Thomas Kincaid

Lore & Background

Thomas Kincaid was the son of Thomas Kincaid (1619–1691), a prominent Edinburgh surgeon-apothecary who served as Deacon of the Incorporation of Surgeons of Edinburgh. The younger Kincaid studied medical textbooks by Thomas Willis, Thomas Sydenham and Nicholas Culpeper, and learned Dutch, likely intending to pursue a medical degree at Leiden University. From January 1687 to December 1688, he kept a detailed diary recording his studies and thoughts on subjects ranging from chemistry and theology to horse breeding and archery.

Kincaid played golf at Bruntsfield Links and Leith Links. His diary entry for 20 January 1687 describes his golf stroke in detail, and he continued with thirteen paragraphs of analysis. He also wrote about the ideal golf ball and an early handicap system. He was an active member of the Edinburgh Company of Archers and in 1711 became the third winner of the City of Edinburgh Silver Arrow, a competition that continues as the longest-running annual archery competition.

Kincaid did not pass the entrance examination of the Incorporation of Surgeons of Edinburgh and does not appear to have qualified as a surgeon. In 1709 he donated his father's extensive library to the Incorporation, and in 1710 he was admitted without payment of entrance fees. He is buried with his parents in Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh.

Reader's Guide

Thomas Kincaid's diary is notable for containing the earliest known instructions for playing golf, written in January and February 1687. His detailed analysis of the golf stroke, including advice on stance and the dangers of swinging too hard, remains relevant to modern golfers. The diary also records his thoughts on archery, billiards, and stone throwing, providing a rare glimpse into the recreational life of a 17th-century Scottish student. Kincaid's involvement with the Edinburgh Company of Archers and his 1711 victory in the City of Edinburgh Silver Arrow competition mark him as an early figure in organized archery. The Silver Arrow competition continues today as the longest-running annual archery event. His admission to the Incorporation of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1710, based on his donation of his father's library rather than on examination, represents an early instance of honorary admission. Kincaid's legacy rests primarily on his diary, which preserves the earliest written golf instruction and documents the intersection of medicine, sport, and student life in late 17th-century Edinburgh.

Did You Know?

• Thomas Kincaid's diary includes the earliest known instructions for playing golf.
• Kincaid was admitted to the Incorporation of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1710 without paying an entrance fee, in recognition of donating his father's library.
• His diary entry for 6 November 1688 records the landing of William of Orange.