Golf Captain Tom Hannan Teeing Off at the opening of the new Club in 1922
Golf was fashionable in the 17th century under the active patronage of the Stuart Kings; in fact James VI of Scotland took the game south with him when he became James I of England. However. the game did not really become popular for another 200 years.
There is no record of a golf course in Stewarton in those far-off days, and it was not until 1912 that a nine-hole course was laid out - if that is the right word - at Gameshill, Robertland, which is now a housing area. The course was officially opened on June 1st of that year when Provost Sim drove the first ball. The terms for members were, according to the original membership card : Gentlemen 12/6, Ladies 7/6 and Visitors 6d per round of 18 holes. Since that happy day, the fortunes of Stewarton Golf Club have fluctuated over the years, and sad to report, more downwards than upwards.
From the very beginning, the Club seems to have been plagued with ground leasing troubles, and due to squabbles with various landowners, certain holes and eventually the whole course had to be shifted. At one stage the very clubhouse had to be moved at short notice which caused much expense to the Club and a great deal of bitterness among the members.
For a short time, the town could even boast of an 18-hole course, but by the 'thirties' the Club course again only had nine holes and was situated between the Cutstraw and Fenwick roads. This is the course that many Stewartonians will recall with nostalgia. It was " a nice wee course" to play on and local "gowfers" of that period will recall with affection such holes as "Blaw Wearie", "the Punch Bowl", "Village", "Dug's Leg", "Cutstraw", "Tipperary", and "Draffen", and "The Kilns". This was, undoubtedly the most prosperous period in the Club's history when the membership was at its largest.
Football ( Important figures from Stewarton )
Rose Reilly
Rose Riley was born in Kilmarnock East Ayrshire in 1955 and shortly afterwards moved to live in Stewarton
Rose was recently the first ever woman to be inducted into the Scottish Sports hall of fame for her trailblazing career and women's football. Despite her early and obvious skills on the park Rose was barred from playing football with the boys at school and even took to disguising herself as a boy and calling herself Ross. During the 1960s in 1970s it was unheard of a woman to be a successful football player in Scotland and despite getting interest from Scouts for football Giants Celtic the rules concerning females becoming Professional Footballers seemed to block her from ever progressing.
She represented Scotland in the Commonwealth Games Pentathlon but decided to follow her football dream and move to Europe where women's football was much more developed after a short spell at Reims in France she moved to AC Milan in Italy where she helped when 8 Seria titles, 4 Italian cups and once scored 45 goals in a season. She also represented Scotland at international level but perhaps her greatest achievement was when she began to play for Italy captaining the side 13 times and in 1983 she scored the winning goal and the women's world cup final which gave Italy the title over the United States of America.
Elsie Cook
A second Stewarton woman footballer to be inducted into the Scottish Sports hall of fame for her career in women's football. Elsie also Captained and Managed the Scottish Ladies Football Team.
Curling
Stewarton Heather Curling Club, has a rich history rooted in the broader development of curling in Scotland. While the club itself was "instituted" in 1842, meaning it adopted the rules of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club.
Curling in Scotland has a long history, with the Royal Caledonian Curling Club (RCCC) formed in 1838 to regulate the sport.
Bowling
The Stewarton Bowling club was established in 1861 and has provided recreational sporting facilities in Stewarton for over 150 years.
Tennis
Stewarton Tennis Club was founded in 1923 with a break during WW2 when the pavilion was requisitioned by the military
Other sports include an Angling Club founded in 1930 and a Rifle Club founded in 1958 although shooting took place on the Lainshaw Estate as far back as 1909.