Antique Golf Clubs from Scotland: Clubmakers

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Clubmakers

Lily Freemantle
Sunningdale

Lily Louisa Freemantle was born in Fareham, Hampshire, on 25 August 1891 and her father, William was professional (and, according to Lily, a former Hampshire cricketer) at Hyères on the Mediterranean coast in Occitan and in summer at St Moritz, although he originally went to St Malo as a cricketer. Lily grew up speaking more French and Italian than English but was appointed instructress to the Sunningdale Ladies’ Club in March 1911. This had been established in 1902 as women were not allowed to join the Sunningdale club proper.

Potentially setting the start of Solheim Cup back a further 79 years she opined in 1911, ‘I would far rather teach English or American ladies than any other, they show by far the greater aptitude for the game, and learn it so much more easily, than German, French or Italian ladies. I think it is mainly a matter of temperament.’ She was described in newspaper reports as the first female golf professional (though some newspapers did acknowledge Maud Robertson) but she was quick to dismiss this saying her sister Elsie Eva predated her on that front. Her formal training in golf came from her father but her style was modeled on watching, as a little girl, Lady Hamilton-Russell (who as Lady Margaret Scott won the British Ladies Championship in 1893, 1894 and 1895) play at St Moritz.

She only stayed in Sunningdale until July as she also held the post of lady instructress in St Moritz and was returning there. It does not appear she came back to Sunningdale.

Lily married Alfred Turnbull in Marseilles ca 1922. The family later moved to Australia where she died in 1981.

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