The Royal Scots Golf Club (RSGC) celebrates its 100th anniversary this year and events begin on Friday, April 29 when they hold their centenary match at Glencorse Golf Club near Penicuik, the course which allowed the first event after the club was instituted on March 17, 1922.
The club welcomed 97 members in its inaugural year and was one of many organisations within the Royal Scots Club and the first Captain’s gold medal was struck in 1924. A Hole & Hole medal was presented by J K Graham in 1922 for a competition that is still played today and for the same silver medal.
Members originally only came from Royal Scots regimental members of the Royal Scots Club in Abercrombie Place, however, when the Institute of Directors (Scotland) and other organisations took office space at the club, they were also allowed to join the society golf club within the Royal Scots Club. Some are still playing members and one of the reasons the membership is not just all former Royal Scots.
The club has a broad representative membership, well over half being ex-Royal Scots, some Royal Scots Club members and members who are or were friends of members.
So, if you are considering becoming an active member and joining what will be again a club with a great future, as well as a long and successful history, get in touch via the Regimental office.
There is an intention to restrict the numbers for administrative reasons, but the club holds various team matches, individual competitions and enjoyable away days visiting other clubs for matches.
The RSGC have a history of competitive matches against another old Edinburgh golf society, The Corstorphine 8:30 Golf Club, itself an old golf society instituted in 1924.
The “8:30” club took its name from the time of the train from Corstorphine to Waverley which carried the original 12 members to work each morning.
The matches are home and away, playing for the model of the train and the other is a model of a Royal Scots Pikeman. The train and the pikeman form the centre point at an annual dinner, cup and medal presentation held separately by both clubs.
The losing team’s representative in attendance has the long walk to hand over the relevant trophy to the winning club. The RSGC’s golfing year ends with an AGM and dinner in the Royal Scots Club where they still have a strong connection.
PICTURE: taken before a previous outing
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