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History
Bothwell Castle Golf Club was officially opened on the 16th of June
1923 by the Earl of Home (father of Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas
Home). The course covered a 110 acre site situated between the 13th
century castle and the then small village of Bothwell; the land
was secured on a 21 year lease from the Home estate.
In 1938, during a rather uncertain time for the club with a drop
off in membership, partly due to uncertainty regarding the leaser,
the club approached the Earl who intimated that he would gladly
agree to renewal of the lease. The following year Sunday play was
introduced despite some initial reluctance by the Earl to sanction
the idea.
With the onset of World War II the future existence of the club
looked bleak. Part of the course had to be ploughed, but most of
it was used for grazing.
At the end of 1942, the course of the war turned in favour of Britain
and the Allies, and this also proved a turning point for the club
as finances improved and minds were subsequently directed towards
post war reconstruction. The first mention of purchasing the course
also surfaced.
In 1960 the club were unable to accept an offer to buy the course,
which was purchased by a developer. By 1962, building proposals
were in place resulting in the club losing 7 holes for housing,
and having to develop new ground to replace these holes. This new
section of the course opened in 1973.
The club finally purchased the course in 1976 for £70,000,
thereby securing its long term future.
In 2002, disaster struck when a fire resulted in the complete destruction
of the clubhouse. The club decided to build the replacement clubhouse
in a new location closer to the centre of the course, giving us
the wonderful facility we have today.
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