we nor Tantallon can boast the strength of a Ball/Hilton pairing so the respective Captains choose their teams for their social and singing skills as well as their golfing prowess. It is now a tradition that each team entertains the other after the black tie dinner. At the 2009 dinner in the charming surroundings of the Tantallon beamed dining room, the Tantallon members firstly paid warm tribute to Mike Lambert, the father of Catriona Matthew, the 2009 British Womens’ Open Champion and long time member of Tantallon, and to Harvey Butterworth the oldest surviving Club Champion of 1959 and who also played in the 1953 match.. Tributes and speeches paid, Tantallon led off an eclectic programme of post dinner entertainment with spirited renditions of “Wee Cock Sparra”, an entertaining but unintelligible Turkish Folk Song and various monologues. Never shy of the wish to take up any challenge, RLGC provided responses from our 2010 Captain, Arthur Noble (The Vicar of Bray), our 2009 leader Paul Cassidy (Donald Where’s Yer Trewsers) then Fintan McDonnell (Liverpool Lou) as the top turns. But returning to the history of the Tantallon Club, they
have a distinguished membership including Robert Maxwell, Freddie Tait and J E Laidlay. They were at the forefront of
matches and golfing excellence for many years around the turn of the 19th/20th century over the magnificent North Berwick links. A point of particular interest was the splendid, embossed copper plate displaying the Rose and the Thistle which was donated by RLGC to Tantallon, probably in the late 1890”s. This plate was not always fully appreciated as, for many years, it served its original purpose as a kick plate at the main door! In 1984, its significance was reaffirmed and, suitably cleaned and remounted, it now sits proudly above the fireplace in the main Club Room. Golfing history abounds at Tantallon, North Berwick
and at Hoylake. The fixture is alive and well and future generations of both Clubs would do well to appreciate the link and ensure that the match is viewed as an important part of our respective traditions. The inscription over the copper plate reads :- “This door plate commemorates the series of matches between Tantallon Golf Club and the Royal Liverpool Golf Club which commenced on 5th August 1881 and which proved to be the forerunner of international matches between Scotland and England.”
Tantallon door plate
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