The oldest nine hole club …
Cupar Golf Club is the oldest existing nine hole golf club in the world. We caught up with club member, Mark Duncan and Captain, Stewart Wilson, to discover more …
There are many older courses, but Cupar is the oldest nine hole club in existence. The Club was constituted in 1855.
The clippings below show the hand-written minute from the Club’s founding at a meeting in Cupar’s County Buildings on Monday 7th November 1855.
The press cutting (right) is provided courtesy of local golf writer and historian, Roger McStravick, and recounts a competition played in 1856 – attended by the legendary Allan Robertson, one of the game’s very first professionals. The multiple toasts and songs after their dinner at the Royal Hotel saw them leave “at an early hour“!
Mark explains more on the history saying: “Initially, the club played over 6 holes in a farmer’s field – two days a week – at Tailabout Farm as mentioned in the press cutting. This was just to the east of the town.”
The Fifeshire Journal cutting above acknowledges Robertson’s play just five months after the Club was formed – ahead of the competition highlighted in the previous article. And it is no wonder he played. The ‘King of Clubs’ as he was known had designed the original six-hole course. The opening shot was across the River Eden … no pressure! The second hole took players across the water running out from Tailabout Mill. The third, a narrow fairway near the railway bridge – the fourth, a return. The fifth hole was to a corner known as ‘the triangle’ and the final hole brought players back across the Eden to Thomastoun. It is recorded that when golf was in play, half a dozen or more boys were positioned on either side of the river with long handled nets to retrieve lost balls.
Mark adds: “They tried out a couple of other venues before 20 years at Ladybank – again, for just two days per week.” They benefited from rail tickets at 6p for the return journey! Mark adds: “In 1892, as a result of a growing demand from townsfolk, the Hill of Tarvit Golf Club opened on the Club’s current site. Just four years later, the two Clubs merged as ‘Cupar Golf Club’ leasing the land from Frederick Sharp of Tarvit House.”
That year, works started on the redesign creating the course layout that is – more or less – what golfers play today … nine holes on the northern slope of Tarvit Hill, commanding fantastic views across the town and Eden valley. Just before Christmas in 1907, the present Clubhouse was opened. Ever since, the Club, course and clubhouse have been very much a part of the town and local community.
Ups and downs …
The club has seen two world wars and many economic upturns and downturns, but what of the present day? In a time when golf clubs are closing across Scotland and everyone faces rising costs, how is Cupar Golf Club faring?
Mark says: “As with so many sporting and other venues, we are still grappling with a recovery from the end of lockdowns – but just as with challenges from the past, our membership and community have stood by us.” The proximity and influence of “the Home of Golf at nearby St Andrews” is a challenge as the town and its links courses attract so much attention but, as Mark describes it, it is a “blessing in disguise” adding: “People are more mobile than ever before. St Andrews is riding the crest of a golfing wave after the 150th Open in 2022 and there seem to be no signs of that stopping. As a Club, we need to use our historic status, beautiful location and our great wee course to attract golfers who want to experience a slice of the game’s unique heritage.”
Vibrant …
The club is “vibrant” with a gents’ section, ladies’ section as well as a growing junior section – all with weekly competitions, including mixed competitions. Mark adds: “We are very proud of the investment we are making in the juniors’ game. Time is set aside for juniors’ coaching and we want to attract more boys and girls to the game. It is a great sport and pastime – whether you want to take part in competitions or simply love to play social golf with your mates.”
Green with envy …
The course is nine holes but, as Mark tells us, has varied tee positions which allow a very different challenge to the second nine if playing as an 18 hole course. Mark says: “We only have one full time employee – our greenkeeper, Gary Douglas. All other activities are run by a committee of hard-working and dedicated volunteers who make decisions for the club and steer our way ahead. I know from playing at other clubs that our set up is one many envy. We run a very tight ship!”
That approach has seen the Club outsource its catering franchise. The Auld Nine Restaurant and Bar provides clubhouse meals and also runs events including quizzes, parties, race nights and – as a result of their location next to the town’s graveyard – funeral gatherings and farewell parties too.
Great value …
Current Club Captain, Stewart Wilson, outlines the Club’s focus, saying: “We are a friendly, local and affordable club – for everyone.” Stewart and the committee recognise that money is tight and so decided to keep 2025/26 memberships at an affordable level.
He adds: “Our annual membership is less than the price of a single round at some of the leading destination courses in Fife – £260 for an annual adult male new membership. And so attracting new members – men, women and juniors – is our key priority.”
The future of the game …
Stewart says they try hard to attract juniors, adding: “Young players are the future and we have just started an initiative with nearby Castlehill Primary School for their pupils to come and try golf on our course. We offer free lessons at the St Andrews Centre of Golf Excellence for new members, designed for those worried they are not good players, or they just want to improve their game.”
Yours, socially …
The Club also recognises the need to “embrace social media” and how they communicate with their membership as well as how they advertise the club. Mark says: “We now feature on the ‘Welcome to Fife’ tourist board website and have signed up to CuparNow who are supporting us in how we promote our Club and attract members and visitors to our course. Being a ‘stuffy, old unwelcoming golf club’ is just not an option.” Cupar Golf Club was the opening shot of the CuparNow TV commercial that aired in 2022 and 2023 – and has been seen by more than 450,000 to date.
Mark explains that they try to integrate new members into the club through monthly ‘Roll Up’ evenings where players can turn up without booking and enjoy a social round with other new and existing members – their round followed by a meal or drink in the clubhouse. He concludes: “Golf is great fun, not always about competitions, and is a wonderfully social game for all ages. And the best thing about being a nine hole club? A round is quicker! You can get nine holes in during an evening after work – fitting golf in with your busy life.”
Need more?
For young folk, perhaps inspired by the exploits of new masters champion Rory McIlroy, this is a great club to to learn to play the game.
If you are interested in joining, check Cupar Golf Club via this link. Follow their Facebook page where they also share updates on events and activities for members – old, new and prospective.
And finally …
We mentioned the golfer, Allan Robertson, the ‘King of Clubs‘. He died aged just 44 and was recognised as the best player during much of his lifetime. Golfers at Prestwick Golf Club formed a competition in 1860, to decide who would succeed him as the ‘Champion Golfer’. The Open was the result – a competition that has continued annually ever since (except for war years) and is the longest-running golf championship, and the oldest of the four major championships.
We are very grateful to St Andrews author and historian Roger McStravick for the materials he shared that we are using in this piece. Roger has written a number of world-renowned books on the icons of the game. His co-authored limited edition on Allan Robertson was published last year and can be found for purchase via this link.
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