James Scott Kinnear fl.1870-1917

The links of St.Andrews are renowned throughout the world as the home of golf and the game has been played on the links since 1400. In 1457 King James II of Scotland banned the game of golf as he deemed it to be distracting young men from archery practice. Succeeding monarchs upheld this ban until James IV ascended the throne and took up the game of golf in 1502. In 1764 the Old course consisted of 22 holes, however, it was soon decided that the course was too short and the course was then reduced to 18 holes. In 1797 the bankrupt St. Andrews council sold the links to local merchants who turned the links into a rabbit farm in 1799. There then followed a legal battle and it was not until 1821, when James Cheape of Strathyrum a local landowner and keen golfer bought the links. The present painting dates to around 1880 at a time when the game of golf grew in popularity and was part of the way of life for many local people. As the course became more crowded the Royal and Ancient golf club decided to build the New course in 1895 and the Jubilee course in 1897.