The Course Takes Shape
(Please click here to read page 1 if you missed it)
The hospital which was opened in 1940, covered a large tract of ground from the east of the runway. Post 1951, and with an excess of beds, the hospital accepted NHS patients. The RAF Hospital had originally opened as a temporary war-time facility, However, following the use of the land (now the Golf Club) for the accommodation of the Empire Games in 1958, the hospital closed in 1961. Demolition of the buildings and services took place and the area became derelict. Over the ensuing years the area had decayed into little more than a rubbish tip.
In 1975 foundations were still visible beneath the grass, and despite rubble and debris in abundance, a few hardy trees took root, and flourished, after a fashion.
The land remained in a sad state until August 1975 when a small group of Members of the RAF St Athan Golf Society considered the possibilities of converting the land into a golf course. After some initial scepticism and the warning that no funds would be available, certainly until the St Athan golfers proved that the creation of a golf course was no passing desire, permission was granted to go ahead by the Station Commander of RAF St Athan.
Work on the course started in September 1975 with the target date for opening set for l April 1976.
Work started with no equipment other than spades, shovels, two picks and two lawn mowers, and initially, twenty pairs of hands. As winter approached with the weather becoming colder and wetter the number of regular workers dwindled to about twelve and it was the efforts of those who really got the development under way.
The problems of clearing and landscaping the land was immense, the entire area was covered with grass up to 4 feet in height, weeds, brambles and other fast growing bushes.