Stirling writer Elaine Whiteford has written a book on the history of Stirling Golf Club.
The Story of Stirling Golf Club is the first comprehensive history of the club and traces the club’s evolution from 1869, exploring the pivotal moments in its history and highlighting legendary champions.
Elaine decided to write the book given her interest in local history and her family connections to the club.
She explained: “My dad, uncle and brother were all members. My dad joined in 1946 and was captain in 1973.
“My uncle was champion in 1960 and my brother joined in 1971.
“There was a lot of golf talk in the house when I was growing up!
“And I finally joined six years ago.”
The prime information source for the book was the club’s own archive, which contains 155 years of minute books.
In addition, Elaine drew on minutes from the Stirling Ladies’ Golf Club, which was established in the late 1800s and which amalgamated with Stirling Golf Club in 1962.
Elaine continued: “I was delighted to be able to incorporate the story of women’s golf in Stirling too, as the Ladies’ Club, among other things, played a key role in the development of the course at the King’s Park when it went from nine to eighteen holes in 1912.
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“What I also found fascinating as I researched the book is that the story of the club isn’t an isolated one but is also part of the story of Stirling.”
Garry Bowman, Managing Secretary of Stirling Golf Club, commented: “The Story of Stirling Golf Club is a very welcome addition to the club’s heritage and I’m sure it will be of interest to golfers and local historians alike.”
Elaine, 60, attended Wallace High School, St Andrews and Stirling universities and retired from local government six years ago. She has an MLitt in Creative Writing from Stirling University.
The book is out now in hardback and is richly illustrated with over 200 archive and more recent photographs.
It is available in person from the Professional’s Shop at Stirling Golf Club or online from the publisher’s website, www.sterlinipublishing.com.
