MEMBER, OF THE 
 $ ANCIENT CLUB OF S? 
 
 . i
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 THE LIFE OF 
 TOM MORRIS
 
 THE LIBRARY OF SPORTS 
 
 2s. 6d. net each 
 
 1. THE COMPLETE BRIDGE 
 
 PLAYER 
 
 By EDWYN ANTHONY ("Cut 
 Cavendish ") 
 
 2. THE COMPLETE FISHER- 
 
 MAN 
 By W. M. GALLICHAN 
 
 Illustrated 
 
 3. THE GOLFERS' GUIDE 
 
 By W. M. BUTLFR 
 Preface bv Dr MACNAMARA
 
 THE LIFE OF 
 TOM MORRIS 
 
 WITH GLIMPSES OF ST ANDREWS AND ITS 
 GOLFING CELEBRITIES 
 
 BY 
 
 W. W. TULLOCH, D.D. 
 
 AUTHOR OF "THE STORY OF THE LIFE OF QUEEN VICTORIA" (revised by 
 
 the Queen) AND "THE STORY OF THE LIFE OF THE PRINCE 
 
 CONSORT " (revised by Her Majesty Queen Victoria) 
 
 ETC., ETC., ETC. 
 
 TWENTY- SE VEN ILL USTRA TIONS 
 
 LONDON 
 
 T. W E R N E R L A U R I E 
 CLIFFORD'S INN
 
 PREFACE 
 
 In the pages which follow it will be seen 
 that I quote from newspaper reports of the 
 famous matches of which I write. The vivid 
 description of an eye-witness is thus always 
 secured. I am sorry I cannot in many cases 
 give the source of the graphic narratives. 
 It is not mentioned in the valuable scrap- 
 book of newspaper cuttings, belonging to the 
 late Mr J. G. Denham, which I am so very 
 fortunate as to possess, through the kindness 
 of his daughter, Mrs Huntley. The majority 
 of the reports are doubtless from The Field, 
 The Scotsman, The Glasgow Herald and The 
 Dundee Advertiser, the golf reporting of which 
 was brought to a very high state of efficiency 
 by the late Mr \Y. M. Croall, and by his brother, 
 Mr J. P. Croall, the present editor of The 
 Scotsman, Mr James Dickson of the Glasgow 
 Herald, Mr David Scott Duncan, Mr Henry 
 Henderson, St Andrews, and others. To Mrs 
 Huntley and these writers I beg to express my 
 best thanks; as well as to my lifelong friend, Mr 
 Thomas Bayne, and Mr W. Dalrymplc of Leven 
 (one of the greatest authorities on all points 
 connected with the game), both of whom have 
 been good enough to read the proofs.
 
 Preface 
 
 I am also indebted to Mr Andrew Lang, Mr 
 H. S. C. Everard, Mr Horace^ G. Hutchinson, 
 and other writers for the use I have made of their 
 contributions to the literature of Golf, to the 
 proprietors of Punch, and to my old friend, Mr 
 William Hodgson. 
 
 I have further to thank the editors and 
 proprietors of Golfing and Golf Illustrated for 
 allowing me to reproduce the illustrations which 
 accompany the volume, and which originally 
 appeared in these journals. Those reproduced 
 from Golf Illustrated are interesting and valuable 
 as specimens of early calotypes taken by one of 
 the most skilful of the pioneers in photography, 
 Dr A damson of St Andrews. 
 
 And I should like to associate this book with 
 the name of her whom I call " Lady Sylvia of 
 the Silver City," through whose hands it has 
 also passed. W. W. TULLOCH. 
 
 THE CLUB-HOUSE. ST AXDRE\VS.
 
 H)eOication 
 
 TO MY FELLOW-MEMBERS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 ROYAL AND ANCIENT GOLF CLUB 
 OF ST ANDREWS 
 
 THIS RECORD 
 OF THE GOLFING ACHIEVEMENTS OF 
 
 TOM MORRIS 
 
 AND OF MANY FAMOUS MATCHES 
 
 ON THE 
 
 LINKS OF ST ANDREWS 
 IS INSCRIBED
 
 To TOM MORRIS 
 
 Dear Old To in, 
 
 Will you accept for your eighty -seventh 
 birthday this account of your long and honourable life, 
 and of the many great matches in which you have 
 taken part and been interested? I trust it may recall to 
 you many happy days and many memorable triumphs 
 in the game with which your name and that of your 
 distinguished son will always be associated. It will 
 also, T Jiope, help to preserve to new generations of 
 golfers the charm of your personality and t/ie memory 
 of the '' brave days of old." 
 
 Witli all good wishes. 
 Ever yours, 
 
 rr. w. TULLOCH.
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAP. i.V.i: 
 
 I. ST ANDREWS IX THE 'FIFTIES . I 
 
 II. ALLAN ROBERTSON .... 7 
 
 III. EARLY CLUB AND BALL MAKERS IN ST ANDREWS 21 
 
 !V. TOM'S EARLY DAYS AND SOME OF HIS PARTNERS 28 
 
 V. EARLY PLAYERS AT ST ANDREWS . . 38 
 
 VI. TOM'S EARLY STYLE OF PLAY AND OCCUPATION . 51 
 
 VII. THE MOST FAMOUS FOURSOME OF OLDEN DAYS . 64 
 
 VIII. EARLY ASSOCIATIONS AND MARRIAGE . 74 
 
 IX. BEFORE AND AFTER PRESTWICK ... 84 
 
 X. INSTITUTION OF TOURNAMENTS, THE OPEN 
 
 CHAMPIONSHIP AND RISE OF YOUNG TOMMY . 93 
 
 XI. TOM'S MATCHES WITH WILLIE PARK . . . 1 06 
 
 XII. SOME FAMOUS GOLF MATCHES IN THE 'SIXTIES . 130 
 
 XIII. FATHER AND SON THEIR STYLES AND THEIR 
 
 SUCCESSES , .14! 
 
 XIV. OLD AND YOUNG TOM IN MATCH PLAY . . I 5 2 
 
 XV. TOMMY WINS OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP FOR FOURTH 
 
 TIME AND PLAYS DAVID STRATH . 16}
 
 Contents 
 
 :KA;. J-AGE 
 
 xvn. YOUNG TOMMY'S MATCHES, BEREAVEMENT, DEATH 
 
 AND MEMORIAL . . .176 
 
 XVIII. TOM AND GOLF AT ST ANDREWS IN iS/fi . . 2OO 
 
 XIX. TOM AND BOB KIRK V. THE ANDERSONS . . 2O8 
 
 XX. MATCHES OF TOM AND HIS SON JAMIE . 2lS 
 
 XXI. MATCHES I 890-3 . . . 237 
 
 XXII. MATCHES WITH DOW . 249 
 
 XXIII. PLAY 1894-9 . . 262 
 
 XXIV. FROM IQOO .... 283 
 
 XXV. A SCOTCH PHYSICIAN TOM AS HEAD OF THE 
 
 FACULTY , . . 298 
 
 XXVI. TOM AS A MODERN STATESMAN 304 
 
 XXVII. TOM AT HOME ON THE LINKs, IN SHOP AND 
 
 HOUSE . . . .312 
 
 XXVIII. CONCLUSION. . . 321 
 
 INDEX ;27
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 TOM DRIVING OFF - "FORE" . 
 A VERY EARLY GROUP, 1850 
 ALLAN ROBERTSON 
 BLACKFRIAKS MONASTERY 
 CHARACTERISTIC GROUP IN THE 'FIFTIES 
 
 SAMUEL MESS1EUX (\VHO DROVE A BALL 
 380 YARDS) ..... 
 
 AN EXCITING FINISH 
 
 TOM MORRIS, ALLAN ROBERTSON AND 
 
 OTHERS 
 
 HOME HOLE (ST ANDREWS) IN THE 'FIFTIES 
 
 LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE ( ST 
 ANDREWS) 1852 . 
 
 BIG BUNKER AT ST ANDREWS, 1852 
 MR GEORGE GLENNIE . 
 PLAYERS AT ST ANDREWS IN THE 'SIXTIES 
 DR ROBERT CHAMBERS 
 
 Frontispiece 
 Facing page 
 
 l'Al',1. 
 
 2 
 
 28 
 32 
 
 ' OLD TOM " 
 ' YOUNG TOM 
 
 50 
 58 
 
 74 
 
 88 
 
 06 
 
 Q8 
 
 130 
 
 136 
 154 
 154
 
 List of Illustrations 
 
 I AGE 
 
 DAVID STRATH ..... Facing pae 170 
 TOMMY MORRIS ..... ,, I/O 
 
 MONUMENT TO " YOUNG TOM " (IN THE 
 CATHEDRAL BUR YING-GROUND, ST 
 ANDREWS) ..... ,, 194 
 
 THE CLUB AND HOME GREEN . ,. ^OO 
 
 PUTTING AT THE FIRST HOLE . ,, 
 
 MR THOMAS HODGE . . ,, 
 
 F:S:I:-:RMEN'S QUARTERS . ,. 
 
 TOM MORRIS IN LATER LIFE . 
 
 LADIES' PUTTING GREEN (CLUB-HOUSE) ,, 
 
 CATHEDRAL TOWERS (ST ANDREWS)
 
 THE 
 
 LIFE OF TOM MORRIS 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 ST ANDREWS IN THE 'FIFTIES 
 
 THE St Andrews of to-day is very different from 
 what it was when I first knew it ; and still more 
 so from the St Andrews of the beginning of last 
 century. 
 
 In 1821 Tom Morris was born. I did not 
 know St Andrews until 1854, when I came as a 
 boy of eight years of age to the old grey city, 
 which was to be the home of my subsequent 
 childhood and early manhood. "What a differ- 
 ence from to-day! To begin with, there was no 
 Forth Bridge in existence, and the journey from 
 Edinburgh was a tedious and slow one. You 
 took the train, as you do to-day, at the \Yaverley 
 Station, and you crawled slowly on to Granton. 
 There you left the train and got into the little 
 steamer that was to take you across the Firth of 
 Forth. Sometimes the passage was made in 
 perfect weather, and then the sail across was a 
 welcome relief from the stuffy and slow train. 
 But more frequently the weather was stormy
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 and boisterous and the crossing was horrible in 
 every way. You were glad to reach Burntisland 
 
 and get into the train again, though you knew that 
 it was a North British one and the slowest of the 
 slow. You had to " change carriages," and often 
 have a long and tedious wait at Ladybank. 
 Thence on to Leuchars, where you had to change 
 again. 
 
 But by that time the worst of the journey was 
 over, and just before 3*011 reached Leuchars 
 Junction you could descry the ancient city in 
 the distance. The hearts of those who loved 
 her grey walls and old ruins, and their many dear 
 friends and acquaintances there, were lifted up, 
 and a Te Deum of Thanksgiving was sung. You 
 grudged having to stop at Guardbridge Station, 
 and later once again to get your tickets taken. 
 But by this time you had skirted the famous 
 links, and every inch of the ground was redolent 
 of happy memories. The tide might happily be 
 in and the Eden looking like a lake ; and there is 
 " The Shepherd's Hoosc," where, on many a 
 warm summer day, you have left your game as 
 a boy with three other chums and gone for 
 potations of home-made beer. There you descry 
 in those old days the forms of some players you 
 know old Mr Sutherland, perhaps, and Mr 
 Walkinshaw, after whom two bunkers are now 
 named; Mr Glennic, in honour of whom the 
 Medal was presented to the Club; his
 
 St Andrews in the 'Fifties 
 
 friend ' Pat " Alexander, philosopher, poet, 
 bohemian, a medallist in golf, and an Examiner 
 in Philosophy, and the best of jolly good fellows; 
 his friend Principal Tulloch; their friends, 
 John Skelton (Sir John later on), the " Shirley " 
 of Frascr's Magazine; "long Richardson," and 
 Mr Frank Wilson, who were living together in 
 rooms in Bell Street, and made a rubber for the 
 pleasantly tired evening. There you would be 
 sure to see Mr Whyte Melville, of Bendochy and 
 Strathkinness a gentleman of the old school, 
 the husband of Lady Catherine, a daughter 
 of the Duke of Leeds, and the father of the 
 novelist, poet and sportsman, George Whyte 
 Melville. Many of the novelist's works appeared 
 in Fraser Good for Nothing or All Down Hill, 
 Digby Grand, and others. He once told me, in his 
 blase style, that he thought he could go round 
 the links as well and as often as his father if he 
 could get a glass of sherry before each tee shot. 
 There also you would see the handsome form of 
 Mr F. Boileau Elliot, husband of Lady Charlotte, 
 a charming woman and a sweet poetess : the Mr 
 Wolfe Murray of that day, and Colonel, then Major 
 Boothby, in the glory of his magnificent man- 
 hood : Sir John Low of Clatto, riding on his cream- 
 coloured pony, and dismounting to play when his 
 turn came in his foursome; and his brother, 
 Colonel Low, whose daughter, later on, was one 
 of the belles of St Andrews. You might see Mr 
 
 3
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 John Blackwood, the famous publisher, and his 
 brother James the match followed by their 
 cousin, Archibald Smith: "Tom" Hodge, a most 
 successful golfer who took to the game in middle 
 life, and after he had given up cricket. Mr 
 Hodge is still alive* in Hampstead, and wearing 
 his years well. But he takes no interest now in 
 the game, in which he used to excel. Quite lately 
 I took him several numbers of Golf Illustrated, 
 thinking I would please him. But he refused 
 to look at them, and said there was no real golf 
 played nowadays. And yet he is an Englishman, 
 or rather, a Cornish man. Every golfer knows 
 his sketches in the Badminton book on golf. 
 Another " Tom " was Captain M'\Yhannell of 
 Perth, a very neat and successful player. 
 
