14 Golf Club

A 9-hole course founded in 1895

Aberfeldy Golf Course was founded in 1895 when the Marquis of Breadalbane feued an area of land to the Burgh of Aberfeldy for the purpose of sporting activity.

The original golf course was 9 holes and ran along the south side of the River Tay. It was laid out on what was then known as The Cour – grazing ground for cattle. The Marquis acknowledged that would mean that the grazers ‘would not pay the same rent when the grass is being trampled by golfers’. But magnanimously he adds, that ‘this [is a cost] I am willing to bear.’

In the early days there were many disagreements between the grazers and the golfers about the use of the land as the cows had priority at first. Therefore, a rule was instituted that allowed golfers to move their ball away from manure on the fairway, or to remove the manure on the green, after consultation with their playing partners.

On the opening day, Provost McKerchar called upon Lady Currie to perform the opening ceremony. During the first season of play, 14 gentlemen met at the Town Hall to form the new Breadalbane Golf Club at Aberfeldy. The original clubhouse was erected for a cost of £250.

In 1907, Sir Neil Menzies offered to rent the club Weem Cow Park, on the north side of the river, to make the course 18 holes. Negotiations failed and in 1908, the lady members proposed extending the course further east on the north side of the river onto ground at Killiechassie. That proposal also came to nothing.

It was not until 1991 that the Weem Cow Park was finally purchased by the club.

A new footbridge was built over the river and the course became 18 holes. This was the world’s first major advanced composite footbridge constructed by Maunsell with help from Dundee University. 14.5 tonnes of composite materials are contained in the bridge. A unique method of erection of towers, cables and deck was used which needed no site craneage.

More recently, it has been uneconomical to maintain the part of the course over the river, especially as it was regularly flooded in winter, and the course has reverted to 9 holes.

The full history of the golf course can be found in “Never an Old Tin Hut” by Jack Rees which also records many details of local history.