Scottish Golf History and Famous
Golf
Course Architects
There
has been much debate as to the origins of the game and, in some cases,
how it was originally played. One thing is certain — the game of
golf as we know it was born in Scotland.
Despite the game's subsequent growth and worldwide popularity, it did not have such an easy beginning. Originally the game of "gowf", as it was called by the Scots (the English referred to it as "goff", the Dutch, "koff"), was forbidden on Sundays by Act of Parliament, nevertheless, golf continued to flourish at an astonishing rate. The game was born on the linksland of Scotland's east coast, the Kingdom of Fife, and five hundred years later is still going strong.
Through the passage of time there have been countless names etched into the fascinating history of the game, yet none more prominent than the men who designed the world's greatest golf courses, such as James Braid, Donald Ross, Old Tom Morris and Dr Alistair MacKenzie. Before they turned to design and construction some of them were the leading golfers of their time (mainly Braid and Morris), yet many golf historians believe they left a more distinctive mark in golf courtesy of the land they touched, as opposed to the silverware.
Put
simply, if you have played golf just about anywhere in Scotland, it is
likely you will have played a course mapped out by James Braid. Braid
was a prolific designer of courses in Scotland and the rest of the United
Kingdom, although, unlike his contemporaries, he didn't travel to other
continents such was his fear of flying. Thus the home of golf is awash
with the result of his labours. Thought of as a true genius with regard
to designing challenging holes, Braid was considered to be ahead of his
time. And, through Green Fee Savers, you can sample the best of his work
for half the price, as beauties such as Alyth, Golspie and Dalmahoy, among
a host of others up and down the country, accept our vouchers.
Unlike
Braid, Donald Ross was keen to pursue his love of course design across
the globe. Ross is considered a major influence in the expansion
of the game in the United States, and the experience of working as a greenkeeper
alongside Old Tom Morris at St Andrews clearly served him well, as many
of his designs exemplify. Ross was responsible for Pinehurst No
2 and Oakland Hills to name a few. However, he did not only save his best
work for our friends across the water — as a visit to his home club
Royal Dornoch (he made several alterations to its layout) will testify.
Dr Alistair MacKenzie was another Scottish course architect in high
demand in the States. He had out some 400 courses across the world, most
notably Cypress Point and, of course, Augusta National (which he created
alongside Bobby Jones) but you can sample MacKenzie's Scottish layouts
with Green Fee
Savers by taking your vouchers to Duff House Royal and Pitreavie in Dunfermline.
Despite
not having designed as many courses as James Braid, Old Tom Morris
is still regarded as the original master of his profession. Thankfully,
half price golf is granted on a number of his courses, including the stunning
Tain in the Highlands and North Inch in Perthshire.
One of the great benefits of using Green Fee Savers is the savings accrued. Your kitty could be used to sample the undisputed masterpieces of these designers. With Green Fee Savers savings of up to £500 are possible, allowing your golfing party to pay a well-earned visit to the Braid design of Gleneagles, or perhaps the Morris-designed splendour of Muirfield, Carnoustie or Prestwick — the choice is yours. Whichever course you decide to use your "spare change" on, the savings will have been put to good use as you will no doubt have witnessed the very best of golfing in Scotland.
Read about Swing Through time. Historic Golf, Talks, and Presentations.
Welcome | Historic Golf Tour | Organise your Tour | Hidden Gems - Obvious Value | Golf History
Registered Office: PSP House, 50 High Craighall Road