a short history of dgc

Preface:
This is a short History of Dumbarton Golf Club. Unfortunately many of the original photographs that were available for the centenary book have disappeared over the years and we have been limited in what we can show.
Dumbarton Golf club is one of the oldest in the West of Scotland and celebrates it’s 125th year in 2013.
It is interes ng to see as you delve into past minutes that many of our problems of today are echoed in our past.
It is however interes ng to note that as we now s have controversy about Open venues who do not admit Ladies to their membership, Dumbarton introduced their first Lady members as early as June 1889 and the
club was instrumental in arranging for local clubs to form the Dunbartonshire Golf Union.
The Beginnings:
The Club owes its existence largely to the fact that in 1887 a few of the town's illustrious shipbuilding sons
holidayed at St. Andrews. There, inevitably one might say, they tried their 'pren ce hands on the Old Course and,
although they had them badly bi en, they returned to the 700-year-old Royal Burgh situated where the Leven
meets the Clyde bent on forming a club of their own.
The site they chose to lay out the original nine holes was far from ideal. It was the common grazing land,
much of which lay in a sweeping loop in the River Leven, and at high de the water, held back by a broad dyke, rose
above the level of the course. Obviously, the main problem wa
Even before 1887, however, the sports-conscious of the Vale of Leven had given the game a trial on the same site,
the boggy common land then known as Meadow Bank, but their a empts were doomed to failure although it is s
uncertain whether this was due to the nature of the ground or " the hours set apart for prac ce "—from 6 to 8
a.m.!
Even when the pioneers returned from St. Andrews they were a trifle apprehensive about translating into fact their
dreams of constructing a course for the shipyard workers. It is on record that when they launched their scheme they
did so " with fear and trembling but not without hope " that the King of Games will find a prominent home in the
capital of Lennox (the ancient title of the territory) and that it will prove a blessing to many of its hard worked and
exercise-needing inhabitants."
1
Dumbarton Golf Club was founded in June 1888. The first entry in the minute book, before the record of the
inaugural meeting, is a dated but unsigned "Introduction", which was probably written by one of the Founders.
Although a Royal and Ancient of some seven hundred years standing there is no record of
the Royal and Ancient Game of Golf ever having until recently a habitation in Dumbarton. It
is true that two or three years ago an effort was made to establish the game but whether it
was the unsuitable nature of the ground — the Meadowpark —or the untimeous hours set
apart for practice — 6 t o 8 am, — or what it was that damped the ardour of the neophytes,
the fact remains that after a brief struggle the attempt was abandoned. But although this effort did not succeed it disclosed the existence in our midst of one of two Golfers of some experience and not a few likely players if reasonable opportunities were afforded of acquiring a
knowledge of the game.
In the summer of 1887 two or three Sons of the Rock with their wives and families spent their summer holidays without any prearrangement, in the old grey town of St
Andrews where good St Rule once held sway, and which is the acknowledged Mecca of
Golfers and the home of the "Royal & Ancient".
There our sojourners tried their prentice hands, and it goes without saying were
bitten. Returning to the old Burgh while under the influence of the golf fever, they
took counsel with a few kindred spirits who imbibed the enthusiasm of the recruits and
before more than a few months had passed a self constituted Provisional Committee was
formed for the purpose of establishing a Golf Club in Dumbarton, a Lease of the
Broadmeadow was secured, and the Provisional Committee bound hand and foot for
ten years for an annual rent of £90/0/0 per annum. A Club has now been formed.
What its career may be remains to be seen. If it succeeds the "Founders" will be
more than compensated for their labours by having been the means of placing within the
reach of the inhabitants one of the most exhilarating and enticing of our national pastimes. If it fails they must rest satisfied with having made an effort to deserve success
and endeavour as best they may to extricate themselves from the liabilities which
their enthusiasm led them to undertake.
