SATURDAY, 6 June 2026 marked a significant milestone in the history of Clwb Golff Borth & Ynyslas Golf Club as Uppingham School visited the club as part of the celebrations commemorating the 150th anniversary of the school's relocation from Rutland to the seaside village of Borth in 1876 during a typhoid epidemic, writes Harri Jones.

The Old Uppinghamian Golfing Society (OUGS) has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Borth & Ynyslas, with annual home-and-away fixtures being played for many years. However, this was the first occasion that the school's golf team itself had visited Borth.

Led by Director of Sport Nick Gandy and teacher Hugh Barnes, eight students from Uppingham School travelled to the West Wales coast to take part in a special competition organised by Clwb Golff Borth & Ynyslas. They were joined by two members of the OUGS and 16 members of Borth & Ynyslas, led by Captain Harri Jones.

Following a four-and-a-half-hour journey, the Uppingham minibus arrived at Borth Golf Club, where the visitors were warmly welcomed and refreshed with bacon rolls prepared by Nathan and Laura Perkins. The 28 golfers then headed out onto the historic West Wales links, recognised as the oldest golf course in Wales.

There was some excellent scoring throughout the day. Rollo Morrisey led the OUGS challenge with 38 points, while the students also performed impressively. Dean Tansirichaiya scored 33 points, George Allison returned 34 points, and Gus Leetham produced an exceptional 38 points from a playing handicap of two. His level-par gross round on a course he had never previously played, and in what was for some students their first experience of links golf, was a remarkable achievement.

The home side was equally determined to make its mark. David Griffiths returned 39 points, Captain-Elect Simon Bentley scored 41 points, and Past Captain Owen Jenkins edged ahead with an outstanding 42 points. It was particularly fitting that Owen should claim victory, as it was during his captaincy in 2007 that the link between Clwb Golff Borth & Ynyslas and the OUGS was first established—a relationship that remains as strong as ever today.

After refreshments, the students returned to the course for a further nine holes, taking the opportunity to gain additional experience of links golf. Later that evening, the students and staff of Uppingham School were hosted by Captain Jane Miller and Patrick Miller at a barbecue attended by the club's President, Mike Roberts, and his wife, Breda.

On Sunday morning, the students once again took to the course before attending a special 150th anniversary service at St Matthew's Church, Borth, led by Canon Andrew Loat. Readings were given by students Gus Leetham and Pierce Freeman, while Nick Gandy recounted the remarkable events of 150 years ago when Uppingham School relocated "lock, stock and barrel" to Borth—including, famously, the school's cricket roller.

During the service, which had been organised by Margaret Griffiths of St Matthew's Church, an englyn—a traditional Welsh poem written according to strict syllabic and rhyming patterns—was presented to Uppingham School. The poem, specially composed for the occasion by the bard Hywel Griffiths and accompanied by an English translation, was gifted to mark the 150th anniversary of this unique chapter in the school's history.

Following refreshments provided by members of St Matthew's Church, the Uppingham contingent began its journey back to England. Plans are already in place for a return visit next year, when the school will once again be assured of a warm and characteristically Welsh welcome from the people of Borth.

The connection between Uppingham School and Clwb Golff Borth & Ynyslas extends far beyond friendship and sporting links. During the school's two-year stay in Borth between 1876 and 1878, a number of enterprising Uppingham masters began playing golf on the links land between Borth and Ynyslas. They laid out a rudimentary course and played the game in what contemporary accounts describe as an "informal way".

From these modest beginnings emerged what would become Clwb Golff Borth & Ynyslas, recognised as the oldest golf course in Wales. The school's unexpected relocation to Borth during the typhoid epidemic therefore played a pivotal role in the history of Welsh golf, leaving a legacy that continues to this day.

The relationship between Uppingham School and Clwb Golff Borth & Ynyslas is therefore of far greater significance than a traditional sporting fixture. It represents a shared history stretching back 150 years and commemorates the origins of organised golf in Wales. The visit served as a timely reminder of the vision and initiative shown by those pioneering Uppingham masters, whose enthusiasm for the game helped establish a sporting institution that remains at the heart of the community today.

Clwb Golff Borth & Ynyslas is deeply grateful to those far-sighted individuals who, 150 years ago, saw the potential of the magnificent links at Borth and Ynyslas. Their legacy endures not only in the club they helped create but also in the enduring friendship between Uppingham School and the people of Borth.