THIS week, the team from the Live Borders Museum and Gallery, Tweeddale Museum, delve back into the history of golf in Peebles.

UNIQUELY Scottish, the game of golf has evolved over centuries, but it was during the Victorian period when many golf clubs opened across the country.

The advent of the steam train also aided the establishment of courses at Scottish resorts, and designers and players were looked upon as celebrities.

Peebles Golf Club was founded in 1892 when an area of pasture located to the south of the river at Morning Hill was leased. 

Annual subscriptions were set at 10 shillings for members of the club, five shillings for artisans, five shillings for youths, plus ladies and ‘gentlemen residing in Innerleithen’ were also charged five shillings and two shillings sixpence for children.

The clubhouse was constructed by local firm Renwick and Weir for the princely sum of £102 but without a lavatory, which was deemed too expensive at the time.

By 1908, the club had grown enough to justify a new course. 
On July 1, 1908, an 18-hole course was opened at Kirklands.

The club also played a significant part in the First World War, and aided the war effort with several fairways being used for military camping grounds and the clubhouse and telephone requisitioned from dusk to daylight.

By 1918, fewer members and less income initiated plans to dissolve the club.

However, a sympathetic Earl of Wemyss sold Kirklands and Jedderfield to the Town Council with the aim of establishing a municipal golf course.

In 1933, Peebles Town Council decided to reconstruct the golf course to make room for the new housing located at Connor Street and for an extension to the cemetery.

The resulting course was designed by golf architect Harry Colt to a championship length of 6224 yards, and to this day, Peebles’ course is regarded as one of the finest inland courses in Scotland.

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