To establish such a game in our midst is worth incurring some little risk, but to make
the Club a success a considerable sum of money will have to be expended to make the
Broadmeadow suitable for golfing. A large membership will have to be secured and
when funds permit a Professional engaged.
A permanent Club House will have to be provided. If a sufficient number can only
be got to try the game and persist in it until they get over the drudgery, which at first
besets everything worth learning, there is no fear but that the experiment now being
made will succeed, and that Dumbarton so famous in all kinds of athletic exercises will
possess a flourishing Golf Club, playing the Ancient and Royal Game of Golf over a
course gifted to the Town centuries ago by the Ancient Kings of Scotland.
As it is the Founders, while they have launched their scheme with fear and trembling,
are not without hope that the King of Games will find a permanent home in the Capital of Lennox and that it will provide a blessing to many of its hard worked exercise
needing inhabitants.
JUNE 1888.
2
The two or three Sons of the Rock who were "badly bitten" were W. Craig, John Denny and Arch. Denny.
When they returned to Dumbarton they formed an interim committee with James Denny, P. Denny Jr, and C.
McHardy and together purchased from the Town a lease for part of the Town land known as the "BROAD
MEADOW". The lease was for £90/0/0 per annum, to run from Martinmas 1887 to Martinmas 1897, with a release clause to terminate at Martinmas 1889, in case the project proved futile. The four Denny's were members of the world famous shipbuilding and engineering family, Craig was a Writer and McHardy was the Chief
Constable of Dunbartonshire.
Charles A McHardy
Chief Constable.
Captain 1888-1891
James Denny
Director: Denny
Shipbuilding.
Captain 1892-1895
John Ward
Manager Levenbank
Foundry
Captain 1896-1897
William Craig
County Clerk
Captain 1898-1899
The first minute of the inaugural meeting of Dumbarton Golf Club, (no indication of where the meeting took
place, probably in Denny's offices):
At a meeting held to consider the propriety of forming a Golf Club in Dumbarton.
Dumbarton 21st June, 1888.
Present:
Messrs, James Denny, Charles McHardy, William Craig, Robert McFarlan, John Babtie (Provost),
James Robb.
The following were also present and intimated their desire to become members.
Peter Denny, Walter Brock, Peter Denny Jnr., John Denny, Arch. Denny, Robert B Pope, John
Ward, Rev. G McAlpine, Rev. W Stephen, Rev. I Smith, Rev. A. Grierson, J Reid, W Risk, R Risk, I
Carrick, Rev. Leitch, A Wylie, A Wilson, R P Mitchell.
It was explained to the meeting what the interim committee had so far accomplished, the purchase of
the lease from the Town, granting a sub-lease to W Miller, Dairyman, College St, for grazing and cropping. The expenses incurred in clearing and preparing the ground, this under the supervision of W.
Charles Hunter of the Prestwick Golf Club.
A house in Park Terrace close to the course, was also bought, to be occupied at the time by a groundsman.
The interim committee had also in consideration the employment of a Professional for the course.
The meeting approved of the actions the committee as before detailed and thanked them for their
services.
Thereafter, on a motion of Mr James Denny, seconded by W Craig it was unanimously resolved to establish a
Golf Club in Dumbarton, and the Gentlemen now present agree to form themselves, and hereby, do form themselves, along with the other Gentlemen above named into a Club to be called the Dumbarton Golf Club.
The constitution was presented and agreed to.
3
The following Office Bearers and General Committee Members were elected to serve for the first years of the
Club.
Honorary President: Peter Denny.
President: Provost Babtie.
Captain: Charles McHardy.
Secretary: William Craig.
Treasurer: John M Denny.
Committee:
James Denny, James Robb, Peter Denny Jnr, Archibald Denny, Alexander Wylie, Archibald Wilson.
It was agreed that the Club take the place of the interim committee in leases, agreements and liabilities incurred in the conception of the Club. The Captain and James Denny were instructed to engage a Professional
Golfer for the Club, and when expedient build a Clubhouse.
