7 March 1744 – Significant Date In Golfing History?
7 March 1744 – Why Is It Such An Important Date In Golfing History?
Sunday is the 7th March which is not particularly significant this year. However, If you look back 277 years, you may find that it is probably the most important date in the history of golf.
Why? Well, it’s the date when the first rules of golf were introduced. Without these rules, we would not have the game we call ‘golf’ today!
13 Rules of Golf
There were 13 of them in total, handwritten on 2 sheets of paper. These first 13 rules differentiated golf from any other stick and ball game at the time.
They also unified the variety of ‘golf’ games, into one game, governed by these rules. Without the instigation, moulding and developing of these rules, golf wouldn’t be the game that we know and love today.
So why were the rules set up in the first place?
In 1744, the Gentlemen Golfers of Leith Links asked Edinburgh town council for a prize for an annual golf competition. The golfers had been jealous of the local archers, who received a silver arrow from the town council for a competition in 1709.
The Edinburgh town council finally presented the golfers with a silver golf club, to be played for, over Leith Links. This was on the understanding that The Gentlemen Golfers of Leith Links set down rules that would govern the game of golf.
The event was to be the first ever ‘open’ golf competition worldwide, played under the first rules of golf.
It was on the 7 March 1744 that The Gentlemen Golfers of Leith Links changed their name to the ‘Company of Edinburgh Golfers’. This group of golfers created the first 13 rules of golf.
John Rattray, who won the first annual competition, signed off these rules, as captain. The ‘Company of Edinburgh Golfers’ later became the ‘Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers’ and now reside at Muirfield in East Lothian, Scotland.
John Rattray Statue
When I last wrote about the origins of the rules of golf, The Leith Rules Golf Society had been fundraising for a bronze cast statue of John Rattray. So I am delighted to report that on a recent visit to Leith Links, I can confirm that the statue has now been unveiled.
This is a fantastic piece of work by sculptor David Annand. The statue and plaques truly commemorate the fascinating life of John Rattray. They also celebrate Leith Links in Edinburgh as the place where the modern-day game of golf started.
The Home of Golf – Scotland or…Leith Links?
The fact that rules were drawn up was very important for the development of the game. It ensured regulation and set the benchmark for the sport moving forward.
These rules formed the basis of the modern game and led to Scotland being viewed as the ancestral Home of Golf.
The original cairn which commemorates Leith Links as the Home of Golf, still lies about 400yds south west of the new statue. A further 3 plaques have been added to the tee where the new statue stands.
The first of the new plaques describes the life of John Rattray. The second lists the original rules of golf and the third notes the key people and sponsors involved in marking this piece of golfing history.
When restrictions allow, a visit to Leith Links and the John Rattray statue is essential for those who love a bit of golfing history.
By using the website What3Words.com you will find the exact spot of where John Rattray & the 3 plaques can be found – use these 3 words to pin point the area on the map or just clink the link. ///layers.goal.judge The original cairn which is about 400 yards away can be found using these 3 words on the website or just click the link ///brains.simple.quiz
The geographical term, The Home of Golf, will always be associated with Scotland, in the eyes of the golfing world. However, in Scotland, at its golfing core, Leith Links is the place where the term finds its origin, in the modern-day game.
And the date ‘7 March 1744′? …well, it has now been set in stone!
