Forfar Golf Club

Like London buses, when you’re waiting for a world first, three will inevitably come along at once. So it is at Forfar Golf Club, where 149 years of golf has secured a trio of little-known firsts that have nonetheless shaped the game around the world.

Recognised as the seventh oldest 18-hole golf course in the world, Forfar Golf Club is already known as a trailblazer. But perhaps less well known is the club’s status as the world’s first purpose-built 18-hole golf course in continuous use and the first 18-hole golf course in Scotland from inception. By default, it is also the earliest 18-hole course designed by the legendary Old Tom Morris.

The club is now actively promoting its historical credentials in an effort to ensure the much-lauded championship course receives the recognition it deserves. To support its endeavours, the club contacted prominent golf historian Neil Laird who believes Forfar represents a watershed moment in golfing history.

“It is the oldest 18-hole course in continuous existence,” explained Neil Laird, who set up the website www.scottishgolfhistory.org which attracts over 1,000 visitors a week, and is a member of the British Golf Collectors Society. “Forfar is the earliest example of Old Tom laying out 18 holes and therefore marks a milestone in golf history.”

He continues: “At Forfar, you have the beginnings of the idea of laying out a course where every hole is different – that is what people try to do now. Forfar is the earliest 18-hole course designed by the master [Old Tom Morris] that looks like a modern course. It goes right back to the very beginnings of 18-hole golf courses – Forfar was at the forefront.”

Although there are older courses that have either been extended or cut to 18 holes, Forfar was the first to be designed by a recognised architect with 18 holes from the outset; a world first also referenced in the book Why are there 18 holes by Peter Lewis. Established in 1871, the course was laid out by Old Tom Morris with 13 of his original greens still in play today.

Forfar is managed by one of Scotland’s most celebrated amateur golfers who recently had the honour of being appointed captain of the Great Britain and Ireland men’s Walker Cup team. Managing secretary Stuart Wilson said the role played by Forfar in the development of golf needs to be recognised.

“The history at Forfar Golf Club can be seen on the walls of the clubhouse and in our trophy cabinet,” he noted. “But perhaps less well known and less obvious is the important and historic role played by the club in creating the first 18-hole golf course by design. Along with St Andrews, Forfar was at the forefront of the development of the game and it laid down a template for future course design.”

Known for its unusual ‘rig-and-furrow’ topography, the Angus course has hosted a number of high-profile tournaments including the Scottish PGA Championship in 1932 and 1966, the Girls’ Home Internationals in 1997, the Scottish Boys in 1976 and 1980 and the Under 16s’ Scottish Boys in 2011. Next year it will again test the best when it welcomes the Scottish girls Under 16s tournament.

Despite its rich history, Wilson believes the club’s pivotal role remains relatively unknown. “We are very proud of the club’s origins and believe the significance of its historic role has been overlooked,” he said. “With our 150th anniversary in 2021 coinciding with the 150th Open in St Andrews, we felt this was a good opportunity to proactively ensure the club is appropriately recognized as providing a key turning point in the development of the game.”

Although the course went on to be re-designed by five-times Open Champion James Braid in 1926, it is Old Tom’s involvement that Laird believes is of greatest significance. “It is an Old Tom course,” he explained. “Although quite a few courses are associated with him, not all were laid out by him. In many cases, his involvement was limited to extending the course. Forfar is the first golf course I have been able to trace where he laid out all 18 holes. That is a milestone in the development of 18-hole golf courses.”

With Forfar due to mark its 150th anniversary in 2021, the club has embarked on a campaign to convey more widely its historical significance. One of the first elements of this strategy was commissioning award-winning golf course photographer Mark Alexander to create a series of images that evocatively capture the layout.

“The course is a fundamental component of the club not only because of its history but also because of the challenge it presents,” explained Wilson. “One of the first steps was to create a gallery of images that adequately captured the unique character of Forfar and Old Tom’s legacy. Mark was the perfect man for the job and he has created some stunning images for our campaign.”