The Secretary was directed to advertise and invite the enrolment of members.
Dumbarton Golf Club was thus inaugurated ..
From the first A.G.M. on Dec 3rd, 1888, we discover what took place up to then. A Professional Golfer,
Andrew Sommerville of Prestwick was employed by the Club from 26th June 1888, at £1/0/0 per week. He
was to provide, repair and clean clubs, supply balls and superintend the green. In August and September
there was a growing number of complaints from members about the condition of the course. The Captain
headed a sub-committee to investigate the matter and as no report of the exact nature of the complaints is
given, the upshot of the matter was that Sommerville resigned. A local gardener W D Manning was engaged
to take charge of the course, but he also proved unsatisfactory and left soon afterwards.
The Club reverted to its sub-tenant W Miller for the care of the green as he had already carried out work
on the course laying drains etc. However his cattle grazing had to be stopped as they were damaging the
greens, which had to be relaid.
By the second A.G.M. in Dec 1889, it was moved and passed that the Club extend the lease of the Club
ground from the Town by a further ten years to Martinmas 1907. It was reported that the ground and greens
had improved and the hope expressed that at some future date the course could be extended to a full
eighteen hole course.
4
Membership:
To attract more members at the start the subscriptions and annual fees were reduced.
Dumbarton Golf Club was now a reality and although some initial difficulty with cash flow and finding suitable staff
was experienced, the decision to reduce entry fees and subscriptions increased the membership by fifty percent.
Lady Members:
At a Special General Meeting in June 1889, the Constitution was amended so that "Ordinary" members should
throughout the Constitution read 'Playing' members.
And further that "Ladies shall be eligible for Membership, on the following conditions":
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
They shall be nominated and balloted for as in the case of other members.
Lady members shall pay an annual subscription of 5/-.
There shall be no entry fee.
They shall play and use the ground on such days and during such hours and subject to such
conditions as the General Committee shall from time to time direct.
They shall have no right to the use of the Clubhouse.
They shall have no voice in the management of the Club.
From "Jottings by the Way" in the Lennox Herald, March 1889, the columnist commenting that the Golf Club
had now been in existence for over a year, he hears,
that the Ladies have been smitten with enthusiasm and have, "attended to witness the feats of their
Lords and Lovers" and that "it is quite a dignified thing for a Lady to fumble in a bunker".
In February 1937 the Ladies applied and were accepted as members of the Scottish Union.
Over the next few years the membership gradually grew.
1889
1890
1891
1892
1893
1894
Lady Playing
Hon Total
7
14
25
37
48
57
94
119
149
184
184
185
45
43
41
49
49
44
146
176
215
281
281
286
During the period 1889-92 the Club was under threat that part of the course would be lost. Four railway Companies had proposals before Parliament to extend the railway through Dumbarton to Balloch. The outcome was
that of the four proposals, one was abandoned, another not presented and the remaining two amalgamated, this
last being passed into law. The Act of Parliament "authorised a limited interference with the Club ground".
During the six years to 1894 the "Introduction of Golf into Dumbarton" had proved to be popular and successful,
the membership had steadily increased and plans were afoot to extend the course from nine holes to eighteen.
There seems little doubt that it was the influence, position and wealth of the original Founders and the first
Committee that was instrumental in getting the Club started.
5
New Clubhouse:
At a Special General Meeting on March 12th 1890, the House Convener, P Denny Jnr, submitted a proposal for a
new Clubhouse.
Firstly, a plea was made for more members to subscribe to the fund for the Clubhouse. As a precaution against
flooding the site proposed was on rising ground just outside the present gates of the Club.
