Saltford Golf Club is situated in an attractive stretch of country mid way between the cities of Bath and Bristol and just off the A4.

The course nestles in a natural wooded setting with extensive views over the Somerset countryside.

Saltford Golf Club became established in 1904 with a nine hole golf course and by 1906 this had extended to eighteen holes. When the 1914-18 Great War came along parts of the land were used for agricultural purposes such that the committee decided to utilise just nine holes when the war finished in 1918 and that situation continued until 1923.

The first Clubhouse was bought from Bristol and Clifton in 1905 and there is evidence in the minutes of 1924 that the ladies had their own Pavilion. At the beginning of the 1914 war the subscription of those serving in the armed forces was waived.

Post World War 1 saw many difficult times for the Club. The leasing arrangements were complex and fairly costly and in 1929 the decision was made for the Club to become a limited company. Very few attended the AGM’s in those days and for many years it was a battle for survival. Lack of funds and growing debts were a constant problem for the committee. Attempts were made to recruit new members and increase subscriptions but they bore little fruit.

The Bristol Press was very supportive of Saltford’s efforts to succeed. In 1928 after 25 years of service to the Club, the Professional W.C.Adlam resigned and was presented with a silver tankard and a cheque for £140. Press reports in the early 1930’s make reference to continuing highs and lows in the life of the Club whilst the continuing improvement of the condition of the course was noted and this was thanks to the hard work of the Greenstaff under Mr.D.Ham who had come from Mendip G.C.

Matters came to a head in 1933-34 when the annual £245 rent to Earl Temple was proving to be a burden and some fairly skilfull negotiations had to be conducted with him. In 1934 the Club had a debt of £1109.

Throughout the 1939-45 World War 2 the policy was to keep the Club going as best one could in view of all the restrictions the war brought with it. The Clubhouse was used for fund raising social events and as an Air Raid Warden and Home Guard meeting point. Following advice from the RAF concrete pillars were erected on the longer fairways to deter enemy aircraft from thoughts of landing. An anti-aircraft gun and a barrage balloon on the course completed the picture.

In 1940 Earl Temple died and with the winding up of his affairs the estate was sold to the Duchy of Cornwall and thus the Club started dealing with a new landlord, an arrangement that continues today.

Finance, or lack of it, was a big problem that had to be tackled by the committee throughout the wartime and for sometime afterwards. There were numerous air raids on Bath and Bristol and in 1942 a stick of bombs fell on the course and altered some of the contours.

With the war over, the Club had to renegotiate the lease and get on with restoration work and fortunately the members were persuaded to increase their funding thus enabling progress to be made. Club stalwart John Ireland inaugurated the Saltford Festival Golf Week in 1949. Les Mouland came along as the Professional /Greenkeeper and did much good work in the building up of Club activities. The Club had acquired a nearby house for the Professional in 1945 and this was sold in 1955 to provide finance for improvements to the course and at the same time the Duchy made a favourable loan enabling a course watering system to be installed.

In the 1960’s there was a strong need to update the Clubhouse and to extend the course which went from 5506 to 6100 yards. Clubhouse modifications called for discussion and negotiation with Colonel Roberts and the Duchy of Cornwall. The committee were constantly reviewing finances and business plans involving frequent discussions with the membership. Added to their worries was the possibility of a future Saltford By-pass road going through the course. A threat that eventually receded. A couple of natural events are worth a mention and one was a rainfall of six and a half inches over two days in July 1968 which caused much flooding and the second was the ravages of Dutch Elm disease which took away many fine trees on the course.