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Glasgow Golf Club. (1787 - 1904)

Glasgow Golf Club was founded in 1787. The following quote seems to imply there was a golf course on Glasgow Green in 1765 – “James Watt to Robert Hart in 1813; Glasgow. “I had gone to take a walk on a fine Sabbath afternoon, early in 1765.  I had entered the [Glasgow] green by the gate at the foot of Charlotte Street and had passed the old washing house.  I was thinking upon the engine at that time, and had gone as far as the herd’s house when the idea came into my mind.... I had not walked further than the golf house when the whole thing was arranged in my mind.” 

Glasgow Golf Club played on Glasgow Green from 1787 to 1870. The land that the course once occupied has now been taken over by, amongst other buildings, the Templeton Business Centre and the Peoples Palace; seen today it’s hard to imagine golf ever being played there.

In 1870 the club moved to Queens Park (South Side) then to Alexandra Park in 1872 and Blackhill in 1895 (for location map see Glasgow Blackhill entry).

The club moved to its present location at Killermont in 1904.

Below the result of a competition played by Glasgow Golf Club in May 1824.

From the Caledonian Mercury Thursday 13 May 1824. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Below the newly constituted club play for the first time at South Side Park in March 1870.

From the Glasgow Evening Citizen Saturday 5 March 1870. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Below is the result of a match played on the Alexandra Park on Friday 11 April 1873 against Lanark Golf Club. It was reported that "The day was everything that could be desired, and the ground, looking to the recent condition in which it was, turned out to be in much better order than was expected, The putting grounds were really in good condition."

From Bell's Life in London and Sporting Chronicle on Saturday 4 May 1878. The first summer competition for the Wilson Handicap Monthly Medal took place on Saturday on the links at Alexandra Park. The putting green was very keen, and more than ordinary care was required in handling the balls Fifteen couples started, and at the close the following was the result; Rev D Dickie and Henry Stewart tied for the medal at 86 (with odds), Rev W R Pirrie 88 (with odds), James Laing 89 (scratch), James Melville 90 (with odds), A W Smith 91 (scratch), J R Motion 92 W E Bond 95, Rev C C McDonald, D Dishington, and R Anderson 96, J A Craigie 97, Wm Conochie and Percy Wilson 98, Dr Robertson 99, J Hood 100, J McGregor Robertson 101 (with odds), James Kirk (scratch) and Rev B Robertson and W T Salmon (with odds) 102, Wm Doleman 103 (scratch), T H B Black 107, D Ferguson 111, J Biggam 112, W A Thomson 113 (with odds), Capt Steven, T M Motion, James Moir, High Osborne, J E Stewart and M J Rhind, (no cards). A W Smith finished his second round with a very fine score of 40, as follows; 4,4,5,3,4,4,4,4,3,5 = 40 (10 holes?).  

Below is the result of a match played against King James VI Golf Club on the North Inch in May 1880.

Alexandra Park Golf Course, is marked in the centre of the above map. O.S. Map Revised 1894; © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1897}.

 

Glasgow Golf Club button.

Result of a match played on the Prestwick St Nicholas course against Glasgow on Saturday 16 June 1888. 

Above from The Golfing Annual 1888/89.

The Spring Meeting was held at Alexandra Park in April 1893. There were 150 entrants playing in the “parched conditions” the greens being particularly trying. Despite this some good scores were returned, notably that of J A Shaw who had a score of 70, a record “medal” score, this included seven threes on his card; result as follows; First Class – J A Shaw, 70 scratch; Andrew Morrison, 73 scratch; W Doleman, 74 scratch; A V Lothian, 79-3-76; M L McAulay, 81-5-76; Dr Ogilvie, 82-6-76; Second Class – Stuart Blackley; 86-10-76; J G McFarlane, 86-10-76; J T Irving, 86-10-76; Dr Dalziel, 84-7-77; J Stobo, 85-8-77; J Martin, 90-11-79; J Raeside, 88-9-79; J French, 90-11-79; Third Class – J M Ronaldson, 81-13-68; T Hamilton, 90-13-77; Thomas Robb, 93-16-77; Dugald Thomson, 93-16-77; W Martin, 95-16-79; P McFarlane, 97-18-79. J A Shaw received the gold medal and the Robertson prize putter for the best scratch score. J M Ronaldson returned the best score on handicap and won the Wilson Medal. The clubhouse was broken into the previous night, the thieves entered by a skylight and were particularly interested in the large jar of whisky that had recently been filled. 

Report on the annual supper and the new course in February 1895.

"Golf" Friday 22 February 1895. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

After about twenty years at Alexandra Park the club moved to Blackhill. The course was opened on Saturday 6 April 1895. The course was laid out by members of the links committee; Captain Motion, J T Irving, T S Paterson, A A Guthrie,  J Mack and Dr Dougan. Mr Paterson, the greenkeeper at Alexandra Park, supervised the work of laying out the course at Blackhill. The opening ceremony took place at three o’ clock with Captain J R Motion striking the first ball.

Above is a plan of the layout and the yardages at the new Blackhill course in 1895.

Result of the Glasgow Golf Club monthly medal played on Saturday 7 May 1898. There were three classes. The best score of the day was made by John Adam, and he was now the holder of the Stewart Cup for the year.

First class.

Second class.

Third class

On Saturday 5 May 1900 in a mixture of sunshine, wind and showers the Glasgow Golf Club held their spring meeting at Blackhill. The prizes were; the club medal and Robertson’s prize putter (scratch); Wilson yearly medal and captain’s prize (handicap); and the monthly medals for first, second and third class. The first couple went off at 9.30 with the last pair teeing off at 4.30, the 85 two-balls that competed was the highest number that had taken part at Blackhill. The course was in good order but the weather conditions prevented low scoring, results below.

Club Medal and Robertson Prize Putter (scratch).

Wilson Medal (first class).

Duff Medal (second class).

Scott Medal (third class).

Wilson Yearly Medal and Captain's Prize; D McLaren, 92-14-78; Hugh McCallum, 94-16-78; Allan Russell, 84+5-79.

The Google Map below shows the location of the former course in Alexandra Park (see above 1894 Ordnance Survey Map), the current course of the Alexandra Park Golf Club can be seen to the east.