 But now the train is slowing down. It is at 
 what was the old station it draws up, and pour 
 moi, I much prefer the old one. Out one gets. 
 He is hailed by the 'bus-drivers, very likely by 
 his first name if he is an old resident who has 
 grown up in the place. ' Hoo are you, Wullie? 
 says a stalwart driver to me it just seems the 
 other day ' You'll be gawn' to Chairlie's " 
 Mr Charles Stuart Grace. He was right, so 
 possessing himself of my luggage, off he went. 
 And I joined a match at the Burn hole and 
 
 ' Sin<_e thc-e worus were in type. Mr Ho<i^e has passed away, 
 2(j'\\ May 1^07. He read this narrative with ^reat interest in the 
 column-; of (./ 'jln^', and wa< |.><>k:n., forv.ard to possessing it in 
 book form. 
 
 4
 
 St Andrews in the 'Fifties 
 
 walked in with it, over the well-known Swilcan 
 Bridge and up to the Club. In 1854 there was 
 only one hole for the outgoing and incoming 
 players. What think ye of that, ye pampered 
 golfers of to-day? And one couple had to give 
 precedence to the other if nearer the hole. I 
 daresay there were sometimes rows about the first 
 holing out. Xo doubt there were some men who 
 always wished to claim the right of putting out first. 
 
 The great events of the year were the spring 
 and autumn meetings for competition for the 
 Club medals. Though the number of competitors 
 was increasing steadily and was much above the 
 " eighteen pairs " Dr Charles Rogers specifies 
 in 1849, some of the earlier eclat seems to 
 have been absent, for I do not remember the 
 ' proceedings of the day being commenced by 
 the golfers walking through the city to the links 
 in procession, preceded by a musical baud with 
 drums, flutes and clarionets, and usually ac- 
 companied by an immense number of the 
 inhabitants." 
 
 The Club, too, was a very different place' 
 from what it is now. The old " Parlour " had 
 just been left, and the accommodation in the 
 present building was somewhat limited. After 
 a chat in the Club one repaired to Allan .Robert- 
 son's shop to see and be welcomed by him and 
 his wife. My father kept his clubs in a box in 
 Allan's in those days, before he got one in the
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Club-House, and I knew the couple well. And 
 in the by-going a visit might be paid to Mr 
 Forgan, the grandfather of the present head of 
 the famous firm. Mr Forgan was a most worthy 
 man an elder in what is now the United Free 
 Church, of the ministry of which two of his sons 
 are now ornaments, and other two high up in 
 banking circles in America. 
 
 Tom Morris was not in St Andrews in 1854. 
 lie was at Prestwick. But he was born in St 
 Andrews on i6th June 1821, and his early days 
 were spent there, as I shall show in a further 
 chapter. 
 
 Meantime let me say something about his 
 famous predecessor, Allan Robertson.
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 ALLAN ROBERTSON 
 
 AT the time of the death of this great golfer, 
 whose name is still a household \vord in St 
 Andrews, and whose shade is still frequently 
 invoked on its famous links, the Dundee Advertiser 
 said he was "' the greatest golfer that ever lived, 
 of whom alone, in the annals of the pastime, it 
 can be said that he was never beaten." He 
 was, no doubt, the best-known golfer of his 
 generation, and it may with truth probably be 
 asserted of him that he never allowed himself to 
 be beaten, for he was jealous of his reputation, 
 and was somewhat reluctant to play any match 
 that might put his laurels in dispute. 
 
 He came of a golfing family. His grand- 
 father, Peter Robertson, was a professional 
 golfer and ball-maker who died in 1803. His 
 father, David Robertson, was a redoubtable 
 player, and also ball-maker. Mr Carnegie, the 
 then laureate of golf, wrote of him: 
 
 " Da vie. oldest of the cads, 
 
 s li.ilj-oac to unsuspicious lads 
 
 When In.- nii^hl ii\\'c them (i<.'o, or e\x 
 
 And \vin, perhaps, three matclu
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Is just as politic in his affairs 
 
 As Talleyrand or MetUTnich in theirs. 
 
 He has the state-man's elements, 'tis plain. 
 Cheat, flatter, humbug (Oiy'hin^ for gain; 
 And, had he trod the world's wide field, methinks, 
 As long as he has trod St Andrews Links, 
 He might have been prime minister or priest, 
 My Lord, or plain Sir Dai'id, at the least." 
 
 And after his death: 
 
 " Great Davie Robertson, the eldest cad, 
 In whom the good was stronger than the bad; 
 He sleeps in death ! and with him sleeps a skill 
 \Yhich Davie, state-manlike, could wield at will: " 
 
 Again : 
 
 " Sound be his slumbers! yet if he should wake 
 In worlds where golf is play'd, himself he'd shake 
 And look about, and tell each young beginner, 
 I'll gic half-ane nae mair, as I'm a sinner." 
 
 He lived until 1836. 
 
 Allan was born on nth September 1815, and 
 took to golf as readily as a duck to the water. 
 He naturally succeeded to his grandfather's 
 and father's business, and his chief employment 
 was ball-making and match-playing, his prowess 
 and success at the latter being such that Carnegie 
 wrote : 
 
 " He leaves a son, and Allan is his name. 
 In gol;:ncr far beyond his father's fame; 
 Tho' in diplomacy, I shrewdly guess 
 His skill's inferior and his fame is less." 
 
 Balls, before the introduction of gutta-percha,
 
 Allan Robertson 
 
 were made by stuffing stout leather cases with 
 feathers, a process which I shall describe in a 
 future chapter. The price at which they were 
 sold was almost prohibitive to all but fairly well- 
 to-do men. The turn-out, of course, was as 
 nothing compared with the present output. 
 \Yhen Tom Morris was working as an apprentice 
 in Allan's shop, it was in 1840, 1021 balls; in 
 1841, 1392; in 1844, 2456 balls. 
 
 It was not until 1850 that Allan took to 
 making balls from gutta-percha. 
 
 Mr Charles Anderson remembers seeing Allan 
 taking his first swipe with a gutta. He was 
 following a match of Allan's when he told old 
 Bob Kirk to tee one for a trial shot. Allan 
 took a full swing, deliberately topped the ball, 
 and remarked in pretended disgust, " Ach, it 
 winna flee ava." " Flee, d n ye," cried out 
 old Bob, " nae ba' cud flee when it's tappit." 
 
 It was as a player that I chiefly remember 
 him. His great golfing reputation, together with 
 his real kindness of manner and many admirable 
 qualities, made him a hero to a youngster like 
 myself. His wonderful feats I was never tired 
 of chronicling. 
 
 How well I remember him, his wife, and his 
 house and shop his going in and out of the 
 Chib-House, his matches on the links. After all 
 these years I see quite vividly the little, almost 
 Mjuat, yet lithe figure, the pawky, round,
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 be whiskered, humorous and smiling face, and 
 his short neck, loose red jacket, with a hand- 
 kerchief sticking out of one pocket, bending to 
 hole out with his neat and deadly little putter, 
 or swiping from hole to hole with " The Doctor," 
 as he called one of his most serviceable clubs, 
 which he would use through the green. How 
 fond he was of his favourite clubs, the " Sir 
 David Baird," a present from that worthy 
 gentleman; his Thraw cruck* ; the Fryingpan, 
 a broad-bladed iron, which he used in a bunker; 
 and his deadly clcek in approaching. How 
 sweet to a young boy his kindly words of en- 
 couragement: " Stick in, my little mannie, ye'll 
 be a gowfer yet." How very pawkily he 
 managed his matches, playing with his opponent 
 if he thought it expedient to do so, and just 
 " snodd'n him at the burn " the hole before 
 the last. \Yith what wile and cunning he would, 
 of purpose, heel or draw a ball with the object of 
 getting round a hazard, which he thought it too 
 great a risk to attempt to carry. He would, 
 quite unknown to his adversary, pretend to spare 
 a ball, or put extra power into his shot, so as to 
 deceive his opponent as to what the shot required. 
 Again he would sometimes audibly ask for the 
 wrong club if his opponent had the advantage of 
 playing first and how he would chuckle when
 
 Allan Robertson 
 
 he saw his somewhat treacherous wiles successful, 
 and his opponent suffer by landing in a bunker, 
 the sight of which he was wont to say appealed 
 to the higher feelings of humanity. No wonder 
 old Tom is alleged to have said of him: " An 
 awfu' player, Allan, the cunningest bit body of a 
 player that ever handled club, cleek, or putter. 
 A kindly body, wi' just a wealth o' sly, pawky 
 fun about him." \Yho will forget who saw it, or 
 who has heard the story of it told on the spot, 
 the match with a good many wagers on it 
 which he and Mr Erskine \Yemyss, of Weniyss 
 Castle, played against \Yillie Park and Mr 
 Mastic, M.P.? Within two holes of the second 
 round Allan and Mr Wemyss were I down and 
 only 2 to play. Campbell of Saddell was in 
 glee. He was backing the likely winners. 
 
 " Hear Saddell say, 
 
 Now, by the piper who the pibroch played 
 Before old Moses, we are one ahead, 
 And only two to play a special coup! " 
 
 ' Three five-pound notes to one." " Done, >ir, 
 with you." The bet was taken by Mr John 
 Blackwood. Alas! how black for Allan it looked, 
 when, at the second last hole, Park had put 
 Mr I lastie on the green, and Mr Wemyss had put 
 Allan on the road, lie had to play " two more." 
 Fryingpan " in hand, Allan studied the ground 
 and the loft he had to make', the spot where he 
 had to pitch. Hack and forwards from ball to
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 hole he went, and then, while Daw, his caddie, 
 whispered in his ear, " Ye can doo't, Allan," he 
 played. The ball was pitched to the top of the 
 footpath, ran down, and trickled into the hole. 
 Great was the applause. His opponents were 
 so much discomfited that Mr Hastic ran past the 
 hole with his putt, and Park was short. Allan 
 and his partner won the hole. The match was 
 all square and I to play. It was Allan's 
 honour a lovely swipe from the tee. Park 
 pressed missed his ball which was caught in 
 the burn, and he and Mr Hastie lost the match 
 by i hole. In addition to his original bets, Mr 
 Blackwood had three of Campbell of Saddell's 
 five-pound notes in his pocket. 
 
 Mr Blackwood at that time, or shortly after- 
 wards, lived at Strathtyrum, and Mr Campbell, 
 of Saddell, occupied the well-known house, 
 " The Priory." 
 
 " Who will ever forget Allan," asked the 
 writer in the Dundee Advertiser, " having once 
 seen him? What Sir Hugh Lyon-Playfair has 
 been to the city proper, has Allan been to the 
 links of St Andrews. They have unwittingly 
 been in close partnership. Sir Hugh renovated 
 a rough, ruined street (sic); Allan had an eye 
 the while to the improvement of the links. Sir 
 Hugh attracted citizens, Allan, golfers. Ah! 
 it was a magnificent partnership, and has done 
 wonders. The analogy holds good between the
 
 Allan Robertson 
 
 two in other respects also. Who could do the 
 honours of the links like Allan? He was as 
 perfectly at home with the descendant of \Yilliam 
 the Conqueror as with one of the caddies. With- 
 out the least touch of servility, Allan could 
 accommodate himself to everybody, and arranged 
 everything on the golfing links with the politeness 
 of a Brummel and the policy of a Talleyrand. 
 
