James Braid

JAMES BRAID Open Champion and golf course designer

James Braid won a record five Open Golf Championships between 1901 and 1910. Braid worked as a joiner in St Andrews. He moved to England in 1893 to become a club maker. Braid was a keen golfer and turned professional in 1896.

He became one of the founders of the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) and later a president. He was also a distinguished course designer, gaining a reputation for creating well laid out courses.

James Braid opened the course on the 16th of May 1936 and you can see a copy if his score card below. Notice the Stymie Measure on the side. In those days you could be blocked by another ball in front of you on the green but not if it was within 6 inches.

You may have noticed on the scorecard that the course that Braid designed on the old racehorse training ground was a bit bigger than it is now. The design below shows the original course. During the WWII some of the course was used for grazing and some of it ploughed for planting crops. The course was not restored to the original length after the war.

Braid, with Harry Vardon and JH Taylor, were known as the ‘Great Triumvirate’ – three players who dominated the sport of golf before the First World War (1914 – 1918).

Buchanan Castle Golf Club members are entitled to reduced rates at many James Braid courses.  The list of courses is available Here