars , and for Cognac was awaited in 1997 us . ( I did mention that ‘ retirement ’! our Livery enjoyed dining on the High C ’ s ..) and which seemed to hit The the playing mark conditions – Liveryman this Jemma year Special thanks to Richard Freeman Wormell had kindly were provided absolutely the perfect torpedo
- a cigars little chilly
( Honorary Secretary and , The had Livery early on , but dry and with some good had them placed in souvenir tubes with our Companies Golfing Society ) and sunshine throughout the day .
Crest emblazoned on it . Several of us also sported his team of assistants for the a limited edition Livery How did Smoking we do ? hat Not - that originally well sadly
wonderful organisation and logistical management of the event conceived . as a sort - of coming shooting 39th hat in , aggregate it serves out its of purpose so well as this a “ team year ” ’ s hat field , that of 50 of teams the twenty . We did Walton Heath is one ordered of the world , but ’ s one remained however enjoy by the the close day of and the remember day !
most famous and prestigious Thank you clubs to . the Master well where Mariners we could for have allowing stolen us a few the better holes ! The history of Walton use Heath of the is venue , to Tim for being a perfect Principal exceptional . The two Guest world , class and for everyone Well done attending to the Barbers and giving , my
championship courses year have such hosted a special
International start . Bankers , Mercers and
nearly ninety significant amateur
Insurers for coming first , second and
and professional championships
tie-third respectively .
and events , including five European
Opens , The Ryder Cup , the U . S .
Open Qualifying and most recently
We will surely strive for a
The better Master result next year !
the Senior Open Championship . The
world ’ s top players have taken on and enjoyed the challenges of these two
Fourth Warden Paul Taberer
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