Story of a Golf Club: Musselburgh Links – The Old Golf Course

Musselburgh Links – The old golf course….. To the racing fan stood up in the terraces, it looks like any other 9 hole golf course. But to golfers, it’s a pilgrimage to the games roots.

With golf played since 1672, and fabled stories that Mary Queen of Scots played here as early as 1567, Musselburgh is the oldest remaining course in the world, and the game we enjoy would be very different in a number of ways without its existence.  

Starting with the hole itself, Musselburgh is responsible for the 4 and ¼ inch sized cup we play to today. A locally fashioned instrument was used to cut the holes on the links back in the 19th century, and was adopted by the R&A in 1893, and with that simple move standardised the quickly evolving game, as courses sprung up all over the UK. This also levelled the playing field for future competitive play which also owes a lot to Musselburgh. 

Musselburgh is synonymous with The Open championship, and it was part of a trinity of courses that were on its initial rota. Prestwick hosted the first 11, before it began rotating annually between St. Andrews (Fife – 18 holes), Musselburgh (East Lothian – 9 holes), and Prestwick (Ayrshire – 12 holes). 

When Young Tom Morris won the title for the 3rd year consecutively, custom of the day dictated that he kept the challenge belt. That meant no Open was played the following year with the founding clubs unable to reach consensus on the funding of a new cup, until the R&A, Prestwick, and the Honourable Company of Edinburgh golfers (who were based at Musselburgh links at the time) agreed to spend £30 on the new trophy, the Claret Jug as it would become known, the tournament began again, rotating annually across the three sites. 

In its day, Musselburgh produced an eclectic series of Champion Golfers. Including most notably the Park family. Mungo park, Willie Park Snr’s brother won Musselburgh’s first Open championship in 1874, and the last Open held here was won by Willie Park Jnr, son of senior. The Park family were local heroes of Musselburgh, Mungo, Willie snr and Willie Jnr all enjoying fabulous careers in the game, similar to the Morris family of St Andrews. Willie Snr, a 4 time Open champion, and winner of the inaugural Open at Prestwick leaves a lasting legacy on the game, and his son (Willie Jnr) who would win the Open twice in his career, became a trailblazer in golf club design and would become one of the most influential golf course architects in history, famous for his work at Sunningdale and Huntercoombe. 

Its easy to see how a rivalry with the Morris family could evolve across the Firth of Forth, and there is no better testament to that, than the exhibition match played at Musselburgh between Willie Park snr and Old Tom Morris. Old Tom, objecting to undue partisanship on the part of local supporters rooting for Willie, retired half way through the match and sought refuge at Mrs Foreman’s, refusing to play on, such was the intensity and hostility from the crowds. 

‘Mrs Foremans’ was in fact believed to be the first half-way house in the game. Now situated beyond the 4th green, and sadly no longer open for business, competitors from the day enjoyed refreshments here during their game, and many a match would be arranged or wagered on inside these walls. 

A story of Musselburgh is not complete without the story of another of its fabled Open winners. In 1886, David Brown (a local roofer) – was labouring away in the town when the championship was short of competitors. The secretary, keen to fill the field up, found David, knowing he could play, and lent him a pair of striped trousers, coat and hat, and persuaded him to participate. Of course, he went on to win, and with that, securing his name in the history books as one of the best stories in Open Championship history. The life of David Brown is a lesser known story but very interesting. He went on to be the keeper of the greens at Cleeve Hill (hyperlink), and went on to live in the US in later life finding success. However following the 1929 stock market crash, sadly David Brown died penniless, however a life lived-rich in experiences!

The clubs that occupied the links are also central to the story. Musselburgh was used by a number of different golf clubs. A model that still exists around Scotland today. Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society, and the Royal Burgess all called Musselburgh home, as well as the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers who at their previous home in Leith near Edinburgh first drafted the rules of golf, consisting of only 13…

Of them all – Rule no 11 is probably our favourite;

“IF YOU DRAW YOUR CLUB, IN ORDER TO STRIKE & PROCEED SO FAR IN THE STROKE, AS TO BE BRINGING DOWN YOUR CLUB; IF THEN, YOUR CLUB SHALL BREAK, IN, ANY WAY, IT IS TO BE ACCOUNTED A STROKE.”

The Honourable company as they would come to be known as, moved to Musselburgh in 1836, establishing their own clubhouse and ultimately funding the claret jug. Unfortunately, the links became over-crowded, and in 1893, they moved home once again, AND WITH THAT, their spot on the Open rota, securing a course of their own at the top of town in Gullane; Muirfield.

Musselburgh is not about modern day championship golf; It’s an opportunity to forget your own score, to connect with the games roots, and when you’re there, don’t forget to stop and wonder, and thank Musselburgh – for without it, it wouldn’t be the game we have today. 

We hope you enjoy the film!