The origins of the Club date back to 1892 when a group including Frank Newton the first President of the Club, decided to establish a Golf Club at Pickeridge Hill. The land was not particularly useful for farming having been open cast mined for limestone, a legacy which can be seen today when one gets amongst the humps and hollows created in those far off days. It was toward the middle of the 20 th century that the Club renamed itself the Taunton and Pickeridge Golf Club in order to provide a name on the map to help visitors find the Club.

Initially the membership came from Corfe and in a move prompted by Captain Fox, the Secretary in 1904, it was decided to invite prominent Tauntonians to join and over 100 accepted. This proved to be a turning point in the Club’s history. At the Club’s 21 st birthday in 1913, Captain Fox was duly honoured with a presentation from the 140 members to mark his outstanding contribution to the Club.

Proper road access to the Club did not materialise until just after the first World War ended in 1918. Prior to that the members had a 400 foot climb on foot up the hill from the Corfe side. Having got to the course the golfing activities were centred on a hut in those early days but this was shortly replaced by a more substantial wooden building. Then in 1930 a Special General Meeting decided to alter and extend the Club House and empowered the Committee to raise £750 for the project. This they did by issuing the necessary £5 debentures which paid 5% interest per annum. By the efforts and generosity of the members, various fitments enhancing the clubhouse and it’s surrounds were forthcoming and further accommodation was provided for the Ladies in 1938. Much later in 1955 a Trolley Shed was added to meet the needs of the time.

The problems in developing the course were substantial because of the difficult terrain which was not overly grassed and the earth moving equipment had to be horse drawn. However, golf was played on the 9 hole course until after the 1914-18 war. Beyond that point in time, work on extending the course was undertaken such that on the 1 st December 1925 an 18 hole course was opened for play. The yardage was 5158 and the Par was 68.

The period up to the 1939-45 war was one of all round development together with the broadening of golfing activities. An example being that the landowner gave permission for golf to be played on a Sunday so long as Greenstaff did not have to work and there were no competitions. In 1933 a motor mower was purchased for use on the greens and then in 1937 there was a debate and investigation into the possibilities of building a new Club House. Eventually this was shelved and possibly the cost of £2500 was a stumbling block but nevertheless the Club affairs were in good order when the 1939-45 war started.

Throughout that wartime period there were some 150 men and women members still able to play golf and keep the Club going whilst some 34 members served in the armed forces. Following the war normality was returning by 1950 and activities were expanding to the extent that subscriptions were raised to £4.4s (£4.20) after a lively debate!.

The retirement of Jack Lane the Club Professional in 1952 was quite remarkable in that he had taken up that position in 1905 and apart from service in the Somerset Light Infantry he had been an ever present. Following ‘retirement’ he still continued to work ‘in house’ for the Club and completed over 50 years as a loyal servant.

The mid 1950’s saw discussions on the possibility of building a new Club House and at the same time the desire to purchase the land on which the course stood was under discussion. The cost estimates were £6900 and £5000 respectively which posed a problem of finance that could not be resolved at that time. Later, in 1959/60 a new 50 year lease was negotiated and over the next decade, the trees much in evidence on the course today, started to be planted.

In February 1961 the Club House problem was dramatically brought to a head when after a normal Saturday evening, a fire broke out at 2 a.m. and despite the best efforts of the Fire Brigade the members found themselves faced with a burnt out shell when they arrived for golf on that Sunday morning. Temporary accommodation had to be drawn together by the members so that activities could go on. A Building Sub Committee was formed and came up with the plan for a Club House of a prefabricated design and this together with the ancillary works was to cost £10,000. Work progressed and the new Club House was officially opened in October 1962.