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Grand Fleet Golf Club, Flotta, Orkney. (WW1 and WW2) 

During the First World War the Naval officers of the Grand fleet established and laid out an 18-hole golf course on the Island of Flotta in Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands. The crews of each ship were allocated a hole to design and construct. 

According to a senior officer of the time“ there were 18-holes and each big ship undertook the design and construction of one hole. Great ingenuity and care were taken over the business, and one battleship is reputed to have spent £70 in getting turf for their green from a famous Scottish golf course. To the best of my recollection, HMS Canada or the King George V was responsible for a wonderful green, standing as smooth as a billiard table amidst the encircling heather.”

Above text courtesy of RCAHMS (wwwrcahms.gov.uk/rcahms)

It appears that the course was revived during WW2 and many inter-ship matches were played between the ships anchored in Scapa. There was intense rivalry between the fleet flagship King George V and the battle-cruiser HMS Hood. Six days after a match was played in May 1941 the Hood went down with only three survivors.

When a ditch was dug for drainage purposes during WW2 hundreds of gutties dyed brown from the peat were unearthed.

Grand Fleet Golf Club scorecard. Image courtesy of RCAHMS (wwwrcahms.gov.uk)