The 19th Century - Closed Courses of Scotland

[Melvyn Morrow]

Further to an earlier post by Patrick Mucci  'Re: A new era in architecture ? I have more info for Ally on a few of the Closed Course of Scotland

Just a few lost/closed courses in Scotland with a few sketches as promised

Wishaw between Heathery & Glencairn; Insh & Kincraig nr Kingussie; Annan at Dumfries & Galloway; Pittenween nr Anstruther, Portsoy nr Cullen; Collieston nr Cruden Bay; Uisguintuie on Islay nr Machrie; Crawford; Kilearn; Biggar; Arbury Brae, Broughton Ferry Ladies Club Dundee, Glasgow Kelvinside; Blair Lodge School became Polmont G C before moving, Dornock G C at Crieff; Carnegie's Skibo Castle; St lLeonards Girls School St Andrews; Port Erroll and Dunblane. The list is on going and I have mainly looked at sites involving Old Tom but if you look to most towns of the 19th Century you will find a course close by, yet today there are no sign of them.

I attach some sketches, one being an English club that has now moved in the 1970's to a new site.

Crawford Sketch


Killearn Sketch


Uisguintuie on Islay confused at times with Machrie


Wellingborough in England

[G Jones]

St Leonards Girls School had a golf course!?! Where? The only possible place I can think of is their flat as a pancake playing field...

[Melvyn Morrow]

G Jones

The St Leonards Girl School had a short 9 hole course designed by Old Tom in 1893.  I tried last year to see if it could be re-erected into its former glory but David Joy said it was not possible due to the development on the site. I am trying to get the original plans for my records and to see if any hole can be reinstated. That will of course be subject to the agreement of the school and obtaining outside funding.

It is an important site as it in one of the earliest course designed predominately for (young) women and pre-dates the 12 hole Duffers (Ladies) course of 1897 which became the Jubilee. Plans to extend the Duffer’s course to a full 18 holes started around the 14th July 1903 when it became apparent that the other two courses were becoming overcrowded. Old Tom was involved and had inspected the additional land and presented a proposal for the 18 hole revamped course allowing the shooting butt & range to remain – the reported with the Links Committee approval was unanimously adapted by the Town Council. Yet the course was not extended until after Old Tom’s death.

If I can obtain the St Leonards plans I will post them on this site for your information – hope this helps and is of interest. 

[G Jones]

Melvyn,

Cheers for the info. My mother went to St Leonards, and I went to University in St Andrews, so it's really interesting to learn that. Do you know roughly where it might have been?

[Rich Goodale]

Great stuff Melvyn.  You could add the original Burntisland golf links, which were abandoned in the late 19th century when the club moved to its current site at Dodhead.  Much of its land has been preserved as a park and there is a huge amount of quirk still in evidence.  The original course was built in the late 18th century, so you can't attribute it to Old Tom!

Rich

[Tony_Muldoon]

Does anyone know about the original Archerfield, I believe it was 9 holes on land beyond the 10th at N Berwick?

[Tony_Muldoon]

Or anything about the NLE links at Embo?

[Brian_Ewen]

Two in my area that I know of , Muchalls , and Laurencekirk .

I am led to believe that both never survived World Wars .

I wonder how many other disappeared due to this ?

[Ally Mcintosh]

Thanks Melvyn... That's great... I'm particularly interested in courses that may have been of a high quality but are now lost... We've heard of plenty of those courses in the States but the only one in the UK that seems to bring about a consensus opinion is Addington New...

Tony, I've asked about the original Archerfield before because Tom Simpson had it as one of the outstanding courses in East Lothian (along with Muirfield, North Berwick and Gullane)... Don't think anyone came back with much at the time...

[Melvyn Morrow]

Richard

As for Old Tom, my research is going very well. I have in the past relied on information from others i.e.  Mr Campbell for Skibo & Brora, but on further in-depth search I have not found any connection (that is not to say there are none, I just can’t find any). As with Bob Kroeger, some errors in his book which I am please to say that I have nearly worked through, Hanger Hill, Machrie certainly not an Old Tom design.  I have found another dozen courses he was involved with from the Moray Firth around the cost down to Dundee plus some inland. The few that have now been deleted from my original list have been replaced by all the new confirmed courses.

Again I see through reports that Old Tom would return regularly to many of his designs to inspect and adjust as required. This seems to contradict the attitude of the later designers who were happy to dismiss the early guys as one day wonders. To this day I never understood their arrogance, but that for another post.

As for Burntisland, well I will not credit Old Tom with the design, but he did survey the site and gave his approval prior to recommending W Parks Jnr. for the job.  I attach an article from the Scotsman on the new course for your information. I do not know if you read the report in the Scotsman on Skibo Castle I posted last week (I also attach it again just in case).

Ally

My research is mainly on Old Tom, but I do check out some of the other articles that catch my interest. I also pass on the information direct to the clubs, many as usual do not have the manners or courtesy to acknowledge them but a few who have lost all their early records are most appreciative, sorry to many to list. But I will take a little more time on my next round of searches to see if I can find any of the info you seek – no promises though.   
   

