Swinton Park Golf Club

About the club

The official opening of Swinton Park Golf Club took place on Wednesday 12th May 1926, in the middle of the general strike. For this reason the following report by 'Adjutant' appeared in the Daily Dispatch on 26th May."With a new name and a new course, the old Claremont golf club has taken up a new lease of life, and one imagines, commenced an era of new prosperity.The club is now called Swinton Park, and takes that name from the land upon which the new course has been laid out. I was privileged to take part in the proceedings of the opening day recently, and some idea of the enthusiasm of the members can be gleaned from the fact that, for the first club competition, no fewer than 204 cards were taken out, surely something like a record for a Manchester district club.I was rather struck by the large number of bunkers which have already been constructed. Many clubs laying out new courses leave most of the bunkering for a time until experience has taught where best they shall be placed, but, in this direction, so much work has already been carried out at Swinton Park that the short holes, in particular, are already very closely guarded, and, so far as I could judge, few mistakes have been made in the placing of these bunkers.Although only a few minutes walk from the main Bolton-Manchester road at Irlams-oth-Height, one could almost imagine, on the course, that one was in the heart of the country; certainly the surroundings are very pleasant. I fancy that in a year or two, the Swinton Park club will be able to boast a course which will attract many visitors who will be able to play under conditions which without being strenuous, will provide a capital test of golf".