Records show that during the eighteenth century a women's golf competition was held annually on New Years Day among the fishwives of Musselburgh and Fisherrow. The earliest known reference to an open womens' golf competition at Musselburgh dates from 9th January 1811. Played on a putting course, the winners prize was a 'creel' and a 'skull' (a skull was a small fishing basket), with the consolation prizes of 'two fine silk handkerchiefs from Barcelona'. It was not until the 1870's that Ladies began to play with a set of clubs on short courses.

Willie Park and family

Willie Park Sen. was born in the town, the son of a farm worker. He came to prominence around 1853 and was such a strong player that an abundance of money was forthcoming to back him. He played Tom Morris on at least six occasions for £100 and the honours were evenly divided. In the last of these at Musselburgh in 1882, the crowd anxious for their local man to win, repeatedly moved Morris's ball into a worse lie and the referee stopped play. When Morris and the referee retired to Foreman's public house, Park sent a message saying if Morris did not come out and finish the match he would play the remaining holes alone and claim the stake - which he did.

Willie Park Sen. had an easy swing with a pause at the end, and his accuracy with the putter from six or seven feet was deadly. He was the first winner of the Open at Prestwick in 1860, runner up the following year and champion again in 1863, 1866 and 1875. His brothers David and Mungo were both fine golfers with the later lifting the now familiar Claret Jug for the first time at Musselburgh in 1874.

Willie Park Jnr. was born in 1864 and apprenticed as a club maker with his uncle Mungo at Alnmouth. At the age of sixteen he was appointed green-keeper and professional at Ryton Golf Club where he stayed for four years before returning to his native town. Park lived for many years at 8 Mill Hill, Inveresk where he started in business as a club and ball maker.

In 1926, Mungo Park was pro at the nine-hole course at Lake Mohonk and the following year at Hollow Brook, both in New York State. In 1925 he laid out the course at Port-Au-Peck on the Shewsbury River, New York and in 1930 he moved to Castle Hot Springs Golf Club in Arizona. Mungo's wife Grace Morrison was a school teacher and she remained at home at Dunedin House, Levenhall, Musselburgh throughout his career. Mungo's auntie Doris Park represented Great Britain in International Ladies golf matches throughout the 1930s. (Mrs. Aylmer Porter).

Bob Ferguson

Bob Ferguson was born in Musselburgh in 1848 and won the first of his three Open Championship's over his home course in 1880. When Ferguson was only 18 years old, he won the first prize of ten pounds in a tournament at Leith Links (1866) against a strong field of top professionals. This brought him to the attention of a number of wealthy sponsors including Sir Charles Tennant who backed him in 1868 and 1869 when he defeated Tom Morris on six occasions. A bout of typhoid cut short Ferguson's playing career and he was later appointed custodian of the old links. When Bob Ferguson died in 1915, Royal Musselburgh G.C. instigated a subscription for a memorial fountain to be erected adjoining Musselburgh Links. The remaining funds were handed over to Ferguson's wife who was an invalid and totally blind, but well cared for by her family.

Willie Dunn and family

Willie Dunn was born in Musselburgh in 1821 and along with his twin brother Jamie, played in many challenge matches between 1840-1860. Willie Dunn who apprenticed under the Gourlay family, was keeper of the green at Blackheath Links until 1865 when he returned to Leith Thistle Club before settling at North Berwick.

Dunn had two sons Thomas who apprenticed as a club maker under his father at Musselburgh and Willie Dunn Jnr who trained under his older brother from the age of thirteen. When Tom Dunn became keeper of the green at North Berwick his father and brother joined him as club makers and teaching professionals on the West Links.

Willie Dunn Jnr. was 15 years old when he played his first match against Ben Sayers at North Berwick and won. In 1882 he partnered Sayers in a money match against the two Fernies at St Andrews. The first day was halved but the second day Dunn and Sayers won the match by five holes. Willie entered the Open Championship for the first time from North Berwick in 1883 and again in 1884, and 1886.

