Home of the world's earliest recorded 'Rules of Golf' in 1744

Leith Links is a truly historic place in Scotland, where the sport has been played since the sixteenth century by golfers of Leith town and nearby City of Edinburgh. Now a public park, it is the Home of the earliest recorded Rules of Golf - the world's first golf competition rules.    Today, Leith Rules Golf Society continues that tradition with annual Challenge Matches against other clubs with connections to Early Golf and a series of Competitions held during July's Golf Week on the Links. Also see News & Events section.

To increase recognition for Leith Links' place in golfing history, we completed a £150,000 fundraising campaign in 2019 for a Statue of John Rattray, by Scottish sculptor David Annand, who signed the First Rules in 1744, and three plinths in a Precinct. These were unveiled in September 2019. The Society transferred responsibility for maintenance, with a fund, in October 2020 to City of Edinburgh Council. 

This website details the Society's annual Events Calendar - golf and non-golfing events - and Society News plus Society records of past enjoyable Society Event Reports, including many using hickory clubs. We encourage others to join as members or supporters in experiencing this centuries-old tradition. 

Also, it explains with many photographs,  the Links' golfing history, the historic and modern Course layouts and how the principles of the 13 original Rules were adapted over three centuries by the R&A and US Golf Association 'sharing a commitment to a single code for the Rules of Golf' world wide.   

A short 5-minute video about the fundraising campaign highlights for the John Rattray Statue & Precinct on Leith Links and the Unveiling Ceremony on 11 September 2019 in front of invited guests. The Statue project funding was completed in 2020.  However, to support the Society's long-term aim  of recognition for Leith Links, limited edition small Bronzes of two different sizes remain for sale - see 'The Society' section.