Mickleover Golf Club is celebrating its Centenary in 2023

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Established in 1923......Enjoy a brief history of Mickleover Golf Club

A General Meeting, held in the Memorial Hut in Station Road, Mickleover on 7th March 1923 led to the official formation of the Golf Club five days later. Shortly afterwards, a nine-hole golf course was designed and laid for the benefit of golfers in the town and surrounding area. Two years later a further 9 holes were added. The entrance fee then was £2 10sh 0d and the annual subscription was £2 12s 6d. Green fees were 1s 0d.

In 1937 the gentlemen’s membership was 162 and the lady’s 148.

During the war members of HM Forces were invited to play without charge and large obstructions were placed on two of the longer fairways to prevent enemy planes from landing. The Clubhouse doubled as a home guard post and two holes were given up for ploughing in 1941 but were restored in 1944.

During the 1940’s and 1950’s the landlord’s sheep grazed on the course with the greens protected by wire fences. By 1949 the gentlemen’s membership had increased to 214 but the ladies had fallen to 123, and by 1954 the numbers had declined to 161 and 109, respectively.

In 1970 the membership was surprised to discover that the proposed A38 trunk road was to pass virtually though the middle of the course, resulting in the loss of several holes and the old Clubhouse. The Clubhouse was then a small wooden structure, opposite Arundel Avenue on the main A516 Uttoxeter Road.

Its impending demolition was no doubt good news for those living in Arundel Avenue as the Club car park was quite small and the street parking overspill resulted in much annoyance to the residents. However, the building of a new Clubhouse and a new redesigned course (by Cotton, Pennick, Lawrie and Partners) resulted in a challenging 18-hole par 69 of 5,621 yards.

The current Clubhouse was officially opened by the Mayor of Derby in November 1972 and the newly laid out course was ready for use in 1973. When it opened, the current 9th and 18th holes were reversed and six years later a manually operated pop-up water sprinkler system was installed on the course.

The gentlemen’s locker room was then extended in 1981, creating the balcony that now sits above it. The Pro-Shop (which was originally in the Clubhouse) was re-sited in 1986 to its present position and then in 1992 the snooker area and dining room were added.

Following an adverse court ruling in 1992 there was a very substantial increase in the ground rent payable which necessitated in the recruitment of 40 extra members. In 1994 the 150-yard distance markers were added and in 1996 the current practice putting green was completed. Additionally, a halfway house was built adjacent to the 10th tee and the sprinkler system automated.
In 1994 our current Professional Tim Coxon joined the Club, and he oversaw the completion of the new Pro Shop in 2006 and in 2008 our current Clubhouse manager Julie Cottrell joined the team.

Although there was a national decline in golf membership at the turn of the new millennium and Mickleover Golf Club was no different, however the club has always been fortunate in being managed very professionally by volunteers and survived this and continued to prosper with our current Managing Secretary being appointed in 2003.

2006 saw the new Pro Shop facility opened.

In 2008 Mickleover Golf Club was granted CASC (Community Amateur Sports Club) status which allowed us to support our local community and we continue to do so.

2014 saw the introduction of the ground-breaking MembershipLite Category offering flexibility to the casual golfer.

In recent years Mickleover has been honoured to host The Midlands Boys Amateur Championship in 2011, The Midland Open Amateur Championship in 2016 and the R&A LGU Coronation Foursomes in 2017.

The Club and its members are currently planning for and are looking forward to its centenary in 2023.