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Mark Pearce

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Re: James Braid
« Reply #25 on: July 30, 2013, 12:22:31 PM »
Quote from: David_Tepper on July 30, 2013, 12:19:48 PM
"I believe Braids invoice for laying-out Brora has been framed by the club and now hangs on the Clubhouse wall. £30, or some similar amount as I recall."

Thomas D. -

Not sure about Brora, but I know Braid's invoice (for the work he did there) and photo are on the wall in Golspie's clubhouse.

DT 
Elie have a framed letter from Braid (who was born within a stone's throw of the course) recommending changes.  None of them happened but they kept the letter anyway!
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In June I will be riding the first three stages of this year's Tour de France route for charity.  630km (394 miles) in three days, with 7800m (25,600 feet) of climbing for the William Wates Memorial Trust (https://rideleloop.org/the-charity/) which supports underprivileged young people.

Thomas Dai

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Re: James Braid
« Reply #26 on: July 30, 2013, 12:40:42 PM »
Quote from: Mark Pearce on July 30, 2013, 12:22:31 PM
Quote from: David_Tepper on July 30, 2013, 12:19:48 PM
"I believe Braids invoice for laying-out Brora has been framed by the club and now hangs on the Clubhouse wall. £30, or some similar amount as I recall."

Thomas D. -

Not sure about Brora, but I know Braid's invoice (for the work he did there) and photo are on the wall in Golspie's clubhouse.

DT 
Elie have a framed letter from Braid (who was born within a stone's throw of the course) recommending changes.  None of them happened but they kept the letter anyway!

Pretty sure I've a photo of the Braid invoice at Brora. I shall try to find and post it.

In the meantime, I came across two other threads under the same title as this one and thought they needed to be linked to this thread given the interesting material posted.

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,46276.0.html - Alister Mathiesons thread from 2010

and http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,47125.0.html - Tony Dears thread from 2011

As a generalisation, Braid courses are interesting in that he didn't really seem to move that much earth/sand, or am I out of kilter in thinking this?

All the best
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Niall C

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Re: James Braid
« Reply #27 on: July 30, 2013, 02:09:43 PM »
Thomas

I doubt he did move much dirt relative to todays typical course construction however that was more a product of lack of equipment as to personal style, at least in the early part of his career. Given his last design was 1952 (Stranraer, I think) then he may have begun to shift a good bit more muck later in his career with the advent of equipment. Haven't played Stranraer, which is another fine course by all accounts, so can't advise there.

Niall
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Jim McCann

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Re: James Braid
« Reply #28 on: August 08, 2013, 04:38:58 PM »
Apologies for the tardy further response to the subject of the James Braid Golfing Society which arose over a week ago in this thread.

The JBGS Regional Meeting was held this year at Gleneagles (King’s and Queen’s) and Blairgowrie (Rosemount) on 20-21 May.

The Founding Meeting took place at Fortrose & Rosemarkie, Royal Dornoch (Championship) and Brora between 26 and 29 June.

The “South of England Swing” occurred between 24 and 27 July at Parkstone, Broadstone and Walton Heath (New).

Finally, the Autumn Meeting will be held between 30 August and 1 September at Lundin Links and Panmure.

Crail, Forfar, Elie, Romford, Reading and Northants have all been venues for meetings in the last few years.
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Mark Pearce

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Re: James Braid
« Reply #29 on: August 09, 2013, 03:07:02 AM »
Interesting that Elie should host a meeting, Jim.  On the basis that it was his home club?
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In June I will be riding the first three stages of this year's Tour de France route for charity.  630km (394 miles) in three days, with 7800m (25,600 feet) of climbing for the William Wates Memorial Trust (https://rideleloop.org/the-charity/) which supports underprivileged young people.

Garland Bayley

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Re: James Braid
« Reply #30 on: August 09, 2013, 02:46:05 PM »
Elie is where he was born.
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"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Alex Lagowitz

Re: James Braid
« Reply #31 on: August 09, 2013, 07:18:22 PM »
I played Golspie just a few days ago and was pleasantly surprised.  Great condition with a handful of fabulous golf holes.  Just another example of a fairly underrated Braid design.
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James Bennett

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Re: James Braid
« Reply #32 on: August 10, 2013, 03:54:54 AM »
A little off-topic, but today we were talking about The Berkshire, and Braid's inadvertent involvement in that Club losing its Royal status (apparently).
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Bob; its impossible to explain some of the clutter that gets recalled from the attic between my ears. .  (SL Solow)

Niall C

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Re: James Braid
« Reply #33 on: August 10, 2013, 09:46:40 AM »
James

Tell us more.