 " We have asked, who that has once seen the 
 champion golfer can ever forget him? Let us 
 try to help the picture which every player will 
 oft in fancy draw. Our scene is the St Andrews 
 links on a genial summer day. Allan's house 
 crowns the summit of the slope : down towards 
 the sea the blue, beautiful sea lies the white 
 Club-House, with its gravelled terrace. It is 
 not yet eleven, that great hour of cause on the 
 links. Groups of caddies are prowling about; 
 a clash and rattle of clubs are heard as you pass 
 the club-makers' shops. One or two golfers are 
 putting idly at the starting hole with their 
 burnished cleeks, trying some impossible putt, 
 which, if they had only done but yesterday, 
 would have put a very different finish on a 
 certain match. Suddenly a golfer appears at 
 the Club-House door: he looks about for some- 
 body who is evidently lacking. ' Where's 
 Allan? ' The cry is repeated by telegraphic 
 caddies right up to the champion's little garden.* 
 
 * Where the (lolf Hotel dining-room now is. 
 1 3
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 " A minute elapses, and down comes the 
 champion in hot haste to the Club-House. He 
 is, you will recollect, oh! golfer, not of much 
 stature, compact, rather robust, indeed, with a 
 short stoop, and short-necked. His face is 
 pleasant to look at rather Hibernian indeed, 
 with its habitual expression of drollery, which 
 has almost given the stalwart golfer one or two 
 dimples. He is dressed, as you must well re- 
 member, in his favourite red jacket, and carries 
 a cleek (a pet weapon) in his hand. But now 
 the match is arranged. Allan has evidently got 
 to nurse an elementary golfer. It is a foursome 
 Allan and his protege against two lather good 
 hands. Remark how pleasant the little man is; 
 no miss of his partner causes a shade to his 
 habitual good-nature, and ten to one when the 
 match comes in from their round, the new player 
 swears by ' Allan,' and gives in his adhesion to 
 golf once and for all. 
 
 " But it was in a grand match that the figure 
 of Allan should live in the memory of all. Who 
 shall describe his elegant and beautifully correct 
 style of play? The champion was remarkable 
 for his easy style, depending upon a long, cool 
 swing, and never on sheer strength. His clubs 
 were of the toy description, as the slang of the 
 links hath it, possessing no weight or mis-pro- 
 portion of wood. Indeed, in a word, Allan's 
 game throughout was pure, unadulterated science.
 
 Allan Robertson 
 
 No man perhaps so well united in his play all 
 the bits of the game. Pretty driver as he was, 
 we still stake our belief on Allan's short game, 
 especially in quarter shots. And this was an 
 important part in Allan's practice. He it was 
 that introduced the deadly use of the cleek in 
 playing up to the hole.* Previous to about 
 1848 or 1849, short wooden clubs, the baffmg or 
 short spoons, were used for this important stroke, 
 both difficult and frequently inaccurate. But 
 Allan employed the cleek to jerk up his ball; 
 however badly it might lie, it was all the same; 
 and this killing game, destructive to a certain 
 extent to the green., is now all but universal. 
 
 " To return to Allan's great matches. His 
 coolness was unique and almost miraculous. 
 He was never known to funk or change his off- 
 hand manner in the least. He was never beaten, 
 proud epitaph. It is something to be the best in 
 anything of all the world, and Allan stood 
 confessed the model player. But it is not only 
 as a golfer that Allan is to be deeply deplored. 
 He was possessed of the best heart and kindliest 
 
 * In the Badminton Library of Spans and Pastimes Co!/' 
 (Longmans, (Ireen & Co.), a book that ou;Jit to be in every Club- 
 House, Mr II. S. C. Everard says: "To Allan was due in a Ljrcat 
 measure the introduction of irons and decks for the approach to 
 the hole, these shots having been previously played with baffmi; 
 spoons." On this Mr Thomas Ilod^e remarks in the margin of 
 his copy of the book "not correct": ami in ri-yard to another 
 statement of Mr Everard : s, Mr 1 lodi;e writes : "Quite im onci I, 
 Allan never played an iron through the i_<rrrn." 
 
 l >
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 feelings in the world. In the intricate dealings 
 of the links, in the formation and playing of 
 great matches, Allan was honourable, just and 
 gentlemanly from first to last. 
 
 " Allan did much for golfing, both in and out 
 of St Andrews. He had laid out capital links in 
 various districts, and played thereon himself to 
 the incitement of beginners." 
 
 The same writer goes on to tell us that up to 
 the spring of 1859 " Allan was a hale, stout, little 
 man, with scarcely the memory of an hour's 
 illness. Temperate, too, in an uncommon de- 
 gree, regular in his habits and enjoying daily 
 exercise on the links; no one could reasonably 
 foretell the rapid change that has taken him 
 from us. In the spring Allan had an attack of 
 jaundice, proceeding, we believe, from an ab- 
 normal state of the liver. He never rallied; and 
 after six months' weakness he gradually sunk 
 and died on the ist of September. God rest him, 
 noble golfer, excellent companion we will not 
 easily see his like again." 
 
 The writer of the newspaper notice from 
 which we have quoted so largely also says: 
 " A new era is about to dawn on the golfing links; 
 the old stars arc paling; when will others arise? 
 Hugh Philp, who knew how to make a club, is 
 gone; gone, too, line Allan, who knew how to 
 handle one." 
 
 This was written in 1859. Close on fifty 
 
 1 6
 
 Allan Robertson 
 
 years have elapsed since then, and Tom Morris, 
 who succeeded Allan Robertson at St Andrews, 
 is still with us. And he has seen all the wonder- 
 ful changes that have come over the game. He 
 has seen the marvellous spread of its popularity 
 in England, in the Colonies, in America, and all 
 over the world. He has seen the introduction 
 of the rubber-cored ball. He is the friend of 
 the new and mighty cracks, who are worthily 
 carrying on the traditions of the game Vardon 
 and Taylor, Braid and Herd. 
 
 Allan Robertson's club-box has now found a 
 suitable resting-place at St Andrews. The St 
 Andrews Golf Club have accepted it with great 
 pleasure, and have given it a place of honour in 
 their meeting-room a suitable inscription hav- 
 ing been painted on it. A former captain, 
 who has played golf at St Andrews for sixty 
 years, told a correspondent lately that Allan 
 belonged to this Club, which is now known by 
 the name of the " St Andrews Golf Club," but 
 was then called something else. The present 
 name was appropriated after the original owner 
 had become dignilied as ' The Royal and 
 Ancient." 
 
 The inscription on his tombstone in the 
 Cathedral Burying Ground is: 
 
 In memory of Allan Robertson, who died 
 ist Sept. 1859, aged 4.) years. lie was greatly 
 esteemed for his personal worth, and for many 
 
 H 1 7
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 years was distinguished as the Champion Golfer 
 of Scotland." 
 
 Allan's record was made on the I5th of 
 September 1858. In a round with Mr Bethune, 
 of Blebo, he went over the course in 79 strokes 
 the record for the time when, of course, the links 
 were more difficult than they are at present. 
 The following are the particulars: 
 
 1 'ut, 44455044 4- 40 
 'n, 43564554 339 
 
 Total, . . 79 
 
 At various times Allan has gone round the 
 links at the following best selected number: 
 
 Out, 33334431 327 
 In. 3 ^3443 3 4 320 
 
 Total, . . 50 
 
 Later on I shall discuss the question as to 
 whether Allan Robertson or Tom Morris was the 
 better player. It is enough, in concluding these 
 remarks on Allan Robertson, to say that he was 
 the greatest u'nlfer of his day, the most out- 
 standing figure and the most interesting person- 
 alityon any links in the rirst half of the nineteenth 
 century. 
 
 Dr M'Phersun writes: ' I have seen Allan 
 Robertson place his ball on a hang of the teeing- 
 L,Tund no sand being used then and half top 
 the ball against the wind, producing a flight with
 
 Allan Robertson 
 
 a curve of concave form for a time till, swallow- 
 like, the ball would rise for a little before finally 
 falling. No man ever witnessed a prettier stroke 
 than that. Allan was not a long driver; he had 
 not the physique of Blackwell or Braid. But he 
 never missed a ball: he consistently hit with 
 perfect accuracy of execution." 
 
 And of Allan Robertson and his days it has 
 been truly said: ' The links at St Andrews 
 were 1 then much rougher than I have found them 
 on subsequent visits. There was but one course 
 and the same nine holes served lor the outward 
 as for the inward round. Each hole was marked 
 by a small iron pin with a bit of red flag attached. 
 The greens were ' in the rough ' and the bunkers 
 were in their natural state. If a player went off 
 the narrow course of good ground he was at once 
 landed in very rough ' countiy/ and the course 
 at the ninth hole was all heathery and difficult 
 across its whole breadth. 
 
 " Allan Robertson was then in the full 
 maturity of his skill as a player, and I believe 
 that his record of 79 was as creditable as the 
 considerably lower scores of the present day. 
 Not so much is the driving nowadays easier, as 
 is the putting on the bowling-green-like putting- 
 greens which are so much affected now. I have 
 recollections of seeing Allan Robertson putting. 
 How he calculated every little mound and rough 
 bit of grass in a long and billowy ' putt ' is still
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 a subject of admiration. I may be heretical but 
 I think putting then was a much more ' scientific/ 
 as well as more difficult, thing than it is now. 
 I have seen ' the champion ' to whom I have 
 referred hole long ' putts ' on very uneven 
 ground with a certainty which makes one 
 speculate as to what he could have done on the 
 present greens. Allan Robertson was a small 
 but well-made man of about forty, with reddish 
 side whiskers, wore an almost perpetual smile 
 and a red coat when playing."
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 EARLY CLUB AND BALL MAKERS IN 
 ST ANDREWS 
 
 " Here Mr Philp, club-maker, was great 
 As Philip as any Minister of State." 
 
 AT the time of Tom's birth, the only club-maker 
 in St Andrews was Hugh Philp. This celebrated 
 worthy, whose clubs are now among the unique 
 treasures of the collector, was a joiner and house 
 carpenter by trade, and had his place of business 
 in Argyle Street. Till he was induced to open a 
 little shop on the site of the present Grand Hotel, 
 there were no other club-makers in St Andrews or 
 on the links. A representative of the M'Ewans 
 from Edinburgh would come over to St Andrews 
 a week or two before the spring and autumn 
 meetings, bringing an assortment of clubs with 
 him. In time, however, golfers in St Andrews 
 began to send their clubs to Phil]) to get re- 
 paired, and it was probably on this account that 
 he opened his small shop on the links. Finally, 
 he bought the property where Tom Morris's shop* 
 now is, and won the fame which he so thoroughly 
 earned as a maker of first-rate clubs.
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Very little seems to have been preserved in 
 regard to him. From the Minutes of the Royal 
 and Ancient Golf Club we know that he was 
 appointed " club-maker to the Society " in 
 September 1819. And in terms of an earlier 
 minute (1812) the members no doubt undertook 
 to " countenance and support " him. He died 
 in 1856. At the time of his death the late Mr 
 Robert Forgan was his assistant, and worthily 
 succeeded to the business which he made so 
 famous. A former assistant was Mr James 
 \\"ilson ; who appears to have left him in 1852 and 
 started business on his own account in a shop 
 situated where the Marine Hotel now is. Andrew 
 Strath was one of his apprentices, while Jamie 
 Anderson, thrice champion, served his appren- 
 ticeship with Forgan. Of Hugh Philp's chilis, 
 Mr Horace Hutchinson has written: ; ' Some 
 golfers early in their career are in the habit of 
 giving a sovereign or even more for a club which 
 they have taken a fancy to. ... Most of these 
 fancy clubs are known as old Philp's. Mr 
 Philp must have been as prolific a master of 
 his craft as some ol the old masters of the 
 painter's art. The best recipe for making an old 
 Philp is a mixture of soot and varnish." 
 
 Mr Everard tells us that as much a^ live 
 pounds has been given for one formerly in his 
 possession, purchased original! v for one shilling 
 among a job lot of clubs.
 
 Early Club and Ball Makers 
 
 Subsequently Mr Hutchinson, however, 
 writes: 'The wooden clubs in use by our 
 ancestors of the time of the St Andrews museum 
 would seem to have been of a stubborn, stout, 
 inflexible nature, bull-dog-headed. Then arose 
 a great master club-maker, one Hugh Phil]) by 
 name, who wondrously refined golf-club nature. 
 Slim and elegant, yet, as we of these days would 
 say, of but insufficient power are the specimens 
 of his art which have descended to us. His 
 true specimens, it should be said: for there is 
 many a club boasting Hugh Philp as its creator 
 which that craftsman never saw nor can we 
 expect it would have been otherwise, since it is a 
 matter of common report, that at least two 
 subsequent club-makers had a ' Hugh Philp ' 
 stamp with which upon the head of the club they 
 would imprint a blatant forgery. The golfing 
 connoisseur will inspect the time-matured head 
 of the old putter which claims Philp as its 
 father with as cultured and microscopic a 
 criticism as the dilettante lover of Stradivarius 
 or the Amati will bestow upon their magic 
 works." 
 
