Before Badger Heights
As told to and remembered by John B Hope
My first memory of the Sheffield Golf Club is of the course on the property owned by Mr. Peter Morse. Mum & Dad would place me in the care of baby sitters to enable themselves to play the weekly competition. Later on, as a little boy of possibly around 5, I accompanied them on their round.
I recall the first green in the area now the site of a Service Station & another green alongside the Kentish Road on the hill exactly where Mr. & Mrs. Sands built their home (the area levelled for the green was an ideal location for the house foundations). This hole was a par 3 - I remember the problem of a tee shot which failed to reach the green, conveniently rolling back to the tee for the next attempt. A pathway through the bush to an elevated tee launched the next drive in the direction of High Street.
The land was owned at that time by Mr. Harry Hope (my great Uncle) who seemed to have a very leisurely lifestyle. He spent his time teaching his dog tricks such as delivering messages to various shops in Sheffield for goods to be delivered.....a small saddle bag enabled the dog to carry meat from the Butcher or similar small parcels. Uncle Harry was also a handyman who repaired golf clubs (wooden shafts) and made wooden drivers. I see him sitting on a chair outside the stable next to Peter Morse's home whittling a piece of wood into the desired shape. The farm & Golf Course were sold, upon his death, to Mr. George Bye who returned the land to cropping. The 1939-1945 war meant that no golf was played for a while in Sheffield.
The club reformed about 1946 and took up a lease of land from Mr. Ralph, the hairdresser, & a new course was formed with a Clubhouse on site. Several years of hard work went into the course with the removal of stumps and logs aided by a steam traction engine and cable winch. This was a level course protected from cold winds with suitable sandy soil. I played this course as a teenager and recall saving up for a new golf ball (I think the proceeds from the sale of about 5 rabbit skins). To purchase a new ball it was necessary to go to the Don Store & gain an interview with the Manager, Mr. Tankard....having made a suitable impression on Mr Tankard, I handed over 2/6 (25¢) & received a new Dunlop 65 ball. Next Saturday on the third tee this pristine ball was placed on the tee and with a vigorously sliced drive the new ball disappeared forever into the jungle bordering the fairway (back to the rabbit traps!!!).
About 1951 the aging Mr Ralph wanted to sell the land and an offer of the property to the Golf Club for 500 pounds ($1000-00) was rejected by the Club so once again Sheffield was without a course.
A half-hearted attempt to relocate saw a 6 hole course layed out on land bounded by Barrington Rd & Nook Rd. This land was not suitable due to the vigorous pasture growth & serious golfers from Sheffield were joining Devonport & Ulverstone Golf Clubs so inevitably the Sheffield Club ceased to exist about 1955. (Some evidence suggests that this site was used even before the Harry Hope course.) It is claimed that Sheffield was the first Golf Club in Northern Tasmania - it should be remembered that Sheffield was settled by migrants from Scotland and the Scottish invented the game ....
Golf in Sheffield by Suzen Hope, as a school student in the 1970s
(Also from the memories of John B Hope)
Golf was first played at Sheffield about the year 1895 and on land owned by Mr John Husband and which was bounded by Nook & Barrington roads.
In those days mostly one club was used and it had a wooden shaft. These shafts made of hickory wood were often broken and a new one was replaced by a handyman like we do an axe today.
Some time after the turn of the century a course was formed on property owned by Mr Harry Hope & which is now owned by Mr Peter Morse. The course was kept in order by Mr Hope & he was a great help to new players. He was a keen player himself & played until he died in 1940 at the age of 81. After his death the property had to be sold & the course had to be abandoned.
As you realise this area of ground is very wet and more so in those days. Mr Hope had a dog trained to find golf balls. He did this on ground and in water and players were able to claim their ball during the next visit.
About 1941 some leading Sheffield citizens decided to clear some land owned by Mr Ralph at the Eastern end of town and eventually it was made ready for play. However not long afterwards the Government took it over to spread flax which was grown by farmers in the district & which was needed for the war effort. After the war Mr Ralph decided he wanted the land back and for a few years there was no course here. Later six holes were made on the land where the first course had been however soon after it was completed the Devonport Club moved from East Devonport to Woodrising and very gradually our members left and joined Woodrising with its better facilities.
These old courses were developed & maintained by many community interested citizens & this entailed many hours of work. The present course is on the road to Nook & known as the Badger Heights course. This is of much improved standard & the players are able to enjoy pennant golf.
Sheffield Golf Club - Photos from the late 1890's
Helping to Form the Northern Tasmania Golf Association
A Sheffield Golf Club representative was present at the inaugural meeting of the Northern Tasmania Golf Association:
A meeting of delegates from various golf clubs in Northern Tasmanian was held at the Office of Phoenix Fire Insurance Company for the purpose to form an Association on 21st June 1900. Present were:
• L.A. Cuff
and N.G Baird, Mowbray Golf Club
• J.S.
Clemons, St Leonards Golf Club
• T.C.
Archer, Longford Golf Club
• N.J. Hope, Sheffield Golf Club
• D. Black
as Secretary
• L.A Cuff
was also representing Devonport Golf Club
The first official meeting of the Northern Tasmanian Golf Association was held on the 19th of July 1900. It was recommended that the Association be called the Northern Tasmanian Golf Association.
23rd of April 1901
The Committee of the Northern Tasmanian Golf Association recommended to the incoming Committee that: Regular institution of Interclub matches be started under the Auspices of the Association, Institution of regular matches of North V South and arrange a date and place for the Annual Championship.
.......
On the 12th October 2020, 4 clubs were awarded Life Membership to Northern Golf Inc. Delegates from these Golf Clubs were the forerunners in the establishment of the Northern Tasmanian Golf Association (NTGA) on the 21st June 1900.
- The Devonport Golf Club
- The Launceston Golf Club
- The Longford Golf Club
- The Sheffield Golf Club
