Golf club lives on Memories in new book
A forgotten golf club has been brought back to life by a new book.
Ballantrae called time on its course in 1951 after lack of interest by golfers left it in a precarious position.
And the final meeting of the committee agreed to sell the clubhouse for £ 210 to Colmonnel Bowling Club who still use it to this day.
The fascinating story is told in a new book ‘ A history of Girvan and Ballantrae Golf Clubs’ written by veteran golfer Bill Tait.
Bill, 82, has been secretary of Girvan Golf Club for more than 20 years and a member of Turnberry for more than 30.
He recalls how the Ballantrae club was founded in 1877 although people were playing golf over these links well before that.
It was originally designed by William Fernie who held the professional course record of 71 for many years.
Having survived the First World War, the attractive course fell into disuse when the Second World War came along.
The road through the course was the main trunk road to Cairn Ryan and Stranraer. So it became impracticable to play golf with so much traffic passing.
Bill reveals: “A strong effort was made to bring the course back to life after the war. But with the increase in motor traffic that was not going to prove feasible.”
Bill also charts the history of his home town Girvan Golf Club which was formed in 1872.
He revealed: “I have avoided getting involved in a lot of the legal issues over the purchases of land between the golf club, the lessee of the land and the feur which would be of little interest to the average golfer.
“This became even more complicated when some of the land was reclaimed through both world wars in order to ‘ Dig for Victory’ which resulted in arguments between farmers as to who had the right to grow potatoes on the land.
“A lot or records were lost in a fire in the 1980s so I have had to find other sources.”
A History of Girvan and Ballantrae Golf Clubs by Bill Tait is published by J& B Print Ltd, Newton Stewart. Priced £ 6.99, it is on sale at local bookshops.