 It seems that Hugh Phiip was a good golfer,* 
 and Mr \Y. Dalrymple tells us that he once took 
 every hole in the homeward course at St Andrews
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 from his opponent. Writing his reminiscences 
 of the year 1837, Mr Tom Peter says : " The only 
 club-maker was Hugh Philp. It is questionable 
 if any other whether before or since his time 
 has shaped and set a club better than he did. 
 Hugh was a dry-haired man (whatever that may 
 be), rather gruff to strangers, but quite the 
 reverse to those who knew him, with a fund of 
 dry caustic humour, but withal a kind heait. 
 If a man, after a match, went to him complaining 
 of a club, Hugh would merely say, ' You'll hae 
 lost your mautch? ' and conversely with the 
 jubilant." \Yhen gutta-percha was first intro- 
 duced, Mr Peter and his brother carried out a 
 number of experiments with the new ball, and 
 succeeded in inserting and fixing lead securely in 
 the centre of the ball, so that it putted accurately. 
 " Nearly all the medals I gained," he says, 
 " were won with leaded balls; and I used them 
 regularly until my stock was exhausted. (The 
 making of them ceased at my brother's death.) 
 They were well-known at the time; and when I 
 played at St Andrews with Hugh Philp (a good 
 player and deadly at the short game) he used to 
 ask me for one of my leaded balls. They were, 
 however, severe upon clubs, the fairest-struck 
 ball often breaking the head through the 
 centre. Many of Philp's line clubs have been 
 broken in this way, and when I complained 
 
 of rotten wood, he would answer, ' Hoo the 
 
 24
 
 Early Club and Ball Makers 
 
 deevil can a man mak' clubs to stand against 
 lead? ' " 
 
 We find from the Minutes of the Royal and 
 Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews that the Club had 
 paid a club-maker for coming over. The Minute, 
 i ;th October 1827, runs : " The captain proposed 
 that as the funds of the Club were at present in- 
 adequate to payment of their debt, the salary or 
 allowance of Two Guineas now payable annually 
 to the Leith club-maker for attending at the 
 General Meeting should be discontinued." Philp 
 would thus reign supreme. 
 
 Mr \Y. Dalrymple says that in those days 
 ' A stranger -- the tradition has come down 
 to us had no choice in his purchase of a club. 
 He had to take what Phil]) gave him, or go with- 
 out." That is, of course, unless he could wait 
 until one of the M'Ewans or one of their repre- 
 sentatives came from Edinburgh with clubs to 
 sell, if they continued to come after the Club 
 Minute was put in force. 
 
 Mr T. Anderson thus writes of Mr Douglas 
 M'Ewan and St Andrews. Mr Douglas M'Kwan 
 was born in iSorj and " it was during his life-time 
 that golf clubs were, so to speak, civilised. Vast 
 improvements were made in their manufacture; 
 the thorn tree-cuts, hitherto in use, were dis- 
 carded, and first apple, and thereafter beech, 
 substituted therefor it being found that beech 
 was a better driving wood and the shape and
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 style of the heads were made more elegant. 
 When about the thirteenth year of his age 
 M'Ewan paid his first and only visit to St 
 Andrews. It is curious that, notwithstanding his 
 long and intimate connection with golf, he should 
 never have gone back, but the journey in former 
 days may have accounted for this. Getting to 
 St Andrews was then very different from what 
 it is now. There were in the days referred to no 
 railways. A boat from Leith carried travellers 
 to Kirkcaldy, and the rest of the way had to be 
 walked. Would golfers crowd St Andrews links 
 if they had to walk in the same way? It is not 
 surprising therefore that Mr M'Ewan did not 
 visit St Andrews frequently in his youth, but it 
 is somewhat remarkable that in later days, when 
 railways afforded greater facilities, he did not 
 renew his acquaintance with the famous old 
 green. It is understood that he and his son, 
 Mr Peter M'Ewan, several times made arrange- 
 ments to go over, but something or other always 
 rame in the way. As showing the connection 
 between Mr M'Ewan and St Andrews, it may be 
 remarkr-d that the present Mr Douglas M'Ewan 
 showed the writer a miniature feather ball, 
 completely finished in every respect, on which is 
 written, ' I5th Oct. iS26; from St Andrews, 
 in 1 ,.' There can be little doubt that this ball 
 was not made for actual play, but was given to 
 Mr M'Ewan as a memento, very probably, by
 
 Early Club and Ball Makers 
 
 his agent at St Andrews, but this cannot be 
 stated as a matter of fact; it is merely con- 
 jecture." 
 
 This " agent " was Da vie Robertson, ball- 
 maker, and Allan's father.
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 TOM'S EARLY DAYS AND SOME OF HIS 
 PARTNERS 
 
 TOM MORRIS was born, as already mentioned, at 
 St Andrews on the i6th of June 1821. 
 
 " You were born in St Andrews, of course? " 
 
 " Ay, an' I've lived in it a' my days, except 
 for the years I spent when I was greenkeeper at 
 Prestwick. I was born in the North Street. My 
 father was a St Andrews man, employed as a 
 letter-carrier. He played golf in his spare time." 
 
 His father's name was John Morris, a much- 
 respected man in St Andrews in his day. His 
 mother was Jean Bruce, but so far I have not 
 been able to find out any particulars in regard to 
 her parentage. She belonged to Anstruther. 
 Tom was born in a house on the north side of the 
 west end of North Street, which is still standing. 
 
 He was baptised by the Very Rev. Principal 
 Haldane, D.D., Principal and Primarius Pro- 
 fessor of Divinity in St Mary's College, St 
 Andrews, who was also parish minister of St 
 Andrews, or, more correctly, minister of the first 
 cl large of the parish of St Andrews. Those were 
 the days of what were known as " pluralities "
 
 His Early Days 
 
 in the Church of Scotland, and " The Doctor," 
 as he was familiarly called, would have a large 
 income, which, being a bachelor, he could not 
 very well spend. 
 
 Tom went for a short time to school, and 
 attended the famous Madras College, the history 
 of which is given in Professor Meiklejohn's very 
 able and interesting life of its founder, Dr Andrew 
 Bell, a book to which we incidentally owe some 
 of the best descriptions of St Andrews and some 
 of the most excellent comments on the game 
 of golf we have. Mr, afterwards Dr, Crichton 
 was English master at that time, a predecessor of 
 Andrew Young, author of the popular Sunday 
 School hymn, " There is a happy land, far, far 
 away," and of my own teacher and relative by 
 marriage, Dr Robert Armstrong, whose books on 
 English composition and literature were well 
 known in their day. Besides attending Mr 
 Crichton's classes, Tom probably would be a pupil 
 only of the then arithmetic and writing masters. 
 
 He began to handle a club as soon as he could 
 toddle, and very likely his first balls would be 
 " chuckie stanes," with which the streets of 
 St Andrews abounded. By-and-by he would 
 get as far as the links. 
 
 ' I've played gowf close on eighty years, and 
 that's longer than most folk get living. I began 
 on the links doon there as soon as T could handle 
 
 a club, and 1 have been doing little else ever since'. 
 
 29
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 My t'aither and inither lived in the North Street, 
 and as soon as I could gang I and the other 
 laddies would be doon on the links with any kind 
 of a club we could get, and any old ball, or even 
 a bit of one balls werena sac cheap in thae 
 days as they are the noo, though they're dearer 
 again since the new rubber-core ball came in." 
 
 " You would be grown up before the old 
 feather balls were displaced by the gutta? " 
 
 " That's true," he replied. " I began to play 
 when I was six or seven, maybe younger. You 
 ken a' St Andrews bairns are born wi' web feet 
 an' wi' a golf-club in their hands. I wad be 
 driving the chuckie stanes wi' a bit stick about 
 as sune's I could walk. When I left school I 
 started how to learn to make golf balls. They 
 werena much like the golf balls we have now, 
 the old ' featherics,' but they could play fine afore 
 the wind. I learnt to mak' clubs and balls wi' 
 Allan Robertson. I was busy making ' fea- 
 theries ' when the gutta balls came into fashion, 
 and a bonnie business he and I had owre the 
 change. Allan couldna abide the sight of the 
 new ball at first. One day I was out playing with 
 Mr Campbell of Saddell, and I got stint of balls. 
 Mr Campbell gave me a gutta to try. Coming 
 in, we met Allan, and somebody told him that 1 
 was playin' a grand game with one of the new 
 balls. Allan said nothing at the time, but I saw 
 he didna like it, and when we met in the shop 
 
 30
 
 His Early Days 
 
 we had some words about it; and this led to our 
 parting company, and I took to making balls on 
 my ain account." 
 
 The gentleman who was the indirect cause of 
 Tom setting up for himself was Mr John Camp- 
 bell of Saddell, in the Mull of Kintyre. He was 
 a very handsome man, and was one of the 
 Knights at the Eglintoun Tournament. While a 
 bachelor he lived with Clan Ranald in Pilmuir 
 Place. Clan Ranald was .Eneas Ronaldson 
 Macdonell of Glengarry and Clan Ranald. He 
 was one of the bucks of the period and ran 
 through his fortune. Mr Campbell of Saddell 
 married Miss M'Leod of M'Leod, one of the 
 Queens of Beauty at the Eglintoun Tournament. 
 After their marriage they lived for a long time 
 at The Priory. 
 
 There is a good account of him as a rider to 
 hounds, and also a song he composed, in Nim- 
 I'od's Northern Tony, in which there are also 
 notices of many of the St Andrews golfers in 
 Tom's early St Andrews days. 
 
 Here are how the two friends are depicted in 
 Carnegie's ' First Hole at St Andrews on a 
 Crowded Day " :- 
 
 " I >ee the figure ol Clanranald's ( 'hid, 
 Divss'd most correctly in the fjiu y style. 
 \\Yll-whiskered lace, and radiant with ;i smik', 
 IK; hows, shakes hands, and lias a word tor all 
 So did Beau Xash, as master oi the hall! 
 31
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Near him is Saddell, dress'd in blue coat plain, 
 With lots of Gourlays, free from spot or stain; 
 He whirls his club to catch the proper swing, 
 And freely bets round all the scarlet ring; 
 And swears by Amman he'll engage to drive 
 As long a ball as any man alive! " 
 
 Sir David Baird, Bart.,, of Newbyth, was one 
 of their cronies. He was a tall man, who played 
 in a " tall " hat " lum hat " as they are some- 
 times called. He was a first-rate and keen golfer. 
 Sir David Baird (C can play with any golfer of the 
 present day." He was also a " mighty hunter/' 
 well known at Melton Mowbray, where he was 
 killed by his horse kicking him. 
 
 Another of their golfing allies was George 
 Fullerton Carnegie of Pitarrow, the laureate of 
 golf of his day a Forfarshire laird, cadet of the 
 great Carnegie house Earl of Southesk a neat, 
 little, smart man, who came a great deal to St 
 Andrews in those days. He had a long minority, 
 and when he came of age succeeded to a large 
 accumulated fortune, besides being proprietor of 
 Charlton, within two miles of the links of 
 Montrose. He was a " gay dog," and spent his 
 money somewhat extravagantly. He was a 
 popular member of a well-known Edinburgh 
 fast set, who kept racehorses, betted, played high 
 and hunted a great deal. 
 
 Many are the stories told of the high jinks of 
 these jocose and somewhat boisterous bucks.
 
 His Early Days 
 
 One night they had a great symposium in the 
 Royal Hotel, Princes Street. The Lord Glasgow 
 of the day, then Lord Kelburn, was of the party. 
 One of the waiters had incurred their wrath, 
 and by way of teaching him better manners and 
 securing better behaviour in the future, they 
 chucked him head foremost out of the window 
 down into the area below. Someone, presum- 
 ably the long-suffering landlord, came in to tell 
 them that they had seriously injured the un- 
 fortunate man. " Put him in the bill," was the 
 ready response of these madcaps. 
 