The sub-committee also recommended that the ground should be held in feu, leaving the Club an asset, which
could be realised, if at some future date the Club lost its ground, or ceased to function. The ground proposed was
promised to the Club by the Trustees of the late Walter Lang of Townend
The sub-committee were aware of the additional financial burden that the proposals would place upon the Club,
but was of the opinion that the security and facilities would in the long run be an asset to the Club. These recommendations and the plans for the Clubhouse were placed before the Meeting for their consideration. This was
agreed and the sub-committee instructed to acquire the site on behalf of the Trustees of the Golf Club, and to proceed with the building of the Clubhouse as quickly as possible.
By May 1890, the cost of the building had risen to £750/0/0. The fund for the Clubhouse at that date was
£370/0/0. In July tenders for the construction were accepted and the building started.
By the fourth A.G.M. on 21st Dec 1891, it was reported that the cost of building the Clubhouse had now escalated to £1200/0/0, the subscriptions to date amounted to £407/0/0, leaving some £800/0/0 to be found to complete the building. It was agreed that the House Committee obtain a loan from the Union Bank of Scotland for
£800/0/0 at an interest of 41.2%. It was also proposed at this meeting that excisable liquor be sold in the Clubhouse
for the benefit of members, the profits going to the Club revenue.
DUMBARTON GOLF CLUB MENU
LUNCHEONS
£
s d
Chops with potatoes
1 3
Steak with potatoes
1 3
Biscuits or Cakes with Cheese
3
Tea or Coffee per Cup,
Ditto with Bread and Butter
2
6
Aerated Waters per Bottle,
Ditto (Superior Quality)
2
3
The Clubhouse was officially opened on Saturday 2nd May 1891.
A Mr. Birrell, a joiner to trade, was appointed housekeeper, who together with his wife, occupied the living
quarters provided in the clubhouse.
Mr Birrell was authorized to sell and repair golf clubs, golf balls and refreshments.
6
Finance:
Financial problems in the club are not new. In 1889 the club had reduced fees as an incentive to encourage new
members to join and this had increased the membership by 50%.
At the beginning of 1896 the club had accrued a debt of £585/0/0, a substantial amount of money in these days.
69 honorary and playing members and twenty-five lady members agreed to double their annual donations and the
debt was reduced by £217/11/1.
Over the years there have been periods of time when the club has struggled with its membership numbers. In
1948 it is recorded that:
“Basing their opinion on the number of resignations and the financial state of the Club, it was estimated that if
matters continued, within two years the Club would not be in a position to carry on.”
Rules and Bylaws:
A constitution was drawn up to remind members, in addition to other things,
that :1.
no ball may be driven from the putting green,
2.
caddies would be paid 3d. for the first round and 2d. for any others
3.
for their reward of a few pence the caddies were denied the right of passing scathing remarks about their
masters' prowess
4.
politeness on the part of caddies should be insisted on
5.
caddies should not be employed during school hours.
6.
the number of Saturdays set apart for competitions be restricted.
7.
a recommendation be made the committee that golfing jackets and caps be kept in the members’ club boxes.
And from a letter sent to members requesting attendance at the A.G.M of December of 1900.
The absolute necessity of seeing that turf lifted in course of playing is replaced.
Of course it is not necessary to remind members of this duty now??
The Course:
On the 11th October 1919 a meeting was held to propose that the course be extended to 18 holes. A counter
motion was proposed that the course be moved to a new site in the town but this was rejected and at a cost of
£350 the 18 holes were completed by the 16th April 1921.
In June 1922 the Scottish Golf Union with the agreement of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club that the standard
scratch score would be 74.
7
Over 20 years later a similar proposal that the course move to Overtoun estate was similarly rejected.
In September 1930 the holes were given a name.
Flooding:
Dumbarton Golf Club situated as it is on low lying reclaimed land, has to this day problems with drainage. In
From the Lennox Herald Jan/Feb/Mar 1921:
. . members of the Club had subscribed, free of interest, £250/0/0 towards the £350/0/0 necessary for the extension of the course . . . subscriptions increased . . . full list of competitions resumed after the war . . . five extra
holes now ready . . . and it was agreed to advertise for more members. A pleasing feature in the accession of
strength is from the young tradesmen of the Town. 16th April 1921 the full eighteen holes opened, the work was
carried out under the supervision of Mr Lynch, the Greenkeeper. The course now has long holes, which is good,
in the event of the rubber ball".
