BLACKFORD GOLF CLUB 1889 – PRESENT

 

1889

May : Braid Hills Course opened as alternative to Bruntsfield Links and Musselburgh.
Sparks enormous local interest in golf.
Nov : Group of 25 men meet and decide to form a golf club. Described as ” principally Insurance Clerks, C.A. Apprentices, young Bankers and budding Lawyers”
Reputed to have chosen the name Blackford from the view from Braids and the
area in which some lived.

1890

Feb: Blackford Golf Club Instituted as non-course owning club with fixed membership numbers of 35 and Annual subscription 5/-
Mar : First Blackford Event – Captain vs Secretary match, played at Musselburgh. Captain’s team won, 28 holes to 24.

April: First Blackford Competition, played at Elie. Won by T.C. Kay.
Later venues for outings that year and up to 1900 included : Musselburgh, North Berwick, Kinghorn, Braids, Leven. Winners won monetary prizes. Ist Handicap and 1st scratch won small medals (charms).

May : First Blackford inter-club match. Opponents – Kinross . Venue-Kinross
Result : Loss by 1 hole

July : First Blackford inter-club match report with team names included is published in Scotsman. Opponents -Portobello. Venue-Musselburgh . Result : Loss by 43 holes to 2.

October : James Kerr won competition and received charm. Later gifted to club and incorporated into Captain’s Chain of Office.

1891

• Membership capped at 60

April: First Blackford Team in Dispatch Trophy, second year of event. Lost by 1 hole to Braids in Round 2.
Dispatch Trophy had started in 1890. Blackford entered a team almost every year from 1891 to 2002.
June : First Outing to North Berwick
July : First outing to Kinghorn

1892

July : Match vs Kinross, played at Kinross.
Blackford’s best ever inter-club victory. Won by 79 holes to nil.

1893

June : First outing to Leven.
July : First match vs “Ye Monks of Ye Braids” (established 1891).
Becomes annual match until WW1. Ye Monks regularly invited as guests to annual dinner.
• Membership set at 64

1894

• Club blazer established. Described as, ” ..fawn , faced with blue.” Cost not to exceed 21/- (One guinea)
• Use reputedly made of clubroom in Braid Hills clubhouse until 1898.

1896

• Subscription raised to 7/6d

1897

April : First recorded outing to Dunbar
September : Team entered for Glasgow Evening Times tournament. Lost in first round.
Teams entered sporadically thereafter

1899

April : Blackford reach quarter final of Dispatch Trophy.

1900

June : First recorded outing to Kilspindie. Kilspindie remains the course most visited by Blackford for outings.

July : First outing to Turnhouse . First recorded Blackford outing to a new course in Edinburgh

1901

May : First recorded outing to Gullane

1902

July : first recorded outing to Dunfermline Golf Club at Ferryhills, North Queensferry
Continued reasonably regularly until WW1

1903

• Handicap Charms for monthly outings discontinued. Money used for New Year ‘s Day Foursomes. Monthly Scratch Charms discontinued in favour of annual charm awarded to winner of playoff between monthly scratch winners of the year.
• Blackford wins Harvieston Trophy at first attempt.
Harvieston Trophy awarded to winners of inter-club double foursomes tournament over Gorebridge course. Blackford entered from 1903 – 1909. As well as victory, runners-up in 1904,07 and 09. Tournament and course discontinued after WW1.
September : First recorded outing to Gullane (New) i.e Gullane No 2
Regular outings to Gullane 1 & 2 until WW1

1904

January 1st : First recorded Foursomes competition at North Berwick. Replaced previous Winter Foursomes.

1906

June 13th : First inter-Club match with Murrayfield at Murrayfield. Blackford lost by 1 hole. Blackford Captain H.B. Anderson also a Murrayfield member
Matches vs Murrayfield become the most frequent inter-club fixtures for Blackford.
October : First recorded outing to Glasgow Gailes. Fairly regular outings continued until WW1

1907

September : Blackford invited to Murrayfield annual dinner
Alex Morrison, Blackford Captain also a Murrayfield member

November 2nd :First recorded reference to Blackford using Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society. Used as a course for a play-off for scratch charm.

