The Oldest Course on Earth!
“Welcome to the oldest golf course on the planet and indeed most other planets... as far as I’m led to believe.”
The Society of Golfers show up regularly to play the oldest golf course on earth, complete with hickory sticks & plus fours.
If you like digging into a bit of golf history, there’s one place you need to take some divots! Musselburgh Links lies just east of the city of Edinburgh, an easy horse & carriage ride from the centre.
In 1847, a rail service facilitated travel for Edinburgh golfers trying to escape the overcrowded city parks where they’d been trying to ‘gowf’ since the early 15th century amidst cattle, sheep and archery practice"… not a sustainable practice.
Contrary to popular conceptions, golf did not tee off in St Andrews in the 15th century but here on Edinburgh’s municipal parks where groups of merchants and other professionals took up the new-fangled sport that had come over from the Netherlands. You can read more about Scotland’s two primordial courses here…Bruntsfield Links and Leith Links.
Putting out on the 1st. It takes a few holes to learn how to swing those whippy hickeries.
TIMES ROMAN
Established by the Romans in the 1st century, Musselburgh is Scotland’s oldest town. This is about as far as the Italian invaders conquered as they completed their control of Northern Britain. Beyond Edinburgh and the Firth of Forth lay ‘Pictland’ and the Romans gave that up as a bad job, deciding the costs of a prolonged campaign against the fearsome, painted Picts outweighed any economic or political benefit.
In Musselburgh, they built a bridge across the River Esk to facilitate the route to Edinburgh, not yet the Scottish capital but growing in importance. Through the centuries, that bridge has been reconstructed using the original Roman foundations and you can still stroll across it today.
“Golf as we know it was played in Musselburgh as far back as the 15th century.. but perhaps longer! Much, much longer! ”
Interestingly, some historians source golf back to the Roman sport of ‘Paganica’ which was played using a crooked stick and a stuffed leather ball not dissimilar to early Scottish ‘featheries’.
Paganica spread throughout Europe as the Romans conquered the continent and the billowing links of Musselburgh might have proved ideal for the sport. But please keep in mind, these ‘links’ are completely tenuous.
A LIVING MUSEUM
The court of Mary, Queen of Scots took readily to golf and played at Musselburgh when her entourage was in Edinburgh
What is more evident is that Mary, Queen of Scots played here in 1567. That also is tenuous but the Scottish Queen did have a penchant for the game and her entire court seemed smitten by the game.
Old Tom Morris, Willie Park Snr & Jnr and Mungo Park contended for golf’s earliest 'Open Championships’ when Old Prestwick became difficult for the galleries. And yet, today, it’s a humble little 9-hole municipal course on the eastern edge of Edinburgh.
In 1886, the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers relocated to this stretch of hoary linksland, at the time much closer to the Firth of Forth than it is now. But golf had been played here for centuries before. The first recorded date is 1672 however, it’s reputed that Mary, Queen of Scots played at Musselburgh as far back as 1567.
They were hotly pursued by Bruntsfield Golfing Society who played at Musselburgh whilst waiting on their new parkland course to be opened at Cramond on the northeast side of Edinburgh.
In those days, the golf links were much closer to the Firth of Forth. Silt buildup has gradually divided the Old Course from its native sea. There was talk at one time of extending the course back towards the water but that idea seems to have ebbed.
To appreciate it, I strongly recommend you make your way just east of Edinburgh, hire a set of hickories and hack your way around the oldest golf course on the planet. If you really appreciate the game, be prepared to be educated.
THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
Between 1874 and 1889 Musselburgh hosted the Open Championship on no less than six occasions. Old Prestwick hosted the first ‘Open’ but it became difficult to get the crowds safely around that hilly 12-holer. Musselburgh was much flatter and therefore safer.
Members of the British Golf Collectors' Society strut their funky stuff at the oldest course in the world.
HALFWAY HOUSE
Mrs. Forman ran the pub until her death in 1888, aged 84. Her daughters took over and the Inn remained in the Forman family well into the next century.
At the far corner of the course where it turns towards the sea at the 4th green, there’s a white building that served the likes of Old Tom Morris and Willie Park a pint of warm, frothy beer through a hole in the wall.
Mrs Foreman’s Public House operated for more than 200 years and golfers would stop at the 4th for a pint and perhaps a quick snack. I suppose on this 9-hole configuration, it could be seen as the world’s first ‘Half-Way House’.
The story goes that Mrs Foreman’s husband died early, leaving her to bring up their nine children. Allegedly, she ran a tight ship. The landlady would not serve anyone who was too drunk and would tell her male customers who were getting that way to 'Tak yer money hame tae yer wife, she has mair need o' it than me.' Even the local police had nothing but praise for the good lady and there was never a problem with the renewal of her spirit licence.
“They say her food was good too, Welsh Rarebit being the speciality of the house. ”
A lot of years ago now, I visited Mrs Foreman’s when it was still a pub. I didn’t stay long! It was a bit rough with the denizens of Levenhall, the nearby housing estate not taking too kindly to strangers.
Then it became an upmarket cafe and club-fitting operation for a PGA pro who had dreams of bringing the place back to life. Sadly, that didn’t succeed either and it’s now a private home.
GOLFING ANTIQUITY
It might be funky compared to the prestigious courses nearby but this is a precious piece of golfing antiquity. But I highly recommend you go along and play its exhilarating 9 holes. It’s ridiculously cheap - £16.50 for 9 holes (£9.30 if you’re over 60). If you want the complete experience, hire a set of hickories - although I warn you now, it’s a whole new, or should I say ‘old’ ball game!
There’s a nice display in the Starter’s Building that captures the early days when golf was socially split between wealthy club members, largely from the professional classes and the much poorer working-class caddies, who, if they were good enough, went on to become golf professionals though at that time viewed as socially servile to the golfing gentry.
How things have changed! Now it’s the elite professional tour players who have the upper hand with all the millions in the bank and fawn over by today’s corporate ‘aristocracy’.
They say that back in the day, Musselburgh Old Links lay much closer to the sea. Now, due to the build-up of silt from the River Esk and the Firth of Forth, it’s almost half a mile away, though it’s still considered a links course.
Today, the course is surrounded by Musselburgh Racecourse and on race days, there can be limited access.
Playing The Course
Playing Musselburgh’s Old Course is a rare experience. The 4th hole, called ‘Mrs Foreman’s’, is considered the toughest, playing over a bend of the racecourse. Even with a tailwind, you need two good hits to reach the green and often a crosswind or headwind doubles the difficulty.
The 8th is another strong hole, a long par 3 at 237 yards and uphill with bunkers on the slope. If you are short at all, and it usually plays into the wind, there’s a good chance of landing in the sand. Of course, tackling this old gem with a set of hickories will add a completely different dimension. All I can say is, swing at about half your normal speed. You’ll soon learn why!
To complete your walk down golf history lane, pop across the street to visit Musselburgh Old Course Golf Club where there’s an interesting plaque on the wall showing Musselburgh’s earliest champions.
I took this shot a good few years ago when Mrs Foreman’s was still a pub. I popped in and it was pretty rough and no longer served beer through a hole in the wall.
Musselburgh Old Links, the oldest course in the world.