The new proposed golf course: From
the minutes of a meeting in September 1948:
"A discussion took place regarding the Town Council's proposal to grant part of the Overtoun Estate to be
used as a golf club. The committee expressed great interest in the scheme but desired more details before calling
a Special Meeting of the Club members. Later in March, the Secretary reported that he had been approached by
Baillie McCallum and the Town Clerk to appoint a deputation to meet with the Town Council to discuss with them
the question of the proposed golf course at Overtoun,
"The deputation consisted of the following: Messrs Kempton, Williamson, Graham, Haig-Mitchell and
MacLachlan.
October 1891 the river breached the embankment and the course was badly flooded. At the fourth A.G.M. on
December 1891, Mr. J. T. Babtie reported on an investigation he had been asked to undertake, to find a remedy for
this problem.
In his report he stated that he had found that the existing layout and capacity of the drains was adequate for
normal circumstances. He discovered that during the week following the initial breach, that the river level had not
fallen to within several feet of the normal low water mark, thus making efficient drainage to the course
impossible.
Mr Babtie's remedy for this, was to have a double brick culvert and sluice constructed on the northern aspect of the
course and endeavour to control the drainage of the course more effectively. The Club obtained estimates and tenders for this work and tried to interest the Town Council in implementing the system suggested, or even to share in
the cost, as it was pointed out that this would also be beneficial to the drainage of the Public Park of the Common.
From the initial correspondence starting in late 1891 through to 1892, and the sixth A.G.M. in December 1893 the
minutes of the Club reflect the negative response from the Town Council.
The embankment was again breached in 1918 consequently the course was flooded at high tide, making play impossible, also interfering with the cattle grazing, the owners of the cattle claiming a rebate of their grazing rent.
The course for many years was played in a different way. The 18th was then the 2nd and the final hole was the now
14th.
September 1950: Flooding of the course. In spite of the efforts of the greenkeeper, water from the Bellsmyre estate
was still causing considerable flooding of the course.
8
Throughout 1950-51 the Golf Club was again endeavouring to have the Town assist in the drainage of the course.
By its situation, the golf course had to take all the ground water coming from the surrounding area and no means
whereby to drain this excess water away. A Councillor Gilmour advocated that a pumping station be built linking
the drainage of the course to a sump and thence pumped out to the Leven and suggested that the Club should find
£3,000 as a contribution to this pumping station. As the Club was at this time struggling to remain viable this expense was out of the question.
A deputation from the Club met with the Town where the cost of the pump was brought up and also by the
Burgh Engineer agreeing that the flooding might be relieved by increasing the size of the drainage pipes at the
north end of the course. The possibility of a golf course being developed at Overtoun was discussed as it was
thought by this committee that the Peter Denny bequest to the Town of £40, 000 might be partly used to this
end. However, nothing could be decided until the Peter Denny Trust had been consulted.
"the feeling of the deputation was one of satisfaction as it was felt that the Dumbarton Golf Club would in time benefit greatly".
From the A.G.M. February 1951: The Ground Convener, Mr Thomson reported that, through the good offices
of the Provost, he had good grounds for hoping the flooding on the course would be rectified by the provision
of a new outlet pipe at the north end. The Burgh Engineer promised nothing with regard to the south end, but
Mr Thomson, in spite of that, had great hopes that the course would be in good order for the new season.
Messrs Thomson, Kempton and Williamson visited, with Provost McLeod, the proposed site of the new golf
course at Overtoun Stables. It was felt that the Provost was suitably impressed and that he would be bringing an architect to consider the new site as it was the Provost's view that there was a great need in Dumbarton for a golf course. However, it was explained that before anything could be done, legal advice would
have to be taken on the terms of the Deed of Gift and that the Magistrates thereafter would decide how the
money should be spent. If the course materialised, local members would be given preferential treatment in
the matter of membership subscription.
