A grand match to match a grand old golf club

Played over the Kingsbarns Golf Links, the commemorative tournament was supported by representatives from some of the world’s oldest golfing institutions.

The event was organised to acknowledge the first documented reference of the Kingsbarns Golf Club which was recorded in the minutes of the nearby Crail Golfing Society in 1793. The date makes the Society one of only 14 golf organisations to reach this watershed moment.

“It’s a celebration of the fact we’ve reached 225 years, which is quite a milestone,” said Malcolm Lister, secretary treasurer of the Kingsbarns Golfing Society.

“We’re one of only a handful of societies in the world to reach this age, which is certainly something to celebrate. It has been a great pleasure to organise the match and secure the involvement of so many people from the world of golf. The response has been incredible.”

In order to mark the anniversary appropriately, the society invited members from some of the world’s oldest golf clubs and societies, as well as a representative from Crail to play in the specially arranged match.

Six golf clubs took part in the event which followed a four-ball stableford format with the best two scores counting.

As well as being its spiritual home, Kingsbarns Golf Links also holds and displays 13 of the Society’s medals and trophies; the oldest of which is the Wilson medal which dates back to 1923.

The Society has older silverware by 100 years, but these are stored elsewhere.

In total, 11 former Society captains played in the match alongside seven ordinary members and six invited guests.

The ladies team, which included Crail’s captain Pam Smith, the Society’s immediate past captain Mary Halliday, Seonaid Turnbull and Mandy Turnbull, triumphed with 84pts.

After the event, Malcolm Campbell, who represented the R&A, presented the Society with a Quaich.