by Russell Mead

SELF-CONFESSED amateur sleuth and wannabe golf historian Nigel Mobbs gave an entertaining and informative talk at Sherborne Golf Club into the club’s history from 1919-39 – including its link with mathematician Alan Turing.

The longstanding member and past captain pointed to significant events that impacted the club, and highlighted members notable for making the club what it is today.

In 1955, a fire destroyed the clubhouse, with the permanent loss of club records. Nigel was motivated to fill the holes created by that event.

Nigel paid particular tribute to the archivist at Sherborne School, Rachel Hassall, for her invaluable assistance. Rachel was able to provide information on past members, many of whom had taught at the school, and, going all the way back to 1894, were some of the club’s founder members.

One such member was Dr E.‘Ben’ Davis. Ben – his friends and colleagues called him Ben because his deep tenor voice reminded them of Big Ben – was an accomplished scholar who taught mathematics at Sherborne School.

One of his pupils was given permission to play at Sherborne Golf Club as his cricket ‘whites’ were in his luggage delayed by the 1926 General Strike. The pupil was none other than Alan Turing, whose later work at Bletchley Park in the Second World War helped crack the Enigma Code.

Ben Davis, who was diabetic, died at the age of 54 in 1933. Two early captains of the golf club gifted it the Ben Davis Trophy in his memory. To this day, the winners of this highly regarded men’s foursomes competition have their names added to Ben’s trophy.

In 1936 Sherborne Golf Club commissioned five-time Open Champion and renowned golf course architect James Braid to produce an 18-hole course layout. Given Braid’s reputation, the opening of the newly designed course attracted great interest and was widely reported in the local and national press.

A few years later, the Second World War saw the course revert back to nine holes, enabling usable land to be given over to growing food in support of the war effort. The course did not return to 18 holes until 1964.

If you have information that can support Nigel please contact Sherborne Golf Club at sgcoffice@sherbornegolfclub.co.uk or on 01935 814431.