1908

• Mr J. F. Mitchell, one of Blackford’s best golfers, wins Irish Amateur Open.
It was his third final in five years.
Dec 4th : Special celebratory dinner held at Ferguson and Forrester’s, Princes Street, with J.F. Mitchell as Guest of Honour. Only instance of the date of annual dinner being decided on wishes of one member. Ferguson and Forrester’s was a regular
venue for the annual dinner until 1920s

1909

April : Blackford reach semi final in Dispatch trophy.

1910

• First Blackford anniversary to be celebrated by creation of, and first competition for, The Majority Cup, Blackford’s first major trophy. Originally awarded to the golfer with best aggregate nett scores from 3 outings. Still awarded but now for best aggregate from two outings.
First Winner: J.D. Gardiner 2016 winner : W.W. Brodie

1911

April : Blackford lose final of Dispatch Trophy to Daniel Stewart’s College, their best ever result in Dispatch.
Blackford member J.F. Mitchell chose to play for Stewart’s. Not uncommon
for Blackford members to compete for other clubs and be in winning teams.

1913

Arguably Blackford’s best ever golfer, T. A. (Tony) Torrance, elected into Club,.
Re-handicapped from scratch to +3 after his first medal. Played in Dispatch team
in 1914. Classic example of family group in the club. Two elder brothers, A.D.F Torrance and W.B Torrance were also prominent members.

1914-1919

First World War period. On outbreak of war all club events cancelled for the duration and subscriptions suspended. Skeleton administration during war years. A.D.F Torrance, elder brother of T.A.Torrance, elected Captain in 1914 and remained in post until 1921. Club unable to celebrate Silver Jubilee, 25 years in existence.

1920

12th February : Club restarts after war. Fixtures reduced to 3 outings, Elie, Kilspindie, North Queensferry and 2 matches, Greenhill and West Lothian.
Also a Hole and Hole Tournament.
A.D.F Torrance wins Majority Cup
November : Annual Dinner held at North British Hotel. From being one of several venues before WW1, the North British would become most frequent venue until 1970s.

1921

February : Club agreed to affiliate with Lothian and District Golf Union

March 14th : Decision to abandon annual Scratch Charm and to substitute Scratch prizes at outings.
.
March : T. A. Torrance resigns, moves to London. His later career is impressive : regular competitor in Amateur Championship ; Represents Scotland in Home Internationals six times in 20s ; Irish Amateur Champion in 1925 ; German Amateur Champion 1927 and 1929 ; Walker Cup player, 1924, 28,30,32 (as Captain) and 1934 ; competes in US Amateur Championship 1932 ; 1932, First non- American to win Crump Cup; Instrumental as R&A Rules Convenor in the adoption of 14 club rule being adopted in 1939.

A.D.F Torrance, eldest brother, wins Majority Cup

W.B.Torrance, his elder brother elected to Club

1922

W.B. Torrance wins two outings and Majority Cup. Also sets course record at Burgess Golfing Society in winning Gold Medal.
Qualifier for US Amateur Open.
Selected for first Walker Cup match. Selector for winning Walker Cup team in 1938.
Regular Scottish Internationalist in 1920s. Captain in 1930.
Leading amateur in 1927 Open
Captain of Royal Burgess in 1938 until 1943.
His career shows he was one of the best golfer ever to have been a Blackford member. Also shows that many Blackford members were members of other clubs. Also that Blackford members have been captains of other clubs.

1923 – 1928

Club gradually recovers numbers but outings restricted by post-war depression

1929

First outing to Luffness
Destined to become one of the most frequent venues used for outings.

1931

Jack Lang elected member despite limit of 64 members breached.
Selected for Walker Cup in 1930 but was not chosen to play.
Outing returns to Kilspindie after gap of ten years

1932

Creation and first award of the Calder Cup. Donated by Captain T. A (Tom) Calder
Recipient deemed to be season’s best scratch golfer, similar to the award of annual scratch charms.
First Winner : G. Seymour Hood 1916 winner : Bobby Scott.

1933

Jack Lang wins Calder Cup for first time.

1934

First outing to Goswick
Set pattern of 4 outings per season with North Berwick, Luffness and Kilspindie which lasted until 1939

1935

W.H.Taylor elected Captain. First Captain to win Calder Cup in the same year.
Later to be closely involved in management of Dispatch Trophy, committee, convenor and Hon president.

