Club History

It seems certain the land to the edge of Newton Cliffs has been cultivated for many years. The texture of the grass of the present course indicates how well nurtured it has been. A map provisionally dated as 1842, shows a maze of small fields between Newton Village and Langland Bay in the south, and Caswell Bay in the west, with no roads south of the village other than Mary Twill Lane, and a steep cart track on the line of Brynfield Road.

A further map, provisionally dated 1852, shows a considerable change has taken place in the area. The small fields had been merged into larger units; the house, then known as Llan-y-Llan, then latterly the Langland Bay Convalescent Home had been built, together with numerous coach houses and outbuildings. It appears this imposing property was built by the Crawshay Merthyr Tydfil ironmasters, for use as a summer residence. Further to the west, the 1852 map now shows Langland Farm, years later described as Langland House Farm. It seems possible the main buildings of our present clubhouse, together with the outbuildings on the line of our new locker room complex, were constructed at the same time as with Llan-y-Llan in the nineteenth century. The limestone for the building of the house and the farm was locally obtained from quarries alongside the club’s present 14th tee, in addition to the larger quarries of Coltshill and Oystermouth. Old inhabitants of Newton Village have said golf was played on the clifftop in the nineteenth century, but the first written mention of golf at Langland is in the club’s first minute book – dated 24th September 1901, at a meeting in the Langland Bay Hotel.

The course was officially scheduled to be opened on Saturday, September 10th 1904, when the President, Sir John Jones Jenkins (later Lord Glantawe) was asked, weather permitting, to drive off. The course played in 1904 was all in front of the farmhouse, and the plan was shown on a score card, a copy of which is retained in the original minute book. The founders formed a committee which decided the club should be called Langland Bay Golf Club and agreed; “The rules of Swansea Bay Golf Club shall be the rules of the Langland Bay Golf Club subject to certain alterations.”

100 years later, in 2004 the event was remembered during a centenary year of celebration marked by some very special visitors

 

2004 was the clubs Centenary year and all the members were determined to make it a year to remember. There were a number of extra social events – all sold out, and many extra and varied golf events – all again fully subsidised.

The highlights of these were twofold:

The Centenary week when our friends from Kinsale visited for four days and enjoyed a “Ryder Cup” and “Solheim Cup” competition – both, surprisingly, ‘honourable halves’! The evening social events were largely popular and successful and the week culminated in a Centenary Ball at the Brangwyn Hall attended by 440 with a waiting list eager to join the celebrations.

The visit of Prince Andrew to the club in November was an event the whole club should be proud of. HRH thoroughly enjoyed his visit, mixing socially with many members and thoroughly enjoying the good food provided by our ever efficient stewardess, Ann.