From D-Day training to royal visits: Golf club near Banbury celebrates 100 years in the community

And it has marked the end of year with the completion of a 'legacy project' to commemorate the milestone.

Club captain Ben Spiero, ladies captain Susan Lakin and senior’s captain Bruce Maggs were present to witness Tadmarton Heath’s president Muriel Williams ceremoniously cut the ribbon to declare the club's new dry stone entrance wall officially open.

The Banbury Guardian covered the official opening of Tadmarton Heath Golf Club in 1922 - and since then the club has had an interesting history.

1944 saw Sherman tanks arrive to train on the course prior to D-Day along with 700,000 military personnel billeted in and around Banbury. Following their departure and repairs to the fairways, the golf club prepared to reopen with cattle employed to help keep the grass down.

In 1949 the annual subscription rose to £8 a year and petrol rationing remained until 1950. A pint of Guinness was a staggering one shilling and six pence, roughly eight pence in today’s money.

Harold King, the club's first professional golfer, received 30 shillings a week; approximately £21 in today’s money.

Over the years many well known professional golfers have graced the Heathland course.

Among them Brian Hugget, Peter Allis and Ian Woosnam. Royalty have also played the course including Edward Vlll, Prince of Wales.

Fast forward to 2022 and following eight years of planning, preparation, fundraising and centenary golf events, Sunday November 20 saw the grand opening of the chosen legacy project, a dry stone entrance wall.

Here’s to the next 100 years…