History
East Linton Bowling Club was formed in 1862 and after a number of years at Lauder Place by the banks of the River Tyne (shown below) moved to its present green on Bank Road, which was opened by A.J Balfour, M.P of Whittingehame House, on 18th September 1880. (Picture below shows the site of the original green after bowling ceased and was converted to a curling rink.)
In order to provide better amenities for the members, a small clubhouse was erected at the new site in 1884.(shown below)
The new green was purchased from the Trustees of Phantassie Estate in 1919 for £170 , electricity was installed in 1930, the green radically altered in 1952, and a new clubhouse extension opened by Provost D.M.Rennie in 1974. Artificial banks and an automatic watering system were installed in 1983 and a further extension added to the clubhouse in 1990. The club joined the Scottish Bowling Association (S.B.A) in 1893 and in the same year qualified for the finals of the Scottish Fours Championship at Queen's Park, Glasgow - the first year of that competition. Since then, Several players have reached the S.B.A finals, and of those pride of place must be reserved for David Currie, Ian Butler, John Scott, Heb Milligan who won the 'Fours' in 1979 and then went on to capture the British Isles Fours title in Nottingham the following year.
(Pictured above L-R Ian Butler , John Scott , Heb Milligan , David Currie.)
East Linton's 'bard', Hugh Munro , captured the magic of the Scottish Championship win in a celebratory poem, the first verse of which ran:
Twaes August Fourth, a date tae mark,
A' Linton's thoughts were at Queen's Park,
Where on that famous Boolin Green,
Bathed in a brilliant summer scene,
Four Linton lads went oot that day,
A' Scotland marvelled at their play,
And though the best they had tae meet,
I'm proud tae say, they wer'na beat.
