Founded in 1889, the original membership of the Moray Golf Club in Lossiemouth included some influential distillers and had a high percentage of women players within a few years of opening. From an initial membership of 82, by 1904 there were over 500 members with almost 25% being women. Having so many women members says a lot given that day and age. Currently the membership at Moray Golf Club stands at around 1700. Golfing in Scotland is a national pastime.
The distillers within the membership impacted the club and the effects of that membership continue to this day. Beginning in 1900, the Moray Golf Club purchased 54 gallons of Glen Grant whiskey. Buying whiskey and bottling it as “club malt” has been a tradition that is maintained to this day. In 1992, the club switched from Glen Grant to Macallan Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky. The malt is bottled for the club when it is 10 years old.
With such a large growth in the membership ranks so early in its life, the Moray Golf Club found that the course was often congested during the summer with the influx of summer visitors to Lossiemouth. It was determined that another course was needed. The solution was that a 9-hole golf course was constructed on the existing course grounds.
Old Tom Morris, who was involved in designing a large number of golf courses in his day, also designed the first golf course at the Moray Golf Club. This 18-hole course is a challenging Par 71 course. Sir Henry Cotton, a renowned golfer and golf course architect, redesigned the second 9-hole course into an 18-hole golf course. A shorter course than the Old Course, the Par 69 New Course has tight fairways and small greens. Both courses are a test of golf’s skills. Few other places allow you the opportunity to golf two rounds on courses that were designed by such notable masters of design. That the Moray Golf Club has hosted several nation tournaments is a testament to the challenging level of the courses.
Moray Golf Club is definitely a golf course worth visiting while you are in the area. If golfing is your passion, you will find that both the Old and New Courses will challenge and relax you.
