Barnhill Golf Course, Dundee. (1895 - 1954)

The 18-hole course was opened on Saturday 15 June 1895 by Provost Orchar.  It was situated on 13 acres of land owned by the Earl of Dalhousie. 

Course to be acquired by Broughty Ferry Ladies' Golf Club in October 1895.

 

 

In 1902 it was purchased by the Burgh of Broughty Ferry for the sum of £500.

 

 

The course was well used, and the ladies seemed to take special pride in their clubhouse, a small wooden building, around which they planted flower beds. The clubhouse was opened on 8th May 1897 by the very formally attired lady president. Possibly as a result of her floor length skirt, leg o’ mutton sleeves and straw hat, her shot to mark the opening went a little awry, heading straight for the Provost of Broughty Ferry.

 

 

The above plan of the 18 hole course appeared in the Evening Telegraph on Saturday 15th June 1895. It was stated to have a total length of about three quarters of a mile. It was reported that “The average distance between the holes is about 200 feet, the longest being 270 feet and the shortest 160 feet”.

 

 

 

 

Despite its proximity to better courses, such as Monifieth and Carnoustie, Barnhill was a popular course with locals in the early part of the twentieth century. The 9 hole course lay just metres from the beach in the tiny town, and youngsters, with little else to amuse them, used to flock to the course. Although the cost of a round was very modest, many players used to arrive early to try to get a free game before the starter came on duty.

With the outbreak of the World War II the course became little used, although Jim Lowden of Perth remembers playing the course with a school friend shortly before 1950. The course was said to be quite testing, with 4 holes on the west side of the road over the railway, and five holes on the east side. Soon after 1950 the course ceased to be used, and remained neglected until 1954 when the local parks superintendant suggested it should be transformed into a rock garden. Barnhill Rock Garden, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2004, now occupies the site of the old golf course and is a popular place for picnicking and a stroll, particularly in the spring when the garden seems to be in bloom much earlier than anywhere else in the area. The original clubhouse although rather dilapidated still stands on the site.