History of Blackpool Park

The club has been established at it's present site since 1925 when the golf course was opened as part of the new Stanley Park attraction. The course was designed by the famous golf course architect Dr Alister MacKenzie who also designed such well known venues as Royal Melbourne, Cypress Point and Augusta National, home to the US Masters.

The distinctive "MacKenzie green" on the first at BPGC.

Although the course can never hope to compete with such illustrious landmarks of world golf, the basic quality of the design is clear to see. Every hole offers a challenge all of it's own giving the player choices of risk or reward on every tee. MacKenzie courses are renowned not only for the distinctive two tier greens but for a layout requiring thought as well as skill to compile a good score.

In almost total contrast to the exclusive nature of Augusta National, Stanley Park Golf Course has always welcomed everyone of all standards as it has primarily been run as a municipal facility for Blackpool residents as well as being a popular attraction for visitors to the town in the holiday season.
Based at the golf course since it opened, Blackpool Park Golf Club has offered comfortable facilities for those wishing to take part in competative golf and enjoy the benefits of club membership. Over the years and decades both the club and course went from strength to strength. The course getting busier and the club running successful competitions, full membership and a thriving social calendar.

The "water hazard" on the 3rd in 1995 !

This success continued for many years and during the late 1980's numbers peaked at over 77,000 rounds played per year making the course one of the most played in the British Isles.

During the 1990's there was a period of decline from those heady heights and the course suffered from a serious lack of investment. The course maintenance was put out to tender in line with the trend in public services at the time and it is fair to say the quality of the facility suffered as a result. Other factors included the opening of more golf couses in the Fylde and the onset of milder and wetter winters. The change to the weather was the biggest factor, meaning that by the late 1990's the course was often unplayable for much of the winter season as the picture on the left illustrates.

Drainage work on the 6th hole, Sept 2002.

In 2002 the Borough Council recognised that this situation could not continue and a rolling program of investment in the facility started with over £80,000 being spent on drainage work. As a result, the following winter only a handful of days were lost to the weather when the figure the previous year had been nearer to 100.The drainage work was only part of the story though. The appointment of a new head greenkeeper Steve Hesk and significant spending on new machinery was key in reversing the decline. Steve has implemented a 5 year plan to improve the quality of the greens and further work undertaken since 2002 includes the re-shaping and renovation of most of the bunkers, several new tees and a programme of tree pruning and clearance of undergrowth which has significantly improved both the appearance and play of the course.

In addition to improvements on the course, there has also been investment to the infrastructure of the club which have included new locker rooms and showers, the addition of practice nets and a storage shed for trollies.

The new locker room facilities.

Another change made in 2002 was a joint initiative to encourage junior golf by lowering the prices for both green fees and membership to nominal amounts and running junior competitions with handicaps allowed up to 54. This has lead to a well supported and well organised junior section now being firmly established at the club. The clubs achievements in this area have been more formally recognised in 2006 with the award of the "golf mark" accreditation which is awarded to clubs in recognition of their commitment to being beginner friendly and actively promoting junior golf. Blackpool Park are the first club in the Fylde area to be awarded Golf Mark status. To read more about this scheme click here.

On the golf side competitions are held each Saturday throughout the year and the well established format over the summer months consists of 4 "major" Competitions, the William Cartmell Trophy, The Presidents Prize, The Captains Prize and the Sam Shepherd Trophy. These all have 4 qualifying rounds followed by a final where either 36 or 48 qualifiers contest for the trophy and prizes on offer but most imortantly to get their name on the prize board in the clubhouse lounge.

Those who have not qualified for the final play in a subsidiary competition held the same day for which prizes are also awarded. Traditionally the presentation for both the final and the subsidiary take place on the evening of the competition at what are always well supported social occasions with a dine-in, entertainment and a late bar.

In addition to the main Saturday competitions, there are competitions each Wednesday from May to September. A thriving seniors section play every Friday throughout the year, ladies play competitions on Thursdays and Juniors on Sundays.

As well as the domestic competitions the club also hosts several opens, the most well known of which is the Silver Niblick. The "Niblick" is held every June with a 100 strong field of single figure handicap golfers contesting the 36 hole stroke play competition. The trophy is a solid silver antique golf club which is presented by the Mayor of Blackpool who is also the honorary President of the club. Details of this and other open competitions can be found on the open competitions page.

That just about brings the story up to date. The club is currently attempting to buck the trend of declining golf club memberships and is actively marketing the benefits of membership and the improved facilities in another joint initiative with the Borough Council. Full details of membership rates are available on the membership page.

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