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East of Fife Golf Club, Grangemuir Course. (1889 - 1899) 

The East of Fife Golf Club was instituted in 1889.

They played their golf over a modest six-hole course adjoining Dreel Burn to the north of Pittenweem at Grangemuir. The club was dissolved after ten years.

A couple of newspapers ran articles of a meeting held in August 1889.

From the Fife Herald Wednesday 14 August 1889. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

From the Fifeshire Advertiser Friday 16 August 1889. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Below the Captain presents a trophy for competition in October 1889. 

From the Fife Herald Wednesday 9 October 1889. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The first competition for the trophy presented by Provost Gilchrist was played over three days in November 1889. The play was followed by a large crowd of spectators. Twenty eight competitors entered, the conditions being four rounds of the course. The weather was good over the three days and the condition of the greens, carefully laid out and looked after by Mr Keddie, gave full satisfaction. At the conclusion of the competition the captain provided the scores - William Brown jun., Pittenweem, being declared winner with a score of 101-10-91; Mr Wilson, schoolmaster, playing of scratch returned a score of 92.  

The following report is from The Scotsman Monday 18 August 1890. “EAST OF FIFE GOLF CLUB – The first annual meeting of this club was held in Pittenweem Town Hall on Friday evening. Provost Gilchrist, as captain, presided. Sir Ralph Anstruther, Bart., of Balcaskie, was unanimously elected as captain; J Laurie, vice-captain; A Y Tosh, treasurer; W Smith, secretary. Provost Gilchrist presented the club with a chaste gold medal to be played for by the lady members only. The income for the year amounted to over £41, which sum had been all expended in putting the golf course in a thoroughly playable condition. A curling pond had also been formed on the east end of the course at an expense of over £12, this sum had been privately subscribed.”

The Anstruther & Pittenweem golfers found the site of this course to be in to remote a spot (access to Grangemuir was not easy at this time). In November 1890 the site at Billowness was identified and a meeting was called to discuss the formation of the current Anstruther Golf Club.

Report on the club from February 1891.

Golf - Friday 6 March 1891. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Despite the above a few hardy souls continued to play on the Grangemuir course.

Golf Friday 24 April 1891. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Competition result from July 1891.

"Golf" Friday 10 July 1891. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Result of the second annual competition for the lady members of the East of Fife Club for the gold charm presented by Captain Gilchrist played on the afternoon of the 26 August 1891 on the Grangemuir course; Miss Annie Whyte, Pitenweem, 74 scratch; Miss Tosh, 86-5-81; Miss Marnie, 113-12-101; Miss A Marnie, 124-12-112. 

On Saturday 7 November 1891 the competition for the silver medal was played. Despite the good weather few competitors turned up to play. John Clacher, Pitenweem, won with a score of 89-5-84. 

Competition result from September 1892.

From "Golf" 16 September 1892.

Despite discussions regarding the site at Billowness the East of Fife club was still playing golf on the Grangemuir course in 1893. The monthly silver medal was played on Saturday 1 April 1893 at Grangemuir and was won by William Deuchars of Pittenweem with a score of 82-5-77. 

The annual competition for Captain Gilchrist’s Silver Trophy took place on Saturday 25 August 1894 at Grangemuir. The winner was John Urquhart, Grangemuir, with a scratch score of 85.  

The February monthly medal in 1895 was won by James Robertson, 117-18-99.

The March 1895 medal was won by John Clacher, 102,5-97.

In June 1895 the McDougall Trophy by William Spence with a scratch score of 93.

Report from the St Andrews Citizen Saturday 15 April 1899. "East of Fife Golf Club - The annual meeting of this club was held on Monday evening, Captain Deuchars presiding. The financial statement for the year submitted by the secretary, Mr Ross, showed a falling off in the membership, and that the expenditure exceeded the income by £1/11s/5d. It was agreed to continue the club for another year, the credit balance in hand being £17/7s/11d. William Smith was appointed captain and A Tod vice-captain - the remaining officers being re-elected. P Dewar was appointed green-keeper."

The club gave up the Grangemuir course after ten years.

The East of Fife Golf Club continued to play their club competitions on "away courses" for a few years.  

The final record found for the East of Fife club was in July 1905 when they played for their medals etc. on the Kinghorn course.