 Mr Robert Clark, in his well-known book, 
 Golf : A Royal and Ancient Game, tells that 
 " Carnegie in a very few years had his estate in 
 the hands of his creditors, and was under trust." 
 He adds, " Before his reverse he married a 
 daughter of Sir John Council, and a character- 
 istic story is told of his manner of proposing." 
 Unfortunately, Mr Clark does not give us the 
 story, and I should be very much obliged if any 
 of my readers would tell it to me. Notwith- 
 standing his habits, Carnegie was really a very 
 clever man, of wide reading, and had a large 
 store of exact information. His golf poetic 
 genius for it almost amounted to genius is 
 well known to golfers of the old school, and to 
 students of the literature of the game. He had 
 a marvellous aptitude for hitting off with real 
 humour the characteristics of the players of the
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 day. Owing to the slightness of his figure and 
 the shortness of his stature he was known as 
 " Little Carnegie." After the manner of many 
 other little men he liked to be with tall men, and 
 was constantly with Campbell of Saddell, Major 
 M'Kenzie and Mr Fraser, who was six feet six 
 inches. The gun with which he used to shoot, 
 and he was a capital shot, appeared to be as long 
 as himself. " Notwithstanding certain peculi- 
 arities, he was a thorough gentleman in manner, 
 and, though small, a manly, hardy man; he had 
 no spare flesh, and his muscles were whipcord. 
 He had a passion for golf (though never much of 
 a player except as a putter), which continued to 
 the last, playing at St Andrews, Montrose and 
 Musselburgh." This is how he alludes to him- 
 self :- 
 
 " That little man that's seated on the ground 
 In red, must be Carnegie, I'll be bound. 
 A most conceited dog, not slow to go it 
 At golf, or anything a sort of poet." 
 
 "Though reduced to a comparatively small in- 
 come, he enjoyed life till near the end, living much 
 with his friends, Ross of Rossie, the late Lord 
 Saltoun, and many others by whom he was much 
 appreciated." He died at Montrose in 1843, when 
 his young friend, Tom Morris, would be a little 
 
 J 
 
 over twenty years of age. The year before he 
 died his poems were published at Edinburgh by 
 Blackwood c\: Sons, 1842, small Svo. The volume
 
 His Early Days 
 
 was entitled, " Golfiana : or Niceties connected 
 with the Game of Golf. Dedicated with respect 
 to the members of all golfing clubs, and to those 
 of St Andrews and North Berwick in particular." 
 This is how Carnegie writes of his beloved St 
 Andrews: 
 
 "ADIEU TO ST ANDREWS 
 
 " St Andrews ! they say that thy glories are gone, 
 That thy streets are deserted, thy castles o'erthrown ; 
 If thy glories be gone, they are only, me thinks, 
 As it were, by enchantment, transferr'd to thy Links. 
 Though thy streets be not, as of yore, full of prelates, 
 Of abbots and monks, and of hot-headed zealots, 
 Let none judge us rashly, or blame us as scoffers, 
 When we say that instead there are Links full of Golfers, 
 With more of good heart and good feeling among them 
 Than the abbots, the monks, and the zealots who sung them; 
 We have red coats and bonnets, we've putters and clubs ; 
 The green has its bunkers, its hazards, and rubs ; 
 At the long hole anon we have biscuits and beer, 
 And the Hebes who sell it give zest to the cheer ; 
 If this makes not up for the pomp and the splendour 
 Of mitres, and murders, and mass we'll surrender ; 
 If Golfers and caddies be not better neighbours 
 Than abbots and soldiers, with crosses and sabres, 
 Let such fancies remain with the fool who so thinks, 
 While we toast old St Andrews, its Golfers, and Links." 
 
 These four, then, Clan Ranald, Saddell, 
 Baird, and Carnegie, were great golfing pals, in 
 days before that word was in vogue, and young 
 Tom Morris often played with them in singles and 
 foursomes. But Tom was probably too young 
 and too little known to fame as yet to appear in 
 
 35
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 these matches that were recorded in verse, as, 
 e.g., their famous foursome: 
 
 " Suppose we play a match: if all agree, 
 Let Clan and Saddell tackle Baird and me. 
 Reader, attend and learn to play at Golf; 
 The Lord of Saddell and myself strike off! 
 He strikes, he's in the ditch, this hole is ours; 
 Bang goes my ball, it's bunker'd, by the pow'rs. 
 But better play succeeds, these blunders past, 
 And in six strokes the hole is halved at last. 
 
 Now for the second. And here Baird and Clan 
 
 In turn must prove which is the better man; 
 
 Sir David swipes sublime! into the quarry! 
 
 Whiz goes the chief a sneezer, by old Harry! 
 
 ' Now lift the stones, but do not touch the ball, 
 
 The hole is lost if it but move at all ; 
 
 Well play'd, my cock! you could not have done more; 
 
 Tis bad, but still we may get home at lour.' 
 
 Now, near the hole, Sir David plays the odds; 
 
 Clan plays the like and wins it, by the gods! 
 
 ' A most disgusting stall ; well, come away, 
 
 They're one ahead, but we have lour to play. 
 
 We'll win it yet, if I can cross the ditch; 
 
 They're over, smack! come, there's another " sic/i." 
 
 Baird plays a trump we hole at three the}' stare 
 
 And miss their putt, so now the match is square. 
 
 In this next hole the turf is most uneven; 
 We play like tailors only in at seven, 
 And they at six; m<>>t miserable play! 
 But let them laugh who win. . . . 
 
 We start again, and in this dangerous hole 
 Full many a stroke is played with heart and soul: 
 ' Give me the iron! ' either party cries. 
 As in the quarry, track, or sand he lies. 
 36
 
 His Early Days 
 
 We reach the green at last, at even strokes; 
 Some caddie chatters, that the chief provokes, 
 And makes him miss his putt; Baird holes the ball; 
 Thus with but one to play, 'tis even all. 
 Tis strange, and yet there cannot be a doubt, 
 That such a snob should put a chieftain out; 
 The noble lion thus in all his pride 
 Stung by the gadfly roars and starts aside; 
 Clan did nut roar he never makes a noise, 
 But said, ' They're very troublesome, these boys.' 
 His partner muttered something not so civil, 
 Particularly ' scoundrels,' ' at the devil.' 
 Now Baird and Clan in turn strike off and play 
 Two strokes, the best that have been seen to-day. 
 His spoon next Saddell takes, and plays a trump 
 Mine should have been as good but for a bump 
 That turn'd it off. Baird plays the odds it's all 
 But in! at live yards, good, Clan holes the ball! 
 My partner, self and song all three are done! 
 \Ve lose the match and all the bets thereon' " 
 
 In such charming company as Mr Carnegie, 
 Sir David Baird, Clan Ranald, and Saddell, 
 would Tom play many matches and listen to 
 stories of many more in those far-off days.
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 EARLY PLAYERS AT ST ANDREWS 
 
 TOM'S occupation in Allan Robertson's shop was 
 entirely that of ball-making. The making of the 
 old " featheries " was a somewhat arduous task. 
 They were made, as everyone who knows any- 
 thing about the history of the making of golf 
 balls is aware, by taking a lot of feathers it is 
 said " a him hat ' held about the quantity 
 sufficient for making a ball and compressing 
 them, handful after handful, into a little pocket 
 of bull's hide, cured with alum. 
 
 ' You were just like a kind o' shoemaker," 
 said Tom to me lately, speaking of those far-off 
 days, " for after you had filled them as far as the 
 pocket could hold, pressed into as small a 
 compass as possible, you had to sew them." 
 
 The shape thus assumed by the full and 
 sr wed-up pocket was more like an egg than the 
 round sphere we are accustomed to associate 
 with golf balls. They were by no means perfectly 
 round. The feathers were obtained chiefly from 
 farmyard poultry. A good workman could 
 make about four feather balls in a day. 
 
 Of course, Tom would often have to be spared 
 from his work to take part in matches with
 
 Early Players at St Andrews 
 
 gentlemen of the Club who consulted Allan 
 about a partner in a foursome, and also for the 
 playing of single matches. And every now and 
 again he w r ould be matched either with or 
 against Allan and some brother professionals. 
 A very charming life in many ways it would be. 
 He would get plenty of healthful exercise and 
 pleasant recreation in the game he loved, and of 
 which he was rapidly becoming such a first-class 
 exponent. He " doesna mind " much about his 
 earliest matches. But among the gentlemen he 
 played with alone or along with Allan, there 
 would be, besides the famous quartette I 
 mentioned in the previous chapter, Colonel 
 Oliphant of Rossie, grandfather of the late Mr 
 T. T. Oliphant a family related collaterally at 
 least to the Baroness Nairne, to Laurence 
 Oliphant, and even to Mrs Oliphant. the dis- 
 tinguished novelist and most versatile and 
 industrious of writers. 
 
 Colonel Oliphant lived in St Andrews for a 
 long time. Here is how r Carnegie speaks of 
 
 him : 
 
 " But where is Oliphant, that artist grand ? 
 He scarce appears among the golfing hand. 
 No douht he's married; but when that befalls, 
 Is there an end to putters, clubs and balls? " 
 
 And, again, had they known the game: 
 
 " Mars, Jove, and Neptune would have studied golt, 
 And swiped like Oliphant and Wod below, 
 Smack over Hell at one immortal go! " 
 39
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Then there is Mr Craigie Halkett : 
 
 " One who can 
 
 Swipe out, for distance, against any man. 
 But in what course the lx.ll so struck may go 
 No looker-on not he himself can know." 
 
 And Major Holcroft: 
 
 " He's a steady hand 
 Among the best of all the golfing band; 
 He plays a winning game in every part 
 But near the hole displays the greatest art." 
 
 And Captain Cheapo: 
 
 A sailor by profession, 
 But not so good at golf ;is navigation." 
 
 Then there was the French teacher, Mr Messieux, 
 at the Madras College, whose feats in long driving 
 are still remembered on the links : 
 
 " A noble player, 
 But something ;/r/vcw.s that's a bad affair, 
 
 It sadly spi iils his putting, when he's />>vxsV, 
 But kt him u ;';: and he will beat the best " 
 
 Then there was Dr Moodic, a well-known 
 medical practitioner in St Andrews, a stout little 
 man with a face and complexion rightly or 
 wrongly associated with the colour of port wine : 
 
 ' There Dr Muodie, turtk-like, di-plays 
 His well-filled paunch, and -uij es beyond all prai-e, 
 While Cuttkhill, i slang and chatter chit, f, 
 Provokes the bile of Captain George Moncriefle." 
 
 " Cuttlehill " was Mr James Wemyss of Cuttle- 
 hill, known as " Flash Jim." He was laird of 
 
 40
 
 Early Players at St Andrews 
 
 Cuttlehill near Dunfermline. Ho ran through 
 his estate in early years, and resided for a con- 
 siderable time at No. 3 Bell Street, St Andrews. 
 Carnegie thus writes of him : 
 
 " But Cntllehill, that wonderful Inijfoon. 
 We meet him now no more, as wont, at noon ; 
 No more along the green his jokes are heard, 
 And some who dared not then, now take the word. 
 Farewell! facetious Jem too surely gone 
 A loss to us Joe Miller to tioulogue." 
 
 Of the other early players of those days we 
 shall get a good idea by reading what Carnegie 
 says of them as depicted in the old golfing picture, 
 entitled " The Finish of a Big Match," which we 
 reproduce as an illustration. It is from a paint- 
 ing by Mr Charles Lees, R.S.A., engraved by 
 C. E. Wagstaffe. The scene is at " the Ginger 
 Beer " the fifteenth hole where matches in the 
 old days used often to end and luncheon was 
 taken. The figure of the tall man bending forward 
 to see the fate of the ball is that of Sir David 
 Baird, Bart., of Newbyth, whose acquaintance we 
 have already made, and who, as Carnegie wrote: 
 
 " Can play 
 With any goiter of the present day." 
 
 Next to him, also with a tall hat, is the one 
 who has evidently just made his putt. It is 
 Major, afterwards to become Sir, Hugh Lyon- 
 Playfair. 
 
 ; ' That's Major Playfair, man of nerve unshaken, 
 He knows a thing or two or I'm mistaken; 
 41
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 And when he's pressed, can play a tearing game, 
 He works for ccrtxintv, and not for Fame ! 
 There's none, I'll back the assertion with a wager, 
 Can play the heazy iron like the Major." 
 
 He was u a star at golf" and "skilled in many 
 a curious " art 
 
 " As chemist, mechanist, can play his part, 
 
 And understands besides the power of swiping, 
 
 Elcctro-Talbot and Daguerreotyping." 
 
 The little man with bent knees, and eyes so 
 closely watching the progress of the ball, is Mr 
 Thomas Patton, of Glenalmond, the first of 
 " The Mushrooms " named by Carnegie in 
 " Another Peep at the Links: " 
 
 " Now lor the mushrooms, old perchance or new, 
 But whom my former strain did not review; 
 I'll name an < .'./ one, Patton, Tom of Perth, 
 Short, stout, grey-headed, but of sterling worth; 
 A golfer perfect, something it may be 
 The worse for -^car, but few so true as he; 
 Good-humour 'd when behind, as when ahead, 
 And drinks like blazes till he goes to bed." 
 
