Carnoustie Golf Club and research by W.B.R. Coupar

Scope and Content

MS 329/1 Carnoustie Golf Club Records includes Minutes and Reports, 1898-2000; Financial records, 1898-2000; Bye laws and rules, 1902-1968; Competition and Players Records, 1907-1990s; Visitors Books, 1898-1992; Publications, 1891-1985; News cuttings relating to the history of the club, 1898-1970s; Photographs and Images. c 1900-2001.

MS 329/2 Research Papers created by W.B.R. Coupar includes Correspondence, 1960-2000; Research notes about golfers, courses and competitions, 1842-1996; Publications, 1874-2003; Postcards and drawings, n.d.; Photographs, c 1870s-1997; Maps and plans. 1888-1992

Administrative / Biographical History

Carnoustie Golf Club was formally established in 1842 and is based at what has been described as one of the toughest links courses in the world. Golf is known to have been played at Carnoustie from as early as the 1500s and the club is known to have been in existence for some time before its formal foundation. The club is believed to be among the ten oldest surviving golf clubs in the world. It has produced several first class players and in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century many Carnoustie golfers went to the United States where they became professionals. These included the famed Smith brothers.

A golf course was first laid out at Carnoustie in the 1830s by the publisher Robert Chalmers. The current course was designed by Allan Robertson and Old Tom Morris in the 1850s and was modified and extended by Morris in the 1860s and redesigned by James Braid in the 1920s. The course has staged the Open Championships several times including in 1999 when Scotland's Paul Lawrie won one of the most dramatic championships. The clubhouse dates from 1898.

Arrangement

Records are arranged chronologically within series

Access Information

Open for consultation subject to preservation requirements. Access must also conform to the restrictions of the Data Protection Act and any other appropriate legislation.

Acquisition Information

Carnoustie Golf Club and widow of WBR Coupar

Other Finding Aids

Hard copy descriptive list

Archivist's Note

Stuart Hackney, listed as author of 'Carnoustie Links - Courses and Players' is erroneously thought by some to be an alias of Bill Coupar

Conditions Governing Use

Reproduction is available subject to preservation requirements. Charges are made for this service, and copyright and other restrictions may apply.

Custodial History

Club records mostly held at the golf club. Some club records and research papers held in Coupar's home

Accruals

Expected

Geographical Names