Ardeer Golf Club was officially opened on Saturday 18th April 1905. This new 18-hole golf course replaced the previous one opened in 1880.
Stevenston’s first golf course was the brainchild of Archibald Robertson and Rev. John Fraser Grahame, minister of Stevenston High Kirk. The original 50 members were clergymen, lawyers, and businessmen, both current and retired, who came from North Ayrshire, Neilston and Glasgow. Amongst them were Rev. Lee Ker, Kilwinning; Rev. Francis Halden, North Church, Saltcoats; Rev. William McAlpine, Fergushill; James McIsaac, later Provost of Saltcoats (1886-1895); James Campbell, Town Clerk of Saltcoats and James Cook, Town Clerk of Ardrossan. Archibald Robertson was the first captain of the club.
The nine-hole golf course, which lay across Stevenston shore, was officially opened on Saturday 14 August 1880. The course ran from the end of George Street, southwards to the Ironworks, then northwards towards the shore and Auchenharvie pit, with its main hazard being the Stevenston Burn, which had to be crossed twice. After the opening game, which was played with golf balls made of solid gutta rubber, the players retired to the Thistle and Rose Hotel, New Street, Stevenston. Later a red sandstone clubhouse was built at the end of George Street, which still exists.
The original golf course had to be abandoned when parts of it subsided, and a thick black fluid from the mine workings spread across part of the course until it looked like a miniature black sea. At a members’ meeting on 03 October 1903 a resolution was passed to lease ground to the north and south of the railway leading to Ardeer Factory with the intention of laying out an 18-hole golf course and building a new clubhouse.
Beginning in January 1904, on land owned by I.C.I., the new 18-hole golf course was laid out at Ardeer utilizing the natural hazards to make the game more interesting. These hazards consisted of small hills and natural bunkers at the 2nd hole; pools of water, sand hills and bunkers to the right of the 3rd hole, which teed off from high ground; the 4th hole was studded with bunkers; the 7th hole which teed off from high ground had bunkers and sand hills to the right; at the 8th hole, if the golfer played badly he could land his golf ball in the old canal which lay roughly 35 yards behind the green; the 11th hole was particularly difficult as the golfer had to get his ball over a large sand bunker and then avoid two bunkers filled with water.

The new clubhouse had 2 club rooms, one for the ladies and one for the gentlemen, with separate entrances. The entrance to the gentlemen’s club room lay to the west of the building and the area consisted of club room, dressing room, tearoom, and a large lavatory. A 5 light bay window gave a clear view of the golf course. The Ladies clubroom was laid out similarly. Also on the ground floor were a kitchen and servery. On the second floor was a flat for the club-master consisting of 3 rooms. The clubhouse was designed by architect Hugh Thomson.
The Ardeer Golf Club took possession of their new clubhouse and golf course on Saturday 17 September 1904. The official opening took place on Saturday 08 April 1905 which proved to be a bitterly cold day, with an icy wind blowing in from the snow-capped Arran mountains. Prior to the opening ceremony, a group photograph was taken in front of the new clubhouse. In 1905 the club had around 150 members and the annual membership fee was 30 shillings.
In 1912 the golf course was altered, when additional land became available, with the 5th hole becoming the first. The altered course opened on Monday 01 July 1912. When the greenkeeper was called up during World War One, the course had to be maintained by its members. The acting Captain George McGregor personally paid for a man to maintain the course.
The Robertson medal, which was played for monthly, the Hey medal and the Pearson Cup were gifted to the Ardeer Golf Club by past captains. In 1930 the Ardeer Golf Club celebrated its fiftieth anniversary by holding a Jubilee competition for which a trophy cup was purchased, paid for by subscription by the club members. It was won by Arthur Cambridge, who was the first to have his name inscribed on it. After the jubilee competition game was played, the company sat down to tea, at which time it was announced that former captain George MacGregor had presented a cup which was to be played for by veteran members, aged 50 and over.
In 1934 when I.C.I. was extended, the Ardeer Golf Club lost some of its ground and new holes had to laid out. These were officially opened on Saturday 06 April 1935. The new guideposts and flag poles were presented to the club by John McIlwrick, along with tee-boards providing information on the distances, bogeys, and names of the new holes.
Ardeer Golf club member, Hamilton ‘Hammy’ McInally won the Scottish Amateur Golf Championship, 3 times, on 31 July 1937 at Barrassie (6 over 5), on 29 July 1939 at Prestwick (7 over 6) and then in August 1947 at Gailes (by 10 up and 3 to play, a record winning Scottish final).
In 1969, Jackie Cannon, of Ardeer Golf Club, won the Scottish amateur golf championship at the age of 52, making him the oldest winner. Two members of Ardeer Golf Club won the British Open Championships, Jamie Anderson won the Open three years in a row, 1877, 1878 and 1879. Sadly, he died a pauper in Perth Poorhouse. Willie Fernie won the open in 1883.
During World War Two 3 holes of the Ardeer Golf Course were taken over by I.C.I. for a barrage balloon station. The course was fully restored after the war by David Fry, club master and head green keeper.
In 1965 I.C.I. informed the Ardeer Golf Club members that the land was needed for a new factory – the Nylon Plant which opened in 1969. Although they didn’t legally have to, I.C.I. gave the Ardeer Golf Club compensation money to help build a new golf course and clubhouse. On 12 September 1965 all 18 greens were carefully lifted and stored at Corsankell Farm until a new golf course could be built.
With the additional assistance of a grant from the Scottish Education Department, an increase in membership fee and interest-free loans from some of the club members, the Ardeer Golf Club purchased 16 acres of land from Lochend Farm, nearby Greenhead Mount Filter Station, above the town of Stevenston. The 18-hole golf course was designed by Mr Middleton, the Scottish Manager of Messrs Stutt, Golf Course Architects. The club members carefully re-laid the greens from the old golf course. The present Ardeer Golf Course (which lies on the other side of the dual carriageway) was opened on Saturday 16 July 1966 when Captain W. C. Winning drove the first ball. Initially the course consisted of 9 holes, but soon after all 18 holes were completed. The club members also purchased a wooden office block from Hunterston, which volunteers transformed into the clubhouse.