In 1886, Willie Dunn Jnr. was asked by Horace Hutchinson to take charge of the links of the Royal North Devon Golf Club at Westward Ho!. Dunn remained there for a year and laid out the present course. In 1888, he moved to Royal Epping Forrest in Chingford and laid out their 18 hole course. The following year he transferred to Biarritz in France where his brother Tom designed the course during a winter visit while still engaged at North Berwick.

Willie Jnr. remained at Biarritz for six years and in 1891 he was persuaded by Duncan Cryden and Edward S. Mead of Dodd, Mead & Co to come to America where he accepted the post of professional instructor at Shinnecock Hills during the summer. Willie laid out a twelve hole course at Shinnecock and a nine-hole ladies course. Four years later a combination of the two courses were used to host the 1896 US Open. Willie Dunn Jnr. was the first unofficial champion of America in 1894 by defeating another Musselburgh boy Willie Campbell. In 1895, Dunn was runner-up in the first official US Open Championship.

By 1896, after flying visits to Biarritz in the winter, Willie Dunn with his wife and son Willie Dunn Jnr settled at the links of Ardsley Country Club in New York where he designed the course. It was here he set up a club manufacturing business and was joined by his nephew John D. Dunn in 1897. Willie opened a retail shop in New York and began experimenting with steel shafted clubs and was the first to use a tee peg. In 1895, he established the first Indoor Golf Centre and he continued this facility when his business moved to 9 East, 42 Street New York in 1898, a few blocks away from John D. Dunn's premises. In 1900, Willie Dunn Jnr laid out a private nine-hole course for John D Rockefeller on his Tarrytown Estate, NY. In the 1920s Willie Dunn Jnr. moved to San Jose in California still designing clubs until his death in 1952.

Charles Gibson

Charles Gibson Jnr. was born March 20th 1860 in Mill Hill, Inveresk. He apprenticed as a clubmaker under Willie Dunn Snr. at Musselburgh and in 1882 moved to North Berwick to work for Willie's son Thomas Dunn. That year, Tom Dunn was appointed keeper of the green at North Berwick and used a timber building adjacent to the first tee on the West Links, as his clubmaking workshop. Charles Gibson and Tom Dunn trained many fine clubmakers at North Berwick including Open Champion Jack White.

Charles Gibson married North Berwick girl Helen Ramage and in 1887 joined Tom Dunn's brother Willie Dunn Jnr. at North Devon Golf Club, Westward Ho! where he was appointed club maker. In 1891, Gibson laid out the original nine-hole course at Royal Porthcawl in Mid-Glamorgan and the course at Lahinch, Co. Clare in 1892. Gibson remained with the North Devon Club for 43 years and trained many fine club makers including John H. Taylor who left school at the age of 11 to become a greenkeeper and went on to win the Open Championship fives times; George Cann who later started a club making business with Taylor at Richmond and Bert Way who designed the courses at Euclid Country Club and Mayfield Country Club in Cleveland. Way was also a friend of Coburn Haskell and collaborated in the testing and design of the rubber-wound golf ball.

In 1924, Charles Gibson was asked to make a miniature set of golf clubs for Queen Mary's Doll's House. Ben Sayers at North Berwick made the irons and Gibson made the wooden clubs. The leather golf bag was two and a half inches high and the clubs were three and a quarter inches long. The Doll's House was displayed at the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley and is now on view at Windsor Castle. The aim of the project was to raise money for children's charities and Queen Mary wrote personally, thanking the clubmakers. Gibson used as his clubmakers mark a horse, reflecting his early days living opposite Musselburgh race course. His four sons also took up a career in golf at Westward Ho!, Royal Calcutta Golf Club and in America.

