Having previously acknowledged the existence of the Royal Company of Archers in 1709 by presenting them with a silver arrow, Edinburgh Council were successfully petitioned by the members of the golf club to provide a trophy and they duly recognised the formation of the new club by presenting a silver club to be played for by “an Annual competition among Noblemen and Gentlemen from any part of Great Britain and Ireland.”
The foundation of the Honourable Company with its new competition, also brought about the first agreed set of rules - 13 in all, that formed the basis of that first tournament. Known as the “Articles and Laws in Playing at Golf”, these same rules were adopted by the golfers of St Andrews in 1754 and were the basis of the game that is played today.
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Rattray's winning score is not recorded but what is known is that a round, instead of being played over the 18 holes that is the norm these days, consisted of playing ten holes - with each of the five holes being played twice.
Rattray was declared “Captain of Golf” to commemorate his success in what was the first organised golf event anywhere in the world.
In 1767 a house was constructed nearby at a cost of £767 for use by the members and was the original golf “clubhouse”
However as the game of golf became more popular, the course became too busy with other clubs and societies and the members felt they had to move and they relocated to Musselburgh in 1836.
The club is still in existence today, and is now located at its third home.
In 1891, with the members again feeling pressurised by lack of space, the club moved to just outside Gullane, to the site of the Hundred Acre Race course, owned by the Rt Hon. Nisbet Hamilton. This site is now known as Muirfield, and is one of the most famous courses in the world.
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