On 4 January 1922 a meeting took place in the Orrell Council Offices when it was resolved that a golf club be formed and that it should be known as the Dean Wood Golf Club.

Later meetings took place in the more informal surroundings of the Abbey Lakes Hotel and the Stag Inn. Subscriptions were initially fixed at £2 for men and £1 for ladies. The Chairman of the first meeting was Mr R O Hall who subsequently became the first Captain of the club.

In the absence of proper facilities the original members had to make do with nails driven into an oak tree but fairly soon a wooden clubhouse was built at a cost of £175. It was constructed on the site of the present greenkeeper’s bungalow by the 13th tee but was later replaced by a new two storey clubhouse off Lafford Lane. This in turn was demolished in the late 1980s to make way for the present clubhouse.

Like many golf courses Dean Wood was constructed with 9 holes which started on the present 13th hole and finished at the present 12th. In 1932 it was decided to extend the course to 18 holes and James Braid was commissioned to design the extra 9 holes. It is said that he saved the life of the crucial oak tree on the second hole for which he should be remembered with gratitude.

A handbook published in 1933 described the course and its surroundings as follows:

“The course itself offers an excellent day’s golf made all the more enjoyable by some splendid views and a bracing atmosphere. For the first few holes the quaint old village of Upholland is constantly in view but beyond number 5 one feels that the real open country has been reached and with it some of the finest views in the district. On the one hand is rolling well-wooded country stretching to Rivington and its surrounding hills of Anglezarke, whilst on the other hand is the Billinge-Ashurst Ridge, with St Joseph’s College standing out prominently. In between, the Douglas Valley presents a pretty picture.”

Tony Coop served as club professional for 45 years until his retirement in 1999 when he was elected as an Honorary Life Member. He achieved national fame in the 1960s with his performances in the Open Championship and he has played an active part in the Liverpool and District Golfing Alliance.

On 22 April 1954 the Society Committee accepted the application from Dean Wood to join the Society of Liverpool Golf Captains. The club has been a staunch supporter of the Society and its Captains have won the Leverhulme Salver on four occasions to date. In 1990 Norman Whittaker was elected as the first Captain of the Society from the Dean Wood club and has since been followed by David Morris in 2009.