 It was a match in which Tom Patton was 
 engaged that gave rise to a famous contest 
 between Allan Robertson and James Condie. 
 Condie and Patton had obtained a handsome 
 victory over Allan and Sir John Mackenzie. 
 At dinner, alter the match was over, Mr Condie 
 teased Allan about having a lot of good clubs 
 with a poor player behind them. The result of 
 this chaff was that Mr Condie and Allan betted 
 clubs against each other for another round of 
 
 4-
 
 Early Players at St Andrews 
 
 the links. Let Mr Peter Baxter tell its story, 
 as given in his excellent and compact little book 
 on Golf in Perth and Perthshire. " Mr Condie was 
 a great humorist, and completely put Allan off 
 his usual game. The result was that Allan no 
 sooner won back a club than he would lose two 
 holes in succession, which caused the club to be 
 again handed over to Mr Condie's caddie, and 
 another along \\ith it. Allan had rather a 
 rueful countenance as the finish of the Perth 
 course came into view. On driving to the last 
 hole Allan had only his driver and his putter 
 left. Had he been able to win he \vould have 
 redeemed his iron, but instead he lost and his 
 driver was claimed. Mr Condie insisted on 
 Allan showing what he could do with his putter 
 alone, and an extra hole out and back was 
 played. Condie won the putter! ' Surely you'll 
 let me take one club home? ' pleaded Allan. 
 ' No,' replied Mr Condie, and Allan's clubs 
 remained in Perth, at least for one night." 
 
 The last of the four players, drawing back his 
 figure as if he would keep the ball from going into 
 the hole, is Sir Ralph Anstruther, Bart., of 
 Balcaskie. 
 
 " Sir Ralph returns he has been absent long 
 No less renown 'd in golfing than in song; 
 With Continental learning richly stored, 
 Teutonic Bards translated and explored 
 A Litcrairc a German scholar no\v, 
 With all Grischia's honours on his brow! 
 43
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 The little caddie jumping with delight is 
 \Yillie Piric, and the tall one strenuously leaning 
 forward is Sandy Pine, about both of whom I shall 
 have something to say in my book on Caddies. 
 
 There does not seem to be any indication as to 
 who are the two men, whose heads and shoulders 
 we only see, bending down behind Tom Patton. 
 But immediately behind him is Colonel Murray 
 Belches, of Invermay, who is commemorated to 
 the present day in the handsome silver cross 
 which is the first prize at the May Meeting of the 
 Royal and Ancient Club. A little behind him 
 and to the right, with bare head and hat in hand, 
 is Mr James H. Dundas, \Y.S., and still further 
 to the right and behind Dundas are Mr James 
 Blackwood and Mr James Oliphant, \Y.S. Still 
 further to the right, with the tall hat, is Sir N. H. 
 Lockhart, Bart., Carnwarth, and behind him 
 Mr Charles Robertson (" Cowling " Charlie). 
 A little to the right in a group of six is John 
 Campbell of Glensaddell, of whom we have heard, 
 and at his shoulder, bareheaded, is I)r Henry 
 Macfarlane, Perth, " The Young Doctor," as he 
 was called. By Saddell's left shoulder, also 
 uncovered, is Sir John Campbell of Aird. Be- 
 hind him is Col. Moncrieife, subsequently " The 
 General," and Robert Chambers, the famous 
 publisher. 
 
 " Still George Moncrielic appears tin: crowd beiore, 
 Lieutenant-Colonel detain now no nioic; 
 4-4
 
 Early Players at St Andrews 
 
 / * 
 
 Improv'd in everything, in looks and life, 
 And, more than all, the husband of a wife." 
 
 Colonel George Moncrieffe was the nephew 
 of old Mrs Cheape, of Strathtyrum (Helen Mon- 
 crieffe), and lived much there. On leaving the 
 Army he settled in St Andrews and lived at The 
 Priory. In my early days he was known as 
 General Moncrieffe, and was Provost of the city. 
 He was the father of the popular General 
 Moncrieffe, whom I lately saw at Sunningdale 
 during the competitions for the Ncics of the 
 World prizes, looking not one day older than 
 he did in the old St Andrews days ; and of Mrs 
 Curwen and Mrs Harriot, one of his twin 
 daughters. The Priory, under the benignant 
 sway of this well-known St Andrews family, was 
 ever a centre of hospitality and kindness. The 
 General was prominent as a citizen and as a 
 member of the Club, though what Carnegie calls 
 his choleric " bile " was sometimes in evidence. 
 
 The tall farthest back figure with the tall hat 
 is Lord Viscount Valentia. The little girl is a 
 seller of ginger-beer. Taking the glass from her 
 is the Hon. Henry Coventry. Sitting beside 
 him, leaning on his staff, is George Cheape ot 
 Welllield. Looking over Mr Cheape's head is 
 Willie Dunn, the golf club-maker, Musselburgh, 
 destined to be one of Tom Morris's opponents. 
 The big man in the tall hat behind him a little 
 to the left is Mr W. Wood, L-ilh :
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 " Still portly William Wood is to be seen, 
 As good as ever on the velvet green. 
 The same unfailing trump." 
 
 To his left a little, club in hand, is Captain 
 David Campbell. Behind him to the right is 
 Mr W. Peddie of Black Ruthven. Patton's 
 ("Tom of Perth") 
 
 " friend is Peddie, not an awful svviper, 
 But, at the putting, he's a very viper ; 
 Give him a man to drive him through the green 
 And he'll be bad to beat, it will be seen. 
 Patton and Peddie, Peddie and Patton, 
 Are just the people one should bet upon." 
 
 Next to him and almost behind Mr Wood is 
 Mr George Dempster of Skibo ; then Mr Goddard 
 of Leith, and the figure to the extreme right at 
 the back is Mr Robert Patullo of Balhouffie, a 
 small proprietor near Anstruther. He lived in 
 Balfour House in North Street, and was a great 
 habitue" of the links : 
 
 " There young Patullo stands, and he, methinks, 
 Can drive the longest ball upon the links, 
 And well he plays the spoon and iron, but 
 He fails a little when he comes to />//." 
 
 Again : 
 
 " And good Patullo! he who drove as none, 
 Since him, have driven he is also gone I 
 And Captain Cheape, who docs not mourn the day 
 That snatch'd so good, so kind a friend away;' " 
 
 This exhausts those members of the group on 
 the right hand of the foursome. In the distance
 
 Early Players at St Andrews 
 
 a match is seen coming in. That there must be 
 some good players in it may be inferred from the 
 fact that it seems to have a considerable following. 
 To the left of the picture St Andrews is seen 
 in the distance. Of the group in the foreground 
 to the extreme left is Sir John Muir Mackenzie 
 of Delvine, Bart. , and Sir John Murray Macgregor, 
 Bart. The third member of the little group 
 with the two ladies is Mr Tyndall Bruce of 
 Falkland. He is looking " sideways " at the 
 holing out. Sir Charles Shaw is standing far 
 back, just beside the head of the horse which is 
 ridden by a lady. Next to him, with a tall white 
 hat, is Colonel Playfair, of St Andrews. 
 
 " See Colonel Playfair, shaped in form mtund, 
 Parade the unrivall'd Falstaff of the ground; 
 He laughs and jokes, plays ' what you like,' and yet, 
 You'll rarely find him make a foolish bet." 
 
 The tall, good-looking man in front of him, 
 bareheaded, is the Earl of Eglintoun. Behind 
 him the head only of Mr Robert Lindsay of 
 Straiton can be seen. " Old Robert Lindsay " 
 was the younger brother of the Earl Lindsay of 
 Balcarres. He lived many years in the " east- 
 most house " in South Street, St Andrews. 
 
 " Old Robert Lindsay plays a decent game, 
 Tho' not a golfer of enormous fame. 
 Well can he fish with minnow as with fly. 
 Paint, and play farthing-brag uncommonly. 
 Give jolly dinners, justice court- attnul, 
 A good companion and a sti-ady friend." 
 47
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Behind him again, with the tall hat, is Mr James 
 Hay of Leith. Bending down, a little more in 
 the foreground, is the Earl of Leven and Melville. 
 The figure behind and next to him is unmistak- 
 able. It is Allan Robertson. Right behind him, 
 with the tall hat, is the well-known Sheriff Gordon, 
 a great humorist in his day, whose wife was a 
 daughter of Christopher North. To his right are 
 John Sligo of Carmyle and Hamilton Anstruther. 
 In the nearer foreground but behind, a little to 
 the right of Allan, is Mr John \Yhyte Melville. 
 
 " There, to the left, I see Mount Melville stand 
 Erect, his .hiring putter in his hand. 
 It is a club he cannot leave behind, 
 It works the balls so well against the wind." 
 
 And again : 
 
 " Mount Melville still erect as ever stands, 
 And plies his club with energetic hands; 
 Plays short and steady, often is a winner, 
 A better Captain never graced a dinner." 
 
 The head without the hat is that of Lord Berri- 
 dale, and to the right and behind him are Mr F. 
 Blair of Balthayock, and the Master of Strath- 
 allan. The figure to the left of Sir Hugh Lyon- 
 Playfair is that of John Grant of Kilgraston. 
 
 " But for John Grant, a clever fellow ton, 
 I really fear that golf will never do! 
 Tis strange indeed, for he can paint and ride, 
 And hunt the hounds, and many a thing beside; 
 Amuse his friends with anecdote and fun; 
 But when lie takes his club in hand he's done ' 
 48
 
 Early Players at St Andrews 
 
 Stay! I retract! Since writing the above, 
 I've seen him play a better game, by Jove; 
 So much beyond what one could have believ'd, 
 That I confess myself for once deceived. 
 And if he can go on the season through, 
 There's still a chance that he may really do." 
 
 To the right of him, without his hat, is Mr J. 
 \Yolfe Murray of Cringlctic. 
 
 " Next comes a handsome man with Roman nose, 
 And whiskers dark Wolfe Murray, I suppose. 
 lie has begun but lately, still he plays 
 A lairish game, and therefore merits praise; 
 Ask him when at his icorst, and he will say, 
 ' 'Tis bad, but Lord! how I play'd yesterday ! ' 
 
 Mr Wolfe Murray was long about St Andrews as 
 a bachelor. He married the younger daughter 
 of Mr Whyte Melville. 
 
 Next to him, tall hat in hand, is Colonel Ogilvie 
 Fairlie of Coodham, a line-looking man, a splendid 
 golfer and a great patron of Tom Morris. He was 
 the brother-in-law of " Saddell," and often lived 
 with him at The Priory. 
 
 " I've kept a man, in petto, for the last 
 Not an old golfer, but by few surpassed 
 Great Captain Fairlie! When he drives a ball 
 One of the hcsf, for he don't hit them all, 
 It then requires no common stretch of .sight 
 To watch its progress and to see it light." 
 
 Behind him is Mr John Hay of Morton, and 
 underneath him to the right is John Balfour of 
 Ik'ilbiniie, a large landed proprietor in File, and
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 prominent business man in the county, which he 
 contested for a seat in Parliament. He was 
 Master of the Hounds, and a great golfer. 
 
 " Balbirnie and Makgill will both be good, 
 Strong, active, lathy fellows; so they should." 
 
 George Makgill is not in the picture. He was 
 a nephew of Sir Hugh Lyon-Playfair. He was 
 much about the links and was a fine type of a 
 country gentleman. 
 
 Behind Mr Balfour is the Hon. David Murray. 
 Then come John Stirling, St Andrews ; James 
 Condie of Perth; and so back to Col. Murray, 
 Belches.
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 TOM'S EARLY STYLE OF PLAY AND 
 OCCUPATION 
 
 BUT enough for the present of Tom and Allan's 
 partners in those far-off days at the game which 
 the latter described as " aye fcchtin' against you." 
 And Mr H. G. Hutchinson, quoting this saying 
 in the chapter on " Hints on Match and Medal 
 Play/' adds, " And it is not everyone who is 
 blessed with the cheerful serenity and superiority 
 to circumstance which distinguished that old 
 worthy, and his compeer and sometime rival, 
 old Tom Morris, ' born in the purple of equable 
 temper and courtesy/ as we have seen the latter 
 described in print." 
 
 It is Mr Everard who thus describes Tom, and 
 in " Some Celebrated Golfers," in the Badminton 
 Golf, the same writer says of Allan : " Apart from 
 his excellent play he is described as a charming 
 partner and an equally generous opponent ; no 
 amount of ' cross accidents ' could disturb his 
 equable temper, and when steering an indifferent 
 partner with consummate skill through the 
 varying fortunes of the game, no irritable word or 
 gesture was ever known to escape him, however
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 valueless, not to say destructive, the endeavours 
 of his protcgt' happened to be." 
 
