Club History

Bass Rock is the third club from the West Links in North Berwick and consists of 150 members, ten of whom are full members, with the majority of the others coming from Tantallon or North Berwick Golf Clubs.

Bass Rock Golf Club was founded in 1873 and is named after the formidable landmark of the Bass Rock Island which lies three miles off north Berwick in the estuary of the Firth of Forth. The Bass Rock Golf Club has 100 members and was originally an artisan club, but the membership is now drawn from all walks of life, including a junior section.

The medal competitions are played over the West Links at North Berwick from April to October. For over 70 yeas the Bass Rock Golf Club have been responsible for organising the famous Esmond Trophy, the most prestigious open competition in the East Lothian county.

The club is proud of the part their members have played in the history of golf, including James H Hutchinson, Andrew Basset and Charlie Thomson. Also Fred McLeod US Open Champion, Scottish Internationalist Robert B Denholm and many of the early pioneers who took golf to all corners of the world.

Over the years, the Bass Rock has produced some of the finest golfers from East Lothian, with the most famous being Fred McLeod. After emigrating to the US, he won the US Open in 1908 defeating Willie Smith in an 18-hole playoff to claim victory at the 1908 U.S. Open, after Smith had led following each of the first three rounds.

While it was the only major championship victory for McLeod, he remained competitive for many more years at golf's top levels.and also finished runner-up in the PGA Championship 11 years later.

Pictures Fred shortly after his U.S. Open Open victory. Fred McLeod, seen here in the 1970s where he served as the original honorary starters for The Masters.

Bass Rock is the third club from the West Links in North Berwick and consists of 150 members, ten of whom are full members, with the majority of the others coming from Tantallon or North Berwick Golf Clubs.

Bass Rock Golf Club was founded in 1873 and is named after the formidable landmark of the Bass Rock Island which lies three miles off north Berwick in the estuary of the Firth of Forth. The Bass Rock Golf Club has 100 members and was originally an artisan club, but the membership is now drawn from all walks of life, including a junior section.

The medal competitions are played over the West Links at North Berwick from April to October. For over 70 yeas the Bass Rock Golf Club have been responsible for organising the famous Esmond Trophy, the most prestigious open competition in the East Lothian county.

The club is proud of the part their members have played in the history of golf, including James H Hutchinson, Andrew Basset and Charlie Thomson. Also Fred McLeod US Open Champion, Scottish Internationalist Robert B Denholm and many of the early pioneers who took golf to all corners of the world.

Over the years, the Bass Rock has produced some of the finest golfers from East Lothian, with the most famous being Fred McLeod. After emigrating to the US, he won the US Open in 1908 defeating Willie Smith in an 18-hole playoff to claim victory at the 1908 U.S. Open, after Smith had led following each of the first three rounds.

While it was the only major championship victory for McLeod, he remained competitive for many more years at golf's top levels.and also finished runner-up in the PGA Championship 11 years later.

Pictures Fred shortly after his U.S. Open Open victory. Fred McLeod, seen here in the 1970s where he served as the original honorary starters for The Masters.