Oldest Courses / Club's
The golfing annuals and Handbooks over the years have always included a section entitiled “ Oldest Golf Clubs”. This list has never changed in the last century, but now, as a result of the research into Forgotten Greens, I am pleased to submit a new amended list with the additions highlighted in bold with their respective courses in the notes at the bottom of the page.
For some strange reason the list over the years has never included the Honourable Company (1744 ) and the R & A (1754 ).
Existing List. New List.
Bruntsfield Links, Edinburgh ……. 1761 Bruntsfield Links, Edinburgh….. 1761
Royal Musselburgh …… ….. 1774 Royal Musselburgh …. ….. ….. 1774
Royal Aberdeen …. …. ……. 1780 Royal Aberdeen …. ….. ….. 1780
Crail … …. …….. . ….. ….. .. 1786 Crail …… …… ……. …… …1786
Glasgow ……. ……. …… ……… 1787 Glasgow …… ……. …… …… 1787
Burntisland ….. …… …. ….. …… 1797 Burntisland …… …… …….. 1797
Royal Albert, Montrose …… ….. …1810 Royal Albert, Montrose ….. . … 1810
Old Manchester ….. ….. ….. ….. …..1818 Tweedside Golf Society … …. … 1811
Scotscraig, Tayport …… … …. … 1818 Bow Of Fife …… …. …. …. …. 1812
Innerleven …. …. ….. …. …. … … 1820 Old Manchester …. …. …. …. …..1818
Royal Perth Golfing Society …. …. 1824 Scotscraig, Tayport … ….. …. … 1818
Royal Calcutta …. ….. ….. …. …. …1829 Innerleven … ….. ….. ….. …. …. 1820
North Berwick .. … .. ……. …. …. .1832 Royal Perth Golfing Society … … 1824
Carnoustie … …… …. …… …. …. 1839 Royal Calcutta … ….. ….. …. …..1829
Peterhead …. ….. ….. ….. ….. …. …1841 North Berwick …. ….. …. … ….. 1832
Royal Bombay … …. ….. …….. … 1842 Hercules Golf Club … …… …. 1837
St Andrews Club …. …. …. ….. ….. 1843 Carnoustie … ….. ….. ….. …. ….1839
Panmure ….. …. ….. ….. ….. ….. …. 1845 Peterhead ….. …. …… ….. ….. 1841
Leven ….. …… ….. ….. …… …… 1846 Royal Bombay ….. ….. …. ….. 1842
Delvine ( Private ) …. ….. …… 1842
Inverness …… …… …… …… …… 1847 St Andrews Club ..... …… ….. … 1843
Leslie Golf Club in Fife also had an earlier club in 1864, and played on the commontry.
Tweedside Golf Society played their golf on the Wooden Anna beside the Tweed.
Bow Of Fife’s golf course location is still to be confirmed, but until now, no information ( Other than a picture of the Pitcairn Bowl ) has ever been published on this golf club. See Fifeshire.
Hercules Golf Club played at Dumbarnie Links in Fife from approx 1837.
Delvine played at Delvine House in Perthshire.