The History of Alexander H. Findlay
Alexander H. Findlay, a Scottish immigrant to the United States in early 1887, became the first man on record - April 4, 1887 - to construct a golf course and play a round of golf, with his partner Edward Millar, over the six-hole layout. This first authenticated golf course was located on the Merchiston Ranch in Nance County, Nebraska, some 130 miles west of Omaha. This is the official site on the history of Alexander H. Findlay. Here you will find articles related to his advancing golf in America.
So sorry for the lapse in my stories. We just moved to Florida and it was a most hectic transition from Washington DC to Ocala Florida. Life is much slower here, so that affords me the opportunity to start researching more as well as writing more. I apologize for the delay in getting back to the responses received. I also have some very exciting news on a major development in the ability to play golf into those senior years (of which I have now entered). At any rate new features on this old website are about to take place. We are expanding our base and exploring new possibilities on the history as well as the future of the game of golf.
Richard Findlay
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It's come to the time when I have thought much about the past and the future of golf. To that end we will be reviewing and publishing stories from you, the golf loving enthusiasts. Please contact me via the contact info at the end of this article and we shall work together under a new heading. In the near future, we will also be adding a column concerning golf courses that are of special interest to you and courses that you have played.
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The one great thing about this web site is all the information pouring in throughout the globe. Even though I had the privilege of meeting my great Uncle Frederick, I have not personally met any of my other Great Aunts or Uncles. Now, at last by means of the printed newspaper pages I am able to start piecing together much of their lives. Of the ten children of Alexander Findlay and Mary Ann Miline Findlay had 5 took up golf. James Alexander the 2nd Alexander Hamburg the 4th, Albert Edwin the 6th David Horatio Miline the 7th and Frederick Augustus McPherson the 8th in line all became golfers, amateurs, professionals, club makers, course designers, lectures of the game of golf. This story will be about two of the three that imigrated to Australia Albert and Fred. Story beig compiled as we write this introduction.
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A little history concerning this site and who is preparing the information. It is a joint effort of both myself Richard B. Findlay and my recently deceased older brother Ronald A. Findlay, grandsons of Alexander H. Findlay by his 3rd son Norman E.J. Findlay, Sr. Growing up in Philadelphia, PA we had a house full of one of the most extensive private golf collections of antiquity in existence. We knew that our grandfather was famous for golf but not actually sure of his legacy. You see he died before I was born and when Ron was only 7 years of age. Our father would tell us of his father’s accomplishments in early American golf. He would even indicate that Alex was "The Father of American Golf".
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Frederick Augustus McPherson Findlay learned his golf at his home town of Montrose, which has a very old and classic links about 35 km to the north of Carnoustie. He migrated to Australia in December 1909. He became the professional at the Metropolitan Golf Club, Melbourne, from 1910 to 1922. Fred left Australia and arrived in America in 1923. He was joined in America by his only surviving child, his daughter Ruth, who had married American Raymond “Ben” Franklin Loving in Melbourne 1924. Ruth went to America with Ben in 1925 to live with him in Virginia. In America Fred had a very successful career as a golf course architect.
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