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| Although
Ayr Seafield Golf Club was constituted in 1997,
it was originally founded in 1976 as the Annfield
Golf Club and latterly as the Gartferry Golf Club. |
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The
club like most of its kind, grew from humble beginnings;
but what has set it apart from others is the founding
members' legacy: dedication to the game, having
a successful club and a good time. A legacy that
continues to this day.
It
has been said that the "motto or creed" of the
club was "to play golf and drink beer" whether
myth or truth, perhaps not the worst concept ever!
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a small dedicated group of golfers would meet early
on a Sunday morning at the local municipal Dalmilling
or Seafield golf courses, they would then proceed
to "put their balls in the chute" (a quaint phrase
apparently well known in golfing fraternities!)
or "throw them in the air" (again a trick only
to be tried by the hardiest of amateur golfers!).
After the game it would be back to the "19th hole"
or in the club's instance, the Annfield Hotel in
Ayr, owned at the time by local show biz celebrity
Sidney Devine, to debate lively, the day's play
and find out who was that week's winner. |
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Whilst
the Annfield had been a good home, the club was
growing in size and it was decided to move to
fields anew. The club moved to the Gartferry Hotel
and growing in stature with almost 40 members
it was decided to play all day on a Sunday. Not
only in the mornings as it had been in the beginning,
but with a new format whereby you took your turn
at booking by turning up at the course to be played
the next week. This could mean a drive to Girvan
or Troon at the crack of dawn to book your golf
a week in advance, then back to the hotel to put
your name on the club's booking sheet.
After
their games the players would retire to The Gartferry
of a Sunday afternoon for a relaxing game of bridge
and to drink tea! Several seasons followed with
continued expansion and once again it was decided
to expand the club's playing times, to a two day
club over Saturdays and Sundays. The introduction
of a new tournament, the BSL invitational, which
was open to non club members and sponsored by
a local company, was the forerunner to the current
and successful Ayr Seafield Open competition,
the club was continuing to go from strength to
strength.
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The
Tales
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In
those early formulative years the mould was set and
there are many stories that Scotland's national poet
Rabbie Burns (another local to Ayr) would have
been proud of:
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| Playing
golf and drinking beer was a common occurance and on one
occaision, one of the founding members, "Willie Drummond",
won the Handyside tournament in the "Tammy Week" which
was no mean feat in itself, but Bill had to go one better
than just winning the tournament. He had been out for
a "light refreshment" that morning and had turned up at
Belleisle course having forgot his golf shoes, he proceeded
to win the tournament wearing his steel capped work boots!
Now there's a winner! Suffice to say the club has had
and still has its fair share of colourful characters. |
| Ayr
Seafield Golf Club |
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In
1997 with membership fast approaching the 100 mark the
decision was taken to approach the SGU and South Ayrshire
Council to rename the club Ayr Seafield Golf Club.
The
club has long since passed its "Silver Anniversary"
and is very modern and progressive in its outlook. The
clubroom is now located within the golf complex of the
Belleisle Estate which has proved to be the catalyst
for even further growth.
Although
still relatively a small club, it has perhaps the largest
percentage of regular playing members locally.
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| I
for one would like to salute and thank the
founding members of our wonderful club for
the initial foresight and effort that has
taken us from humble beginnings to a club
that any golfer would be proud and lucky to
be a member of. |
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hope that Ayr Seafield Golf Cub continues
on its prosperous path and continues to provide
much enjoyment to golfers for many years to
come. |
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Drew
Yeardley
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Captain
2006-
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ASGC
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