THE WAY IT WAS: STONEHAVEN GOLF CLUB IN THE 1920s

E-mail from Brian Ewen.

Reference Duncan Mitchell's picture-story (Scottishgolfview.com, Friday, January 28) about his grandfather George Mitchell who was Stonehaven Golf Club professional from 1920 to 1925.
I also have some old hickory clubs from the days of George Mitchell.
I am under the impression that he never made these clubs, but was the retailer.
There should be some sort of other mark on Gordon's putter, that will indicate who the maker was.
Among my collection of old photos of Stonehaven Golf Club, I have the one below, which shows Mr. Mitchell's name above the Professional shop, which would have been situated under the clubhouse, and is now used as one of the locker rooms.
Brian Ewen

Stonehaven Golf Club house during George Mitchell's days as club professionals (1920-25). If you enlarge the picture by clicking on it, you will be able to see the surname "Mitchell" over the pro shop entrance.

+IF you have any old golf pictures, and stories to go with them, you can E-mail them to Colin@scottishgolfview.com

FOOTNOTE FROM COLIN FARQUHARSON: Stonehaven Golf Club has particular memories for me because as a cub reporter with Aberdeen Journals - the year before I went off to do my National Service - I was sent on my first golf-reporting assignment, the Stonehaven 36-hole men's open of  1955. I can remember taking the bus out to Stonehaven and keeping the ticket for the return journey in the evening.

Wallace Anderson, who was a Glenbervie GC member and played football professionally for Falkirk, won the event. A lot of pro footballers of that era were very good amateur golfers - probably because they had so much free time in the afternoons after training. Max Murray of Rangers and Aberdeen's Tommy Pearson were other footballer-golfers whose names I recall from way back.

Being only a lad of 17, I was still very shy and stood or sat outside the Stonehaven clubhouse all day. I never spoke to anyone, not even Wallace Anderson - which would be a "no-no" in golf reporting these days. I copied down all the scores for the tournament which was run from the little starter's hut to the left of the clubhouse which has not changed at all in outward appearance in the 50-odd years since then. Golden memories.