Many famous golf clubs appear to have had their beginnings in the bar parlours of hotels or public houses. It seems that the convivial conversations to be enjoyed there was eminently suitable for discussing the game, and discussed it was, to good purpose. East Berkshire Golf Club at Crowthorne, however, was not one of these, which was mooted in a place of refreshment. It flies on a rather higher plane to the Masters' Sitting Room of the nearby Wellington College.

It was in 1903 that the masters of Wellington first talked about golf - or, at least, a golf course - and being men of action as well as enthusiasm, they formed a company and bought sufficient land on which to lay out a course. And, like so many of the pioneers, they chose their site well. The ground is heathlike in character on the edge of the Bagshot sand, has plenty of heather and gorse and to add to the beauty of the scene there is a veritable forest of trees on every side.

The trees, silver birch, oak and pine. take away from the bareness sometimes to be found on heathland courses and makes East Berkshire a golf course of beauty and one providing a restful, beautiful circuit which has found very much favour during its existence.

For the first few years, enthusiasm was high, and the Club flourished exceedingly, but some six years afterwards there was apparently a depression, and the records of the Club show that the Company which had been formed sold their land to Mr. Howard Palmer J.P., the head of the famous biscuit firm from Reading which bears his name.

But the change in ownership of the land proved a blessing indeed, for the new landlord granted a lease of the course to the Club on most advantageous terms, a lease which has since been renewed with the same generosity. In fact, since Mr. Howard Palmer's interest in the Club, the family have retained their connections with it.

East Berkshire is not a long course, but it is still enough to give even the most adept player a testing round. Peter Paxton was the architect, and it can be deduced from his name that he came from Scotland, perhaps even from St. Andrews where there are families of that name. But it is not only by his name that one assumes he must have come from across the border, but more importantly because it can be seen that he made such good use of the several natural hazards, including the heather in his design.

In the old days, course architects were keen on cross hazards, of which the big bunkers at Brancaster and Westwards Ho are splendid examples. At East Berks, Mr. Paxton did not go in for that particular brand, but he cleverly made use of the heather, which has to be carried with the first and second shots on a number of occasions.

East Berkshire is a pleasant course situated within easy travelling distance of London. The Course Manager and his team of green staff keep it in first-rate condition, and visitors when they arrive are sure of a warm welcome from the Secretary and his staff.