Club History
Willesley Park Golf Club has been on its present site since 1920 when the land was leased from the 11th Earl of Loudoun. The design of the original golf course, smaller than it is now, included the involvement of James Braid, one of the famous triumvirate of Braid, Taylor and Vardon. The course, referred to as the ‘New Golf Links’, was officially opened on Monday 5th April 1920. However, all was put in jeopardy when Lord Loudoun suddenly passed away on 17th May 1920. His successor was his niece, Edith Maud Abney-Hastings, who became the 12th Countess of Loudoun. It was a relief that the lease previously negotiated with the 11th Earl continued, with the 12th Countess becoming Club President.
With the family finances in a perilous state, the whole of the Willesley Estate including Willesley Hall had to be put up for sale (by auction) on 30 August 1922. Major John Ashworth, a Nottingham businessman, successfully purchased the bulk of the Estate. Land that included the ‘New Golf Links’ was sold with the existing lease protected, allowing plans already formulated to continue.
From the period up to May 1923, the Club grew and prospered rapidly with membership reaching 100. An offer to rent an extra 138 acres was received from Major Ashworth and was considered an ideal opportunity to expand the golf course from 5,360 yards to 6,400 yards. Dr Alister MacKenzie (a golf course architect of world renown, and designer of the original Augusta National course in Georgia – home of the US Masters) was approached in 1924 and subsequently prepared a plan that was the forerunner of the course layout that is being played some 100 years later. By 1926, the new layout was ready to play.
In 1930, the Golf Club had the opportunity to buy Willesley Hall, and what a fine clubhouse it would have made, but the cost proved to be too much. In addition, its location was considered to be too far out of town at a time when most members did not have cars. After the Second World War, during which much of the course was given over to agriculture, the course was re-opened for play. The members were able to buy the land from the Ashworth Estate. Club membership increased over the next few years and a much needed new clubhouse was built in 1957/58.
In 1961 a magnificent silver fox was donated to the Leicestershire and Rutland County Golf Union by Mr Alf Chapman for the inauguration of an open 36 hole competition specifically to attract the top amateurs in the Midlands. The Leicestershire Fox tournament is played every year at Willesley Park and has some notable winners, including Mark James, Peter McEvoy, Paul Baxter, Andy Sullivan and Gary Wolstenholme. In 2003, the trophy was won for the first time by a Willesley Park member, Paul Dixon.
When the golf course was purchased from the Willesley Estate, there stood, on the 9th fairway, a statue of Diana, Goddess of the Hunt. The statue had gradually deteriorated over the years and in 1981 was found to have been destroyed and only the plinth remained until 2000 when, after a concerted fund raising effort during the millennium year, a new statue was unveiled in its place by Barbara Abney-Hastings, the Countess of Loudoun.
Willesley Park Golf Club’s fine, mature golf course and has some splendid views over the surrounding countryside. The first hole is a superb driving hole. The first part of the hole is played along an avenue of historic lime trees which once flanked the old coach road from the old Norman castle in the town of Ashby to the now demolished Willesley Hall. Most of the holes require accuracy off the tee and a programme of course improvement and bunker renovation and re-siting has put more of a premium on accuracy with approach shots too. Added to this are some subtle borrows on the greens, with the whole course recognised as one of the finest and highly respected golfing venues in Leicestershire and the wider East Midlands region.
