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Hill of Tarvit Golf Club, Cupar, Fife. (1920s - WW2)

In 1904 Frederick Sharp, the wealthy jute manufacturer, and his family moved in to the Mansion House. It had easy access to Dundee for his business needs and he could also satisfy his keen golfing interests at St Andrews.

It took him twenty years before he finally decided to lay out a nine-hole course in the grounds of the mansion.

It is probable that the Hill of Tarvit club did not have an open style membership. The course would primarily have been used by the Sharp family, their guests and workers on the Hill of Tarvit Estate.

Below is the result of a match played at Cupar in August 1927 between the Hill of Tarvit Private Club and Cupar Postal.

The following Hill Of Tarvit players; R Douglas (8) and T Pryde jun (8) competed in the Kinross Amateur Championship played over the Kinross course and the private course of Lady Montgomery at Beech Park on Saturday September 27^th 1929. 

Hill of Tarvit suffered an eight to one defeat in a match against Cupar Postal played at Hilltarvit in September 1929. The following players represented Hill of Tarvit; R Douglas, T Pryde, W Skimming, D Pryde, A Carstairs, D Brown, G McFarlane, D Mack and G Nicholson (the only winner).

Playing in a three ball match at Hill of Tarvit in August 1932 Andrew Dowie, Cupar, drove the 314 yard second green. It was stated that “this was the longest drive accomplished on the present course”.  

Below is the result of a predominantly four-ball match played at Hilltarvit, Cupar, against Cupar Postal in October 1932. 

 On the afternoon of 2 January 1933 Mr F B Sharp, Hill of Tarvit, entertained over 100 old people to dinner at the Sunday School Hall. Music was provided and before leaving each person received a gift of either tea or tobacco, presented by Mrs Sharp. On the same day there was a good entry for a New Year competition on the Hill Of Tarvit golf course.

Below is the result of the annual match played between Cupar Post Office Club and Hill of Tarvit. It was played over Mr Sharp’s course at Hill of Tarvit in June 1933.    

Below is the result of a match of a match played in June 1934.

Dundee Courier Monday 25 June 1934. Image © D.C.Thomson & Co. Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Thirty members of the British Legion, Cupar Branch, took part in a competition on the private Hill of Tarvit course in May 1938, leading scores as follows; G Grant, 72; D McColm, 72; J R McIntyre, 74; P Burke, 78; D S Easson, 81; R Anderson, 83; A M Doig, 83; J G Carstairs, 86; J Oliphant, 86; A Bruce, 86; J Windrum, 89; J Davidson, 90; J Mitchell, 90; T J Robertson, 96; A Mitchell, 96. The ladies’ prize was won by Mrs Walker. The prizes were presented by Miss Sharp.

The Cruickshank Challenge Cup (scratch competition) was played at Cupar in June 1938. The following players entered from the Hill of Tarvit club; W Skimming (12); T Pryde (17); John Robertson (15).

The following players from Hill of Tarvit competed in the Auchtermuchty open golf tournament played on Saturday 26th August 1939;  A Keenan (10), 70; W Skimming (10), 72; T Pryde, sen (14), 76. T Pryde, Jun (2) also played but his score was not recorded

The course survived until WW2 when it was required for the war effort. Following the war the course was reverted to farm land.

I would like to thank Paul Miller for his help in compiling the information for the Hill of Tarvit club.

The course re-opened in 2007 and is now known as Kingarrock Golf Club. The club gives golfer's the unique opportunity to play golf as it was played in the early twentieth century with hickory clubs.

The Google map below shows the location of the Hill of Tarvit course.