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Lot Essay
The statistical account of Scotland gives the date of 1760 as the foundation of the club, although the club modestly accepts the date of 1774. The original Musselburgh course was over seven holes; in 1833 an eighth was added and soon after, a ninth, giving a total distance of 2,850 yards and a par of 39. As the three holes of 400 yards and over were all pars, it gives an indication that the feather ball could be hit considerable distances and played accurately. They shared this course with the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, the Bruntsfield Links and the Burgess Clubs, these having fled from the encroachments on the links at Leith and Bruntsfield, but in the 1890s they all departed to new courses. However, Royal Musselburgh, the coveted prefix came in 1876, was itself cramped and moved to the Estate of Prestongrange in 1924.