9
Professional Golfers:
A professional, Andrew Somerville from Prestwick, was appointed immediately, at a wage of £1 a week, to
instruct the members in the fundamentals of the game, but in a few months, following a difference of opinion with
the committee, he resigned.
It is only in the last few years that the club has returned to employing a professional.
Tournaments:
Slowly but surely, progress was made and in September 1895 the professional might of Scotland took part in a competition at Dumbarton. Willie Fernie triumphed with a 36-hole aggregate of 154. He was followed by Ben Sayers,
Willie Auchterlonie, David Grant, John Hunter, Robert Simpson, A. Kirkaldy and last but by no means least with 178
was old Tom Morris, then 75, destined the same year to make his final appearance in the Open Championship which
he had graced since its inception thirty-six years before.
Trophies:
Club Championship:
In 1898 Mr. F. G Preston of Messrs Stone and Company presented a trophy and it was decided to award this
trophy for the championship of the club.
Gordon Shield:
Presented to the club in 1934 by Mr. W. Gordon
The first winner was Mr R. J. Millar of the Fereneze Golf Club with score of 69 who played off 12 of a handicap.
10
Shanghai Cup:
Presented to golf club by the Dumbarton members of the Marine Engineers’ Institute of Shanghai in 1921.
This was the first cup to played for over the new 18 hole course.
In 1931 the Shanghai format was changed to an eighteen hole qualifying event with the top 32 lowest scores on
handicap to qualify for match play.
The design is unconventional as the lettering is off centre to
accommodate the dragon shape wrapping itself round the cup.
11
The clubhouse in 1948:
Back row:
J Stewart, H. Jackson, G. McGoldrich, J. Henderson.
Middle row:
A. Wilson, T. Ballantyne, J. Broadley, H. McFadyen, J. Brown
Front row:
M. Clifford, W. Irvine, Unknown, W. Kempton,
D. Broadley (with the club Championship Trophy), J. Duncan, J. Finlay, P. McGonagle,
J. McCulloch
In November 1957 Alistair Wilson, who was an Art Teacher at Dumbarton Academy designed the present badge.
Because elements of the design are based on the Dumbarton Coat of Arms, the design had to be agreed on by the
Lord Lyon King of Arms whose office is responsible for all matters of heraldry.
The idea of incorporating seagulls in the design originated from the problems of seagull feathers making it
difficult for the members to find their balls on the fairways .
12
Extract from "Rock Magazine" June 1939
Golf in Dumbarton
Dumbarton Golf Club is the oldest golf club in the county. It was instituted on the first spread of inland golf to the
West of Scotland. Last year was the jubilee year of the club, and it was expected it would celebrate the event by completing the extension of the course to eighteen holes, but unforeseen circumstances arose, and the extension was delayed
until this season.
Here are the names and lengths of the course, together with the par score:—
No.
Name
Yards
Par
No.
Name
Yards
Par
1
Green Isle
320
4
10
Hole O'Cross
258
4
2
Gooseholm
335
4
11
Punchbowl
352
4
3
Marsh
311
4
12
Hedge
198
3
4
Leven
469
5
13
North Pole
415
4
5
Rock
377
4
14
East Neuk
415
4
6
Dalmoak
355
4
15
Long
486
5
7
Old Bridge
345
4
16
Whins
144
3
8
Miller's Acre
127
3
17
Dumbuck
362
4
9
Carman
333
4
18
Home
289
4
2972
36
2921
35
5893
71
Total length
Dumbarton plays its golf on the Broad Meadow; the hundred acre plot of land belonging to the municipality. The
stretch, so convenient to the town, gave admirable facilities for a nine hole course, and when these were common
Dumbarton had the reputation of being one of the best in the Glasgow radius, but the extension to eighteen holes was
a difficult proposition, so much of the ground being under tidal influence. It was at the third attempt the Club
succeeded in extending. But the lie of the land had to be proved as the scheme advanced, and there have been six
variations of the eighteen holes before the final layout has been possible. It will be noted from the table that in
naming the holes the Club has tried to preserve some of the old nomenclature of the Meadow. The Green
Isle is the higher part which used to be surrounded by the waters of the Leven before the Embankment was
built. The Miller's Acre is the plot which belonged to the meal mill which stood in the district of the
Townend. The North Pole was the stretch of water, now largely filled in, which was a skaters' paradise in the
Dumbarton of half a century ago.
