Dumfries Rotary Club members were treated to a fascinating talk on the history of the Crichton Golf Club, currently celebrating it’s 140th anniversary.
Ian Jess, a past president of the rotary club and Lee Sterritt a well known face in junior sport in Dumfrires and Galloway gave the talk, starting from the first record of golf in 1844 via a five hole course next to Crichton Hall in 1895 then a nine hole course on the present Mountainhall site, to finally, the current course in 1970 when the first shot was struck by Mr Errington, the club captain and secretary of Board of Management of Crichton Royal. The Mountainhall site was laid out in 1957 for £10,400, considerably less than it now costs to replace a single green.
Interestingly, on both sites, the club has received complaints from the general public regarding stray golf shots landing in private property, or the Glencaple road.
Initially the course was for the use of staff and patients of the Crichton Royal at £1 per round or “nominated individuals” for £2.
The current course was designed by George Templeton, then professional at Dumfries and County Golf Club, and opened in April 1970. In 1997, with the closure of the Crichton Royal Hospital, the “Royal” designation was dropped and the golf club renamed Crichton Golf Club. The course was purchased by Dumfries and Galloway Council in 1995 and was administered by the Crichton Development Company until May 2005 when the members took over the running of the club.
The club has a flourishing youth section which this year reached the final six clubs in a national competition, featuring well established famous Scottish clubs who turned up at the final accompanied by the club professionals as their coaches, whereas the Crichton have four part time volunteer coaches. This was a superb feat of which they can be rightly proud.
Lee closed by saying that while we are in uncertain times just now, with 14 courses having closed in Scotland this year alone, he hoped that the Crichton was in a good place to go forward toward its 150th anniversary in 10 years time.