|
 |
| Home
to four of Scotland’s Oldest Clubs |
| |
|
| |
| Musselburgh Links
has also been the home of four of Scotland's oldest and most prestigious
clubs. The Royal Musselburgh was formed here in 1774 and was based at
the Links from then until 1925. The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers
was also based at Musselburgh from 1836 to 1891 followed by the Royal
Burgess Golfing Society from 1874 to 1895 and the Bruntsfield Links Golfing
Society from 1875 to 1895. In addition there were approximately sixty
smaller clubs and societies which played their spring and summer meetings
over Musselburgh Links, including The Edinburgh Thistle, The Musselburgh
Ladies Club, The Musselburgh Merchants Golf Club, The North Esk Golf Club,
Musselburgh Zingari Golf Club, The Edinburgh Clerk Club, The Baxter Club,
The Edinburgh Northern Merchants Club and The Levenhall Golf Club. |
|
| A notable
first for the Links came in 1811. The world's first golfing competition
for women took place on New Year's Day in that year when a Creel and Skull
were competed for by the town's fishwives. The Links also hosted one of
the first Scottish Amateur Championships which took place at Musselburgh
in 1898. |
|
| Around
the turn of the Twentieth Century the four Clubs formed a Green Committee
to take over control of the golf course. Each Club had two representatives
on the Committee and had to contribute funds according to the size of
their membership. |
|
| Up until
then, The Honourable Club bore practically the whole expense of the upkeep
of the course. |
| |
| THE
ROYAL MUSSELBURGH GOLF CLUB |
|
1774 The Musselburgh
Golf Club was founded
1774 The 1st Old
Cup is played for
1811 The 1st Lady
Golfer competition held at the Links, the prize was a Creel & Skull
and 2 of the best Barcelona silk handkerchiefs
1834 The club issue
a new set of rules
1872/73 The first
club house at the Links on Links Place (Balcarres Road)
1876 Became The
Royal Musselburgh Golf Club
1908 Merged with
the New Club and moved to vacated Honourable Company Club House on Links
Place
1922/24 Moved to
Prestongrange onto the course designed by James Braid
|
| |
| THE
HONOURABLE COMPANY OF EDINBURGH GOLFERS |
|
1774 Gentlemen golfers
of Leith, Edinburgh, played at Leith Links from 1774 up to 1830
1795 The Honourable
Company of Edinburgh Golfers was formed
1830 The Honourable
Club wound up
1836 The club is
revived and moved to Musselburgh Links, the first club house is within
the racecourse grandstand
1868 Moved to a
larger purpose built club house to accommodate 300+ members at 8 Links
Place (Balcarres Road). This was called the ‘Golf House Club’ of which
all members of the Honourable Company would be members. It was built
at a cost of £2115
1891 On 6th November
1891 the last medal was played at the Links
1891/92 Moved to
Muirfield at Gullane, East Lothain. Players who wished to stay at the
Links could do so, The Honourable Company paid an annual fee of £150
for 5 years to ‘The New Club’ for use of 100 club boxes and all privilages
of the club.
1893 The 'Golf House
Club' club house is disposed of
|
| |
| THE
ROYAL BURGESS GOLFING SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH |
|
1735 The Edinburgh
Golfing Society was formed (This was started at Bruntsfield Links, but
there was a difference of opinion between some of the members so The
Burgess Society founded The Bruntsfield Association)
1874/75 Moved to
Musselburgh, 10 Links Place (Balcarras Road)
1887 The Edinburgh
Burgess Golfing Society was formed
1894/95 The club
moved to Barnton onto a course designed by Tom Morris
1929 The Royal Burgess
Golfing Society became Royal by Decree – King George V (Duke of York
played on several occasions)
|
| |
| THE
BRUNTSFIELD GOLFING SOCIETY |
|
1760/61 The Bruntsfield
Association was founded by The Burgess Society. They played at Bruntsfield
Links, Edinburgh, which they shared with The Burgess Society
1845 Played at Musselburgh
Links, The Cairns Medal
1874 Moved to Musselburgh
Links
1875 The Bruntsfield
Links Golfing Society was formed
1868/69 The valuation
role shows a club house in the name of Bruntsfield Golf Club at Mill
Hill at a rental of £20 per year
1895/98 Moved to
Davidsons Mains, Edinburgh, adjacent to The Royal Burgess Golfing Society
of Edinburgh onto a course designed by Willie Park
|