This stretch of water and marshy ground has been the blot on the landscape from the golfer's point of
view, but they have finally taken their courage in both hands and made it the principal hazard of the round.
To be safe the player must skirt it to the first hole by making his line dog-leg.
To the second he must boldly carry the water from the tee. At the third his second shot must travel down
the fairway or the ball is lost; and the same fate awaits him at the fourth if he hooks from the tee into the wilderness of rushes. For the erratic player this tiger stretch will always prove expensive both in the loss of penalty
strokes and balls, but the player of economical mind who is not sure of his stroke will doubtless play a ball
which is about the end of its days.
When past these troublesome holes, the round at Dumbarton is pleasurably eventful. The holes are varied, long and short; the long driver has scope to open his shoulders, but the greens call for carefully played
seconds, and scoring is never so easy as it looks. When the new course got its first real tryout in the recent
County Union Competition, the comment of the scratch players was that Dumbarton had always been
spoken of as -easy- but that the round was now quite a - tough proposition - .
13
The making of the modern golf course is an expensive affair. The bigger clubs spend thousands of
pounds in securing architectural perfection, even municipal course are being laid down at substantial cost. The
Dumbarton Club has spent over £1,000 in making the Meadow suitable for the royal and ancient game. The
Town Council, then, has been fortunate in its tenant as it has been saved the necessary of making a course,
while drawing a substantial rent from the ground. The only snag was when the river took a hand and burst
through the embankment. That repair cost the town a sum of £800.
Admission to the membership of the club is open to all in the burgh and elsewhere, and there are some
500 members in the classes of men, ladies, apprentices, boys and girls. It should be noted that the Committee has been showing a spirit of enterprise in the clubhouse as well as on the course. A long anticipated
improvement there is the enlarged clubroom for the ladies.
The clubhouse is now in charge of Mr and Mrs David Broadley, who have succeeded Mr and Mrs
James McDonald. The late Wm. Haggarty, when greenkeeper, carried out most of the practical work on the
extension, but was unfortunatel overtaken by serious illness just before the completion of the job.
The Clubhouse in the 60’s
The presentation of the new flag by the Ladies’ Section circa 1960’s
14
The picture of the first fairway from the clubhouse in 1957 shows the lack of trees on the course.
The course length in 1957 was 5816 yds and had a
par of 71
The first hole “Marsh” in 2013
15
The 4th hole in 1957 now the 16th
1957 the fourth hole now the 16th.
Present day 16th hole. (Kipperoch)
16
The former 12th hole, prior to the course alteration in
conjunction with the new housing development on the
former J & B site.
1957 the 10th hole now the 6th.
17
The 11th in 1957: Now the 7th
( Punch Bowl )
The course and standard scratch has altered over the years.
In 1938 the length of the course was 5893 yards (S.S. 72) In 1957 the length increased to 5981 yards (S.S. 71) and is
now 5934 yards (S.S. 70).
18
In 1957 this was played as the 2nd and was known as the Gooseholm
In 1957 this was the 18th and was known as Home
19
Played in 1957 as the third and was named the Marsh
View of the first fairway from the putting green 2013
20
Famous Members:
Charlie Green
On the 2nd May 1946 a new schoolboy member was admitted to Dumbarton Golf
Club. C. W. Green or Charlie as we all knew him.
