St Andrews Old Course and The Society of St Andrews Golfers

Introduction

St Andrews has long been known as the “Home of Golf”. For golfers worldwide the St Andrews Old Course and Royal and Ancient Golf Club and are at the essence of its fame. The early golfers on the links enjoyed themselves in a simple fashion unfettered by rules or organisation. The Society of St Andrews Golfers was founded in 1754 and became the third golf society in Scotland and the world. Only the Burgess Golfing Society now the “Royal Burgess Society of Edinburgh” formed in 1735 and the “The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers” instituted in 1744 can claim to be older. The Society had no particular powers for a long time after its foundation. They simply followed the “Rules of Golf” devised by the “Company of Gentlemen Golfers of Leith” where some of their members also played. For some time most golf clubs would each have their own rules.

The Formation of the Society of St Andrews Golfers

In the early eighteenth century as the first golf clubs were formed they kept better records of golf history which had been essentially missing for some 300 years. Golf at this time was mainly played by nobles, wealthy landowners, military officers and merchants. Caddies were necessary to carry golf clubs as golf bags had  not yet been devised. Some caddies would become accomplished golfers. The townspeople did in fact exercise their rights to play on St Andrews Old links but the cost of equipment and balls limited the numbers to a degree.

At their initial meeting they stated “ the Noblemen and Gentlemen above named being admired of the ancient and healthful exercise of the golf, and at the same time having the interest and prosperity of the ancient city of St Andrews at heart, being the ‘Alma Mater’ of the Golf, did in the year of our Lord 1754 contribute for a Silver club having a St Andrew engraved on the head thereof to be played for on the Links of St Andrews upon the fourteenth day of May said year, and yearly in time coming". Little did they know of the fame and responsibility that would follow! The donation was five shillings from each member. In this founding statement they referred to St Andrew's as the ‘Alma Mater’ of the golf. The Latin translation around this time was ‘bountiful or dear mother’. So they appeared to see St Andrews as early as 1754, as the ‘Mother of Golf’, or perhaps somewhere that nurtures golf.

There were twenty two founders of which two were noblemen, three had courtesy titles being sons of noblemen. two were professors, one was the Provost (head of the town council) and 14 were landowners,

At this time only landowners and freeholders had a vote to elect Members of Parliament. The system was dishonest and so, second and other sons of the wealthy often gained seats in Parliament. The founders had several Members in Parliament. Below we give a few details on some of the founders and list all 22.

The Right Hon. Charles Bruce, 5th Earl of Elgin and 9th Earl of Kincardine (1732 – 1771) Elgin was Grand Master of Scottish Freemasons from 1761 to 1763.

The Right Hon. James Wemyss, 5th Earl of Wemyss (1699 – 1756) married Janet Charteris, heiress of Colonel Francis Charteris, who was arrested for the rape of Anne Bond. He was sentenced to hang for the capital felony of rape. The Earl was vital in obtaining the release his father-in-law from Newgate Prison.

The Hon. Thomas Leslie (1701- 1772), was the 3rd son of the 9th Earl of Rothes. At the battle of Preston he was wounded and taken prisoner by the rebels.

The Hon. James Leslie was a member of the Honourable Society of Edinburgh golfers in 1744 and played in their first meeting.

The Hon. Francis Wemyss Charteris (1723 – 1808) was a Scottish landowner.

James Lumsdaine Esquire was Provost of St Andrews, leader of the town council.

Mr David Young, Professor of Philosophy and Mr John Young, Professor of Philosophy were from the University of St Andrews 

Sir James Wemyss, Baronet (1726 – 1786) as The Hon. James Wemyss, he was the third son of the fifth Earl of Wemyss.

Sir Robert Henderson, Baronet (1721 – 1781) was the 4^th baronet of Fordell in Fife. 

Lieut.-General James St. Clair entered parliament in 1922.

Gentlemen Landowners: David Scot, James Oswald, James Wemyss, Walter Wemyss, John Bethune, Henry Bethune, Thomas Spens the Younger, James Cheape, Arthur Martin, Maurice Trent and Robert Douglas

Originally golf clubs played to their own set of rules. However, the St Andrews Society adopted the rules drawn up by the “Company of Gentlemen Golfers of Leith” for play on St Andrews Old Course.

They were as follows with some spelling modernised for ease of reading:

Articles & Laws in Playing at Golf.

1. You must Tee your Ball within a Club's length of the Hole.

2. Your Tee must be upon the Ground.

3. You are not to change the Ball which you Strike off the Tee.

4. You are not to remove Stones, Bones or any Break Club, for the sake of playing your Ball, Except upon the fair Green and that only within a Club's length of your Ball.

5. If your Ball comes among water, or any watery filth, you are at liberty to take out your Ball and bringing it behind the hazard and Teeing it, you may play it with any Club and allow your Adversary a Stroke for so getting out your Ball.

