Alexandra Park Golf Course, Glasgow. (1872

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Alexandra Park Golf Course, Glasgow. (1872 – 2020)

Nine-hole council run golf course.

Glasgow Council decided to close the course in 2020.

The council course was shared by general public golfers and four clubs; Glasgow Golf Club started playing golf on Alexandra Park in 1872 until 1895; Alexandra (Glasgow) Ladies' Golf Club , 1870/80s; Alexandra (Park) Golf Club played golf on Alexandra Park from 1894 until 1906; Caledonian Golf Club from 1895 to 1920s.

Glasgow Golf Club played on Alexandra Park in July 1872.

Report on the formation of the Alexandra Ladies' Golf Club in 1877.

Ladies' competition played in May 1877.

Report from the Glasgow Herald Friday 5 September 1879 – “The Alexander Park Golf Club house drink was persistently kept for the use of members. The Queens Park Bowling Club were accused of sending for drink, while the golf club, who where tenants of the corporation, kept their drink there.”

Glasgow Ladies' Golf Club competition played in October 1880.

Professional match at Alexandra Park in June 1893.

Alexandra Park Golf Course, is marked in the centre of the above map. O.S. Map Revised 1894; © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1897}.

Tariffs in March 1896.

From The Scotsman Friday 29 May 1896; “GLASGOW CORPORATION GOLF COURSE – The golf course in Alexandra Park, Glasgow, was officially opened yesterday under the direct care and management of the Corporation.For nearly a quarter of a century the course had been maintained by the Glasgow Golf Club, the citizens generally having the right to play over it. A year or two ago, however, the Golf Club secured a new course on the adjoining estate of Blackhill for their private use.

Report on the course in June 1899. Resolving that the ancient game should continue to be one of the recreations provided for the citizens in the public parks of the city, the Corporation took the management of the old course under their own care. A considerable sum of money was spent in putting the greens in order. At the same time a set of rules was framed after the model which govern the leading Scottish clubs, and it was decided to institute a charge of 2d, per day for each player. To regular players a concession on that charge was made by arranging for an annual ticket to cost 7s/6d. Yesterday afternoon the members of the Corporation and a select party of local golfers assembled to inaugurate the course. Bailie Bilsland, convener of the Parks Committee, said that Glasgow had long been identified with the game of golf. Many generations ago the game was played on Glasgow Green. He narrated the steps which had led up to the present action of the Corporation with regard to the Alexander Park course, and said that the Corporation desired to offer facilities for that game, just as they did for other games in other parks and spaces in the city. The course had been extended by 107 yards, giving it now a total length of 4,264 yards. In the charges instituted there was no desire to make any profit, but simply to provide for the due maintenance and care of the course. Councillor Osborne, who was stated to be not only the “father” of the Town Council, but also the “father” of the Glasgow Golf Club, was then presented with a silver-mounted cleek with which he drove the first ball. Before driving the ball, Mr Osborne remarked that he believed he was the sole survivor of the original members of the Glasgow Golf Club. Though now in his seventy-fifth year, he was still quite able for a couple of rounds the course any day. After the opening shot, which was excellently delivered, a number of the party went over the course. The new course, while it has few hazards, affords opportunity for an enjoyable game. It has the full number of holes, their designations and the distances between them being as follows; Buskes, 271 yards; Mound, 284 yards; Canal, 596 yards; Flagstaff, 243 yards; Tinto, 200yards; the Tree, 236 yards; the Corner, 185 yards; Jean Frame, 233 yards; Halfway, 186 yards; Hagghill, 182 yards; Kennyhill, 140 yards; Old Farm, 162 yards; Bridge, 360 yards; Centre, 185 yards; Campsie, 312 yards; Locks, 200 yards; Hollow, 350 yards; House, 175 yards.”

In May 1896 Mr J P Douglas of Arbroath made the lowest score over the course; Out - 5,4,4,4,4,4,3,4,5=37; In – 4,5,4,3,4,4,5,5,4=38 – total, 75.

Golf on Alexandra Park went into abeyance in the early 1900s.

Re-opening of a nine-hole course in 1907.

From the Sheffield Daily Telegraph Monday 8 November 1909 – “Alexandra Park Golf Course was the first of the corporation courses in Glasgow. At one time this course was an 18-hole one, but it was closed completely when Blackhill was opened. However, the pressure at Blackhill was so great that the Corporation was compelled to re-open a nine-hole course in Alexandra Park.”

Result of the April 1914 monthly played on the Alexandra Park course by the Blochairn Works Club; First Class - J Gordon (7) 74; G Hamilton (2) 81; S Thorpe (2) 87; Second Clas – W Little (24) 82; A Bryson (15) 85.

Daily Record Monday 9 August 1915. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Following is the text accompanying the above image “Private Harry May, the Glasgow V.C., has been employing his furlough very usefully by assisting in a recruiting campaign and making appeals for a greater recognition of the splendid work done by munition makers. At the same time, he has found time to renew acquaintencies with some of his favourite recreations, after a long spell of arduous work in the trenches, crowned with the brave act which won him the V.C. On Saturday afternoon he played a round of golf over the Alexandra Park course with a comrade. Private May was good enough to allow himself to be snapped by the “Daily Record and Mail” Staff Photographer. In the pictures he is seen (1 and 4) driving, (2), carrying his clubs, (3) waiting his turn at the tee.”

It was reported in March 1917 that it had been decided to invite applications for plots on parts of Alexandra Park, at present occupiedby the nine-hole municipal golf course.

Below Carntyne Housing Estate an Alexandra Park (1931).