Banff has one of the best golf courses available in Scotland – described as the “Augusta of the North”. The game has a long association with the town – In 1637 “Francis Brown was hanged for “stealing some goliff ballis” and in 1798 golf being played on the links is mentioned in the statistical account of Scotland.

However in 1871 a golf club was formed in Banff and a course established at Banff Links. Banff Golf Club House was built on the Links “below the Boyndie Toll Bar, a short distance to the west of the Elf Kirk on the north side of the railway” This was granted on condition that the structure could be removed at one month’s notice if the land was needed for the town’s purposes.

Over the next couple of decades the club’s fortunes were varied. In 1882 golfers were being lost to the newly established bowling and tennis clubs. In 1884 a complaint was made that Banff’s “manhood do not identify themselves with the fine old game of golf”

By 1891 the course and clubhouse were improved. Mr Robert Mearns, Aberdeen Professional, came to Banff and “arranged a very good golf course of nine holes”

Within a year the club had 70 members, rising to 110 by the end of the century. Whins which were a “frequent place of entombment of balls” were cleared and the Golf House was renovated and extended.

Competition medals were presented by the club president, Mr James Simpson of Inverboyndie – see photos below – the original is in the Museum of Banff, Mr Chives Adam, son of a former provost, and by Canon Chisholm, President of Blairs College, who had been priest at Banff.

Life membership was granted to raise money at a cost of twenty shillings for ladies and forty shillings for gentlemen.

In 1894 a Grand Bazaar was announced to raise funds for the erection of a new pavilion and an extension to the course.

By the end of the century there were tensions between golf and other recreational uses of the links, walking, shooting and cricket being some of the competing activities. There were also concerns that carts taking sand and shingle off the beach were causing destruction of the turf and the club tried to have access restricted. The links themselves were under threat due to the amount of sand and shingle being removed, allowing the sea to erode the coast.

By 1910 a golf course was established at Duff House and in 1923 the course there was redesigned by Dr Alastair MacKenzie who went on to design Augusta.

In 1925 the two golf clubs joined and at the same time HRH Louise Princess Royal, Dowager Duchess of Fife, expressed a wish to become Patroness of the Club and desired that the club become Duff House Royal Golf Club.

Banff has one of the best golf courses available in Scotland – described as the “Augusta of the North”. The game has a long association with the town – In 1637 “Francis Brown was hanged for “stealing some goliff ballis” and in 1798 golf being played on the links is mentioned in the statistical account of Scotland.

However in 1871 a golf club was formed in Banff and a course established at Banff Links. Banff Golf Club House was built on the Links “below the Boyndie Toll Bar, a short distance to the west of the Elf Kirk on the north side of the railway” This was granted on condition that the structure could be removed at one month’s notice if the land was needed for the town’s purposes.

Over the next couple of decades the club’s fortunes were varied. In 1882 golfers were being lost to the newly established bowling and tennis clubs. In 1884 a complaint was made that Banff’s “manhood do not identify themselves with the fine old game of golf”

By 1891 the course and clubhouse were improved. Mr Robert Mearns, Aberdeen Professional, came to Banff and “arranged a very good golf course of nine holes”

Within a year the club had 70 members, rising to 110 by the end of the century. Whins which were a “frequent place of entombment of balls” were cleared and the Golf House was renovated and extended.

Competition medals were presented by the club president, Mr James Simpson of Inverboyndie, Mr Chives Adam, son of a former provost, and by Canon Chisholm, President of Blairs College, who had been priest at Banff.

Life membership was granted to raise money at a cost of twenty shillings for ladies and forty shillings for gentlemen.

In 1894 a Grand Bazaar was announced to raise funds for the erection of a new pavilion and an extension to the course.

By the end of the century there were tensions between golf and other recreational uses of the links, walking, shooting and cricket being some of the competing activities. There were also concerns that carts taking sand and shingle off the beach were causing destruction of the turf and the club tried to have access restricted. The links themselves were under threat due to the amount of sand and shingle being removed, allowing the sea to erode the coast.

By 1910 a golf course was established at Duff House and in 1923 the course there was redesigned by Dr Alastair MacKenzie who went on to design Augusta.

In 1925 the two golf clubs joined and at the same time HRH Louise Princess Royal, Dowager Duchess of Fife, expressed a wish to become Patroness of the Club and desired that the club become Duff House Royal Golf Club.

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