Bridge Of Allan – late 19^th Century beginnings

Minutes of the Bridge of Allan Golf Club date back to 1892 when golf was becoming popular around this small town on the outskirts of Stirling in central Scotland. On May 29, 1895, the golf club committee invited Tom Morris (pictured) for his advice on construction of a course. The committee took Old Tom to three different sites: Blairforkie, Cornton Vale and Sunnylaw. He recommended the latter site as the best of the three and laid out the course. In these times, the landowner of Sunnylaw granted farmers grazing rights for sheep. Today, grazing is not permitted.

A week after the Club opened an article appeared in the Bridge of Allan Gazette:- ‘From the number of golfers who have suddenly sprung into prominence with the opening of the Fairy Knowe course it is apparent the gowf fever has attacked the Burgh. The course is getting better every day with constant playing on it, and even if one is not a disciple of the Ancient and Royal game, a walk up the Fairy Knowe will be amply repaid by the beautiful panorama’

This delightful course lies in the shelter of the Ochil hills. Of all the courses Tom Morris designed, this is the best preserved on that the layout and the length of the holes, and greens are exactly the same as they were in 1895. Over the years, some sand bunkers have been added but the ancient stonewalls and the fairy knowe, an ancient druid meeting place, are still intact. To be fair, players should use hickory shafts and the gutty balls to relive the bygone era here. However, to play the course, even the modern with modern equipment, still takes the golfer back in time.

Links with Gleneagles

Our Badge shows the Bridge over the Allan Water, something that has another golfing connection. The River Allan starts its life on a stretch of heather moor immediately adjacent to the 7^th Green on the Queens course at Gleneagles. The course at Gleneagles may be more famous worldwide and the scenery beautiful, but the view from the 3^rd tee at Bridge of Allan, is equal to any in the world.

Links with St Andrews

Tom Morris surely enjoyed laying out the course for the founding members of Bridge of Allan. A year earlier he laid out the very long New Course at St. Andrews at just over 6,400 yards – nearly 1,500 longer than Bridge of Allan. However at Bridge of Allan, Old Tom was constrained by the limited acreage and made the best course he could on the ground that was available. It is a tribute to old Tom and the founding members that members and guests still enjoy playing what is almost the original course over a century later

1995 – Golf Club Centenary Dinner.

On the 3^rd March 195 over 100 members were present to celebrate the Clubs Centenary in some style. Club Captain John Craig welcomed members and guests and after  excellent ‘Refreshments’ we were royally entertained by our guest speaker, local historian Ken Gray, who plotted the history of the club from those early times.

2002 - Heather Stirling, club member turns professional.

In the Clubhouse you will find a photograph of Bridge of Allan member Heather Stirling, who in 2002 represented Great Britain and Ireland playing in the Curtis Cup team at Fox Chapel, Pittsburgh (August), and in the Espirito Santo World teams tournament, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (October).  In the same year she won the SLGA order of merit with a record 3410 points and was the first ever golfer to win in one year (in the space of six weeks) the unique treble of the Helen Holm Scottish Open Strokeplay Championship; Scottish Ladies’ (Close) Amateur Championship; and the St Rule trophy.