1914 - 1935

Oakdale was designed by the legendary golf course architect Dr Alister MacKenzie and opened on 1st August 1914. Following earlier successes at Alwoodley, Moortown and other local courses he then went on to design such jewels as Royal Melbourne in Australia, Cypress Point and Augusta National in The United States of America. MacKenzie courses are revered by golfers all over the world.

1914 - 1939

Few golf clubs can have been faced with a less auspicious start. The course was officially opened on Saturday, August 1st, 1914 by the Mayor of Harrogate, Ald. Joseph Sheffield, O.B.E., and J.P. Three days later the country was at war and the Harrogate Advertiser of August 8th devoted its picture space not to the opening of the new golf club but to Harrogate’s Territorials marching to the railway station.

It is recorded that with little knowledge of the game Ald. Sheffield did not disgrace himself when driving the first ball off the first tee. He missed completely at the first attempt but his next shot sent the ball 'fair and square' across the beck. In a sense, Ald. Sheffield was proving himself a man with a sporting spirit in giving this private club a civic send-off, for the fact is that the Corporation had been disappointed in its efforts to found a municipal golf course at Oakdale. Those were the years of Harrogate's great prosperity as a Spa and holiday centre and though the Harrogate and Pannal golf clubs were already established, the need for a third and if possible, a municipal course, had become apparent, though visitors could make use of the two established clubs.

Unfortunately, in 1878, when the Improvement Commissioners (who later, in effect, became the Harrogate Corporation) bought the area of land known variously as Killinghall Moor Farm, Ripon Road Farm and Corporation Farm it was for irrigation purposes to do with sewage disposal. Nearly 40 years later this original intention was still fresh in the minds of the Local Government Board (now the Department of the Environment) and when the Town Clerk, Mr. J. Turner Taylor, approached the Board at the end of 1913 with a view to getting permission for the setting up of a municipal golf course he was sharply reminded that it was not becoming for a local authority to change its mind about the usage of an asset it had bought with public money.

He had taken with him a list of nearly 450 local people who were willing to become foundation members of the new club at the rate of 25 shillings per year and it casts a strange light on the mental processes of government departments that while refusing the Corporation powers to form a municipal golf club the Board intimated that it would not be averse to the idea of the Corporation's leasing enough land from this site for use by a private golf club.

A 'nod was as good as a wink' and no time was lost by some leading Harrogate sportsmen in issuing the prospectus for a proposed golf club under the Captaincy and Chairmanship of Mr Herbert Raworth. The club would be formed by registering a company limited by guarantee under the name of Oakdale Golf Club (Harrogate) Ltd and the guarantee contribution would be three guineas; one guinea entrance fee and two guinea subscriptions. The entrance fee waived for officers of the army, navy and ministers of religion.

The Local Government Board had approved a lease for 21 years, including an option to the club to purchase two acres of land within five years for the building of a clubhouse. The prospectus was issued on May 21st 1914 but it is obvious that by then matters were already moving.

Happily, support was forthcoming in the generous measure the founders had expected and in next to no time Dr. MacKenzie, of Leeds, a leading authority on the design of golf courses had provided a layout for the Oakdale course. A temporary nine holes were hastily laid out for the first season while work began immediately on the first half of the permanent course, the intention being that the second loop for the 10th to 18th holes would be completed by the spring of 1915.

The original layout of the course, as proposed by Dr. MacKenzie, was published in the Harrogate Herald on Wednesday June 3^rd 1914. A reconstruction of the layout is shown based on the Herald publication. Note the outward nine is shown to proceed around the perimeter of the course and the inward nine around the inside of the course. However, apparently, the final design adopted switched the two nines with some adjustments to holes 12/13 & 17/18, the revised course layout  was developed. (Oakdale’s records for the early period unfortunately were lost during flood damage in the cellars of the Clubhouse).

Over the next few years, since the formal opening of the course in 1914, many improvements were carried out but still following the MacKenzie ideals. In 1923, nearly ten years after Dr MacKenzie had shaped the contours, James Braid was called in on an advisory mission and on his advice a number of holes were revised or reconstructed. Common usage and a wealth of practical experience of the varying course conditions combined to make intelligent improvements to challenge the player’s skills.

Even the clubhouse was necessarily a temporary arrangement. It was established at 34 Kent Road, formerly a school for young ladies but it was realised that the inconvenience of having a clubhouse 200 tortuously ascending yards from the first tee was not to be tolerated longer than necessary. In the event, members had to put up with the situation until 1926, such was the delay imposed by the war. What might have seemed a comparatively easy job in the optimistic days of 1914 was to prove a considerable proposition in the post-war period. A new clubhouse near the first tee involved a lot of problems. In the first place, a road link would have to be built from Kent Road and this would be the more costly because the terrain was very steep and rough.

However, the officials who had brought the new club successfully through the difficulties and uncertainties of the war years had no fears and both road and clubhouse were opened by Lord Hawke in the spring of 1928, at a cost of £12,000. The club could look to the future with high hopes which gradually have been realised.

If the founder fathers ran into unexpected difficulties, their choice of professional, happily, was not to be one of them. During his 44 years' service to the club, from 1914 until his death in 1958, Archie Yates was to become one of Oakdale's foremost and best-loved personalities. Born within 100 yards of the first tee at Wimbledon Common Golf Club (he never lost his southern accent) Archie served his apprenticeship under the great Harry Vardon, six times winner the Open Championship. Although Archie never professed to top tournament aspirations, he was a fine player and first-class teacher whose gentle manner made him beloved and respected. In 1954 in recognition of 40 years' service, he was made an honorary member, the trophy named in his honour and played for annually by Oakdale members is a wonderful link with the past and a reminder of the traditions of Oakdale.

Over the years, many improvements had been made both to the course and the clubhouse. The billiards room was added just before the 1939-45 war thanks to generous donations. With its acquisition the club became immediately more attractive and members came without reference to the weather. The small and active committee formed to deal with the project gently overcame much objection to the scheme and without doubt their foresight laid the foundations of the present high level of social activity which has long been the envy of other local clubs. In the event, the original billiards room was added without calling for a penny from club funds and the official opening in 1939 was by the Captain, the late H. E. (Bert) Ellis.