The Stage {Golfing} Society, based virtually 120 years in the past, has introduced collectively lots of our favorite actors, comedians and stars of movie and tv in a shared love of the sport. April Tod charts the historical past of one of many UK’s oldest golf societies and finds out in regards to the exploits of its well-known gamers and the tales behind its most coveted trophies
Whereas soccer looks as if an acceptable sport for actors to play of their spare time, given the extent of novice dramatics and feigning of accidents that takes place in essentially the most matches as of late, it’s the Royal & Historic recreation of golf that appears to have proved essentially the most engaging spare time activity for ‘artistes’ down the years.
From Bob Hope and Bing Crosby to Ronnie Corbett, Invoice Murray and Ant & Dec, there’s something about swinging a membership and strolling the fairways that has proved an irresistible attraction for generations of actors, comedians, movie stars and all-round entertainers. Whether or not it’s the show-off nature of holing a protracted putt or smashing a booming drive, or the bonhomie and conviviality of the post-match clubhouse, most not too long ago Oscar, BAFTA or TV Selection awards ceremonies may in all probability pull collectively an honest scratch golf staff at brief discover if the circumstances required.
Whereas many British actors fortunately ploughed their very own lone {golfing} furrow for years, it wasn’t till 1903 that the recognition of the sport among the many home thespian group grew to the extent {that a} society was fashioned to supply a possibility for people who ‘trod the boards’ for a residing to share one another’s firm – and the fairways – in a extra formal setting.
The Stage {Golfing} Society because it was recognized, and nonetheless is to today, was based 119 years in the past as a way of providing many impoverished actors a cheaper technique to play golf and to take advantage of the cheaper inexperienced charges that had been provided to societies. Whereas its 400-strong membership is barely extra well-healed than it was over a century in the past, having expanded its choice standards to these working in all aspects of the leisure trade, together with TV, movie and radio, again within the early days it was solely those that labored on stage – which at the moment was nearly the one supply of public leisure – that had been in a position to apply for membership.
Letters had been despatched out to 213 potential members inviting them to affix the brand new golf society, with a view to attracting a most of 100 founding members, all of whom had been required to pay a guinea for the privilege. All however one replied, though not all within the affirmative, with the one non-respondent being the comedy actor Fred Leslie, who, considerably satirically, went on to grow to be one of many society’s finest recognized and most profitable golfers. In a subsequent letter, new members had been instructed to ‘play like gents, not actors,’ a requirement that is still to today, though the gender-stereotypical language has since been up to date.
In these early years, Bushey Corridor Golf Membership in Hertfordshire – which sadly closed in 2019 – was the one membership affiliated to the society, and it wasn’t till after the First World Warfare that ties with extra golf equipment had been established, with the likes of Ashford Manor, Beaconsfield, Foxhills, Moor Park, Richmond and Sandy Lodge being among the many early supporters.
And it wasn’t till over 1 / 4 of a century from its founding that the SGS held the primary of its now legendary annual dinners, with members gathering at The Savoy Lodge in London in 1929 to toast that 12 months’s winners. The dinner was attended by a number of high-profile company, together with the Prince of Wales, the Earl of Birkenhead, Lord Brabazon and Sir Anthony Eden. A formidable fourball if ever there was one.
In the course of the Inter-Warfare Years the society was headquartered, considerably salubriously, in The Salisbury, a Soho pub that was common with actors of the time, and it wasn’t till 1948 {that a} extra appropriate setting was discovered to conduct enterprise when The Richmond Golf Membership in Surrey invited the Society to make the membership its everlasting house, the place it stays at the moment.
The SGS has been given its personal room contained in the historic clubhouse, The Stage Room, whose excessive partitions are lined with heavy picket honours boards bearing the names of previous winners of the society’s many competitions, together with hand-drawn cartoons depicting the antics of a few of the society’s most well-known members. Glass cupboards filled with historic silver trophies – over 50 on the final rely, lots of which have been competed for a century or extra – are additionally on present.
Forged your eye down the checklist of previous competitors winners, previous presidents and captains, you come throughout a veritable Who’s Who of actors, entertainers, TV stars and musicians, with the likes of Eric Sykes, Ronnie Corbett, Albert Finney, Christopher Lee, Michael Refern, Jason Connery, Garfield Morgan, Tom Courtenay, James Bolam, Des Lynam, Philip Glenister and Dougray Scott all with their names in gold paint. The late Sir Peter Alliss, the doyenne of golf commentators and a thousand after-dinner speeches, pops up as president in 1990, whereas former Sure keyboard participant Rick Wakeman carried out the identical duties in 2005.
Though social golf is common among the many membership, it’s the competitions that appeal to essentially the most curiosity, with the SCG competing for 52 trophies over 48 annual competitions, with 21 matches scheduled yearly. The oldest is
the Bennett Edwardes Trophy, which was established in 1904 and is introduced to the winner of the summer time knockout competitors, the ultimate of which is performed over 36 holes at Richmond.
The Gold Cup, which was first introduced in 1922, is broadly considered essentially the most elegant of the trophies competed for and is performed for in a Medal competitors at Richmond in June; whereas the Tudor Owen Golfer of the 12 months Trophy, is a duplicate of the well-known Claret Jug, with the winner having accrued essentially the most factors for top-five finishes in numerous competitions held all year long. Latest winners embody musical theatre actor Scott Mobley (2017), actor/director Stephen Rayne (2018), whereas Dougray Scott took the honour in 2003. A mission attainable.
A reputation that crops up greater than some other, although, is that of Sion Tudor Owen, a Welsh actor and producer, now aged 63, who gained the society’s Scratch Prize a complete of 16 occasions within the 20-year interval between 1987 and 2007. Dig somewhat deeper and you discover that Sion performed county golf for Surrey in his youth, and clearly held onto his abilities throughout the intervening years of enjoying minor roles in Emmerdale, Midsomer Murders, The Invoice and Casualty.
Open to women and men who’ve been creatively concerned within the leisure Trade for not less than two years and are ready play golf ‘to an affordable normal’, the Stage {Golfing} Society continues to thrive at the moment, with 80-100 energetic golf members amongst a complete membership of 400.
The society broke new floor in 2017 when journalist and broadcaster Philippa Kennedy turned its first girl to captain. Considered one of her duties as captain, as it’s for all SGS captains, is to supply the annual stage present in October for members of Richmond Golf Membership.
“Each captain has to do that and it’s at all times a fear, however there are many individuals to assist and it at all times goes down nicely,” says Kennedy, who was additionally captain of the Press {Golfing} Society 20 years in the past. “Golf has given me a lot and it’s an important privilege to have captained two of the oldest golf societies in England. We now play an annual match in opposition to one another and it’s nice to see how nicely these two teams of individuals get on. Actors at all times want an viewers and media individuals are nice listeners.”
Though Covid put paid to members competing for trophies for the previous two seasons, the society’s schedule of occasions can be again with a bang in 2022. As each first rate actor is aware of, the present should go on.
