HISTORY OF COUNTY CUPS
Fowler Lock Foursomes 1953:
Originally a knockout tournament played at 2 courses over several weeks in the spring. In 1965 it became a one day event which by 1972 was so popular it had to be split into North and South of the county but by 1995 it was back to a single venue. The dragon pendants are silver gilt and were presented by Mrs C D Lock of Worlebury Golf Club and the legendary Miss Dolly Fowler of Burnham and Berrow Golf Club. History does not account where the two small cups for the runners-up came from.
Fowler Brooches 1969
Two more silver gilt dragon brooches were bought by the county in 1969 in memory of Miss Dolly Fowler who died in 1967. Dolly had particularly loved foursomes and these brooches were originally played for at an AGM competition which evolved into a separate one day autumn meeting. In 1954 Bath Ladies Golf Club gave the Bath Shield for the club returning the best two scores at the AGM competition so it too went to the Fowler Brooches meeting.
Centenary Plate
This coloured glass plate was donated by Martha Perriam when she was President for this new annual event which commenced in our Centenary Year. It is presented for a pair of players, one silver and one bronze, to play in a handicap foursomes knockout competition.
The Runners-up salver was presented by Rita Bacon (President 2001-2002)
Grass Roots Trophy 1983
Presented by Frances Adams from Minehead Golf Club (President 1981- 1982) for the best gross score in relation to the CSS of the course played in a medal round in July or August by a player with a handicap between 29 and 36.
Rogers Cup 1924
Presented by the Hon. Mrs Rogers of Knowle Golf Club whose daughter Jocelyn was a county player from 1924 to 1936. This is awarded for an inter-club challenge knockout tournament between club teams of 7 playing off handicap. The losing finalists in the Rogers Cup receive the Silver salver 1955 which was presented in 1995 by Carol Lake and John Champion, both Captains of Saltford Golf Club.
Bronze Meeting
Irlam Salver 1972
Donated by George Irlam in memory of his first wife Eileen, a former Assistant County Treasurer from Weston-super-Mare Golf Club. It is presented for the best gross score at the Bronze meeting.
Bridge Bowl 1952
Donated by Mrs Bridge from Burnham and Berrow Golf Club. She was County Captain in 1939 and from 1946 – 1948. The trophy was given to be played for at a one day meeting and is now awarded for the best nett score in the 21 – 28 handicap range.
Lovell Cup
Was donated by Marjorie Lovell, Burnham and Berrow Golf Club, a four times County Champion and County Captain in the 1950s. The cup was originally given for the best gross bronze score at the County Championship meeting. In 1974 the Championship was restricted to the Silver Division so the Lovell Cup was transferred to the Bronze Meeting where it is awarded for the best nett score in the 29-40 handicap group.
Barlow Cup 1955
Was donated by Lucy Barlow from Bath Golf Club, a multiple county office holder, for the best nett qualifier from a club playing at the Bronze Meeting to equate with the Dickinson Cup at the Silver Meeting i.e. it can be won by a player who has entered as a 'Barlow Cup Qualifier'.
Silver Meeting
Cairns Cup
Donated by Lady Katherine Cairns who was one of the most influential figures in women's golf in the immediate post-war years. She was non-playing Captain of the victorious Great Britain and Ireland team in the 1952 Curtis Cup and Chairman of the special committee set up to consider the formation of an English Ladies Golf Association. A member of Bath and Burnham and Berrow Golf clubs, she won the Somerset Championship five times and played for the county many times. She also won the South West Championship, played for England and Great Britain on numerous occasions and was beaten in the final of the English Championship in 1949 by Diana Critchley (mother of the Sky golf commentator Bruce Critchley). The cup is awarded for the best gross score.
Janet Winter Salver
Is awarded for the best nett score at the Silver Meeting, donated by Janet Winter from Windwhistle and Taunton and Puckeridge Golf clubs. She was a County Handicap Adviser as well as Secretary of the ELGA South West Division.
Jenny Hobbs Trophy 1997 donated by Jenny Hobbs, Past County Captain, President, County Handicap Adviser and Vice Chairman of the ELGA South West Division. It is presented for the best nett score at the Silver Meeting by a player with a handicap below 12.
