A short history of Helensburgh Golf Club, you may also visit our Trophy Cabinet to learn more about the club.

Helensburgh Golf Club was founded in August 1893 and the original 9 hole layout was in use by October of the same year. One can only wonder about the quality of the greens at that time.

The layout was approved by Old Tom Morris for a fee of £1 plus expenses for the day. By 1905, the course had been extended to 18 holes, largely due to the guidance of the club professional, Tom Turnbull, who served the club for 50 years.

From the beginning, Helensburgh has been a family club, with a predominantly town membership and the members are drawn from all walks of life. The original Tin hut clubhouse, which cost about £350 and had been relocated at least once, was sold to the Vale of Leven Golf Club for £35 in 1910.

The present clubhouse was opened in October 1909, by the Duke of Argyll. Major alterations took place in 1965, 1973 and 1997. A recent proposal to build a new clubhouse was shelved but new proposals are brewing .

The founding committee included Andrew Bonar Law, who became Prime Minister in 1922 and a local dignitary, Alexander Breingan, who was the first captain. The Breingan Medal, presented in 1894, is the club’s oldest trophy.

The 1920s were a memorable decade, with the visit to the course of James Braid, who devised many changes some of which are still in place today.

The Club Championship was inaugurated and the officers of HMS Hood presented a fine trophy.

Purchase of the course and additional ground took place in 1978. The extra ground remains unused, except for essential maintenance but hopes remain of an extended course one day.

The length of the course is 6104 yards, with a par of 69 and the Standard Scratch Score is 70. The course record of 62 was set by club Junior member Simon Barras (age 16), on 3rd July 2005, beating the previous 64 of member Alan Scott, 20 years earlier in June 1985.

The Helensburgh Boys’ Open Tournament, inaugurated in 1975 (not 1976 as stated in our centenary book), quickly became an important part of the Scottish Junior scene. Many Scottish professionals under the age of 40 have played in this tournament.