[Brian_Ewen]

Melvyn
I play Huntly GC now and again .

It has always been known in the area as an OTM , but it was not included in Mr. Kroegers book .

Do you consider Huntly an OTM design ?

[Melvyn Morrow]

Brian

Bob’s book is great, I love the format and the way it is so easy to read and understand – I have been trying for the last year to get him to update the book, but at the moment he has other more important family matters to look after.

Having said that, Bob admits that his book does not cover all the courses connected with Old Tom. His list of Isle of Man courses is incomplete and slightly confusing because there are four courses on the Island designed by Old Tom, one having moved then returned to within a mile of Old Tom's original design. This course is today called Douglas Golf Club and was the one he mentioned as being at Duchess Head. The other courses are Castletown, Ramsey and King Edward Bay which is at the other side of Douglas and missed by Bob altogether believing Duchess Head and Douglas Head course being one and the same. Bob missed some English course, from memory I think they are Dewsbury, Kirby Muxloe, West Herts and Warkworth, the two on Guernsey and quite a few missed in Scotland i.e. he did two courses in Crieff (Dornoch Crieff in 1895).

The only one I have not been able to agree/disagree with is Cleveland in England, Tulloch’s book on ‘The Life of Tom Morris’ mentioned him going to extend the course, but have not found any info as yet apart form Tulloch's reference. But to be fair with Tulloch everyone he has mentioned has been proved correct so far.

Yes Huntly is an Old Tom design and is part of the new Old Tom Morris Tournament going round the country which started in Tain last year – it is  playing at each course with a connection to Old Tom with Huntly being the host in 2016 - I believe.

There are around 100 courses connected with Old Tom and I am slowly redoing my list which is based upon my research and not on others – errors will no doubt be made but I am getting there.

I can fully understand the confusion on crediting Old Tom with this or that course, but that has arisen due to errors and some poor research. I have read advertisements mentioning Old Tom connection with a course but on actual inspection he just opened the course with no design involvement. Others he surveyed, but we must remember that surveyed in the early days was part and parcel of initial design i.e. is there a potential course on this section of land, hence we get statements that he suggest a 9 or 12 hole course and not a full 18 hole, for that more land was required. I am currently mainly interested in his design intent, from modification (radical or not), to re-design or full original design. Today I was told of two more additional courses that appear to be by Old Tom one new design, the other re-design, but early days - not had a chance to check them out yet. Hopefully my list will clear the air and move the debate forward, however I am reminded by Paul Daley comment in his Feature Interview on GCS that others have taken credit for some of Old Tom’s work. Even with my connection with him I am humbled by the amount of courses he designed, surveyed and opened bearing in mind that the majority was undertaken when he was over 70 years of age in a period when life expectance was between 40-50 years of age. Also remember he did not have our modern transport facility at his disposal.

Sorry, long answer to a short question   

 

[Bob_Huntley]

Melvyn,

About six or seven years ago a friend of mine, Ed Keith, had spent a couple of days in Dornoch and decided to drive upcountry and play Huntley and Keith. Unfortunately the greens on both course were water-logged so we were out of luck.

I had no idea that Huntley was by Old Tom and I must now ask, was Keith?

I may have been given a ration of bull but was Huntley a Protestant stronghold and Keith of Catholic persuasion?

Bob

[Phil_the_Author]

My learned friend Melvyn,

I am surprised that you left out a most obvious one just down the road a stretch from your forebear's home... Kingsbarns.

On September 4th, 1793, in the minutes of the Crail Golfing Society, it statesthat it was "agreed that members of the Kingsbarns Golfing Society be allowed to appear on the links at Crail in the uniform belonging to their own society, Blue Jackets..."

The original 9-holes of the Kingsbarns Golf Course was built on leased land from the Cambo Estate and opened for play in 1815. The course was even reviewed in Farnie’s Golfer’s Manual 1867 where it said, "KINGSBARNS: This links is small and of a sandy soil. The grass grows rather course for the finer shots of the game and there are few, if any, hazards. The Kingsbarns GC was instituted in 1815…"

Even though the golf course was still open for play, the Kingsbarns Golfing Society had actually closed its doors on February 2nd, 1849. A meeting was attended by only eight members and only one resolution was passed. It stated that, “It was moved, seconded and unanimously agreed that the Secretary convene a special meeting of the Club, on the day of the next meeting for the purpose of taking into consideration the expediency of suspending the operations of the club for a time.” On May 4th, there would be but a single minute recorded. “This being the day for holding the quarterly meeting of the Club, no members being present, the meeting did not take place.”
 
The Estate closed the golf course for financial reasons in the 1890's when they returmed the links to farm land. It remained such until June of 1922 when the Kingsbarns Golfing Society was once more reformed and land at the estate once again leased. Another 9-hole course was laid out and play was enjoyed on it until WWII intervened and the course and land filled with mines and traps for the potential invading German Army.

Although all were supposedly removed following the war, several dead sheep and a dog attested to a few having been missed. The last one was found  just a few years ago when a bulldozer paid the ultimate price for digging one up during the construction of the modern Kingsbarns golf course.

