The Internet's Most Comprehensive Guide

Culbin/Findhorn Golf Club, Findhorn, Moray.

The proposed course was first mentioned in 1924. The course opened in 1926.

The proposed course mentioned in November 1924.

Forres News and Advertiser Saturday 15 November 1924.

The golf course at Findhorn had been a dream for two local men for a long time. Mr Noble, headmaster of Findhorn School and and Mr John Fraser of Ranmoor, Findhorn were the prominent figures. These men gathered together a group of willing and enthusiastic volunteers and created a golf course from a wilderness. With limited funds, there was no sophisticated machinery for these pioneers, picks, shovels, horse and cart and hard graft were the tools of the day. Lots of fund raising events were arranged by the enthusiastic Patrons and Committee, who were as follows:

Patrons -

Lord Novar, landowner, Evanton.

Mr J F Cumming, County Convener.

Major J M Chadwick, Findhorn Rouse.

Mr J Fraser, Ranmoor.

Miss McDonald, Post Office, Treasurer.

Mr S Noble, Headmaster, Finhorn School.

Major A Ross, Hotelier, Secretary.

Miss J Storm, Findhorn, Joint Secretary.

Committee -

Rev G A McKeggie, Kinloss Parish.

Mr J Robertson, Painter, Forres.

Mr W Finlayson, Headmaster, Kinloss.

Miss J Smith, Cullerne House.

Mr M McKenzie, Shoemaker, Findhorn.

Miss J Webster, Elderslie.

Mr M Anderson, Chemist, Forres.

Miss J Fennie, Schoolteacher.

It took two years to complete the work, the course opened on the 6 July 1926. The honour of the opening drive fell to Major Munro- Ferguson, brother of the landowner Lord Novar. This was followed by an exhibition match between two well known Moray professionals, Mr George Smith, a renowned clubmaker and Mr Andrew Phimister of Grantown on Spey, who designed the Findhorn course. The first professional and greenkeeper at the club was John Bowie who became a very popular character, he kept the course in excellent condition and his record score of 29 for the course was never bettered. One sad note was the death of Mr J Noble in February1926, after all his hard work he never saw the opening of the course. John (Jock) Bowie left the club in 1937 to take up the professional’s job at Wick. He was replaced by Jimmy Sutherland and the club carried on making improvements and adjustments to the course, unfortunately the Second World War was looming. With the war came the devastation of the land the course once stood on, trenches were dug, barbed wire fences were erected for troop training and manoeuvres. Attempts to revive the course following the war proved fruitless and Findhorn had lost its course. At the opening of the club the sum of £13/5s,  including donations, was raised.

Report on the new club and course in July 1926.

Aberdeen Press and Journal Wednesday 7 July 1926.Images © D.C.Thomson & Co. Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

A 9-hole course with a SSS of 34 and par 36; membership peaked at 80 in the mid 1930s. Visitors’ fees were 1/- a day, 12/6d a month in the 1920s rising to 1/6d a day and £1/1/0 a month by the 1940s. Sunday play was not allowed. Stations were at Kinloss, 3 miles and Forres, 5 miles. Local hotels were the Culbin Sands, Crown and the Anchor.

Course yardages; Hole One - 375 yards, bogey 5; Hole Two - 250 yards, bogey 4; Hole Three - 316 yards, bogey 5; Hole Four - 262 yards, bogey 4; Hole Five - 175 yards, bogey 3; Hole Six - 250 yards, bogey 4; Hole Seven - 256 yards, bogey 4; Hole Eight - 262 yards, bogey 4; Hole Nine - 196 yards, bogey 3.

Forres News and Advertiser Saturday 23 July 1927. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Result of a match played in July 1929.

Forres News and Advertiser Saturday 27 July 1929.

Golf Course - Bartholomew Map© Crown Copyright {insert year of 1934}.

A Valentine’s A2750 postcard of Findhorn golf course.

The annual general meeting of the "Culbin Golf Club" was held in the clubhouse, Findhorn, in April 1936. The following officers were elected; captain, J Fraser; vice-captain, P Cruickshank; secretary, Rev Karl S G Greenlaw; treasurer, Miss Macdonald; committee -  Dr. G Hutchison, William Cowper, A Chisholm, J Geddie, jun., H C S McBeath, along with office-bearers.

Forres News and Advertiser Saturday 23 July 1938.

Aberdeen Evening Express Thursday 27 April 1939. Image © D.C.Thomson & Co. Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Northern Scot and and Moray & Nairn Express Friday 26 March 1993 - "The original Forres Club was built around 1895 and lasted for fewer than 10 years because of erosion on its Findhorn Bayside frontage. The other was the Findhorn course on the east side of the village which was a nine-holer which stretched from where the Culbin Sands Hotel stands today to where Cullerne House is built. It opened in 1926 and closed in the mid 1950s. Findhorn golfer Bill Shand described the closure of the course as "Findhorns saddest day." He said the course took a "heavy hammering" during WWII when Army training took place on the site. "It never realy recovered," he recalled. Sadly, despite a lot of help Findhorn Golf Club could not survive and by 1955 it was just a memory."  

Memories of Findhorn Golf Club from Mrs F M Higham: “In the coastal village of Findhorn, which is about three miles from Kinloss and 30 miles east of Inverness, a nine hole course was opened in 1926, the realisation of my grandfather and the local schoolmaster. With the help of a working party, which they set up in 1924, the course was completed two years later. My mother was secretary and subsequently the first Lady Captain. It was, I understand, a thriving and popular wee course, particularly with the visitors who throng this area in the summer. Sadly the onset of WW2 resulted firstly in members being called up, and secondly the golf course being commandeered for training exercises, the damage caused by the latter needs little imagination. Grants for returning it to its original state were diverted elsewhere and it fell into terminal decline, a sad loss to the community and to those who had worked so hard to set it up”

Location of the golf course