1936

Agreement for and first awarding of Life Membership, later called Honorary Membership.

Dinner : first occasion when Club Toast was proposed by a principal guest rather than by a representative of one of the guest clubs.

1937

John Cruikshank elected captain. First son to follow father into captaincy. John
Cruikshank (snr) was captain in 1893.

1939 – 45

Feb 1939 : Alex Morrison appointed captain. First captain to be elected twice. Previously in 1907. Agreement that for Jubilee Year, Captain’s Badge of Office should be created.
October 1939 : Normal season until September. After declaration of war all plans for 50th Jubilee cancelled until end of hostilities. Second anniversary interrupted by outbreak of war.

1946

8th Feb : Club resumes activities.
Annual subscription raised to 10/6d

1947

July : Decision to progress with creation of Captain’s badge previously postponed.

1948

James A Cruikshank elected Captain. Father (1893) and elder brother(1937) were captains before him.
The family tradition in Blackford was a feature of its early days and still continues.
James Cruikshank was the first Captain to receive the new Chain of Office. The new badge included James Kerr’s scratch charm from 1890. It is still worn today.

Feb : First post-war dinner , free to those who had been on active service.

1949

Diamond Jubilee celebrations instead of Golden jubilee arranged. Centred round dinner in December, attended by 80 members and guests.
Dec 10th : Diamond Jubilee acknowledged by article in Edinburgh Evening Dispatch which coins the phrase, ” A club with its roots on the Braids”

Robin Wight ex- member of Blackford wins Scottish Amateur Championship

1951

Feb : Annual subscription raised to £1
April : Blackford reach semi-final of Dispatch trophy. Lost to Edinburgh Accies who went on to win the Trophy. Best result since1911, destined not to be matched .

September : Captain , W.S McIntosh Reid presented small silver Cup to be called The Consolation Cup. Awarded to the member at any outing who had the highest nett score, since adjusted to lowest Stableford score.

1952

Consolation Cup awarded for the first time.
First Recipient : P.G.Macdonald 2016 Recipient :A.P.G Richardson.

J Tullo elected Captain. Part of one of the biggest family group who were Blackford members.
His father was Captain in 1910, his uncle in 1912 and his brothers in 1953 and 1958.

1953 – 59

May 1957 : In recognition of 50 years since the first match between the clubs, Blackford presented teak seats to Murrayfield. They are still on use on the clubhouse balcony.

May 1957 : Blackford has evening outing over Bruntsfield for the first time instead of north Berwick. Start of pattern of three outings per year to Luffness, Bruntsfield and Kilspindie which lasts until 1997. Blackford also ,at this time, entered a team into the Lothians Team Tournament and the evening Times Foursomes tournament.

1960

Jack Lang wins his sixth Calder Cup. Timespread from his first success(1933)is greatest for any member in any of the Blackford trophies.

J.C.(Jock) Adams, ex-Captain and Honorary member made a generous donation to the club which was used to fund a trophy for the annual match with Murrayfield. It was named after him, The Adams Trophy. It is the oldest trophy of the four inter-club matches that Blackford regularly plays, and the one they have,proportionally, won least.

1962

July 13th : First match with Murrayfield for The Adams Trophy. Won by Murrayfield. Blackford borrowed it back for display at annual dinner.Thereafter kept by Murrayfield.

1963

May: Appointment of W.M.(Bill)Laing as Secretary.
May : Knighthood awarded to P.G. Macdonald, first recipient of Consolation Cup

1964

Regarded as an anniversary for 75 years of Blackford. Compensating for anniversaries missed because of wars.

Feb : Membership limit raised to 72, as it is currently

First Blackford victory in Adams Trophy match against Murrayfield

Annual dinner attended by the Lord Provost, Sir Duncan Weatherstone.

1969

Election of eminent lawyer, R.S (Bobby) Johnston as Captain. Raised to the bench as Lord Kincraig in 1972

1971

Annual Dinner :Guest of Honour at annual dinner was Dai Rees, C.B.E, ex Ryder Cup captain. The first professional golfer to address the Club.

