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 Championship 18th
The sun’s light is gradually fading and the moon will shortly begin its ascent casting its light across Carnoustie Bay.
Local golfers make their final drives from the eighteenth tee on the world famous Carnoustie Championship links course.
It has been another good game as they make their final shots towards the flag on the eighteenth green.
Each will agree - no matter how many times they have had the privilege of playing here - this golf course continually presents the finest challenge in world golf!
At the conclusion of their game they will make their way towards their Golf Club - the world famous Carnoustie Golf Club - to reflect, to relax and to analyse their game.
They will, undoubtedly, re-take some of their shots, replay some of their putts, reflect on the ‘what-ifs’ and might conclude that their final scores could have been greatly improved.
If only...
In doing so they again become part of the rich heritage of golfing history and tradition which uniquely, the Carnoustie Golf Club has given to the world of golf.
A Golf Club which is now over 160 years of age!
The Carnoustie Golf Club was officially constituted in 1842 yet the playing of golf in Carnoustie pre-dates our club by literally hundreds of years!
Records indicate that golf has been played at Carnoustie since at least the 15th Century!
This extract from the Registrum de Panmure relating to Sir Robert Maule (1497-1560) states:
“He was ane man of comlie behaviour, of hie stature and sicnuine in collure both of hyde and haire, colarique of nature subject to suddane anger...he had gryt delight in haukine and hountine...lykewakes he exercisit at the gowf and oftimes past to Barry Lynks, quhan the wadsie was for drink...this was the yeir of God 1527 or thear abouts”
The Barry Lynks mentioned probably refers to part of the area of the present links, west of the Barry Burn.
The first ‘proper’ course was planned and laid out by Robert Chambers, an author and publisher from Edinburgh, in the early 1830s.
The first tee was in the vicinity of the present bridge which crosses the railway at Park Avenue (then known as East path) and the first green just to the south of Bruce Court.
A locker room used by the golfers as a meeting place was situated behind “Smithy” Gray’s workshop in East path and was still being used in 1867 when the professional tournament won by the 16 year old Young Tom Morris was played over the 10 hole course.
The opening of the Dundee and Arbroath joint railway in 1838 made travelling to Carnoustie easier for visiting golfers, particularly from Edinburgh, and they eventually combined with the local golfers to form a club.
In the early editions of golfing publications the date of the formation of the club is given as 1839 but earlier dates have also been suggested - 1835 by ‘Shanghai’ Ferrier, grandfather of Jim Ferrier the late US pro - 1837 by David Kidd (Burgh Fiscal) an early member of the club and by a newspaper report in 1892 which stated that the Club’s jubilee “fell some years ago as the club was formed about 1838.”
Robert Millar, known familiarly as “Wheeplin Bobby” because of his habit of going about constantly whistling to himself, is generally recognised as the “Father of Club Golf” in Carnoustie.
He arrived in the town probably around 1838 from St Andrews, where he had learned the game caddying and playing on the Links, to represent a Dundee cloth merchant as buyer among the handloom weavers of the area.
With the assistance of Mr Spankie, a schoolmaster, he, along with the local and visiting golfers, formed the Barry Golf Club, and became a member of the Carnoustie Golf Club when it was instituted in 1842, acting as secretary between 1843 and 1855.
His golfing record includes winning the Subscription Medal in 1845.
Described as “a popular old gentleman with a most cheerful disposition”, in his later years he was seen daily on the links partnered by Mr Patullo, but their round was restricted to the gully holes and back - holes and tees were beside each other so it was easy to play the first three holes in reverse!
To avoid the westward journey Mr Millar opened two holes on ground to the south of the present Championship green and these were known as Millar’s holes.
He was also the Captain of the Merchants Golf Club, confined to shopkeeper members.
He was also appointed the first honorary life member of the Dalhousie Golf Club in recognition of “his promotion of the game of golf and of the very great interest and care bestowed by him in the preservation and improvement of the Carnoustie golf course.”
He died in 1873, aged 75.
Members of the early Carnoustie Golf Club met in various “Howffs” (inns or taverns) in the town with “Ferriers Inn” (now the 19th Hole) being the most popular gathering place for interested golfers.
These early gatherings probably led naturally to the formation of a golfing society or Club with the aim of supporting and encouraging the game and in running competitions.
In 1898 a decision was taken by Club members to build our current Clubhouse on Links Parade adjacent to the Championship Course.
Since that time the building has seen considerable development and alteration, to become the comfortable and well appointed Clubhouse it is today.
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