In the early days of golf at the turn of the century, (when Downfield was a village separate to Dundee) play was over a nine hole 'Baldovan' course and history states that the clubhouse was an old horse drawn tramcar. During the First World War, the course was returned to agricultural use and it was in 1932 before moves were put in hand to reform the club.

Once again, it was a nine hole course, laid out in three fields which were rented from the Camperdown Estate at a cost of £150. At a meeting in 1932, the course was formally handed over to the newly formed Committee and Downfield Golf Club came into existence. Such was the demand for membership that a decision was made to extend the course to 18 holes. The original Downfield course was designed by the one and only James Braid but the course was altered in 1964 to make way for local housing. Some of the original holes are still in play and on those holes very few bunkers have been altered. The alterations that were done, were mainly the work of two members, the late Jack Scrimgeour and Les Wright (the long serving Greens Convenor), and between them they did an incredible job. The Downfield Golf Club will be forever in-debt to both of them for their tremendous ideas and hard work.

Fred Walker was appointed as the Club Professional and stayed with the club for 39 years until he retired. He was voted 'Club Professional of the Year' in 1969 and his son, Bobby, at the tender age of 14 reduced the course record to an incredible 63, a reduction of six strokes over the previous best. Bobby Walker went on to win the Scottish professional Championship on two occasions and represented Scotland in the Canada Cup.

As Dundee grew, the requirement for land became paramount and after lengthy negotiations the course was revamped, retaining five original holes and laid out in 1964 in the form it has today.