Ayr Seafield Club History

Humble Beginnings

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.

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!

The Annfield Years

Initially 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.

The Gartferry Years

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.

The Tales

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:

Playing golf and drinking beer was a common occurence and on one occasion, 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

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.