Canniesburn Golf Club, Glasgow. (1980 - 1924)

The club was founded in 1908.

Originally a 9-hole course it was extended to 18-holes in Spring 1910.

 

Canniesburn Golf Club, Glasgow. Report on the opening of the 18-hole course in 1910.

Globe - Tuesday 11 January 1910. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Report on the opening of the 18-hole course on Saturday 16 April 1910 J H Taylor, Mid Surrey, (then Open Champion); Harry Vardon, Totteridge; James Braid, Walton Heath, and Alex Herd, Huddersfield, started a mini-tour of Scottish golf courses at Canniesburn. Unfortunately the days play was not helped by the constant rain which fell heavily during the morning round. In the afternoon it started to snow, followed again by continuous rain. The club charged an admission fee of one shilling (5p) and in the afternoon it was reported that about 500 people followed the match. The course after so much rain was pretty well sodden. Play in the morning consisted of international sides, Vardon and Taylor, England, against Braid and Herd, Scotland, in the afternoon singles were played.

Vardon and Taylor won the morning match by 2 and 1, scores as follows:-

Taylor and Vardon; Out - 4,5,4,4,4,4,4,3,5 = 37; Home - 4,3,4,4,4,4,3,4,5 = 35; Total - 72.

Braid and Herd; 4,6,4,4,4,5,3,4,5 = 39; Home - 4,4,4,5,3,4,3,3,5 = 35; Total - 74.

Waterproof "overalls" were donned for the afternoon round. Notwithstanding the weather Vardon played magnificent golf and went round in 70, a record for the new course. Scores as follows:-

Vardon; Out - 5,5,4,4,5,3,4,3,4 = 37; Home - 3,3,4,4,4,4,3,4,4 = 33; Total - 70.

Braid; Out - 4,6,4,3,4,4,3,3,5 = 36; Home - 4,4,3,4,4,4,3,4,5 = 35; Total - 71.

Herd; Out - 4,5,4,4,4,3,3,4,5 = 36; Home - 4,5,4,4,4,3,3,4,5 = 36; Total -72.

Taylor; Out - 4,5,3,3,4,4,4,4,6 = 37; Home - 4,4,4,4,4,4,3,3,5 = 35; Total - 72. 

During this visit Braid gave recomendations on alterations, improvement and lengthening of the course. These changes must have come to fruition and he persuaded his three playing colleagues to visit the reconfigured course a year later.

R McNab was a member at Canniesburn  Golf Club prior to WW1 and entered local open competitions. 

In 1914 the secretary was P Ritchie FSAA, 38 Bath Street, Glasgow. Telephone Bearsden 149. The professional was J Taggart. An 18-hole undulating and hilly course which was mainly dry. There was a membership of 450 gents and 150 ladies. Entry fee for gents was £2/2/0 and ladies 10/6d. Subs for gents £1/5/0 and ladies 10/6d.  Visitors’ fees were 1/- a day, 5/- a week and 10/- a month. There was no Sunday play. The station at Bearsden was ½ mile away and the Killermont tram ½ mile away.

The lady club members arranged the monthly whist drive in December 1914 to help with the War Relief Funds. Mr Walker, vice-captain, provided the prizes.

The course was reduced to nine-holes during WW1 with part of the course being used for agriculture.

 

Canniesburn Golf Club, Glasgow. The golf course on the 1922 Ordnance Survey Map.

Ordnance Survey Map © Crown Copyright {1922}

 

In July 1920 W J Gale, Canniesburn, played in the Scottish Amateur Championship at Gleneagles.

At the Cullen Golf Tourney In July 1922 J McKelvie, Canniesburn, scored 87 and 82 for a total of 169.

In July 1923 J Colin Murray from Canniesburn played in the Scottish Championship at Troon.

H M Dickson and James Luke, Canniesburn, lost in the fourth round of the Evening Times foursomes tournament at Gullane in October 1923. 

In 1923/4 the Canniesburn Golf Club were unable to renew the lease on the course and closure was inevitable. 

The former clubhouse is still in existence and is now a private residence. 

The current Windyhill Golf Club, Bearsden, appeared in 1924. The course was designed by James Braid. 

The Google Map below pinpoints the area once occupied by the Canniesburn golf course.