6. If your Balls be found anywhere touching one another, You are to lift the first Ball, till you play the last.

7. At Holing, you are to play your Ball honestly for the Hole, and not to play upon your Adversary's Ball, not lying in your way to the Hole.

8. If you should lose your Ball, by it's being taken up, or any other way, you are to go back to the Spot, where you struck last, & drop another Ball, And allow your adversary a Stroke for the misfortune.

9. No man at Holing his Ball, is to be allowed, to mark his way to the Hole with his Club, or anything else.

10. If a Ball be stopped by any Person, Horse, Dog or anything else, The Ball so stopped must be played where it lies.

11. If you draw your Club in Order to Strike, & proceed so far in the Stroke as to be Accounted a Stroke, as to bringing down your club; if then you club should break in any way, it is to be accounted a stroke.

12. He whose Ball lies farthest from the Hole is obliged to play first.

Early years of the Society

When the nobles and landowners of Fife set up the Society of St Andrews Golfers in 1754. They had wealth and power as their members included nobles, many landowners, members of parliament and the leader of the Town Council. The people of the town generally had no vote for parliament or their local council. The Society of St Andrews Golfers was a unique institution. It was a Private Members Club but had no golf course of its own. The St Andrews Old Course links was public land. However, the Society wielded its power and wealth whereas the people of the town were generally poor. The town was in decline and depended upon the weaving trade. At times the town council were financially embarrassed. The local golfers could not respond when the Society claimed primacy on the St Andrews Old Course links. They were expected to Caddy but only play when the Society had finished. The cultural gulf was vast and over time the aims of the Society and Town were different. The only thing they had in common was an interest in golf on St Andrews Old links and gambling which was endemic throughout society. As workers conditions slowly improved there was the prospect of conflict. In the mid eighteenth century the links were in poor condition as was the town. Golf was not a major sport and there were few players across Scotland.

The first hundred years of the Society were relatively uneventful and they had no significant powers. The Society members played for their Silver Cup annually and the winner became Captain of the Club for the following year. His responsibilities included the care and inspection of St Andrews Old Course. The round of golf was stabilised at 18 holes in 1764 and in 1771 fees for Caddies were fixed for St Andrews Old Course.

In 1797 the town council had been in financial difficulties and sold St Andrews Old Course links to a private buyer. This may not have been legal and anyway caused a great deal of trouble. The situation was stabilised when the Cheape family bought the links in 1821 and secured the rights of golfers. Later they were prepared to sell it back to the Town Council or Royal and Ancient Golf Club. In 1893 the Club did purchase the links but were challenged by the Town Council. A compromise was eventually reached whereby the town bought the links back on the understanding that the Club could build the New Course to deal with overcrowding. It was clear during this period that they would have liked a private course for their members on the links. The historic rights of the people of the town however were upheld. If a private course had been established it could have significantly changed the course of history on the ancient links.

Royal Patronage

In 1833 King William IV agreed to be a patron to Perth Golfing Society granting the title ‘Royal’, the first club to receive this honour. Murray Belshes who was due to be the next Captain of the Society felt aggrieved. The King was also Duke of St Andrews and he felt that the St Andrews Society were being overlooked. He set out to gain Royal patronage writing to the Kings Secretary. He wrote asking if the King would agree to be the club's patron. The King declined because he it seemed that he was getting too many of these requests. Murray was not deterred and  wrote again pointing out the age of St Andrews, the nobility who played there including some from overseas, and doubtless referred to the Dukedom. The king consented and the club was renamed ‘The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews’. This was a wonderful title for a future ‘Home of Golf’ and a boost for St Andrews Old Course. Murray approached the Kings widow Queen Adelaide after the King died in 1738 and she agreed to be a patron. This was logical as she was of course still Duchess of St Andrews. The Royal connection was continued with six members of the Royal family being club Captain at St Andrew's.

Increased Responsibility

The Royal and Ancient had  influence over rules as they were changed or added but it was not until 1897 that its authority for the rules was formally established for all clubs. The Rules of Golf Committee took over the accountability for maintaining the rules. Later shared with the United States Golf Association. They took control of the running of important golf tournaments such as the Open and the Amateur Championship. Looking after these aspects for 107 years added to the prestige of the club and St Andrews Town and St Andrews Old Course. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews gave up its national and international responsibilities in 2005 and reverted to being a private golf club. It was unusual that a single club had been charged with such responsibilities when compared to other sports.

Conclusion

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews did a great deal to uphold the prestige of the ‘Home of Golf’. They acquired the royal patronage, and selected an incomparable name ‘Royal and Ancient’. The maintenance of the old course was paid by them until charges for playing the courses were gradually introduced. The duties for the Rules, the Open and other championships and the growth of the game were significant for a golf club. In return, they enjoyed a privileged position on the links. The ‘Home of Golf’ would continue to flourish.