 In the same chapter Mr Everard tells us that 
 Tom " curiously enough began to drive with his 
 left hand below his right, a mode of play adopted 
 by only two players in the writer's experience." 
 He adds: " It was by a mere accident that Tom 
 became a golfer at all, for his career was marked 
 out for him, and arrangements all but com- 
 pleted, under which he was to have been ap- 
 prenticed to a carpenter; but a casual question 
 of old Sandy Herd as to why he did not get 
 apprenticed to Allan Robertson as a club-maker, 
 put the idea into his head. Allan considered the 
 matter, the upshot of which was that he agreed 
 to take Tom, who served under him four years as 
 apprentice, and live as journeyman, and from 
 that period began his golfing life. Possessing 
 naturally a keen, good eye, he began before long 
 to play a game which year by year developed, 
 until in measuring himself against Allan Robert- 
 son, the latter found himself obliged gradually 
 to decrease the odds of a half to a third, then to 
 four strokes, until at last, if the ' old man ' was 
 not exactly ' beaten by the boy,' still the boy, 
 or rather lad of twenty-two or thereabouts, 
 rendered such an exceedingly good account of 
 himself that the odds he was allowed were 
 represented by zero. Here, then, was a fact. 
 
 He could play the greatest living masters of the 
 
 52
 
 Ball -making 
 
 game and hold his own; but their interests were 
 not divided, and it was rather as partners that 
 they took the golfing world by storm." 
 
 Scattered through the Badminton book on 
 Golf there are various allusions to Tom's style of 
 play, which, no doubt, was adopted in the early 
 St Andrews days of which I am writing. 
 
 In Mr H. G. Hutchinson's chapter on " Ele- 
 mentary Instruction," the writer remarks: " Of 
 all good players old Tom Morris is probably he 
 who plays with the most supple club; which he 
 is able to do by reason of the comparative slow- 
 ness of his swing." 
 
 In a subsequent chapter in the Badminton 
 Golf, "On Style," Mr Hutchinson writes: 
 " It is true that Tom Morris until recently putted 
 with his first finger down the shaft of the putter, 
 and save for an occasional aberration, was a very 
 fine putter. ' Old Tom ' one day missed a short 
 putt, upon which the late Mr Logan White, who 
 was himself possessed of one of the most singular 
 styles ever seen, remarked, ' If you were to have 
 that finger amputated, Tom, you might be able 
 to putt.' The phrase took Tom's fancy, and 
 since that day, to avoid amputation, he has 
 coiled his first linger round the shaft, like: an 
 ordinary human golfer." 
 
 Golfing, like all other habits, is doubtle 
 
 'SS 
 
 acquired in youth, and probably Tom as a driver 
 and putter in those early St Andrews days was
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 the father of him we now know as the " Grand 
 Old Man of Golf." And his habits of play were 
 doubtless acquired while he was engaged in 
 making balls with Allan and going round the 
 links with the best known players of the day. 
 
 This seems a favourable opportunity to say 
 something of the history of the occupation which 
 he pursued. 
 
 The industry of ball-making in Scotland was 
 organised in the days of King James VI. This 
 monarch was thoroughly in touch with the 
 pastimes of Scotland before he left for England. 
 On the 4th of April 1603 he issued a grant con- 
 firming the appointment of " William Mayne, 
 bower burgess of Edinburgh, during all the day is 
 of his lyif-tyme, Mr. fledger, bower, clubmaker 
 and speirmaker to His Hienes, als weill for gay me 
 as weir." 
 
 At this time the golf balls made in Holland 
 were much superior to those produced at home. 
 They were accordingly patronised to such an 
 extent that King James VI., in 1618, issued his 
 famous letter patent from Salisbury. It began 
 thus: "Our Souerane Majestic understanding 
 that thair is no small quantitie of gold and siluer 
 transported zeirlie out of His Hienes kingdome of 
 Scotland for bying of golf ballis, vsit in that king- 
 dome for recreatioun of his Majesties subjectis, 
 and His Hienes being earnestlie dealt with by 
 James Melvill, in favors of William Bervick and 
 
 54
 
 Ball -making 
 
 his associate, who onlie makis, or can mak golf 
 ballis within the saide kingdome for the present, 
 and were the inbringeris off the said trade thair ": 
 and seeing that the said three parties undertook 
 to " furnische the said kingdome with better golf 
 ballis, and at ane moir easie rate than have beine 
 sauld there these manie zeiris bypast," 
 
 The King granted them a patent for the 
 native manufacture of these articles for the space 
 of twenty-one years, to the exclusion of all other 
 dealers, under the condition, " That the said 
 patentaris exceid not the price of four schillings 
 monie of this realme for everie ane of the saide 
 golf ballis as for the pryce theirof and power to 
 be given to the same, by himsclfc, his deputies, 
 and servantis, in his name, to seirch, seik and 
 apprehend all sik golf ballis as sal be maid or 
 sauld within His Heines' said Kingdome and these 
 ways then according to the trew meaning of His 
 Majesties' grant and to escheit the samyn." 
 
 It must be noted that this document speaks of 
 " William Berwick and his associate " being the 
 " inbringeris off the saide trade thair," not as 
 those who were the " inbringeris " of the game 
 into Scotland. A later license to make golf 
 balls is from the Town Council of Aberdeen, and 
 is dated 1642 : 
 
 " License and tollerance to John Dickson to 
 mak gouff balls within this burgh during the 
 council's pleasure, and his good carriage and
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 behaviour allenarly, in respect there is not such 
 ane tradesman in this burgh, and that he has 
 produced ane certificate from the town of Lcith 
 of his bygane gude life and conversation amongst 
 them."" 
 
 Golf had long been played at Aberdeen " on 
 the lynks which extend themselves almost be- 
 twixt the two rivers Done and Dee," but Leith 
 was the metropolitan course. It was on the 
 links of " wee Leith " that Charles I. was playing 
 when news of the Irish rebellion reached him, 
 and dropping his clubs, and calling for his coach, 
 he drove to Edinburgh and then to London as 
 fast as horses could earn 7 him. It was at Leith 
 that the Duke of York, afterwards James II., 
 while acting as Commissioner to the Scottish 
 Parliament, and living at Holyrood, played the 
 historic match, with Patersone the cobbler as his 
 partner, against two English noblemen. As all 
 golfers know, the Duke and the shoemaker won. 
 The cobbler received the whole of the stake. 
 
 Then the great Duke of Montrose's accounts 
 under the date of 1627 read, " For 2 golf balls, 
 my Lord going to the golf at Leith, IDS." 
 
 The balls used by the early Flemish golfers, 
 if, indeed, the game they played can be called 
 golf, were egg-shaped ones of beechwood. Those 
 used in the game of pell-mell were of boxwood, 
 and could be hit about 400 yards on a smooth, 
 hard surface like that of the Mall in London,
 
 Ball-making 
 
 o 
 
 where Pepys saw the Duke of York play. The 
 ball was propelled by a club somewhat like a 
 " light supple croquet mallet." 
 
 The mention of it by Pepys runs: [i 2 April, 
 1661. To St James's Park where I saw the Duke 
 of York playing at Pele-Mele the first time that 
 ever I saw the sport." In a note to my edition of 
 the immortal Diarist (The Globe Edition, Mac- 
 millan) the game is thus characterised, " An 
 early form of croquet, derived from France, 
 where the game jcu dc mail, palcmail (i.e., in 
 etymology pila and malleus}, had long been in 
 vogue " (see Jusserand, Lcs Sports ct jcux d'excr- 
 cice, Paris, 1901, p. 304). The place at St 
 James's Park, where it used to be played, has 
 given the name Pall Mall (cf. Rue du Mail in 
 Paris). From a Harleian MS. we learn that golf 
 was " not unlike to pale malic." This is men- 
 tioned when the manuscript in question states 
 that the " ill-fated Prince Henry " bemoaned 
 by Chapman and other poets was a golfer. 
 
 Pepys's only other mention of the game is on 
 the 4th January 1664, the morning of which had 
 been spent at " the Tennis Court, and there saw 
 the King play at Tennis and others; but to see 
 how the King's play was extolled, without any 
 cause at all, was a loathsome sight; though 
 sometimes, indeed, he did play very well, and 
 deserved to be commended; but such open 
 flattery is beastly." After he had had enough 
 
 57
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 of the King's play at tennis, the great Samuel, 
 who certainly did not deserve the sobriquet of 
 " Soapy," went on to " St James's Park, seeing 
 people play at Pell Mell, where it pleased me 
 mightily to hear a gallant, lately come from 
 France, swear at one of his companions for 
 suffering his man, a spruce blade, to be so saucey 
 as to strike a ball while his master was playing on 
 the Hill." 
 
 When golf assumed its present form, the balls 
 were made, of course, of leather stuffed with 
 feathers. In the Royal Accounts of 1503, we 
 find 2, 2s. " for the King to play at the golf 
 with the Earl of Bothwell." We know that only 
 nine shillings were paid for the King's club and 
 balls, so probably the rest of the money went to 
 pay a bet the Earl had won from him. " Clubs 
 cost a shilling each and balls were four shillings 
 the dozen." See King James's "patent" con- 
 ferring a monopoly of ball-making on James 
 Melvil, but the question must be asked whether 
 the " four schillings " was " Scots " or English 
 money. 
 
 At Leith, in the middle of the eighteenth 
 century, when the great players were Duncan 
 Forbes of Culloden, Dalrymple, Kattray, Crosse, 
 Leslie, Alston and Biggar, the historic ball-maker 
 was Bobson. The fame of this Bobson was sung 
 in verse in the mock-heroic vein by Thomas 
 Matheson, who, in the Badminton Golf, is de-
 
 Ti ^ 
 
 ., 
 
 
 'W 
 
 <
 
 Ball-making 
 
 scribed as a " writer " or attorney. He pro- 
 bably was, to begin with, an agent or writer in 
 " his peaceful home," Edina. But there is no 
 doubt that he was eventually a minister of the 
 Church of Scotland. It is supposed that the 
 suggestion that he should become a minister 
 came from Duncan Forbes of f ulloden, the Lord 
 President. He was licensed by the Presbytery 
 of Dalkeith on the ist of November 1748, and 
 began his clerical life in the North of England. 
 He was ordained as assistant and successor to 
 William Hepburn, minister of Inverkeillor, and 
 four years afterwards, he, in July 1754, was 
 " translated " to the senior charge of the parish 
 of Brechin, where he died on the 17111 June 
 1760. He married Margaret White, who sur- 
 vived him. His publications were, The Golf, 
 an Heroi-Comical Poem in Three Cantos (Edin- 
 burgh: J. Cochrane & Co., 1743, 8vo. Second 
 edition: Peter Hill, Edinburgh, 1793, 4to.); 
 and A Sacred Ode, occasioned by the late 
 successes attending the British Arms. (Edin- 
 burgh, 1760, 8vo.) 
 
 The balls with which the Eeitli worthies 
 played were made by Bobson, of whom Matheson 
 thus sings : 
 
 " The work of Bobson, \vho, with matchless art, 
 Shapes the linn hide, connecting ev'ry part ; 
 Then in a socket sets the \vell-stitch'd void 
 And thro' the eyelet drives the downy tide; 
 59
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Crowds urging crowds the forceful brogue impels, 
 The leathers harden and the leather swells. 
 He crams and sweats, yet crams and urges more, 
 Till scarce the turgid globe contains its store. 
 The dreaded falcon's pride here blended lies 
 With pigeons' glossy down of various dyes; 
 The lark's small pinions join the common stock 
 And yellow glory of the martial cock." 
 
 Bobson was a St Andrews man. 
 
 " Such is fam'd Bobson who in Andrea thrives, 
 And such the balls each vig'rous hero drives." 
 
 Perhaps some of my readers may be able to 
 give me some information in regard to Bobson. 
 Can the name have anything to do with the 
 Robertsons, the forefathers of the famous 
 Allan? 
 
 When Tom Morris was working with Allan 
 Robertson their rivals would be the M'Ewans of 
 Musselburgh, the Gourlays, and Johnny Jackson 
 of Perth. 
 
 Dr Graham, writing in 1848, thus alludes to 
 Gourlay and Allan, and to the wear and tear of 
 golf balls: 
 
 " Though gouf be of our games most rare, 
 Yet, truth to speak, the wear and tear 
 Of balls were felt to be severe 
 
 And source of great vexation. 
 When Gourlay 's balls cost half-a-crown, 
 And Allan's not a farthing down, 
 The feck o's wad been harried soon, 
 In this era of taxation. 
 60
 
 Ball-making 
 
 Right lain \vcre we to be content 
 Wi' used-up ball new lick't wi' paint, 
 That ill concealed baith scar and rent, 
 
 Ball scarcely lit for younkers. 
 And though our best wi' them we tried, 
 And nicely every club applied, 
 They whirred and luffed, and dooked and shied, 
 
 And sklentit into bunkers." 
 
