While Perth boasts the first royal golfer in King James IV, the distinguished history of golf at Carnoustie begins with the record of the first commoner golfer Sir Robert Maule (1493-1560) playing on Barry Links nearby. Sir Robert was said to be tall, fresh faced and well-spoken, but prone to anger and pugnacious. Although he never learned to read and write, he was Sheriff of Angus.

There is a reference in the Registrum of Panmure that Sir Robert Maule liked hawking and hunting.  "Lykewakes he exercisit the gowf, and ofttimes past to Barry Links, quhan the wadsie was for drink....  This was the yeer (sic) of God 1527, or there abouts".  'Lykewakes' is likewise; 'quhan' is when; and a 'wadsie' was a wager.

It is said he was once seriously injured trying to prevent some people crossing the land over which he was playing. From 1547-1549, he was taken prisoner by the English and later in life became ‘religious’. He died on 2nd May 1560 and is buried in Panbride Church in Carnoustie.

Parish historical records mention the playing of golf at Carnoustie in 1560. However its development as a centre of golfing excellence did not happen until much later.

Carnoustie Championship Course

Between 1839 and 1842, Allan Robertson from St Andrews laid out a ten-hole course at the behest of the recently formed Carnoustie Golf Club. Like St Andrew's Old Course, the early Carnoustie Links had double greens and fairways.

In keeping with the fact that the first known golfer at Carnoustie was a 'commoner', the area later became known for its professional golfers.  Between 1898 and 1930, it is said that over 150 professional club posts in North America were held by Carnoustie expatriates. Some put this figure higher.  It is a unique achievement.

‘Old’ Tom Morris extended the Carnoustie course to 18 holes in 1867, apparently the second course to do so after St Andrews.  In 1926, James Braid was involved in redesigning the Championship Course there,  as well as designing the nearby Burnside and Buddon courses.

Carnoustie also boasts the oldest Ladies Golf being the Carnoustie Ladies' Golf Club, established in August 1873 for the benefit of the wives of the members of the Dalhousie Golf Club, which was founded in 1868 and is also still going strong.  Also to be found there are the Carnoustie Caledonia (1886), Carnoustie Mercantile (1896) and New Taymouth (1906).

The Carnoustie courses are run by a public trust whose website is Carnoustie Golf Links.

More details of the history of Carnoustie Golf Club are available on their website.

More details of the history of Carnoustie Ladies Golf Club are available on their website.   (Site sometimes not available)

More details of the New Taymouth Golf Club are available on their webpage.