Discussing his recent appointment as captain of the Great Britain and Ireland men’s Walker Cup team, Wilson said: “As much as I enjoyed my time as a player representing GB&I, I am determined to make a valuable contribution to the team as its leader and to help the players both individually and as a group. During my time on The R&A Boys’ Selection Committee, I was able to gain first-hand knowledge of the level of talent that was emerging. It feels like a natural progression to be taking on this role to continue to foster these gifted amateur golfers.”

The post WORLD FIRST TEES UP RECOGNITION FOR SCOTTISH GOLF CLUB appeared first on Golf North.

9th March 2018 – As anticipation grows for The 147th Open at Carnoustie, a new website has been unveiled by Carnoustie Country as an online hub for the region’s 34 outstanding golf courses and accommodation providers. With preparations underway for the world’s oldest Major, Carnoustie Country has also unveiled a new legendary marketing campaign intended to underpin its reputation as a world-class golfing destination boasting a golfing legacy stretching back over 450 years.

Providing insider knowledge about playing golf and staying in the east of Scotland as well as detailing the very latest offers, the new Carnoustie Country website has been written and designed with the visiting golfer in mind. Featuring a chronological history of The Open at Carnoustie along with dedicated sections on links and inland courses – many of which were designed by legendary architects such as Old Tom Morris, Willie Park Jr and James Braid – the new website is brimming with information about golf in Angus, Perthshire and Fife.

Commenting on the new website, Cllr Ron Sturrock, spokesperson for economic development for Angus Council, said The 147th Open represented a huge opportunity for tourism in Scotland. “This year’s Open Championship will put Carnoustie Country in the spotlight with 600 million households watching events unfold on TV alone. The new website has been designed to ensure those viewers and the thousands of tourists who will visit Scotland this year have the information they need to help make the most out of their trip to Carnoustie Country. With details about our links, heathland and parkland courses as well as suggestions about where to stay, the new website is a fantastic resource for golf fans around the world.”

Offering all-year-round golf and a wealth of courses, Carnoustie Country has hosted The Open on seven previous occasions. The Claret Jug was last decided in Angus 11 years ago when Padraig Harrington edged out Sergio Garcia during an extraordinary play-off. As ever, Scotland’s enigmatic east coast provided a stern test and drama aplenty.

With golf being played in the region for over 450 years, one of the key objectives of the new website was to consolidate Carnoustie Country’s reputation as a world-class golfing destination. “One of the aims of the new website was to further secure Carnoustie Country’s growing reputation as a must-visit golfing destination,” noted Cllr Sturrock. “To do this we needed to establish the right tone for the website and introduce eye-catching imagery to support our world-class offering. Our new online presence achieves this by combining an intuitive layout with compelling information in an easy-to-use resource.”

In addition to the new website, Carnoustie Country has also launched a wider communications campaign in the lead-up to and following The Open which will capitalise on the region’s championship links and some of Scotland’s finest in-land courses. Revolving around outstanding golf experiences, the initiative has been designed to capitalise on the region’s legendary status, cosy pubs and prized restaurants as well as the impressive variety of accommodation on offer.

In what will be an important year of golf for Scotland, the launch of the Carnoustie Country’s new website and campaign couldn’t have come at a better time according to Cllr Sturrock. “This year’s Open is in the middle of a run of major golf tournaments in Scotland starting with the Scottish Open and concluding with the Senior Open Championship in St Andrews. The new website has been perfectly timed to help Carnoustie Country members maximise this exceptional opportunity.”

Located just 45 minutes from St Andrews, Carnoustie Country is easily accessed from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen airports via excellent road and rail networks. Even closer still is the city of Dundee which was named by The Wall Street Journal last year as one of the world’s 10 must-see destinations.

The post Carnoustie Country Launches Legendary Campaign And Website appeared first on Golf North.