I wonder if your readers can help with a bit of detective work.

In the 1990s and early 2000s, possibly a bit earlier, Basingstoke Observer/Westminister Press produced a free magazine called Hampshire Golf before ceasing publication in early 2001.

I have some copies from my time as editor of Fairway to Green, which launched a Hampshire edition to fill that gap, although one of the sales team, Peter Llewellyn launched his own publication called Tee Times, which staggered on until 2020.

But I digress, what I would really like to know is if anyone has kept a set of the HG magazines.

I am contemplating writing a book on the history of Hampshire Golf’s championships and players from the early 1890s – we are the oldest county golf union in England and are 130 years old now.

If possible, I would happily acquire a set of as many copies as exist today, or certainly would love the opportunity to do some research based on them. 

The other thing I would be keen to know is if there are any of the photos that would have been taken for the mag in the 1990s?

The Hampshire Telegraph is probably the oldest weekly paper that would have carried reports – and possibly photographs – and I know that you can access that through the British Newspaper Library’s online archive.

Ironically, Basingstoke as a club has only ever produced one Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Channel Islands Amateur Champion Geoff Foden back in 1971.

I am not sure if the championship will come to the revamped Basingstoke club at Dummer, that would be a conversation for the executive when the works are completed, but they do occasionally do one-offs for special anniversaries – not sure when the original club was founded, but sure someone will think along those lines at some point.

Thanks for reading and any light you can shed on the above would be gratefully received. Email andrew.griffin4@googlemail.com. 

Andrew Griffin

Miller Drive

Fareham

PO16 7LS

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