QUEENS PARK GOLF CLUB - A BRIEF HISTORY
The course was officially opened on the 25th October 1905, The Mayor of Bournemouth struck the first ball to open the town's second golf course: there is no record as to what happened to the ball, but the professionals then took over with an exhibition match between J H Taylor, Harry Vardon, James Braid, and Alex Herd. They played two singles; Vardon against Braid, and Taylor against Herd. The matches were followed by over one thousand spectators, and ended with Braid carding 74, Vardon and Taylor 75 and Herd 77 - against a Bogey of 82.
The new course was much longer than its counterpart, and a much more severe test of golf. It quickly eclipsed neighbouring Meyrick and it attracted many important tournaments, including the Daily Mail; which in the 1939 tournament resulted in a unique five-day marathon. Henry Cotton and Archie Compston were tied on 292 after four rounds, were still tied after a play-off, and again after another thirty-six holes, then Cotton won on the Saturday April 1st.
The local professional, Don Curtis had backed himself to win, but claimed that he was thwarted by the Park Superintendent, who used the bowling club mowers, which upset the 'nap' on the greens and ruined his putting technique!

Other tournament have included the Sumrie (1974/75/76), the Martini (1969), and the Penfold (1951/71/74/75/76), all very famous in their day. The course also succeeded in attracting the country's finest golfers - and the crowds which followed them -so, although the Council was unable to charge an entrance fee, because it was still a public park, the influx of so many people must have had a beneficial effect upon the local economy and it would also have enhanced Bournemouth's reputation as a holiday centre, thereby achieving the original objective of the Council's innovative decision.

'Queens' quickly established itself as the finest municipal golf course in England, and although it is not as difficult today as it was before the 'Wessex Way' took its toll, it continues to attract many thousands of visitors every year.

The photograph shows the very fine municipal pavilion, which was for many years a dominant feature of the Eastern approaches to the town, until it was demolished in 1966 to make way for the construction of the 'Wessex Way'. In the background is the clubhouse of the Meyrick & Queens Park Golf Club Ltd., which stood in two acres of ground, with facilities for tennis, croquet, bowling, and putting. This was a prestigious private club reminiscent of the original golf clubs which played over municipal links in the formative years of the game.

At the outset, before the golfing explosion opened up the game to a wider cross section of the public, the members of the private club took precedence in the choice of starting times, but as the pressures built up its members had to accept a growing equality with the 'public' players. The authoritative nature of the club diminished after the war and in 1946 the assets of the club were transferred to trustees.

Five golf clubs were established at Queens Park: The Meyrick & Queens Park (who were established in 1895 and moved to Queens in 1905); Bournemouth Artisans, who were formally inaugurated at a meeting in the Town Hall on July 3rd 1930; Boscombe (1938), who were originally formed from the 'Associate' members of the Artisans Club; The Boscombe Ladies (1953) and The Boscombe & West Hants Juniors (1962).
The Artisans Club was one of a very few autonomous artisan clubs in the country; it paid a capitation fee to the Council like all the other clubs using the course, but it was not associated with a private club. Don Curtis, the Queens Park professional was the President of the club from its inception until his death in 1983, and gave free golf lessons to its members.

The club membership was limited to sixty, and they were restricted to play before 9am and 3pm. They used the caddy shelter alongside the eighteenth green of the old course layout, and moved into their own clubhouse, (which they built themselves) near the first tee in 1951, and remained there until the new pavilion was built in 1968. The Clubs, with the exception of the Ladies, were amalgamated under the title of The Queens Park (Bournemouth) Golf Club in 1991.

 When the course opened it was a very difficult bogey 75, but Don Curtis set a course record of 67 in 1936, which stood until Antonio Cerda of Argentina reduced it by one shot in the Penfold Tournament in 1951. The amateur record of 69 for the old course was set in 1939 by Len Loader, a long-serving member of the Artisans Club. Bill Carr, another member of the Artisans Club became a professional at the Windwhistle Golf Club in Somerset.

One of the great characters on the course for a great many years was the legendary Joe Jones, starter, secretary, and supervisor; he had lost a leg in the war, was known (inevitably) as 'Peg-Leg', and was very strict in the observance of etiquette and the Rules of Golf.

The construction of the 'Wessex Way' resulted in the loss of a great deal of land, including the eighteenth green which featured in so many photographs of the famous national competitions held on the course regularly for many years, and it resulted in a drastic revision of the layout of the course, which was entrusted to the then 'Director of Golf and the Council ground staff.

A new municipal clubhouse and restaurant was built in 1968 alongside the new first tee, which used to be the fourth in the original layout. It is in no way comparable to the luxurious nineteenth century building, but it provides facilities for the Club and for the present-day 'pay and play' golfer. In 1991 the Boscombe men's and Artisans Clubs amalgamated to become the Queens Park (Bournemouth) Golf Club, but the Ladies decided to retain their old title of the Boscombe Ladies Golf Club.
The course is not as difficult now - some of the older players rate it as being four shots easier - and it has undergone three major alterations. It is still a very good golfing challenge, and a round played to handicap would still be a very satisfying achievement.

The amateur record on the revised course is 66, and was established during the Bournemouth Open in 1987.
Details taken from the queens park golf club official handbook