Other than the untimely and far too early demise of the bulldozer which, by the way, was rememberred as being among the most dedicated and important members of the golf course design and construction crew having stayed on sight even at night since the first shovel of dirt was turned, no one else was hurt.

The faithful bulldozer was survived by a dump truck, a lorrie and several bicycles of which only two were recognized as belonging to the Bulldozer...  

[Neil_Crafter]

Another school course in Scotland was at the Glenalmond School. They had a 7 hole course there for a period and the school has a photo of two students putting from 1903. Australian architect Alex Russell went to Glenalmond from 1905-7 and so its likely he played on this course that was within the school grounds and along the River Almond.



Another lost Scottish course is the Ferry Hills course of Dunfermline GC which was redesigned and extended by Mackenzie in 1921-22, but was lost when the club moved to Torrie in 1929. Martin Bonnar knows more I understand.

Nice work on OTM Melvyn and looks like you've mastered posting images I see!

cheers Neil

[Marty Bonnar]

Ferryhills is now (has been for quite a while) a MASSIVE open quarry. I could find only one map reference to the course, but it's quite a good one.

An INCREDIBLE resource for us old map freaks is www.old-maps.co.uk.

A really easy to use site for the UK. The only downside is the maps are all copyright and these guys charge for prints or pdf's. Like a good Amsterdam hooker, it's free to look though.

A couple of other Fife NLE's are: Torrie (features still very evident on the ground). Kingseat - an interesting one as I can find nothing about it other than the location. Leslie - the original which was well to the north of the current site. Valleyfield House - An Edwardian private course in the grounds of the big hoose.

FBD.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Bob

Not looked at Keith as yet but there is a lost course in that area by Old Tom as for Huntly just scratched the surface so far. As for religion, having gone to boarding school in Northern Ireland, I will refrain from making any comments. All I will say is that Religion has been responsible for more human deaths than any natural catastrophe, plague or diseases. Although I believe that golf carts may take over that position in the near future – and don’t worry about mobile phones frying your brains the new artificial distance aids may do more damage.

Philip

I am ashamed,  I admit it, I did forget the original Kingsbarns course, one of those mines must have taken some of my little grey cells, or if the truth be told getting too old and my memory is not what it was. 

The four years of hell called the First World War saw off many courses plus  the reduced numbers of fully fit men returning home. Also the War Department had taken over some of the courses and when they vacated the sites not much was left. The story continues with the 6 long years of World War Two - many of the courses again had to sign up and never re-opened. Just look at two courses, Kingsbarns as you mentioned with their mines, but managed to re-open after some problems, but Collieston never did because it was used for desert tank training which destroyed the whole site.

Neil

First Guys, Neil is responsible for my ability to download all these articles, don’t blame me - blame Neil. But thanks Neil for all your help, you made it easy – sorry.

I thought for a second that you had a photo of me at my school until I saw how close the boys were to the hole, knew it was not me.

Martin

Leslie, just been in contact with Ian at Leslie, forgot about the original course Old Tom designed in 1898. Apparently Bob Kroeger was told that the site was too remote for the members so they moved a few years later when another site became available. 


I understand that those visiting our shores have a limited time scale and therefore tend to play THE Courses like TOC, Dornoch, Cruden Bay etc, but there are so many great little courses that are just fun and enjoyable off the old beaten track, that are well worth a visit. I always recommend to all who visit to drive from course to course allowing sometime to stop and check out the smaller less known courses, to look and obtain information on them, just in case they have more time on the next visit. 

[Alister Matheson]

Melvyn,
          Just trawling away on the site and came across this thread very very interesting reading. I was wondering if you have unearthed any more information on Skibo and Collieston any drawings/plans would be superb to see.
  Also i have heard several times as mentioned above some possible links with Old Tom  and Brora but no concrete evidence has appeared has anything changed in this regard from 2008.

Any info greatly APPRECIATED.

Cheers Alister

[Niall C]

Thanks Melvyn... That's great... I'm particularly interested in courses that may have been of a high quality but are now lost... We've heard of plenty of those courses in the States but the only one in the UK that seems to bring about a consensus opinion is Addington New...

Tony, I've asked about the original Archerfield before because Tom Simpson had it as one of the outstanding courses in East Lothian (along with Muirfield, North Berwick and Gullane)... Don't think anyone came back with much at the time...

Ally/Tony,

Does anyone know when the original Archerfield came into being ? The reason I ask is that i'm trying to find out if it is the same as a proposed development called Yellowcraigs from the early 1920's which would have been either on or near the land used by Archerfield and the Renaissance courses. Braid did a routing but not sure whether the course got built. A copy of Braids routing is in the National Archives of Scotland together with two other routings which I suspect were from him but may have been from someone else as the hand drawn numbering is different. I believe it was referred to as Yellowcraigs at that point because the course went round a copse of trees by that name.

Niall 

[Melvyn Morrow]

Niall

Something was mentioned some week ago re the Dirleton site. can't remember the exact date or who it was, perhaps Jamie, sorry can't remember. I may have a early article on it somewhere - if I find it I will e-mail the details

Melvyn

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