In August of the year 1926, during an annual meeting of the London Branch of the Institute of Heating and Ventilating Engineers, a group of golfing friends and colleagues formed a golfing circle.  Following this meeting they embarked on organising an official society which was to be named 'The BTU Golfing Society' the acronym representing the unit of measurement of heat, the British Thermal Unit. 

 

A certain Walter Nobbs was duly selected by the founding members to be the first Captain of the society in 1927.  The first organised outing was held in London at the Mill Hill Golf Club.  The prize for this inaugural event was the BTU Challenge Cup which is still competed for to this day. 

 

The Society Was Born: In the beginning the membership of the Society mainly consisted of senior members of the professions and industry.  In the early 1930's younger members were invited to join and the society flourished as the game gained popularity.  Following the increase in membership it became inevitable that the society would expand and in 1938 the first of the branch societies were formed, BTU Midlands and the BTU Northern, both quite independent. 

 

The Second World War interrupted events but in February 1946 activities were resumed and subscription was raised from 10 shillings (50p) to one guinea (105p) 

 

The BTU East Midlands society was formed in 1951 followed by BTU Yorkshire in 1952. BTU North-East was formed in 1956 and BTU Scotland BTU South West followed in 1960.  In later years BTU Irish, BTU South East, BTU Southern Counties and BTU Thames Valley were all inaugurated, bringing the number of participating branches to twelve. 

 

BTU Golfing Society North East was founded in 1956 by Bob Doyle of Ideal boilers, Jack Troughear of Holden and Brook, Bill Beaman of Brightside Engineering, Tom Davidson of Brightside Engineering and John Moorhouse of William Eardley Sheet metal.  Legend has it that Jack Troughear, then residing in York and selling his wares throughout the North, became aware of the BTU Societies in the Midlands and Manchester (BTU Northern) and this became the catalyst in inaugurating BTU North East. 

 

Although each of the BTU Golfing Societies are autonomous, a golfing event takes place every 2 years bringing together all of the regional societies to compete in The BTU National Golf Tournament which is fiercely challenged with friendly rivalry.