HISTORY AND HICKORIES ON SCOTLAND’S GOLF COAST
Scotland is the Home of Golf. With close to 600 golf courses of all shapes and sizes, it is no wonder that golf and golf tourism in Scotland plays such an important part of our day-to-day lives. With 21 courses of our own, Scotland’s Golf Coast embraces golf. How can we not? Annually, we welcome thousands of golfers from far and wide to sample the delights of our Championship links and our 9-hole gems. There is a special experience on Scotland’s Golf Coast where links, history and hickories combine as a ‘must play’.
It was in 1874 that Mungo Park won the first Open that was held on the Old Golf Course of Musselburgh Links. The Open’s connection with Musselburgh had started back in 1860, when local resident Willie Park Sr won the first ever Open at Prestwick. Musselburgh Links went on to host the Open a total of six times.
The Open’s Claret Jug was subscribed for by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club, Prestwick Club and Royal Company of Edinburgh Golfers (who played at Musselburgh) following Morris’ impressive feat.
Four of Musselburgh’s Open Champions were local, all except for St Andrews’ golfers Jamie Anderson and Willie Fernie. Musselburgh’s Mungo Park won the first Musselburgh Open in 1774. Jamie Anderson won the first of his three Opens in 1877 and Bob Ferguson won in 1880. Like Anderson, Ferguson went on to complete the consecutive Open hat-trick at Prestwick and St Andrews, one of only four men to win the Open in three consecutive years. David Brown brought the Jug back to Musselburgh in 1886 and Willie Park Jr. completed Musselburgh’s Open Champions in 1889. Willie Park Jr. would play a further part in Scotland’s Golf Coast history by laying out Gullane 2 and Kilspindie.
Documentary evidence has proven that golf was played on Musselburgh Links as early as 1672, with Mary, Queen of Scots reputedly playing here in 1567. We are sure you’ll agree that Musselburgh has as compelling a golf story as any in the world and rightly many golfers have added its nine holes to their itinerary. If you crave links, history and hickories, then a visit to Scotland’s Golf Coast should be in order. The Old looks forward to welcoming you.