1972

Annual subscription raised to £2.50

One of the best ever seasons in terms of attendance with over 30 members attending each outing.

1975

J (Hamish) Tullo made Honorary Member. The only Blackford member to have held every club office : Committee , Secretary/Treasurer/ Captain / Hon Auditor

1976

Annual Dinner held at Bruntsfield for the first time.

1977

Annual subscription raised to £3.50

1981

W.M. Laing demits office, and remains the longest serving Club Secretary
and perhaps the most quoted Blackford member with :-
” Continuity, rather than change, is a basic feature of the Blackford scene.”
and his definition of the Club ,
“A mixed but couthy group of friendly men playing doubtful golf on pleasant courses, enjoying their own company, and sharing their hospitality with
others at dinner once a year.”
and his description of a Blackford dinner in 1968
“..a night of speeding time, mellowing wine, speeches of worth and
fellowship of warmth..”

1982

A decade after one of the best attended seasons, one of the worst attended seasons with only 38 in total attending.

1983

Annual subscription raised to £5
Further benches gifted to Murrayfield

1986

Feb : Ian Morrison elected captain. First Captain to be elected for a two year period in office.

1989

Club Centenary Year
Captain : Douglas Henderson
Peter R Bryce, former Captain (1968) produces “The History of The Blackford Golf Club 1889-1989”.
Annual subscription raised to £10

October 13th : Special Centenary day at Bruntsfield.
Buffet lunch followed by inaugural competition for the Centenary Trophy. Special Stableford Foursomes competition, replaced by individual competition the next year.
Specially funded and designed trophy courtesy of Dr James Ross, Captain 1976.
Specially designed Centenary tie given to members on receipt of subscription.
deemed to be the club tie , to be worn on club occasions.
A.G.M held in Murrayfield clubhouse for the first time. Remains at that venue until 2016

1990

First competition on individual basis for The Centenary Trophy.
1990 Winner : H.S.U Stevens 2016 Winner : John Stevenson

6th September :First specifically arranged annual match with Caermount.
Victory for Caermount

1993

Captain Harry Lindley donates trophy named after him for annual match against Caermount.

Annual subscription raised to £20

1994

Annual subscription raised to £25

1995

First specifically arranged annual inter-club match with Bruntsfield Allied.
Victory for Blackford. Clubs had met in Dispatch Trophy in 1901 and 1969. Bruntsfield Allied won both by 2 holes.

1996

Blackford mark Murrayfield’s Centenary by presenting a “Tappit Hen” and then winning the Adams Trophy for only the fourth time since 1962

1997

Jimmy Rogers elected Captain.  First year with 4 outings since 1949. Whitekirk played for the first time.
Start of pattern of 3 regular venues, Bruntsfield, Luffness and Kilspindie, plus one “floating

1998

Annual subscription raised to £30

1999

First outing to King’s Acre

2002

Commission and first presentation of The Matchplay Trophy for revived Hole and Hole competition. Trophy initiated by Captain Tom Mitchell and is the first specifically awarded for the summer hole and hole competition. It is the only glass trophy in the club’s history.
2002 Winner : K.T Drew 2016 Winner : M Morrison

Last team entered for Dispatch Trophy. Connection with the Dispatch Trophy once described as “a prized thread in the traditions of the club.”

2006

Last Club outing to Luffness

2007

First outings to Broomieknowe and Ratho Park

2008

As well as gross and nett scoring, Stableford scoring used in all outings.
Stableford score to decide outing prizewinners. Scratch and nett scores to remain for aggregate trophies.

2009

Club is undefeated in matches during the season
First mixed event in Blackford history with ladies playing for Murrayfield in annual match.
Decision that at least 40 years’ continuous membership required for Honorary Membership.

2010

Donation to Murrayfield for new tee board.
October : Annual dinner addressed by George McGregor, O.B.E, former Walker Cup player and Captain , Scottish international player and Captain.
Implementation of new category of non-playing members, with 20 years membership, half sub and no more than 15 in any one year.

2011

Ian McLeish elected Captain.

October : Annual Dinner held in Royal Burgess clubhouse for first time.
Change of conditions so winner of Majority Cup does not automatically win Centenary trophy.

