The club celebrated its centenary in 2005 although it has gone through several identities during…read morethat time. It was during 1904 that a golf course was laid out in the beautiful park land of the Hurst Park Estate under the guidance of the great James Braid. The Atherton family, owners of estate, encouraged the forming of a golf club known as Huyton Golf Club and considerable interest was shown by local residents because almost immediately, 77 gentlemen and 45 ladies enrolled as members.
Not much is known about the activities of the club prior to 1939 although apparently the Prince of Wales regularly played the course in the 1920's ans 1930's when he visited the Earl of Derby at Knowsley Hall. In 1939 the Athertons set up a commercial enterprise trading under the name of Huyton Golf Links Ltd to manage the golfing facilities available on the estate, taking green fees similar to the present day pay as you play courses. At that time some members then accepted the offers from Childwall and WooIton Golf Clubs to use their facilities when the existing Huyton Golf Club closed down. However, those that chose to stay set about organising themselves under the new name Huyton and District Golf Club and traded with Huyton Golf Links Ltd.
This arrangement continued for 5 years but it was not an ideal situation as their was no long term guarantee that the facilities would continue. In March 1945 the members put forward a proposal to the Atherton family,in which they would rent the course and the premises so ensuring a longer term future. Thus another name change, in October 1945, to Hurst Park Golf Club. However, in December 1945, the Atherton family informed the members that they wished to sell the estate and that a firm offer had been received. It looked as though the new club would be stillborn but a group of stalwarts fought hard and eventually raised the funds to match the existing offer of £29,000 (an enormous amount in those days, equivalent to about £800,000 now) and a new company was formed and the name Huyton Golf Club was resurrected in December 1947. It was well into 1948 before the sale was finalised and in September of that year yet another name change came about and Huyton and Prescot Golf Club was born.
If there wasn't enough problems more was to come. It was in 1965 that the rumours regarding the construction of a new outer ring road for Liverpool, and the possibility that it might intrude into the course, were heard. The idea was so distasteful that people hoped that it was just gossip, and that if ignored, the danger might never arise and the course would remain undisturbed.
However, the rumours persisted and strengthened, and enquiries at the County Surveyor's Office in Preston confirmed that the danger was real and that the club should be doing something about it.
In those days, the holes were generally laid out to be played up and down the hill, from the clubhouse area towards the Prescot Brook, and the loss of land at the bottom of the hill meant that, with the exception of some four or five holes, the whole course would need to be redesigned and reconstructed.
As the new course was to be largely constructed on top of the old course, they had to meet the continuing problem of providing reasonable recreation for the members whilst the works were in progress. The construction of the odd temporary green and the playing of old greens from temporary new teeing grounds, enabled them to keep 18 holes, some of them rather comical, in play during the whole operation, spread over some three years.
Spring 1972 saw the opening of the new course to the members and although the previous 5 years had been traumatic, it is generally agreed that the course as it is now is a vast improvement on the old version and is wonderful piece of rolling land that belies some of the nearby development.
So despite all that has been thrown at it H & P continues into a new millenium and hopefully this green lung may long continue to do so.
