Golf
Living and working on an island in the Firth of Clyde may sound idyllic, but it can have its frustrations as Millport Golf Club’s Head Greenkeeper Joe Bell explains
Millport Golf Club Joe Bell G
The Bell rings out...
reat Cumbrae is the larger of two islands known as The Cumbraes in the lower Firth of Clyde in western Scotland. It is a popular holiday destination and, whilst
locals total a little over 1,350, this number increases considerably when visitors flock to the 2.5 mile long x 1.2 mile wide island during the holiday season. It’s smaller sister island - unsurprisingly
Little Cumbrae (or Wee Cumbrae to give it its Scottish notation) - is technically uninhabited, although the ruins of a castle, a chapel and a still working lighthouse point to previous residents, and there is a caretaker looking after the Victorian pile of Little Cumbrae House on occasions. More illustrious island neighbours, such as Bute and Arran, can be clearly seen, whilst the coast of mainland Scotland appears to be but a stone’s throw away. Great Cumbrae is home to the Sport
Scotland National Watersports Centre, the Cathedral of the Isles and the Field Study Centre, whilst Crocodile Rock is a somewhat quirky tourist attraction. Additionally, the Commonwealth Torch used in the Queen’s Baton Relay was crafted using locally sourced Elm wood from the garrison grounds in
26 I PC FEBRUARY/MARCH 2016
Millport, the only town on the island, which occupies the full length of the island’s southern shore. The mainland town of Largs provides a regular ferry service to transport visitors and locals to and from the island. The ferry docks at a slip to the north of the island, close to the round island coast road which is very popular with cyclists. The land on the island is primarily owned
by the farmers, with the other major land owner being Millport Golf Club. The club was formed as the ‘Cumbrae Golf Club’ in 1888 by gentlemen members of the Glasgow Golf Club, who wanted to play golf when on holiday in Millport, plus a few local worthies. It was originally a 9-hole course laid out on land rented from Damhead farm. Following a change of ground leasing
arrangements to lease directly from the Marquis of Bute, the club gathered momentum and a clubhouse was erected in 1892. In the same year, the local MP presented a silver cleek for an annual competition between the Cumbrae Club and the Rothesay Club on Bute, a match that continues to be keenly contested to this day. In order to avoid confusion with Comrie Golf Club, the name of the club was changed to The Millport Golf Club in 1900, and a new
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