Dickinson Cup 1935
Donated by Mrs Ruth Dickinson who wanted to encourage more competition in and between clubs. This new event commenced with a qualifying round in each club with the winner taking part in a final at Weston-super-Mare Golf club in October. The trophy is now awarded to the 'qualifier' with the best nett score at the Silver Meeting who has entered as a 'Dickinson Cup Qualifier'. This equates with the Barlow Cup for the Bronze Meeting.
County Championship Meeting
Scratch Cup 1938
For the best qualifying round score in the Championship.
Margaret Webber Trophy
Donated by Margaret Webber, President in 1998 and 1999 and awarded for the best nett score in the 18 hole subsidiary event played on qualifying day.
Gliddon Vase 2007
This silver vase was presented by the President, Margaret Gliddon (2005 – 2007) to be awarded at the Championship for the best Gross 36 holes for under 25s.
Holt Shield
Donated by Margery Holt, an outstanding figure in Somerset ladies golf in the first few decades of the last century. Her family owned a brewery in Burnham-on-Sea and her husband Tom was one of the three or four founders of Burnham and Berrow Golf Club. It is awarded to the club returning the best three nett scores in the qualifying round of the Championship.
Championship Cup 1913
A great deal is known about this cup. In 1913 Margery Holt raised a special subscription to buy a Champion's Cup. The cup with its engraving and its wooden box complete with lock and key was bought for £18.3s.6d. Seventeen ladies played in that first Championship with qualifying scores ranging from 98 to 109! The last qualifier was a Mrs Hart who emerged the winner. In the first County match of the season against Devon she went out last, lost and has never been heard of since!
Runner-up's Salver
First presented to the losing finalist in 1958 who was Margaret Lovell (of Lovell Cup). Unfortunately nothing more is known about this salver.
Phillips Trophy 1958
Presented by Mrs Phillips of Minehead Golf Club for the winner of the 2nd flight knockout tournament. Until 1974 it was played off handicap but since then it has been played as a scratch event.
Originally a knockout tournament played at 2 courses over several weeks in the spring. In 1965 it became a one day event which by 1972 was so popular it had to be split into North and South of the county but by 1995 it was back to a single venue. The dragon pendants are silver gilt and were presented by Mrs C D Lock of Worlebury Golf Club and the legendary Miss Dolly Fowler of Burnham and Berrow Golf Club. History does not account where the two small cups for the runners-up came from.
Fowler Brooches 1969
Two more silver gilt dragon brooches were bought by the county in 1969 in memory of Miss Dolly Fowler who died in 1967. Dolly had particularly loved foursomes and these brooches were originally played for at an AGM competition which evolved into a separate one day autumn meeting. In 1954 Bath Ladies Golf Club gave the Bath Shield for the club returning the best two scores at the AGM competition so it too went to the Fowler Brooches meeting.
Centenary Plate
This coloured glass plate was donated by Martha Perriam when she was President for this new annual event which commenced in our Centenary Year. It is presented for a pair of players, one silver and one bronze, to play in a handicap foursomes knockout competition.
The Runners-up salver was presented by Rita Bacon (President 2001-2002)
Grass Roots Trophy 1983
Presented by Frances Adams from Minehead Golf Club (President 1981- 1982) for the best gross score in relation to the CSS of the course played in a medal round in July or August by a player with a handicap between 29 and 36.
Rogers Cup 1924
Presented by the Hon. Mrs Rogers of Knowle Golf Club whose daughter Jocelyn was a county player from 1924 to 1936. This is awarded for an inter-club challenge knockout tournament between club teams of 7 playing off handicap. The losing finalists in the Rogers Cup receive the Silver salver 1955 which was presented in 1995 by Carol Lake and John Champion, both Captains of Saltford Golf Club.
Bronze Meeting
Irlam Salver 1972
Donated by George Irlam in memory of his first wife Eileen, a former Assistant County Treasurer from Weston-super-Mare Golf Club. It is presented for the best gross score at the Bronze meeting.
