Profile: The Club at Meyrick Park

The Club at Meyrick Park in Bournemouth is now 130 years old.

For generations, families used Meyrick Park in Bournemouth, which was originally part of a huge area of heathland registered in the Domesday Book of 1086, as common land for grazing stock, planting crops, cutting wood and turf cutting. Following the Christchurch Inclosure Act of 1802, the land was sold to Sir George Ivison Tapps, who created a plantation of scots and maritime pine, with 425 acres set aside in five Bournemouth locations for locals to continue to use the land. The area has also had various names over the centuries, including Poors Common, Turbary Common and Malmesbury Plantation.

Today, The Club at Meyrick Park is a hub for golfers enjoying the beautiful 18-hole parkland course, designed by Tom Dunn and first opened in 1894, making it the. Dunn remained at the club for five years as the professional and greenkeeper.

With the backdrop of 120 acres of undulating scenic parkland, it features verdant, tree-lined fairways, with golf commentator Peter Alliss once rating the first as one of the toughest opening holes around.

Course manager Mo Bah reflects on the rich heritage of the course: “With 10 years’ service managing the golf course at Meyrick Park, I’ve had the opportunity to maintain the integrity of the original course design by Tom Dunn 130 years ago as well as ensuring current day players can enjoy the sport and the course. This parkland course has a lot to offer and benefits from being sand-based, making it a great all year-round course as it changes with the seasons.”

Golf operations manager Nicola Shipley added: “As a woman working in golf, it is an honour to have my name associated with the golf course’s long-running history. I am always mindful of its historic characteristics whilst planning and managing its future.”