Welcome to Lauder Golf Club.

History

golf club on golf course

The Beginning

The Club was formed in 1896 by several prominent men and women of Lauder and the nearby surrounding area. At first a field on the Stow Road was used until an increase in the membership encouraged the move to Chester Hill.

The initial layout of the course as supervised by Willie Park, Jnr., British Open Champion in 1887 and 1889. The professional course record of 70 is held by him, and this has stood since 1905. Although the course was shorter in the early days, it proved difficult to maintain because it was spread over a wide area.In fact in 1931 the committee considered reducing the size of the course by playing from the second tee to the fourth hole to save time and money in cutting the third and fourth fairways

white golf ball on top of green grass field surrounded by green leaf trees

The Decline

Interest in the sport declined locally in the 1930’s and in 1935 the club requested that the then Town Council assume control of the course. However, the decline continued and by the outbreak of the Second World War the club had ceased to exist.

During the war years the hill was used by the Polish Tank Regiment for their training exercises and this resulted in some damage to the field drainage in operation on the hill.

There is no record of any golf being played again on the hill until 1963.

The club was on its way again, with the annual sub for the first year fixed at 10/- (50p).

man in black shirt and white shorts playing golf during daytime

The Dawning of a New Era

In 1961 the Town Council decided to reinstate the course. In 1962,John Adam Scroggie, O.B.E., C.I.E., a retired Police Commissioner of India and a son of Lauder donated £500 to help to re-establish the golf course, and a silver salver to be played for annually. His ashes are interred in Lauder Cemetery.

Mr J. Scott and Mr W. Hardie searched the hill to find the old positions of the greens and fairways. Equipment was borrowed with the assistance of another son of Lauder, Mr Alfred Harrison, who was Superintendent of Parks for Edinburgh Corporation and in August 1963 Charlie Hood along with his daughter, Isa, played again st father and daughter, William and Carol Cowe of Duns in the first match at Lauder since 1939.

About

low angle photo of man playing golf taken at daytime

Lauder Golf Course is a nine hole golf course played off 17 tees, visitors are permitted to play off the back tees; making Lauder one of the fairest tests of golf in ‘The Scottish Borders’. Situated on gently sloping parkland providing a real challenge to your game, combined with stunning views of the Lauderdale District with the rich history of a course founded in 1896 it makes for an excellent days golfing in The Scottish Borders.

With feature holes like ‘The Wood’ and ‘The Quarry’, it will test low handicap golfers; as well as provide a good days golf for those of us with more shots to play with. The initial layout of the course was supervised by Mr. Willie Park, Jnr. British Open Champion in 1887 and 1889. The professional course record of 70 is held by him and this has stood since 1905. The club have a very active membership which is drawn from all parts of the Borders and Edinburgh area, visitors are very welcome to accept our unique ‘Borders Hospitality’.