Forgotten Greens of Scotland
Forgotten Greens of Scotland

 Mrs Foreman's on the Old Course

Musselburgh Fisherrow Links

Fisherrow Links. It is not known when golf was first played on the Fisherrow Links, but the first recorded mention was in 1812.

  “On Tuesday the 14th inst, a young lad, playing golf on Fisherrow Links, happened to miss the ball, and the club swinging round, hit a fine boy on the head, causing his instant death..”                 (Caledonian Mercury 23.1.1812)

The Links were used mostly by local people for a variety of activities and sports, including golf, football and cricket, also the fishermen had ancient right for drying their nets there. The links were very much a local amenity. They came into prominence when plans to extend the Musselburgh Links to 18 holes included a take-over of part of the links.

     “Fisherrow people generally are very strongly opposed to the suggested inclusion of their links, and that for several reasons. Principally these are:- That shopkeepers and others who are in the habit of exercising themselves with a round of the five-hole course at their own doors in the forenoon would be deprived of that privilege.”

 (Edinburgh Evening News 28.4.1893)

In the event, the Fisherrow was not used for extending the Old Course - See "What Might Have Been"

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