Sonning Golf Club
SONNING GOLF CLUB: Intermittent Landing Ground
Location: Just S of the A4, in Sonning village, roughly 2.5nm ENE of Reading town centre
Period of operation: Unknown but certainly in the early to mid 1930s
Landing area: SW/NE At least 330m grass (Based on Photo No.2)
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
Here again yet another fine example of a little known flying site that Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', has managed to discover. As the saying goes, a picture paints a thousand words, and Mike has found two! And, being a keen golfer, (we all have our faults - mine being too numerous to mention), how fitting that he found this location.
Photo One was published in the London Daily Chronicle on the 21st February 1930. The short article appeared in the Western Daily Press, also on the 21st February. Photo Two is from Spithead Express by Christopher Balfour.
Notes: Here again I may well be mistaken (?) in thinking this is the only example of an aeroplane, (with a pilot of course), taking on a professional golfer in a 'match; around a golf course. They knew how to have much fun with an aeroplane in those days.
The local area and area views are from my Google Earth © derived database.
NOTES: The Photo Two, unless I am badly mistaken (?), shows the group with three DH60 Moths.
These days the introduction by de Havilland of their DH60 Moth, is heralded as being when light aviation opened up to the public. Well, not exactly, only for the weathier middle classes. Without any doubt it came into serious public prominence when Amy Johnson, ("Our Amy"), flew one solo to Australia in 1930. A journey that has been widely mis-reported over the years. She never claimed to be a very proficient pilot at that time, but was a certified aircraft engineer - which proved to be very useful as she had two serious crashes along the way to Australia. Her aircraft having to be nigh on rebuilt twice before she could continue.
Her de Havilland DH60G Gipsy Moth, G-AAAH, named "Jason", is on exhibition in the Science Museum, South Kensington, London.
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