Bridge Bowl 1952
Donated by Mrs Bridge from Burnham and Berrow Golf Club. She was County Captain in 1939 and from 1946 – 1948. The trophy was given to be played for at a one day meeting and is now awarded for the best nett score in the 21 – 28 handicap range.
Lovell Cup
Was donated by Marjorie Lovell, Burnham and Berrow Golf Club, a four times County Champion and County Captain in the 1950s. The cup was originally given for the best gross bronze score at the County Championship meeting. In 1974 the Championship was restricted to the Silver Division so the Lovell Cup was transferred to the Bronze Meeting where it is awarded for the best nett score in the 29-40 handicap group.
Barlow Cup 1955
Was donated by Lucy Barlow from Bath Golf Club, a multiple county office holder, for the best nett qualifier from a club playing at the Bronze Meeting to equate with the Dickinson Cup at the Silver Meeting i.e. it can be won by a player who has entered as a 'Barlow Cup Qualifier'.
Silver Meeting
Cairns Cup
Donated by Lady Katherine Cairns who was one of the most influential figures in women's golf in the immediate post-war years. She was non-playing Captain of the victorious Great Britain and Ireland team in the 1952 Curtis Cup and Chairman of the special committee set up to consider the formation of an English Ladies Golf Association. A member of Bath and Burnham and Berrow Golf clubs, she won the Somerset Championship five times and played for the county many times. She also won the South West Championship, played for England and Great Britain on numerous occasions and was beaten in the final of the English Championship in 1949 by Diana Critchley (mother of the Sky golf commentator Bruce Critchley). The cup is awarded for the best gross score.
Janet Winter Salver
Is awarded for the best nett score at the Silver Meeting, donated by Janet Winter from Windwhistle and Taunton and Puckeridge Golf clubs. She was a County Handicap Adviser as well as Secretary of the ELGA South West Division.
Jenny Hobbs Trophy 1997 donated by Jenny Hobbs, Past County Captain, President, County Handicap Adviser and Vice Chairman of the ELGA South West Division. It is presented for the best nett score at the Silver Meeting by a player with a handicap below 12.
Dickinson Cup 1935
Donated by Mrs Ruth Dickinson who wanted to encourage more competition in and between clubs. This new event commenced with a qualifying round in each club with the winner taking part in a final at Weston-super-Mare Golf club in October. The trophy is now awarded to the 'qualifier' with the best nett score at the Silver Meeting who has entered as a 'Dickinson Cup Qualifier'. This equates with the Barlow Cup for the Bronze Meeting.
County Championship Meeting
Scratch Cup 1938
For the best qualifying round score in the Championship.
Margaret Webber Trophy
Donated by Margaret Webber, President in 1998 and 1999 and awarded for the best nett score in the 18 hole subsidiary event played on qualifying day.
Gliddon Vase 2007
This silver vase was presented by the President, Margaret Gliddon (2005 – 2007) to be awarded at the Championship for the best Gross 36 holes for under 25s.
Holt Shield
Donated by Margery Holt, an outstanding figure in Somerset ladies golf in the first few decades of the last century. Her family owned a brewery in Burnham-on-Sea and her husband Tom was one of the three or four founders of Burnham and Berrow Golf Club. It is awarded to the club returning the best three nett scores in the qualifying round of the Championship.
Championship Cup 1913
A great deal is known about this cup. In 1913 Margery Holt raised a special subscription to buy a Champion's Cup. The cup with its engraving and its wooden box complete with lock and key was bought for £18.3s.6d. Seventeen ladies played in that first Championship with qualifying scores ranging from 98 to 109! The last qualifier was a Mrs Hart who emerged the winner. In the first County match of the season against Devon she went out last, lost and has never been heard of since!
Runner-up's Salver
First presented to the losing finalist in 1958 who was Margaret Lovell (of Lovell Cup). Unfortunately nothing more is known about this salver.
Phillips Trophy 1958
Presented by Mrs Phillips of Minehead Golf Club for the winner of the 2nd flight knockout tournament. Until 1974 it was played off handicap but since then it has been played as a scratch event.
