A HISTORY OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 



GOLF 



The ranges of hilly country in the Chilterns, 

 which stretch across Buckinghamshire from the 

 southern extremity of Bedfordshire to the southern 

 part of Oxfordshire, make an admirably diversified 

 ground for golf. The soils are a mixture of rich 

 loam, clay, chalky mould and loam, lying upon a 

 subsoil of gravel ; and in certain districts some of 

 these soils are largely intermingled. At any rate 

 they grow turf which is highly suitable for the game. 



The Burnham Beeches Golf Club, which was 

 founded in 1892, owes its existence to Mr. F. C. 

 D. Haggard, Dr. A. E. Wilmot, Mr. F. C. Carr- 

 Gomm, Dr. Abercrombie, and other gentlemen. 

 At the present time it has 250 ordinary members, 

 6 life members, 50 provisional members and 100 

 lady members. The course of 1 8 holes is situated 

 2 miles from Taplow, and 4^ miles from Slough. 

 The holes are laid out on undulating pasture 

 land ; and viewed as a whole, the course provides 

 an admirable variety of play. The holes vary in 

 length from a little over 100 yards to 500 yards, 

 but the most interesting are those varying in 

 length from 300 to 430 yards. There are 

 also several very interesting short holes, and the 

 natural hazards have been skilfully supplemented 

 by artificial ' pot ' bunkers which turn to the best 

 account the natural lie of the land. The soil 

 being gravel, the course even in winter is per- 



fectly dry, making play possible all the year round. 

 The game indeed is most largely played in the 

 autumn, winter, and spring. H. R. Chestney is 

 the professional. 



Among the half-dozen clubs in the county, 

 probably the next in importance is the Datchet 

 Club, instituted in 1894, and the members of 

 which now number 150. The course of 9 

 holes, which vary in length from 1 74 to 420 yards, 

 is situated on the right side of the road from 

 Datchet to Windsor. The holes are laid out 

 over pasture land, and the hazards are partly 

 natural and partly artificial. 



The Chesham Club, instituted in 1900, plays 

 over a g-hole course, situated on Ley Hill Com- 

 mon, 2 miles from Chesham, while at Grovebury, 

 2 miles from the railway station, the Leighton 

 Buzzard and District Club, founded in September 

 1905, have also laid out a course of 9 holes. For 

 several years up to the opening of 1906, the 

 West Wycombe Club played over a g-hole course 

 laid out on Downley Common about a mile 

 from West Wycombe railway station ; the 

 hazards consisting of gravel pits, ponds, roads, 

 and whins. This club ceased to exist in Feb- 

 ruary 1906. The Wycombe and Bourne End 

 Club, founded in 1 904, plays over a g-hole course 

 laid out on Flackwell Heath. 



ROWING 



HENLEY REGATTA 



The meeting at which the establishment of 

 Henley Regatta was determined on was held in 

 the Town Hall of Henley on 26 March, 1839. 

 The importance of the fixture lies in the prestige 

 which attaches to a victory in its best race ; this 

 race has long been considered the ' Blue Ribbon ' 

 of the amateur rowing world among prizes which 

 are open to competitors other than those from 

 the two universities. If proof of this were 

 needed it would be sufficient to say that at the 

 time of writing, the Grand Challenge Cup, first 

 offered for competition nearly seventy years ago, 

 is now in the possession of a Belgian crew. 



It will, perhaps, be convenient to give the 

 slight sketch of the history of the regatta which 

 the space available alone permits, in the form of a 

 chronological list of the most important develop- 

 ments since 1839. In that year Trinity, Wad- 

 ham, and Brasenose Colleges entered from 

 Oxford for the Grand Challenge, which was 

 won by the first named, the only other race 



being the Town Challenge Cup Fours. In the 

 next year Wadham rowed again and were beaten 

 by the eventual winners, the famous Leander 

 Club, whose first appearance this was on the 

 Henley reach. This year (1840) is also memor- 

 able for the fact that the District Challenge Cup 

 for Fours was won by a Henley crew stroked by 

 Mr. J. Page. 1 In 1841 occurred the first race 

 for the Stewards' Cup, which was won by the 

 Oxford Club of London ; and in 1842 we find 

 the Cambridge University Boat Club beaten in 

 the final heat for the Grand Challenge. It has, 

 of course, long ceased to be the practice for 

 university crews, as such, to race at Henley. 



Perhaps the most important event connected 

 with university rowing on the Henley course was 

 the celebrated episode of the Oxford seven-oar in 

 1843. In the final heat this crew was drawn 



1 It may be mentioned that Mr. Page, who was 

 born before Waterloo, was present in the Town Hall 

 in July, 1907, when a testimonial from the rowing 

 men of England was presented to Mr. Herbert Thomas 

 Steward, the president of the Henley stewards. 



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