Erskine Golf Club is on the banks of the
River Clyde
The River Clyde ( gd, Abhainn Chluaidh, , sco, Clyde Watter, or ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. It is the ninth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third-longest in Scotland. It runs through the major cit ...
at
Erskine
Erskine (, sco, Erskin, gd, Arasgain) is a town in the council area of Renfrewshire, and historic county of the same name, situated in the West Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies on the southern bank of the River Clyde, providing the lo ...
,
Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire () ( sco, Renfrewshire; gd, Siorrachd Rinn Friù) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland.
Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfr ...
. It sits on the border between Erskine and
Bishopton. The club takes its name from the former Erskine Estate.
History
The course was founded by the land owner of the Erskine Estate, William Arthur Baird. He wanted to construct a course on his land and enrolled the help of three friends.
Leslie Balfour-Melville
Leslie Balfour-Melville (9 March 1854 – 17 July 1937), born Leslie Balfour, was a Scottish amateur sportsman, serving as captain, opening batsman, and wicket-keeper for the Scotland national cricket team.
Balfour-Melville was also an inter ...
, Robert Maxwell and Norman Mitchell Innes helped layout the course at Erskine in 1901. Baird then encouraged
Willie Fernie (open champion 1883) to develop the course into 18 holes between 1903-4.
The course opened on Saturday 12 March 1904. An exhibition match was played between
Willie Fernie and
Ben Sayers
Bernard "Ben" Sayers (23 June 1856 – 9 March 1924) was a Scottish professional golfer, who later became a distinguished golf teacher, golf course designer and manufacturer of golf clubs and equipment. Sayers had a reputation for making good qu ...
. Later in the year a meeting was held in Bishopton Primary School and the club was established. Baird became the first captain and in 1905 built the clubhouse, furnished it and maintained at his own expense.
The club managed to carry on through
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and in 1920 enlisted the help of
Dr Alister MacKenzie to redesign the 12th and 13th holes. In homage these holes are named after their designer.
James Braid (five times open champion) redesigned the course in 1937. He added new bunkers and holes and improvements to the design of the greens. This is the course as it is today.
See also
*
Golf in Scotland
Golf in Scotland was first recorded in the Scottish late Middle Ages, and the modern game of golf was first developed and established in the country. The game plays a key role in the national sporting consciousness.
The Royal and Ancient Golf ...
*
History of golf
The origins of golf are unclear and much debated. However, it is generally accepted that modern golf developed in Scotland from the Middle Ages onwards. The game did not find international popularity until the late 19th century, when it spread int ...
References
{{reflist
Golf clubs and courses in Scotland
Sport in Scotland
Sports venues in Renfrewshire
Erskine, Renfrewshire