The town of Musselburgh has produced many champions like the Parks, Ferguson, Brown and the Dunns. John Gourlay the famous feathery ballmaker and Douglas McEwan the clubmaker, moved from Brunisfield Links to Musselburgh in the 1840s.

John Gourlay worked between 1835 and 1855 in producing golf balls. He was one of three males in the Gourlay family who specialised in making golf equipment. A feathery ball made by John Gourlay in 1850 fetched £2,640 at a Sotherby's auction in July 2000.

The links was originally seven holes, with another added in 1838 and the full nine-holes came into play in 1870. The first three holes stretch eastwards from the grandstand at the racecourse - site of the former clubhouse of the Honourable Company.

To the south is the main traffic route on to which the Musselburgh golfers often sliced their shots and played back to the links using the new brass-soled clubs. The metal plate on the 'brassie' wooden club was invented here in 1885, to deal with such shots.

'The Graves', the 344 yard 2nd hole was reputedly named after the ground where the soldiers were buried following the Battle of Pinkie in 1547. Some say to stop the golfers using the land.

The seemingly random size for the four and a quarter inch diameter hole was just that, it happened to be the width of the implement used to cut the holes at Musselburgh, and in 1893 the R&A made the size mandatory.

At the third green, beside 'Lord Shand's' bunker stands Mrs. Foreman's Inn. where there was a hatch in the wall used to pass refreshments to the early golfers. The course then turns northwest towards the sea with a bunker named 'Pandemonium' to be negotiated. The next follows the coastline with the second last hole near the gasworks requiring a drive and a long iron shot to reach the green. The Home Hole, which is now the present first, near the abandoned former clubhouse of the Burgess golfers. The course measures 5380 yards.
By the 1880s there was a number of clubs playing Musselburgh and organising the Links became a problem with over crowding. The four senior clubs, the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, Burgess, Bruntsfield and Royal Musselburgh formed a committee to regulate the green, ending the town's control over the links which had lasted for hundreds of years.

The Honourable Company were first to move further down the coast in 1891, followed by the Burgess club settling at Barnton in 1894 and Bruntisfield laid out their own course in 1898. Royal Musselburgh, granted it's Royal title in 1876, moved to a new parkland course in 1924 at nearby Prestongrange, designed by James Braid.

Records show that during the eighteenth century a women's golf competition was held annually on New Years Day among the fishwives of Musselburgh and Fisherrow. The earliest known reference to an open womens' golf competition at Musselburgh dates from 9th January 1811. Played on a putting course, the winners prize was a 'creel' and a 'skull' (a skull was a small fishing basket), with the consolation prizes of 'two fine silk handkerchiefs from Barcelona'. It was not until the 1870's that Ladies began to play with a set of clubs on short courses.

Willie Park and family

Willie Park Sen. was born in the town, the son of a farm worker. He came to prominence around 1853 and was such a strong player that an abundance of money was forthcoming to back him. He played Tom Morris on at least six occasions for £100 and the honours were evenly divided. In the last of these at Musselburgh in 1882, the crowd anxious for their local man to win, repeatedly moved Morris's ball into a worse lie and the referee stopped play. When Morris and the referee retired to Foreman's public house, Park sent a message saying if Morris did not come out and finish the match he would play the remaining holes alone and claim the stake - which he did.

Willie Park Sen. had an easy swing with a pause at the end, and his accuracy with the putter from six or seven feet was deadly. He was the first winner of the Open at Prestwick in 1860, runner up the following year and champion again in 1863, 1866 and 1875. His brothers David and Mungo were both fine golfers with the later lifting the now familiar Claret Jug for the first time at Musselburgh in 1874.

Willie Park Jnr. was born in 1864 and apprenticed as a club maker with his uncle Mungo at Alnmouth. At the age of sixteen he was appointed green-keeper and professional at Ryton Golf Club where he stayed for four years before returning to his native town. Park lived for many years at 8 Mill Hill, Inveresk where he started in business as a club and ball maker.

Willie Jnr. first came to the public's attention when he was seventeen, winning against a strong field at Alnmouth. He later went on to win the Open in 1887 and 1889. In a challenge match at Musselburgh against Archie Simpson, he holed the nine holes in thirty three strokes establishing a new course record. Described as a graceful player, Park was the longest driver of the ball among his contemporaries. He continued to use his cleek for putting rather than the modern style and his only trouble was in getting loft on his iron shots so he set about designing a club with a concave blade - between a mashie and a lofting iron, which sent the ball very high in the air, landing softly with no run. Park's patent 'Lofter' was taken up by a number of good golfers and established him as a leading innovator in club making.