Willie Campbell

Willie Campbell, a former caddie for Bob Ferguson was born in Musselburgh in 1862 and worked with Old Tom Morris at Prestwick before becoming professional and club maker at Ranfurly Club, Bridge of Weir. A tall strapping fellow he was not a sensational driver yet long and straight off the tee but it was with the mashie that he was famed, using it for every kind of shot, sometimes putting with it. Match play rather than stroke was Campbell's forte winning many money matches. In 1886, he defeated Willie Park twice over Musselburgh and North Berwick, beat the champion David Brown and had victories over Bob Martin and Willie Fernie.

In 1889, Campbell took part in a four round challenge match against Archie Simpson over Carnoustie, St Andrews, Musselburgh and Prestwick. The first played on 12th April which was the opening day over Archie's home course at Carnoustie. Campbell won all four matches but it was the huge crowd at Musselburgh which stole the headlines with the players driving down an avenue of spectators ten to twelve deep including top-hatted Edinburgh gentlemen shoulder to shoulder with grimy miners who had climbed from the bowels of the earth to watch the match.

The four Doleman brothers living at 7, High Street, North Esk were associated with golf for over 70 years. William (1838-1918) was the best player and was the first amateur to enter the Open Championship. A. H. Doleman (1836-1914) was one of the pioneers of golf in England and founder of golf at Lytham and St Annes. John (1826-1918) the eldest, introduced the game to Nottinghamshire and Frank (1848-1929) was a clubmaker at Bruntsfield Links. William Doleman is credited as the first to play golf in Canada in 1854. When as a 16 year old sailor he went ashore from a military vessel and played a game on the Plains of Abraham at Quebec with clubs he had brought on the voyage.

David Brown

Davie Brown known as the 'Deacon' was a roofing slater to trade. When he won the Open at Musselburgh in 1886, he did not initially enter the championship but at the last minute was called from his work to make up the numbers. After a wash and borrowed clothes he amazed everyone by leading a strong field with a record 157 for 36 holes. After his triumph he give up his trade and joined the professional ranks, later emigrating to Boston where he made a substantial living from the game.

At the US Open in 1903, Davie Brown tied with Willie Anderson from North Berwick but was defeated by two strokes in the play-off which was marred by pouring rain. Brown was a familiar figure at North Berwick working the West Links during the summer months when Anderson was a school boy hanging around the club makers workshop. In 1891, Brown spent a week in the town partnering Ben Sayers in money matches. He often mentioned the tricks Sayers would employ to beat his opponents, such as walking forward a hundred yards to study the green before making his aproach shot or another trick was smoothing down the green with the back of his hand as if conveying the idea that he expected to hole the putt. If Davie Brown was playing against Sayers, he would carry a newspaper and when Ben began his tricks, Davie would pretend to read the newspaper as if he did not notice Sayers antics. Davie Brown enjoyed playing the stock market but lost most of his wealth during the Wall Street slump in 1929 and returned to Musselburgh, where he died a year later.

John Forman

John Forman born 28th July 1860 in Old Bridge Street, Leith, son of Henry Forman, a merchant seaman and his wife Barbara Gillespie. John Forman was a contemporary of Ben Sayers and Andrew Kirkaldy, and caddied for Old Tom Morris, Davie Strath, and Johnny Laidlay at North Berwick and Musselburgh. Forman was born in Leith and bought his first golf club from Willie Dunn Snr who was in charge of Leith Links. John Forman worked for Thornton & Co at 78, Princes Street, Edinburgh as a club and ball maker for over 21 years. In 1895 he lived in the High Street, North Berwick and was granted his professional ticket on the West Links on 23rd August 1895.

Forman emigrated to America in 1898 and was appointed assistant pro to Willie Dunn Jnr. at Ardsley Casino Country Club, Dobbs Ferry, NY where John Duncan Dunn was also a club maker. Forman was familiar with the Dunn family from his days at North Berwick and Musselburgh. John Forman remained at Ardsley for three years and laid out the nine-hole course at the Dutchess Country Club, Poughkeepsie, NY. In 1901 he moved to Westfield G.C, then to Danville Golf Club, Danville, VA before moving at the age of 64 years to Harrisburg, PA (1924-28).