MAGAZINE 2025-26
Erin is also a Fine Art graduate, so we invited her to curate some of her favourite paintings on show in the clubhouse - and she kindly accepted.
Harold Hilton, printed in 1903
Sir Leslie Ward (SPY) (1851-1922)
Chromolithographic Prints
Under the pseudonym SPY, Sir Leslie Ward created 1325 caricatures for the society magazine Vanity Fair between 1873 and 1911. The portraits humorously expose the vanities of late Victorian and Edwardian society by capturing politicians, society figures, artists and sport stars.
Ward often found himself ‘stalking’ his subjects before drawing them from memory in order to capture the distinct personalities of each character.
His early portraits had a strong element of caricature and usually distorted the proportions of the body to exaggerate their features. In this work SPY captures Harold Hilton’s distinctive white golf shoes and cap, as well as the cigarette he always held in his mouth.
Hilton, another homegrown amateur star, won The Open twice, in 1892 and 1897, making him one of only three amateur Champion Golfers alongside Ball and Bobby Jones.
Painted about 1930
J.A.A. Berrie (1887-1962)
Oil on canvas
In his 1930 portrait of Bobby Jones, J.A.A. Berrie combines elements from both Impressionism and Realism to harbour an emotional power through his composition.
In the background, depicting the view over the River Dee to Wales from the RLGC links, Berrie employs expressive, quick-paced brushstrokes which reach their peak behind Jones’ head.
Supported by a muted colour palette, Jones emerges from the frenzy with a calm and gentle gaze.
The artist’s lightness of touch here, in comparison to the bold background, gives Jones a dreamlike aura which captures his enigmatic personality, and emphasises the scale of what he achieved that year - the Grand Slam.
Painted in 2012
John Kingsley (b.1956)
Oil on canvas
Hoylake’s par 3 11th, called Alps. Commissioned by Ricoh Women’s British Open Championship Committee, this painting of one of Royal Liverpool Golf Club’s most picturesque holes was John Kingsley’s first venture into golf art.
Kingsley’s use of saturated colour and broad brushstrokes recall Fauvist artists such as Andre Derain and Henri Matisse.
In his early career, Kingsley worked in the manner of Walter Sickert, later abandoning that artist’s tonality for bright, complimentary colours to create a heightened sense of emotion and expression.
This, paired with his unique and captivating style, shows a quality, depth and texture, which set this work apart from other golfing art.
Probably painted about 1850
Theo R Evans (dates unknown)
Oil on canvas
Theo Evans’ landscape shows a view of the old farm at Hoylake, and a tiered grandstand, after which the 18th hole is named. There are also sheep grazing under the running rails of the old racecourse.
Artists in the 19th century often explored the idealisation of pastoral life and leisure activities as a reaction to rapid industrial developments in urban areas.
Country landscapes in serene settings were depicted without any of the damaging effects of industrial progress. This appealed to wealthy patrons who had made their fortunes in cities - but longed for life in the country.
Probably painted between 1869-1913
Frances Powell Hopkins (1830-1913)
Watercolours on paper
Francis Powell Hopkins, otherwise known as Major Shortspoon, created hundreds of small, whimsical watercolours throughout his career.
The major appeal of his work is his ability to capture golfers playing. Golfers, as well as their peers, could recognise themselves from particular stances and swings.
His knowledge and understanding of the game, his enthusiasm, and his own experiences of golf’s disappointments and fortunes is captured within each composition.
No other painter had attempted this sort of portrayal of golf before, which presents Hopkins’ works as a unique record of that time period.
Probably drawn between 1905-1915
Charles Ambrose (1876-1946)
Watercolour en grisaille
Charles Ambrose was an illustrator and golfing journalist. He spent a lot of time painting and drawing, but it is not known whether he ever attended an art school.
He did not use colour in his work and his portraits were mainly done in pen, ink and colour washes which allow spontaneity and freedom of expression. By limiting the colour palette, the composition of the piece becomes central to the overall work, resulting in delicate line portraits with a strong likeness to the golfers they portray.
This is local Hoylake hero, John Ball, who blazed a trail in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was the first great amateur golfer, and the first Englishman and first amateur to win The Open, in 1890.
Printed in 1911
James Michael Brown (1853-1947)
Photogravure print
(James) Michael Brown was an accomplished Scottish watercolourist whose passion for golf was transposed to his art. He is best known for golfing scenes which captured important tournaments and personalities.
Many of these were produced annually between 1892 and 1916 for the Life Association of Scotland’s calendar, using the process of photogravure, an etching process to create highly detailed printing plates. For Victorians and Edwardians it was an important method of printing photographs, including those of fine art.
Brown often made sketches of famous golfers of the time at competitions and used these studies to create depth and realism in his final composition. This technique allowed Brown to be highly detailed while creating a soft focus and smooth tonal range, giving the works a timeless, luminous quality which particularly highlight the figures.
This is just a small slice of Royal Liverpool’s collection. If you visit Hoylake and have the time, take a little tour of the clubhouse and immerse yourself in golf history.
- Erin Shields