​

It all began as the brainchild of our founder Gordon Emerton-Court back in 1970 when the inaugural meeting was held at Teignmouth Golf Club on Friday 30th October 1970.

Extracts from the Minutes of this meeting follow:

“The purpose of this meeting was to form an Association of male golfers aged 55 and over with a view to maintaining and possibly increasing their interest in golf and to arrange Veteran Club matches, Inter-Devon Veteran Club matches and County matches with similar Associations.

Mr Gordon Emerton-Court of the Churston and Okehampton Golf Clubs addressed the meeting and proposed the formation of such an Association and to name it the Devon Men Veteran Golfers’ Association.

Col. Derek Brown, President of the Devon County Golf Union, also gave an address, gave his approval and seconded the proposal which was carried unanimously.

Mr G Emerton-Court proposed Mr J R Thomas of Tiverton Golf Club to be the Association’s first President. This was seconded by Mr J E Egan of Churston Golf Club and carried unanimously.

Mr J R Thomas of Tiverton Golf Club proposed Mr G Emerton-Court to be the first Captain of the DMVGA and Mr H J Keen of Churston Golf Club seconded the proposal which was carried unanimously.

Mr H J Keen of Churston Golf Club was proposed as Honorary Secretary by Col. W P Clark Thomas of Thurlestone Golf Club and seconded by Mr D Rae of Churston and Mr W R P Madge of Tiverton Golf Club was proposed as Honorary Treasurer by Col. D Brown, President of the Devon County Golf Union and seconded by Mr H W Stocker of East Devon Golf Club and both proposals were carried unanimously.

Mr A C Bryson of Yelverton Golf Club proposed and Mr H J Culley of Stover Golf Club seconded that a Standing Committee be formed consisting of a representative Veteran member from each of the twenty three Golf Clubs in Devon. The Secretary would write to each of these Clubs asking the interested Veterans to forward to him the name and address of their Club Representative by 16th November 1970.

A meeting of the Standing Committee would then be arranged as soon as possible after this date, and from it, was suggested that an Inner Council of say five or six be formed together with the President, Captain, Secretary and Treasurer.

The Subscription Fee was discussed at length with varying views. The charge of 10/-d per annum was carried by the meeting but subject to review in the light of experience.

The meeting was attended by sixty members of thirteen different Golf Clubs in Devon.

An Inaugural Tankard was kindly given to the DMVGA by Mr Michael Kelly who was thanked by the President for his generosity. This was won during the afternoon 18 hole Stableford competition by Mr W F Jones of Sidmouth Golf Club and was presented by Mr Kelly. Mr H J Culley of Stover Golf Club was runner up.

A vote of thanks to the Captain, Committee, Members, Secretary and Staff of the Teignmouth Golf Club for their extreme courtesy, kindness and help was carried unanimously and loudly applauded.”

And so the DMVGA was formed and commenced the first full year of activity in 1971. The Michael Kelly Trophy remains our first and oldest trophy and is played for in the Autumn Meeting these days. The so called Inner Council is now what we term the Executive Committee and the original Standing Committee which lasted for a number of years equates to our AGM where all Representatives can attend and raise any issues and where we elect our Officers and Executive Committee members, amend Rules (if necessary) etc.