Course of a Century 1896-1996
The First Match
Shortly after the course opening a Match Committee was formed and arrangements were made for the first match to be played. Fochabers Golf Club were invited to send a team of 10 players to play on Monday, 20 July 1896 at 2 pm.
Even before the first efforts to establish a course in Dufftown some of those who became involved must have played on other golf courses.
Two members representing Dufftown in the match, Dr Angus, Aberdeen, and A Cruickshank, Fochabers, would have played elsewhere and no doubt encouraged the Club to arrange the first match.
Fochabers golf course was set within the boundary wall of Gordon Castle Estate beside the River Spey, and an excursion up into the hills around Dufftown would have been eagerly looked forward to.
The journey by road to Dufftown is all of twenty miles and the River Spey would have been crossed by the Telford Bridge at Craigellachie. It is so difficult now to visualise the complete absence of motor traffic on the roads in 1896, horsedrawn vehicles would continue to be the only means of transport on them for quite a few years to come. However the early golfers had a much better means of transport - the railways. From Fochabers the Highland Line made the connection at Keith for the last 10 miles on the Dufftown to Craigellachie Great North of Scotland Line. A pony and trap would take them from the station at Dufftown through the town and up the Tomintoul road to the golf course.
On a warm July day a friendly golf match on this lovely scenic course would have given great pleasure to the Fochabers players. Even losing the match to Dufftown by 21 holes to 13 would not have been displeasing. After all, coming from a flat parkland course, the stiff climb and the dykes to overcome would have given the home team quite an advantage.
A clubhouse had yet to be built but nevertheless refreshments were provided on the course, no doubt something a little stronger than tea and sandwiches. In later years Dufftown gained a reputation for the finest home baking at its matches and tournaments, always accompanied by drams of malt whisky for which the local distilleries were to make the town famous.
Both teams then retired to the Fife Arms Hotel, owned by the President of the Club, John Robertson. There tea dinner was provided at a cost to the Club of one shilling and sixpence for each player.
No more matches were recorded until 1899 when Buckie and Fochabers were the visitors. In 1900 an invitation to play at Huntly was soundly turned down as Huntly had twice failed to come to Dufftown. Many more friendly matches followed over the years including Keith, Grantown and Aberlour, particularly from 1906 onwards.
Match Record 20th July 1896.
