BOLTON Old Links Golf Club have organised a series of events to celebrate their 125-year anniversary.

A number of competitions will take place to mark the milestone, organised by a specially formed '125 Committee' led by president Brian Carroll.

They have introduced some special events on and off the course together with a host of standard competitions.

On April 29 there will be a 125 fun day event, June 10 a 125 company day, September 30 a 125 pro-am, October 2 125 Ryder Cup Day, June 19 125 Ascot Racing Day and September 24 125 Anniversary Ball.

Over the years the club has retained many fine golfers in their membership including Denis Durnian, Andrew Chandler, Derrick Cooper and Howard Broadbent of all whom went on to join the professional ranks.

They also had a top amateur golfer in Jack Taylor who famously represented Lancashire with a stunning 100 appearances and claimed the BGA Championship a record 10 times which is unlikely to be beaten in the modern age.

The club originally started as Bolton Golf Club in 1891 as a nine-hole course at Smithills.

However, in 1912 some members decided to move to a new course at Lostock Park off Chorley New Road.

It was apparently an amicable split and whilst the new course at Lostock maintained the original name, the original course was renamed Bolton Old Links Golf Club.

As time moved on, members were keen to play on an 18-hole course and in 1921 approximately 73 acres of land was acquired at Montserrat for £6,000 under the auspices of Edward Blackburn on behalf of the club from Baroness Beaumont and other land owners.

Dr Alister MacKenzie, who was well known for his two-tier greens design, was consulted, and following his work for Old Links, he went on to design many prestigious golf courses including Augusta National.

The course has matured over the years into a picturesque tree-lined moorland course with panoramic views of the Lancashire countryside.