This magnificent links course is deservedly rated amongst the best. Golf was played here in the late 18th century , but the present course was laid out in 1899 by Thomas Simpson with supervision from Tom Morris. The inaugural tournament was won by Harry Vardon from Andrew Kirkcaldy and Ben Sayers. The coming of the railway made it easily accessible and popular and a recent expansion of the oil industry on the north-east coast has given a fresh impetus to the area.