The World’s oldest golf course as you may come to expect is here in Bonny Scotland. Records show that golf was first played at Musselburgh Linkway back 1672 although it was also reputed that Mary Queen of Scots played here in 1567. The very first Open Championship was hosted by Musselburgh in 1874 and retained it through until 1889, giving prestige to what was to be quite a collection of great courses in the area. As an official open venue golfing aficionados should also include this in their bucket list “open Courses I have played”.
This traditional 9 hole parkland golf course measured just 2,874 yards and was designed by none other than James Braid. One remarkable fact, probably the most is that the golf course is situated within the Musselburgh racecourse confines and has a classic written local rule … Rule 25 (GUR) applies for “Ball Landing on a Hoof-Print”. The golf course's age had not shown as it had hardly changed from when it once opened those hundreds of years or so. ago.
The par 4 fourth hole is a great example, located adjacent to the green is the original Mrs Forman’s pub where of course passing golfers reportedly took refreshment, and where the hatch was used to pass refreshments out.
You would come to think that the golf course itself is not demanding until of course, you reach the second last 8th hole, a mere 240 yards par 3 into a prevailing wind would test the best golfers to make par here.
A fantastic old golf course with more History than you can shake a stick at.. and one that once played you then have bragging rights to have played the oldest golf course there is...
