Old Cumnock Golf Club, Cumnock, Ayrshire. (1894 - 1950s)

First appeared in 1894.

Known as Cumnock Golf Club in the early years. The Old Cumnock title was mostly used from the early 1900s.

Extract from a report from the Cumnock Express Friday 26 October 1894 - "New Course at Cumnock - On Saturday afternoon in fine weather, the new golf course was formally opened. Mrs Galbraith of Holmside struck off the first ball. The course is beautifully situated on Mr Wardrop's farm of Bankend, and although the grass at present is a little rough it will with a little labour be made a fine course, the bunkers and hazards being numerous".

Bankend is marked on the O.S. map below.

 

 

The above course was only in existence for a few months.

A new course was opened on Saturday 3 May 1895 by the president, Mr S Galbraith. The nine-hole course was located at Netherthird Farm and was laid out by Willie Fernie of Troon.

Location of the Netherthird golf course.

 

 

Below is a plan of the Netherthird course.

 

 

Again, after only a year, the club were on the lookout for a new home.

From the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald Friday 22 May 1896 - "The Cumnock Golf Club has had to change their course through a raise of rent. Mr Kerr of Blackstone (sic)., has offered a course at a rental of £20 per annun". 

Extract from a report from the Cumnock Exptress Wednesday 10 June 1896 – “The tenant of the old golf course having demanded such a great rise of rent that the club resolved to look out for a new golf course, and were fortunate to find one at the opposite side of the town, in Templand Hills. With the genial and obliging landlord, Mr Kerr of Blackstone (sic), and a good working committee, should result in one of the most successful clubs in the West of Scotland”. 

The map below shows the area around Blackston (spelling differs from newspaper reports) .

 

 

The nomadic life continues - The club decided to return to the course at Netherthird. The second opening took place in June 1899.

Report on the annual meeting in April 1902.

 

 

From the 1905 Nisbet's Golf Yearbook; Old Cumnock Golf Club; Number of members, 75; Stations - (G and SWR) one and a quarter miles - (A and CR) quarter of a mile; Hon. secretary - J Dick, Linwood, Cumnock; Captain, A F Borland; Entrance fee nil and subs 10s/6d; Ladies 5s/6d; nine-holes; Terms for visitor - 1s a day, 2s/6d a week, 5s a month.  Hotels - "Royal," "Dumfries Arms." 

A new golf pavilion with Locker rooms and verandah opened  in August 1910.

In 1914 the secretary was J Allan, Town Hall, Cumnock and the professional P Jeffrey. A 9-hole course with a membership of 100. The entry fee for gents was 5/- and ladies 2/6d. Subs for gents 10/6d and ladies 5/6d. Visitors’ fees were 6d a day, 2/- a week and 5/- a month.  Sunday play was not allowed.

After twenty years at Netherthird the club moved to a new course at Deumbrochan.

Extract from the Cumnock  Chroniclt Friday 5 May 1922 – “Steady progress is being made at the new golf course. The committee have accepted the offer of Mr A J Borland for a horse lawn mower. Meantime gangs of between 30 and 40 members are hightly hard at work raking off moss from the greens, forking them up, brushing, rolling and cutting them and opening up roads through hedges”.

The opening of the course took place in June 1922. Mr David B Weir of Glassnock presented at the opening ceremony and hit the opening shot.  

It was reported in the Daily Post Sunday 21 June 1925 - "Early morning golf is becoming a feature on the Cumnock Golf Course which is often busy at six o'clock".

Result of a inter-club mixed foursome between Cumnock Golf Club and Sanquhar Golf Club played at Cumnock in June 1939.

Cumnock Golf Club		Sanquhar Golf Club
Mrs Lorimer and R McAlpine	0	Miss Clark and A G Young	1
Mrs Lennox and C L Sturrock	1	Mrs Leven and James Young	0
Miss Hunter and W Murray	0	Miss Hamilton and R H Young	1
Mrs Muir and J Reid	0	Miss Falconer and J McCaw	1
Miss Breconridge and S Galbraith	1	Miss Forsyth and H H McGavin	0
Miss S Muir and A Muir	1	Mrs Mackenzie and J Hogarth	0
Miss Ritchie and W Stewart	1	Mrs Smith and T Crichton	0
Miss Boyd and G Wilson	0	Miss B Hogarth and A Erskine	1
Mrs Sturrock and J P Dakers	0	Miss Smith and W Forsyth	1
Miss Fleming and T Dickson	1	Miss Gate and T Black	0
Miss M Reid and J Welsh	1	Mrs Cullen and E I Cullen	0
Miss Caldwell and W McLelland	1	Miss Torrance and J M Frame	0
	7		5

The course closed in the late 1950s due to housing development.

The foundation stones of Drumbrochan Cottage, the former clubhouse of the later Cumnock Golf Club course, were still visible until quite recently.