History of the OSGS

Tom Parry was at Sherborne from 1920-25 and then went to Cambridge where he became a distinguished cox on the river, but it was golf that was to become his abiding passion.

Parry became great friends with G.L. (Susie) Mellin, the secretary of the Halford Hewitt tournament, and two significant events flowed from this friendship. In 1929 Parry wrote to 150 Old Shirburnians asking if they would like to help form a golf society. The response was such that the Old Shirburnian Golfing Society was founded that year and a team was first entered for the Halford Hewitt in 1930.

The second event was in 1960 when Parry founded the G.L. Mellin Salver in memory of his great friend – a tournament for the over 50s (now 55s) of the second 16 schools to have entered the Halford Hewitt.

The 1930s saw the Society start a framework of meetings and matches which was expanded after the War. Today there are three meetings in the year, as well as 21 matches against clubs and other societies, making the Society the most active of its peer group. The Society provides golf for Shirburnians of all ages and standards, ranging from the serious competition of the tournaments (Halford Hewitt, G.L. Mellin, Grafton Morrish and Brent Knoll), to the sociable but equally competitive matches and meetings for all handicaps. To date, some 550 OS have played for the Society.

There are three Meetings a year dating back to the first Spring Meeting at Came Down in 1930, where the Spring Prize (Scratch medal) was won by R P H Stables. The first Summer Meeting was at Broadstone in 1936, winner of the Summer Prize (Scratch medal 36 holes) was F A Simmonds. Hindhead Golf Club was the venue for the first Autumn Meeting, also in 1930, when the Autumn Prize (also Scratch medal) was won by J C Gurney

Spring Meeting

Played at Broadstone (1936 – 1937), Littlehampton (1938) and from 1946 at Sherborne. This is now the first Meeting in the calendar.

Summer Meeting & AGM

After Came Down (1930), the Meeting moved to West Byfleet (1931 & 1938), Maidenhead (1932), Bramshott (1933 – 1936), East Berks (1937), Hindhead (1939), Camberley Heath (1946-1951), West Sussex (1952-1955), Blackmoor (1956 & 1963 – 1978), Liphook (1957 – 1962), Piltdown (1979 – 1986), Royal Ashdown Forest (1987 – 2009). From 2010 this Meeting has been played at The Berkshire and moved in the calendar to come after the Summer (Sherborne) Meeting, though the Prizes awarded remain as per the original Meeting.

Autumn Meeting at Rye

From 1930 to 1952 one day of singles and foursomes played at Hindhead (1930, 1938, and 1951-1952), Addington Palace (1931), Bramshott (1932 – 1936), West Byfleet (1937) and Camberley Heath (1946 – 1950). From 1953 played at Rye as two days of Stableford handicap foursomes, and from 2010 as one day of foursomes.