Course of a Century 1896-1996
Through the 'Twenties'
As the memories of the War were beginning to fade the families and friends of those who were killed received popular support to erect a Memorial to their memory and the Golf Club held a whist drive which raised £22 for the town's War Memorial. There are 110 names on the memorial and with the population of Dufftown being about 2000 this would mean that almost one family in four would have lost a father, a son or a brother. Of these names one was that of Lt G Cowie, Royal Flying Corps, son of Dr A M Cowie, who died aged 17. Further memorials of those who died are incorporated in Mortlach Kirk.
Having endured the weariness of the War years the relaxing enjoyment of sport was the perfect antidote to the years of strife. The Olympic Games were held in 1920 in Antwerp, no coincidence as the fields of Flanders had seen the greatest casualties in the history of warfare. With the American involvement in the War their pervading culture was to have a major impact on the western world from that time on. The Ford car, the Charleston, Hollywood, and every type of new consumer goods were to leave an indelible mark on western civilisation. The Open Championship in the "Twenties" was to be dominated by players from the USA, Walter Hagen and Bobby Jones were soon to become household names. The flamboyance of Walter Hagen was legend, even to the extent of using a Rolls Royce as a changing room at the Open as professionals were not allowed in the changing rooms. Bobby Jones was later to be immortalised by having the 10th hole at St Andrews named after him. Dufftown Golf Club was to enjoy its halcyon days in the boom-bust years of the "Twenties" and "Thirties".
The Captain, Father Shaw, welcomed a large attendance to the 1922 AGM and in his report thanked Wm Innes for his superintending and splendid work on the course. The financial report was equally complimentary with a balance in hand of £66. Considering the earlier lean years of the Club and the costs just incurred in rebuilding the course this was quite remarkable. The cropping of the course for the war years must have been quite profitable and the sub-let of the grass to Mr Gordon, Auchbreck took in £75. For the general population the War years were a time of austerity and considerable poverty but the sudden upsurge in the popularity of golf must also have been a key factor in the upswing in the Club's fortune.
By 1942 the bank balance was £142, equivalent to well over £5000 in today's values, the increase in the Club's prosperity was to bring many changes in the following years complementing the rapid social change now evident in society at large. Dr Watson, Captain, is recorded as having instructed the secretary to call a meeting of Ladies with a view to forming a Ladies Committee. A new greenkeeper, Mr Duncan, York Street, was appointed and he was also shared with the Bowling and Tennis clubs. A shelter was proposed at the top of the course close to the ruined Viewfield Croft and the Heathery Hut was erected at a cost of £7 by Smith & Ritchie. This feature familiar to all later golfers remains with its splendid outlook to the Corriehabbie Hills and the ruined Auchindoun Castle beyond.
About this time a change of ownership of the Glenrinnes Estate occurred. Dr A M Cowie sold the Mortlach Distillery to John Walker & Sons and removed from Dullanbrae, Fife Street, out to the Estate. The Cowie family, later to be embraced with the Cumming family, remained owners of the Estate and the Club's landlord until it was finally sold in 1992 when the Club was fortunate to be able to buy the course outright. Major Innes, treasurer, negotiated with the Estate, and agreement was reached for a renewed lease of 7 years at £34 p.a. Sadly Major Innes was to suffer ill health and died in 1926 having served as club treasurer for some 20 years. He is remembered in glowing terms in the club minutes of that year for his outstanding service.
Many improvements and small alterations were made to the course and in 1925, Major Gordon, later to be Club Captain and a stalwart of the Club for many years, proposed that a car park be built. This was agreed and an area near to the road and Clubhouse was made into the first car park. The Ladies Committee now addressed a letter to the Club requesting a separate room (with lavatory accommodation if possible), and they immediately set about organising a jumble sale, a gymkhana, a whist drive and a dance to raise funds. It is difficult to appreciate the sparse facilities for the early golfers and in particular for the ladies. For the first 30 years there was no running water and the earth filled latrines were tucked behind the Clubhouse. The pressure was on to upgrade the Clubhouse facilities, reflecting the changing attitudes of society at that time.
The plans for the extension were drawn up and included a veranda and a drainage system for the new water closets. At this point the plans were to be held up because of another matter. Dr Cowie had asked the Club for the exclusive right to use the course on Sundays for himself and his friends. A deputation met Dr Cowie following the Club's refusal to accede to his request which he withdrew, but instead simply requested to be allowed to play golf on Sundays. Also discussed was the question of the extension of the lease in view of the large alterations proposed to the Clubhouse. The Club and the landlord were now to become fixed on a collision course. The Club had never allowed Sunday play, nor did any other club in Scotland as far as is known. At some point a byelaw to this effect had been included in the club rules even though it had been an unwritten rule when the Club was originally founded.
The Club now held a Special Meeting to consider the request fully and the captain, C F Macpherson, solicitor, moved that the byelaw be rescinded. Opposition was led by J B Macdonald, an auctioneer, who moved that the byelaw remain, and by 29 votes to 19 he was successful in resisting the change.
A letter from Dr Cowie was later discussed by the Committee but the Club stood firm and it was to be at the 1926 AGM that the next challenge was made. The extension to the Clubhouse was now in doubt with the inherent threat of the lease not being renewed and a period of disharmony between both sides was evident. The Club now wrote to the Ladies' Committee asking their secretary to be good enough to hand over the money collected on behalf of the building fund to the treasurer within a week. The ladies replied in writing and specified certain conditions before they would hand over the money. The club secretary duly replied agreeing to the conditions and hoping that the ladies would now hand over the money as soon as possible. The accounts later show that the pavilion fund, as it was to be known, amounted to £82, a not inconsiderable sum. At this point the Club changed its bank from the North of Scotland Bank Ltd to the Commercial Bank of Scotland Ltd but no reason for this change is recorded.
The AGM held in April 1926 promised to be the most important that had faced the Club in its 30 year history. Should the byelaw on prohibiting Sunday play be upheld it was likely that the future outlook for development of the Club would be bleak.
The Officers elected at the meeting were:
- President - Rev J B Cumming
- Vice-Presidents - Mr A Stewart, Mr C M Gordon, Mr J Kemp, Dr Cowie
- Captain - Mr Wm Innes
- Vice-Captain - Mr J B Macdonald
- Treasurer - Mr George Duncan
- Secretary - Mr Edwin A K Innes
- Council - Messrs C J Macpherson, R Gray, Major Gordon, A Gordon, C Morrice, J Watt, P Wilson
Divisions immediately surfaced when P Wilson seconded by Mr Alex Gordon, Parkmore, proposed that the Sunday byelaw be rescinded. Opposition came from George Mair seconded by Miss Wilson, Benview, that it should remain. Another amendment proposed by Mr George Duncan, seconded by Mr James Watt, was that the bye-law remain but be delegated to the Council with full powers. After debate the motion to rescind the byelaw was carried by 24 votes to 12. A few weeks later a letter was received from Mr Jas Kemp stating that he would not accept office as Vice-President owing to Sunday golf.
And so a new chapter was about to open as Dr Cowie now re-entered into negotiation with the Club on the lease and the proposed alterations to the Clubhouse. The immediate difficulty encountered was that owing to the situation of the Clubhouse being near to the Burn no cesspool was allowed to be placed within 100 yds of it. The solution proposed by Dr Cowie was to have far reaching effects on the future of the Club and the course.
By Laws 24th July 1925