2012

Captain Ian McLeish wins two outings during the season
First return to Longniddry in 94 years.
First inter-club match with The New Club, played at Bruntsfield. Victory for Blackford. Match to be home and away on bi-annual basis.
First inter-club match to be played as greensomes.
Launch of first Club website and first use of email as a means of communicating with members.

2013

Colin Stevenson elected Captain.     First outing to Aberdour.
Club sweaters launched, first used at Royal Burgess outing.
Decision to have outings in alternate years at Royal Burgess and Bruntsfield

2014

First year of celebration of 125 years
First interclub match with New Club played at Luffness. Blackford won 5:1.
First presentation of The Stevenson Attic Trophy, donated by Captain Colin Stevenson.
First presentation of re-commissioned trophy for Bruntsfield Allied match.
Special extra outing to Lanark
Team entered for the first time into Sivewright Quaich competition. Against tradition won first round by beating Caermount.

2015

Second year of celebration of 125 years.          Douglas Macfarlane elected Captain.
Annual subscription raised to £40
The Matchplay Trophy won by Stewart Marshall, in his eightieth year and as yet the oldest winner of a Blackford Trophy.                                                                            

CBE awarded to Blackford Member John Matheson.

on 25/8/2015 the Committee decided that no member would be allowed to win more than one trophy . This policy was reaffirmed by the Committee during the Captaincy of Paul Murray-Smith, of John Matheson and still continues to the present day.

2016

An updated history of the club, ” Blackford Golf Club 1889-2015. A club born on the Braids“,. Written by Martin Bryden, designed and printed by John Stevenson.
September : Special outing organised as a return to Goswick
October : Annual dinner : Addressed by George McGregor, ex-captain of R&A. His return 6 years since previously speaking in 2010 is the shortest known for a principal guest.
New line of clothing featuring club logo launched
November : Former member Russell Barr becomes Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

2017

Jan : New club website launched (donated by committee member John Stevenson)    Paul Murray Smith elected Captain and John Matheson Vice Captain.                              Two members awarded Honorary membership – Martin Bryden, the author of the Blackford History and Jimmy Rodgers, Captain in 1997-98.

2018

Captain Murray-Smith kindly donated a beautiful Captain’s Bell. This was awarded to stop the breaking and tinkling of glasses with items of cutlery in dinners, outings and meetings past.

2019

Jan : Paul Murray-Smith stepped down at the end of a very successful period as Captain.

John Matheson CBE is elected Captain and John Stevenson Vice Captain. Chris Hardie accepts the position of Secretary and Treasurer.

At the first committee meeting of the new season, held at Captain Matheson’s home, the Captain kindly donated a badge for the office of Vice Captain and presented it to the incumbent, John Stevenson.

2020

Mar: The virus, Covid-19 strikes the UK and the first ever national lockdown is announced. Golf is banned for the first 3 months and when it returns, only 2-balls are permitted. Other rules prevented the use of rakes and ball washers, flags were not allowed to be removed from holes and the traditional hand shaking was replaced by the bumping of putters on the 18th green.

The normal AGM was not possible and so, for the first time, the club held a virtual meeting using the new technology which was becoming a lifeline in the lockdown.

The season is almost washed out for Blackford with only the Gullane outing and the Matchplay surviving. Captain Matheson won both.

2021

The year started in the midst of another lockdown lasting from boxing Day 2020 till April 2021. This time golf was permitted but travel between counties was banned.

Mar: The second digital AGM saw Captain Matheson agreeing to serve one extra year. Vice Captain Stevenson stood down having become a Director of Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society. Chris Hardie was elected Vice Captain and John Williams accepted the role of Secretary and Treasurer.

2022

Mar: Physical AGM returns. Captain Matheson steps down at the end of what must have been the most difficult period of the club’s existence, except, of course, the war years.

Chris Hardie is elected Captain and Lawrence Dickson Vice Captain.

May: Michael Clarke CBE, surprises the membership by winning the first outing, at Gullane 3 with a 50 Stableford points. Believed to be a record score at a Blackford outing.

June: In time for the second annual contest against our new kindred club, The WS Golfing Society, Captain Hardie kindly donated a trophy for the match, The Hardie Trophy.