Deeside Golf Club Aberdeenshire

Springing from a desire among golfers residing in the lower Deeside area to avoid the inconvenience of travelling several miles to play on the already congested Aberdeen Links course, a public meeting was convened in the school at Cults on November 24, 1902. That meeting led to the election of a committee to investigate possible sites for a course and four months later, in March 1903, Deeside Golf Club was officially inaugurated under the captaincy of James L. McIntyre, one of four doctors on the 19-man committee.

A nine-hole course was opened formally on September 3, 1903, a clubhouse opening followed a year later, and within a further 12 months, the course was extended to a 5,000-yard 18-hole circuit. The next significant course development was the purchase of more ground in 1947, and this was followed in 1969 by the addition of 80 acres of land which had been part of West Cults Farm where a new nine-hole course was completed in June, 1984.

The ’90s were dominated by a radical course redevelopment programme with the twin aim of making better use of the flat and uninteresting ground on which the nine-hole course was situated, and having both the 18 and 9-hole courses starting and finishing in the vicinity of the clubhouse. To these ends, an EGM in 1995 approved a £600,000 scheme to redesign the two courses. An application of National Lottery funding for the first phase of the operation produced an award of £185,000, conditional on the removal of any distinction between male and female members. A side-effect of the publicity the lottery award received was a letter from the Lord Lyon King of Arms pointing out that the design of the club crest – which had been in use for years – required his approval before it could be used. Fortunately, the design needed only slight amendment to qualify for official recognition in the public register of Scottish coats-of arms. Following extensive discussions and numerous SGM’s it was agreed to build a new clubhouse overlooking the Pond and new 18th Hole.

The club’s centenary in 2003 was marked by a number of events, some of them involving representatives from fellow-clubs in the North-east, and the next highlight was the opening – to general complimentary acclaim – of the new clubhouse on 15th December 2004.