The home of Newbattle Golf Club lies no more than
seven miles from the city of Edinburgh. It is situated
adjacent to the market town of Dalkeith. The course
is within the Policies of Newbattle Abbey and it is
a matter of historical record that over the centuries
many Kings and Queens of Scotland and of the United
Kingdom, during their visits to the Abbey, have traversed
the land on which the course stands.
The original Dalkeith Golf Club was formed in 1880
by a group of local businessmen. They did not possess
a course of their own but played on nearby links courses.
In 1896 a 9-hole golf course was laid out at the nearby
King’s Lines and Dalkeith and Newbattle Golf
Club was formed.
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| In 1934 the club moved to its present site and
changed its name to Newbattle Golf Club Limited. The
course was designed by Mr H S Colt of Messrs Colt,
Alison & Morrison who were acknowledged to be
the best known golf course architects in the country.
The first two holes and the last two holes of the
course are laid out along a ridge on which the Clubhouse
stands and on the lower ground along the River Esk.
The remainder of the course is on higher ground on
the opposite side of the river which is crossed by
the centuries old Maiden Bridge. The course is enclosed
on every side by woods, which, particularly in the
Autumn, are a delight to the eye and contribute to
an atmosphere of seclusion.
In 1984 the club celebrated its fiftieth anniversary
on the present site and one of the events organised
to commemorate the occasion was a charity exhibition
match featuring the Scottish professional Sam Torrance;
two top Scottish amateur players, Charlie Green and
George Macgregor; and the club champion for that year,
Keith Goodwin. Sam Torrance delighted the crowd with
some excellent golf, finishing with a round of 65. |
The club entered its centenary year in 1996 and
published a book celebrating its 100 year history.
The following
text is a quotation from the book:
“Golf is a game to be played in pleasant surroundings
and in the company of people who share the same love
and respect for the spirit in which the game should
be played. At Newbattle we are fortunate in that we
have a course that is set in a marvellous secluded
woodland area and a fellowship of members who share
a love for the sport.”
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