The word “legend” may be used with abandon in the modern sporting arena, but it
is entirely appropriate in describing the late Charlie Green, who devoted his golfing
career to the amateur game and enjoyed a level of success that is unlikely to be
matched. In fact, no-one will probably come close, such was Green’s prodigality,
both in his “regular” career then in the ­senior ranks.
One notable exception apart – he failed to win the Amateur Championship, the
blue ribbon event in the unpaid ranks – every single trophy worth its salt in amateur golf has the name “CW Green” inscribed on it at least once and, in most cases,
it appears frequently.
Green went on to win the Scottish Amateur Championship in 1970, 1982 and 1983.
The latter victory at Gullane came just short of his 51st birthday and he remains
the oldest champion.
“Charlie had retired from playing competitive golf when he won
his last two Scottish Amateur Championships,” said Glencorse’s
George Macgregor, the man Green had beaten, again on the
final green, at Carnoustie 12 months earlier, having opened his
account in the event by holing a 6ft putt at the last to beat
Hugh Stuart at Royal Aberdeen.
Green also chalked up two Scottish Stroke-Play Championship
successes – 1975 and 1984 – and was runner-up in that event
twice as well while other notable triumphs with a card and pencil in his hand came in the Lytham Trophy (1970 and 1974),
Tennant Cup (1968, 1970 and 1975), Craigmillar Park Open
(1971, 1972 and 1977), Edward Trophy (1968, 1973, 1974 and
1975) and Cameron Corbett Vase (1968).
Green won the Dunbartonshire stroke-play and match-play
championship five times each while he was also a three-time
West of Scotland Open champion.
At no stage in his career was Charlie, a long-time salesman for
whisky company Ballantine’s in Dumbarton, tempted into turn­
ing professional. Even though he gave a good account of himself on one of the biggest stages in the game when
winning the Silver Medal as leading amateur behind Arnold Palmer in the 1962 Open Championship, he was content
to play the game for fun and, of course, the voucher which he picked up with unerring regularity when club Opens
were popular.
“Charlie was a licence to print money in those days as he would win £100 vouchers almost every weekend,” recalled
Cliffe Jones, who, in his days as an assistant professional at Cardross, cherished the regular Friday afternoon games
he enjoyed with Green.
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“Charlie was unbeatable back then and it certainly wasn’t just down to luck or anything like that,” added Jones, now
the club professional at Glencorse and who shared Green’s passion for the Sons, Dumbarton Football Club. “He was
the first guy I came across with a work ethic – he’d come down to the club and practice for hours.”
In addition to all the individual success that hard work brought – in his 50s he won the Senior Open Amateur Championship six times and the Scottish Seniors Championship on five occasions – Green also enjoyed an incredible career in team golf. With 63 appearances under his belt, he’s Scotland’s most-capped player, enjoying six outright triumphs and three shared successes in the Home Internationals, an event he played in 18 times in a row (19 if you
include the 1979 contest that only involved Scotland and England, due to an outbreak of foot and mouth in Ireland).
In Great Britain & Ireland colours, he made five appearances in the Walker Cup, an event he also had the honour of
participating in twice as captain. On the second occasion – at Pine Valley, New Jersey, in 1985 – his side included a
certain Colin Montgomerie, who also played under Green in two Eisenhower Trophy teams (1984 and 1986). Prior to
that, Green had also held the Scottish captaincy, finishing in that role in 1983, the year he was awarded an OBE for
his services to golf.
As a Senior competitor he continued his successful career, winning The Seniors Open Amateur Championship six
times between 1988 and 1994, a record number of victories in the championship, and finishing runner-up on three
occasions. He also won the Scottish Seniors Championship five times in seven years from 1991.
in 1994, Charlie was elected a Member of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and continued playing
regularly until last year.
1970 Scottish Amateur Championship
Scottish Amateur Championship
1983
Winning Walker Cup team 1971
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