Lanark Golf Club’s story began on the 4th of October 1851, when the game first took root on the Common Moor—becoming the world’s oldest inland course that still plays on its original ground. In those early days, just six holes were laid out across the land owned by the Royal Burgh of Lanark. Remarkably, while so much in the game has changed over time, the course itself has never moved. Golf has been played on this same stretch of moorland for more than 175 years.
As the years passed, the course evolved under the hands of some of the game’s most influential figures. In 1897, for the modest sum of £3 and 10 shillings, Old Tom Morris was brought in to extend the layout to 18 holes. Later, in 1927, James Braid refined the course further, shaping much of what remains today. Aside from modern touches such as extended tees and updated bunkering, their work still defines the character of the course—a lasting tribute to their vision.
Often compared to the King’s Course at Gleneagles, Lanark offers a similarly rewarding moorland test set among sweeping, scenic surroundings. There’s even a tale that the Caledonian Railway Company once considered building its now world-famous hotel here, before a chairman’s casting vote tipped the balance in favour of Gleneagles—leaving Lanark to quietly retain its own unique place in golfing history.