Park made the most of his playing talents and business acumen. During the 1890s, with the increase in popularity of the game his patent clubs were in great demand. He persuaded many large stores to stock his branded clubs and through skillful advertising which was new at the time, he reached markets beyond the professional's shop. In 1897, Park bought a house in North Berwick which he converted into a workshop and residence. His apprentice, James Watt continued as a club maker in that town for many years.

In 1901, Willie Park Jnr. laid out Sunningdale which at that time offered a glimpse of the potential that inland golf could aspire. His next venture at the Huntercombe Club was not so successful which included three golf course, a hotel and housing development. Park put up the finance himself and when the project failed he lost heavily. He also wrote the first golf instruction book by a professional called 'The Game of Golf' in 1896 and 'The Art of Putting' in 1920. Willie Park Jnr. died in 1925 at the age of 61.

Bob Ferguson

Bob Ferguson was born in Musselburgh in 1848 and won the first of his three Open Championship's over his home course in 1880. When Ferguson was only 18 years old, he won the first prize of ten pounds in a tournament at Leith Links (1866) against a strong field of top professionals. This brought him to the attention of a number of wealthy sponsors including Sir Charles Tennant who backed him in 1868 and 1869 when he defeated Tom Morris on six occasions. A bout of typhoid cut short Ferguson's playing career and he was later appointed custodian of the old links. Bob Ferguson died in 1915 and a fountain was erected adjoining the Musselburgh Links in his memory.

Willie Dunn and family

Willie Dunn was born in Musselburgh in 1821 and along with his twin brother Jamie, played in many challenge matches between 1840-1860. Willie Dunn who apprenticed under the Gourlay family, was keeper of the green at Blackheath Links until 1864 when he returned to Leith Thistle Club before settling at North Berwick.

Dunn had two sons Thomas who apprenticed as a club maker under his father at Musselburgh and Willie Dunn Jnr who trained under his older brother from the age of thirteen. When Tom Dunn became keeper of the green at North Berwick his father and brother joined him as club makers and teaching professionals on the West Links.

Willie Dunn Jnr. was appointed professional at the North Devon Golf Club (1886-88) and later at Biarritz. It was while he was in France that the Vanderbilt family invited him to Shinnecock Hills on Long Island to extend the course to eighteen holes in time for the 1896 U.S. Open. Willie Dunn Jnr. won the U.S. Open in 1894 by defeating another Musselburgh boy Willie Campbell, by two holes in the first and last U.S. Open to be settled by match play. The following year Dunn came second in the first stroke play U.S. Open Championship.

In 1895, Willie Dunn Jnr. made the United States his permanent home when he was appointed professional at the Ardsley Casino Country Club, Dobbs Ferry, New York where he designed the course. He was later joined by his nephews John and Seymour opening a successful retail shop in New York City. In 1897, Willie Dunn Jnr. was recruited by Bridgeport Gun Implement Company in Connecticut who were moving into golf club manufacturing as their club designer. Dunn also worked with a number of other company's while continuing his business in New York. In 1910 Seymour Dunn moved to Lake Placid, New York where he remained for the rest of his life and was affiliated to the country club and several hotels in the resort area. In the 1920s Willie Dunn Jnr. moved to San Jose in California still designing clubs until his death in 1952.

Charles Gibson

Charles Gibson Jnr. was born March 20th 1860 in Mill Hill, Inveresk. He apprenticed as a clubmaker under Willie Dunn Snr. at Musselburgh and in 1881 moved to North Berwick to work for Willie's son Thomas Dunn. That year, Tom Dunn was appointed keeper of the green at North Berwick and rented a timber building adjacent to the 18th tee on the West Links, for his clubmaking business. Charles Gibson and Tom Dunn trained many fine clubmakers at North Berwick including James H. Hutchison and Jack White.

Charles Gibson married North Berwick girl Helen Ramage and in 1887 joined Tom Dunn's brother Willie Dunn Jnr. at North Devon Golf Club, Westward Ho! where he was appointed club maker. Gibson remained with the Northam club for 43 years and trained many fine club makers including John H. Taylor who left school at the age of 11 to become a greenkeeper and went on to win the Open Championship fives times; George Cann who later started a club making business with Taylor at Richmond and Bert Way who designed the courses at Euclid Country Club and Mayfield Country Club in Cleveland. Way was also a friend of Coburn Haskell and collaborated in the testing and design of the rubber-wound golf ball.