Niall
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Mark Pearce

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Re: James Braid
« Reply #34 on: August 10, 2013, 06:47:41 PM »
Quote from: GJ Bailey on August 09, 2013, 02:46:05 PM
Elie is where he was born.

Actually he was born in Earlsferry.  I know he where he was born, I'm currently sitting a couple of hundred yards from the spot.  However, he didn't design the course at Elie, so a slightly odd notice of venue.
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In June I will be riding the first three stages of this year's Tour de France route for charity.  630km (394 miles) in three days, with 7800m (25,600 feet) of climbing for the William Wates Memorial Trust (https://rideleloop.org/the-charity/) which supports underprivileged young people.

Phil McDade

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Re: James Braid
« Reply #35 on: August 10, 2013, 09:36:10 PM »
Quote from: Mark Pearce on August 10, 2013, 06:47:41 PM
Quote from: GJ Bailey on August 09, 2013, 02:46:05 PM
Elie is where he was born.

Actually he was born in Earlsferry.  I know he where he was born, I'm currently sitting a couple of hundred yards from the spot.  However, he didn't design the course at Elie, so a slightly odd notice of venue.

Mark:

He grew up on the course and learned the game there: http://www.golfhouseclub.co.uk/history/james-braid/
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Garland Bayley

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Re: James Braid
« Reply #36 on: August 10, 2013, 10:32:55 PM »
Mark,

"Since his death however, the Town Clerk of the Elie and Earlsferry Town Council has discovered and published the fact that the cottage in Liberty Place where he was born was in fact in Elie by the smallest possible number of yards."

Bernard Darwin, in his biography of James Braid.
James believed all his life that he had been born in Earlsferry.
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"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

James Bennett

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Re: James Braid
« Reply #37 on: August 11, 2013, 08:14:26 AM »
Niall

I understand that the story goes that the Prince of Wales was playing at (Royal) Berkshire with his personal professional, James Braid.

After he golf, he went into the clubhouse with his pro James Braid.  Professionals were not allowed in the clubhouse, even Braid and even with the Prince of Wales.  So, they left and headed for Swinley Forest for lunch (and had the rice pudding I believe).

Berkshire ceased to be a royal club after that event.

Please note that I am repeating hearsay from a lunch yesterday - the source was quoting from a website somewhere about why Berkshire was no longer a 'Royal'.

James B

(from http://www.finegolf.co.uk/golf-courses/berkshire/)

There are a number of different stories told as to how The Berkshire was stripped of or did not become The Royal Berkshire. As all the protagonists are now dead, hopefully the following interesting little story will not embarrass anyone. It is from Nicholas Courtney’s new book to honour Swinley Forest’s centenary :

“Rice Pudding is still a permanent fixture at Swinley, ever since the Prince of Wales brought James Braid into the Clubhouse. The Prince had been playing with the professional at the nearby Royal Berkshire Golf Club and took him for lunch after their game. The secretary reminded him of the rules that professionals could not enter the Clubhouse and that Braid was therefore not welcome. The Prince of Wales was incensed. He removed their Royal status and drove straight to Swinley for lunch, where Braid tucked in happily to the rice pudding.”

Reviewed by Lorne Smith, 2009. 
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Bob; its impossible to explain some of the clutter that gets recalled from the attic between my ears. .  (SL Solow)

Niall C

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: James Braid
« Reply #38 on: August 11, 2013, 08:22:59 AM »
James

I'd never heard that story, thanks for passing it on. Is Berkshire the only course to have it's Royal status rescinded ?

Niall
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Duncan Cheslett

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Re: James Braid
« Reply #39 on: August 11, 2013, 08:31:17 AM »
A lovely vingette encapsulating the English class system;


The aristocracy and the tradesman rubbing along just fine; the pretentious middle class being a complete arse...
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