Over the last few years the subject of the old lost and closes course have become more than just a gentle conversation whisper at parties and golf gatherings. It is starting to generate interest and surprisingly (yet I wonder why I am surprised as its quite logical I suppose), that interest is coming from some of the Hickory groups, I suppose it may have started from our own Alfie Ward, a Man of Oak but feels he would prefer Hickory instead
Some may remember Alfie with his brother Harry brave fight to re-open and run Willie Fernie’ design at Arbory Brae Golf Course. For more details see IN My OPINION File Link
http://golfclubatlas.com/in-my-opinion/arbory-brae . There is something brave and honourable in trying to keeps some of Mans design images alive for the potential enjoyment of others. Alfie is also big into Hickory and with the new web site World Hickory Golfer recently being launched on the internet
http://www.worldhickorygolfer.com/ its seems that interest is growing and Hickory Golf is having a Renaissance, which IMHO is no bad thing.
Sorry I digress slightly, but the theme is lost and closed golf courses. In my general research I seek the open courses but have taken notes on lost or closed sites. In fact some confusion has been raised about who designed this or that course because there once had been more than one course in that area. A constant problem in my research was Machrie on Islay. Even with the record fairly well known some are still saying Old Tom Morris was involved in the design, yet no record or article has ever been found, but still that confusion persisted. Robert Kroeger in is magnificent book ‘The Golf Course of Old Tom Morris’ was confused with Machrie. To my surprise even Machrie could not provide any more information, yet it transpired that the night before I contacted an ex-Secretary of the club he was passed an old clipping of a long closed 18 hole course some miles away from Machrie which was designed by Old Tom Morris. Hence the confusion I expect with the Morris course closed around WW1.
I was able to trace the site of the course on Islay and with help and support from our Niall Carlton obtain a course and location maps. Since then I have slowly gathered a list getting close to 30 sites where the location of the courses are known. The following is a list of some of those courses and sites we have found in this country.
Broughty Ferry Ladies Course
Crawford Course
Collieston Course
Denholm Course
Dornock (Crieff) area but not the exact location
Hanger Hill
Hastings & St Leonards Course
Kelvinside Course
Killearn Course
Port Erroll
St Leonards Girl School
Uisguintuie
Current searches are being undertaken for Sir Donald Currie Private 9 hole course near Loch Tay and a
Pittenween Course of 1889 near Anstruthers. Others are being noted on a weekly basis for future action.
Once my searches have gone as far as I can take them is there anyone collating Lost or Closed course information either in GB or America, Europe etc.?
I believe there was talk of something along these lines a while ago over the pond. Did you decide upon a format or just doing it on a State for Sate basis. I ask as I am not certain if I want to continue after I have extracting the Old Tom infor. Any comments or ideas of what you guys are doing with info on Closed and Lost Courses.
Prior to closing I would ask how many of you design guys have seek or walked Alfie’s beloved at Arbory Brae Golf Course. Perhaps after read the article you may want to take a look at another golf course born out of the ideas from a man than spanned the 19th & 20th century
Melvyn