Introduction

The Grantown Golfing Society (GGS) comprises a disparate bunch of golfing enthusiasts primarily from Edinburgh.  The society was formed in 1980 largely as a spin-off from the Grantown tennis tournament which had been popular with several players from the Merchiston and Thistle tennis clubs in Edinburgh.  As interest in the tennis tournament waned, two of the Edinburgh stalwarts, Jim Kay and Donnie McGougan, decided to continue the pilgrimage north each year, this time to the golf course and the rest, as they say, is history.

On 17th May 2007, the whole GGS community was shocked to learn of the sudden and untimely death of Joe Wilson, one of the true GGS stalwarts, whilst typically indulging in one of his many sporting pastimes, 5-a-side football.  To celebrate the colourful life of Joe, a website has been set up - please feel free to visit it here and add your personal contributions.

Until 1999, the main event of the year was a week of intensive golf in Grantown-on-Spey in the Scottish Highlands in late August/early September with a weekend in May also at Grantown, plus other ad hoc gatherings in the Edinburgh area throughout the year.  During the main week, two "major" competitions were held - the Open, a 72 hole stroke play contest held over the Thursday and Friday at the Grantown course and the Masters is 36 holes of stroke play held at a different course in the Moray Firth area.   A Spring Stableford "minor" is held on the Saturday of the Spring weekend, and the remainder of the time spent in slightly less serious competition including team scrambles and limited club events.  A new competition was introduced in 1999 for the senior citizens, i.e. those who reached the ripe old age of 50, but has since fallen into disrepair, a bit like some of the participants!

However, the Millennium year changed the tried and tested format forever with the guys jetting off for a week in the Algarve in late September/early October.  Inevitably, this set the standard for the years to come and after a second visit to the Algarve in 2001, the overseas tour has become firmly established as part of the calendar, with trips to Grantown being reduced to two long weekends.  Also, with the general onset of old age and infirmity, the Open has been reduced to 36 holes (still strokeplay!), and the Masters is played over 18 holes of Stableford at one of the overseas courses. 

Please feel free to browse around the site and drop me an E-Mail if you want to get in touch.