In 1924, Charles Gibson was asked to make a miniature set of golf clubs for Queen Mary's Doll's House. Ben Sayers at North Berwick made the irons and Gibson made the wooden clubs. The leather golf bag was two and a half inches high and the clubs were three and a quarter inches long. The Doll's House was displayed at the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley and is now on view at Windsor Castle. The aim of the project was to raise money for children's charities and Queen Mary wrote personally, thanking the clubmakers. Gibson used as his clubmakers mark a horse, reflecting his early days living opposite Musselburgh race course. His four sons also took up a career in golf at Westward Ho!, Royal Calcutta Golf Club and in America.

Willie Campbell

Willie Campbell, a former caddie for Bob Ferguson was born in Musselburgh in 1862 and worked with Old Tom Morris at Prestwick before becoming professional and club maker at Ranfurly Club, Bridge of Weir. A tall strapping fellow he was not a sensational driver yet long and straight off the tee but it was with the mashie that he was famed, using it for every kind of shot, sometimes putting with it. Match play rather than stroke was Campbell's forte winning many money matches. In 1886, he defeated Willie Park twice over Musselburgh and North Berwick, beat the champion David Brown and had victories over Bob Martin and Willie Fernie.

In 1889, Campbell took part in a four round challenge match against Archie Simpson over Carnoustie, St Andrews, Musselburgh and Prestwick. The first played on 12th April which was the opening day over Archie's home course at Carnoustie. Campbell won all four matches but it was the huge crowd at Musselburgh which stole the headlines with the players driving down an avenue of spectators ten to twelve deep including top-hatted Edinburgh gentlemen shoulder to shoulder with grimy miners who had climbed from the bowels of the earth to watch the match.

John Reid who is credited as being the ' Father of American Golf ' was born in Dunfermline in 1840, and learned to play the game over Musselburgh Links.

Campbell suffered from a rheumatic condition and emigrated to the United States in 1894 where he became the first professional at Brookline Country Club in Boston. Campbell extended the course from six to nine holes which included a replica of the 'Redan' hole on the West Links, North Berwick. In 1896 he was appointed to Myopia Country Club and the following year moved to the first public links course at Franklin Park, working from a shop in Dorchester. His wife Georgina also born in Musselburgh was the first lady professional in the United States. Campbell never enjoyed good health and died in Boston in 1901 at the age of 38 and is buried at Forest Hills.

Doleman Brothers
The four Doleman brothers living at 7, High Street, North Esk were associated with golf for over 70 years. William (1838-1918) was the best player and was the first amateur to enter the Open Championship. A. H. Doleman (1836-1914) was one of the pioneers of golf in England and founder of golf at Lytham and St Annes. John (1826-1918) the eldest, introduced the game to Nottinghamshire and Frank (1848-1929) was a clubmaker at Bruntsfield Links. William Doleman is credited as the first to play golf in Canada in 1854. When as a 16 year old sailor he went ashore from a military vessel and played a game on the Plains of Abraham at Quebec with clubs he had brought on the voyage.

David Brown
Davie Brown known as the 'Deacon' was a roofing slater to trade. When he won the Open at Musselburgh in 1886, he did not initially enter the championship but at the last minute was called from his work to make up the numbers. After a wash and borrowed clothes he amazed everyone by leading a strong field with a record 157 for 36 holes. After his triumph he give up his trade and joined the professional ranks, later emigrating to Boston where he made a substantial living from the game.

At the US Open in 1903, Davie Brown tied with Willie Anderson from North Berwick but was defeated in the play-off by two strokes 82-84. Brown enjoyed playing the stock market but lost most of his wealth during the Wall Street slump in 1929 and returned to Musselburgh, where he died a year later.

Musselburgh Racecourse and Grandstand © Digitalsport UK

For many years Musselburgh Links were neglected by the Local Authority but the club members have worked tirelessly to bring the course back to the fine condition it is in today. A feasibility study is currently being carried out to look at the possibility of extending the course to 18 holes, including a practice range and a six-hole junior course. For those wishing to experience playing golf during the 19th century, hickory clubs and guttie balls are available to hire from the starter. The town of Musselburgh is situated on the A1 motorway, en-route from Edinburgh to North Berwick.