1822 Leith Thistle Golf Club Scorecard

(Oldest Known Golf Scorecard)

SIR HENRY COTTON AND MORT OLMAN PROVENANCE

        We have the extreme privilege of offering what may be the oldest golf scorecard in existence - an 1822 scorecard from famed Thistle Golf Club, which played its golf on the Leith Links alongside the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. Among its many noteworthy accomplishments, Thistle Golf Club may be best-known for producing one of the first formal Rules of Golf in 1824. [See http://www.ruleshistory.com/rules1824.html]. An original copy of these early Rules of Golf, which are from two years after this scorecard, reportedly traded hands a few years ago for upwards of $25,000.

        Not only is this 1822 scorecard believed to be the oldest golf scorecard in existence, it was once owned by the great Sir Henry Cotton - winner of 3 Open Championships. This scorecard was part of the now-famous "Tin Black Box" of Henry Cotton's that was found after he passed away. This Tin Black Box contained a treasure trove of historical golf memorabilia that Cotton had collected over the years. The entire box was purchased by noted golf collector Mort Olman in a Sotheby's auction in the mid-1990s during a sale of Cotton's possessions. The discovery of Cotton's Tin Black Box was a significant moment for collectors of early golf history. Among the many important early Thistle Golf Club documents in that box was this 190 year old scorecard, which pre-dated any other known golf scorecard.

        Just how early is this scorecard in relation to golf history? Well, this scorecard consists of only 10 holes. The first-ever mention of a golf course being 18 holes wasn't until two decades later when the newly-named Royal & Ancient released its own set of rules.

        This original 1822 scorecard from Thistle Golf Club is in remarkable condition and has been professionally framed.