 On the advent of the gutta-percha balls, 
 about 1848, the year in which he wrote, Dr 
 Graham breaks out : 
 
 " Ye're keen and certain at a putt 
 Xae wcet your sides e'er opens up 
 And though for years your ribs they wimp, 
 Ye'll never moutt a feather." 
 
 And so he cries: 
 
 " Hail, gutta-percha, precious gum! " 
 
 Now, I suppose it must be: 
 
 " Hail, rubber-core, so sweetly Hying, 
 But on the green you're often trying." 
 
 Readers will please continue this ode to the new 
 ball. 
 
 In regard to the introduction ol the gutta- 
 pcrcha balls, Tom Dunn has heard his father 
 declare many a time, and has ' heard it cor- 
 roborated by the late John Gourlay, my wife's 
 father, the famous leather and feather ball- 
 maker, whose ancestor, Douglas Gourlay, was 
 appointed ball-maker and teacher of the gowli 
 
 01
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 to King James I. of England and VI. of Scotland, 
 that the late Sir Thomas Moncrieffe brought 
 down from London, in the year 1847 or 1848, a 
 piece of gutta-percha, which he gave to my 
 father, asking him to make it up into a ball and 
 try it, with instructions how to make it. He 
 made the ball and tried it several times, but it 
 wouldn't fly and he discarded it; but the 
 caddies, for want of anything better to play with, 
 discovered that the more they played with the 
 ball (it undergoing a ' sair heed ' occasionally) 
 the better it flew, brought it back, and my father 
 struck it again and away it went, even better 
 than the old feather ball. Further experiments 
 soon divulged the reason. The surface required 
 indentations; this he did with the sharp edge of 
 a shoemaker's hammer. It was considered good 
 work if a man could turn out three feather balls 
 in a day. The case was of cowhide, and a high 
 hat full of feathers in their loose and dry state 
 was needed for the stuffing. These were 
 dumped and crammed into the three parts 
 finished case and sewn up. I am told it was very 
 hard work. My father and uncle served their 
 apprenticeship to the late John Gourlay for live 
 years. The feather balls from that time were 
 doomed. My father took up the manufacture of 
 gutta and almost had a monopoly in the sale of 
 them. I have in my possession the medal that 
 was awarded by the Commissioners of the first
 
 Ball-making 
 
 International Exhibition of 1851 for the exhibit 
 of a case of leather and feather balls that were 
 manufactured by the late John Gourlay, the 
 famous ball-maker. I have also one of the 
 original balls that were exhibited."
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 THE MOST FAMOUS FOURSOME OF OLDEN DAYS 
 
 OF all the many matches in which Tom and 
 Allan played as partners the most important and 
 most interesting was perhaps the great foursome 
 of 1849, f r 4; against the brothers Dunn, of 
 Musselburgh, over the links of Musselburgh, St 
 Andrews and North Berwick. There was always 
 a considerable rivalry between St Andrews and 
 Musselburgh, and in this match it was at fever 
 heat. Allan and Willie Dunn had often played 
 singles against one another, Allan winning at St 
 Andrews, Willie at Musselburgh, while on neutral 
 ground Allan was the more successful. Willie 
 was a very long driver, and his style was particu- 
 larly easy and graceful. A bunker on the St 
 Andrews links to this day commemorates a feat 
 of his. From the homeward Hole o'Cross green 
 at the fifth hole, and from the medal tee, he once 
 drove right over the Elysian Fields into the little 
 crescent-shaped bunker at the end of them. To 
 this day this bunker is named " Dunny." The 
 distance, as measured on the map, is 250 yards. 
 Perhaps the most important of these singles was 
 the one played in 184^. It consisted of 20
 
 Famous Foursome of Olden Days 
 
 rounds, or 360 holes. In those clays matches 
 were decided by greens and rounds, and Allan 
 won this one by 2 rounds and I to play. 
 
 The " two Dunns," familiarly so called in 
 those days, were twins, as their nephew, Tom 
 Dunn, tells us ; and they were so much alike, 
 and spoke so similarly, that it was a very difficult 
 matter to know the one from the other, unless 
 the individual was very intimately acquainted 
 with them. Many gentlemen were nonplussed, 
 among them the late Lord Eglintoun, who would 
 say, " Well, Jamie, how are you? " "I'm not 
 Jamie, my lord/' Tom Dunn's father would 
 say, " I'm Willie." " Confound you fellows," his 
 lordship would sing out, "I never know the one 
 from the other." And so it was. Their height, 
 build, voice, appearance and facial expression 
 deceived many. They were as like as two peas. 
 
 In the great foursome, the match at Mussel- 
 burgh went altogether in favour of the Dunns, 
 for they won it by 13 holes up and 12 to play. 
 At St Andrews Allan and Tom had a slight ad- 
 vantage which, however, as far as greens were 
 concerned, left the match square. All then de- 
 pended on the play at North Berwick. The best 
 account of the final and deciding rounds is that 
 given by "An Old Hand" in his "Golfing 
 Reminiscences " (Reminiscences of Golf and 
 Gol/i'i's, by II. Thomas IVter, Member of the 
 Innerlevcn and other golf clubs. Edinburgh:
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 James Thin). It was the finest foursome Mr 
 Peter says he ever saw, and it created great 
 interest in the golfing world of that day, crowds 
 flocking to North Berwick to watch it. Mr 
 Peter writes: " I crossed over from Leven (Fife) 
 with my brother James, and remember it well. 
 When I woke at five o'clock the rain was pouring, 
 and I got up and told my brother so, and that it 
 would be useless to go. However, in a short time 
 afterwards he came to my bedroom and said, 
 ' Man, Tom, I see a wee glint of blue sky! I 
 think we should gang.' ' All right,' I said, 
 ' I'm up.' " And ""gang " they did. 
 
 On meeting Allan, Mr Peter said he had come 
 to see him win. Allan replied he hoped so, but 
 Mr Peter thought from the dejected look he wore 
 that he was somewhat doubtful about the result. 
 The match was one of 36 holes; Mr Peter forgets 
 whether that meant 5 or 7 rounds of the then 
 North Berwick links, and i hole more. The rain 
 kept off, probably owing to a pretty stiff wind 
 from the south-west. The match started amid 
 great excitement. Each side had its band of 
 supporters. Those of the Musselburgh men, 
 however, owing to the nearness of its links to 
 North Berwick, preponderated, and they were led 
 by Gourlay, the well-known ball-maker. Mr 
 Peter tells us he never saw a match where such 
 vehement party spirit was displayed. So great 
 was the ferment and anxiety to see whose ball
 
 Famous Foursome of Olden Days 
 
 had the better lie, that no sooner were the shots 
 played than off the whole crowd ran helter- 
 skelter; and as one or the other lay best so 
 demonstrations were made by each party. 
 
 It took even Sir David Baird, with his com- 
 manding figure, all his time to maintain merely 
 tolerable order. 
 
 To begin with, the match went in favour of 
 the Dunns, who played magnificently. Their 
 driving was notably better than that of the St 
 Andrews men. They went sweeping over 
 hazards, which their opponents had to play short 
 of. Though the first round was halved, the 
 Dunns won the second by 4. The third round 
 was halved. 
 
 During lunch, with the Mussclburgh men four 
 to the good, long odds were offered in their 
 favour. 
 
 On the match being resumed they put one 
 more hole to their credit. \Yith 8 holes to play 
 they remained 4 up. Odds of 20 to i were 
 now freely laid upon the Dunns. The chances 
 of the St Andrews men looked gloomy in 
 the extreme. Their backs were to the wall. 
 They must strain every nerve if they were not 
 to be badly defeated. Allan wanned to his work 
 and was well backed up by Tom. They took one 
 hole, then another, and yet another. Captain 
 Campbell of Schiehallion, with a true gulling 
 
 instinct, could not forbear crying out to Mr 
 
 67
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Peter, " Gad, sir, if they take another hole 
 they'll win the match." They took the " other 
 hole," and were now all square, and 2 to play. 
 The exact sequence of the 6 holes was this: 
 i and 2, Allan and Tom; 3, halved; 4, Allan 
 and Tom; 5, halved; 6, Allan and Tom. 
 
 " How different the attitude of the Dunns' 
 supporters now from their jubilant and vaunting 
 manner at lunch-time! Silence reigned, concern 
 was on every brow, the elasticity had completely 
 gone from Gourlay's step, and the profoundest 
 anxiety marked every line of his countenance. 
 
 " On the other hand, Allan and Tom were 
 serene, and their supporters as lively as they had 
 been depressed before. \Ye felt victory was 
 sure!" 
 
 The honour belonged to the St Andrews men. 
 Amid breathless silence Tom played a line tee 
 shot. So did his opponent. It was a longer 
 ball and it lay better. Allan had a bad lie and 
 could not make much of it. The supporters of 
 the St Andrews men became uneasy. " Should 
 the Dunns win this hole, they would be dormy- 
 thcy might win the match! Our revulsion of 
 feeling was great, and as play proceeded was 
 intensified, for Allan and Tom had played 3 
 more with their ball lying in a bunker close to, 
 and in front of, the putting-green ! The brothers, 
 however, by pulling their second shot off the 
 course lay under ' a large boulder ' (Everard), 
 
 68
 
 Famous Foursome of Olden Days 
 
 ' close at the back of a curb stone on a cart track 
 off the green to the right ' (Peter). They were 
 in a dilemma. What was to be done ? One can 
 well imagine how tense grew the excitement. 
 First of all, they wished the stone removed, and 
 called to someone to go for a spade; but Sir 
 David Baird would not sanction its removal, 
 because it was off the course, and a fixture." 
 
 He rightly decided that the ball had to bo 
 played as it lay. 
 
 One of the Dunns Mr Peter forgets which 
 struck at the ball with his iron, but hit the top of 
 the stone. His brother then had a " go " at it. 
 He, in like manner, went for the stone instead. 
 Another shot with no better result. It was 
 " the like." " All this time," remarks Mr Peter, 
 :< the barometer of our expectation had been 
 steadily rising, and had now about readied 
 ' Set Fair.' " 
 
 The odd had now to be played. Different 
 tactics were tried. The ball was dislodged 
 through its being struck with the back of the 
 iron on to grass beyond the track. 
 
 Had that been done at first the hole might 
 have been won and the match also; but both 
 men by this time had lost all judgment and nerve, 
 and played most recklessly. The consequence 
 was the loss of the hole and Allan and Tom 
 dormy. 
 
 \Ye felt the victor was now sorure, and so,
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 in fact, it turned out, and Allan and Tom re- 
 mained the victors by 2 holes." 
 
 So Tom and Allan, i up for the first time, 
 gained the last hole, and pulled this remarkable 
 match out of the fire and landed the 400, to 
 say nothing of the 20 to i odds which had been 
 laid when their condition appeared hopeless. 
 Well may Mr Evcrard say, " It would be difficult 
 to find in the whole annals of golf a more perfect 
 illustration of the advantages of pluck and 
 perseverance." 
 
 But proud as I naturally am of the victory of 
 St Andrews, and of my old friends, Allan and 
 Tom, I may be allowed to sympathise with the 
 Dunns. \Yithout doubt they had cruelly hard 
 luck. And they in reality won the match, 
 according to our modern method of counting the 
 aggregate number of holes. So unjust, in fact, 
 was ielt the old method of decision by greens 
 that it was then and there given up. In con- 
 sequence of this match the new reckoning was 
 adopted. 
 
 The credit of winning this great match was 
 due more to Tom Morris than to Allan Robertson. 
 Mr Peter, who was quite an unbiassed witness 
 of the contest as far as these two partners were 
 concerned, has left this on re-cord: " I think it 
 only just to say that, in my opinion, the winning 
 of the above match was due to Tom Morris. 
 Allan was decidedly oil his game at the start, and
 
 Famous Foursome of Olden Days 
 
 played weakly and badly for a long time, almost 
 justifying the jeers thrown at him, such as 
 ' That wee body in the red jacket canna play 
 gouf/ and suchlike. Tom, on the other hand, 
 played with pluck and determination through- 
 out." And here is Mr Peter's summing-up of the 
 calibre of the members of the greatest foursome 
 in old-world golf: 
 
 " The quartette was one of magnificent 
 players. Of the lot I would place Allan, as a 
 man, as the least powerful but the most scientific. 
 He could not play well on a rough green, for he 
 used light clubs and balls, and a rough, grassy 
 green was too much for him ; but on St Andrews, 
 with its unapproachable turf, he was unrivalled. 
 He was, we then considered, alike perfect in 
 driving off the tee, in his play along the green, 
 and in his approach to, his putting towards, and 
 into the hole. Let me note that in putting he 
 always took both putter and deck in his hand- 
 to be used according to judgment. On the other 
 hand, when hard pressed, and great prowess was 
 required to save a hole, Allan was the man who 
 possessed it. As an instance, in one of the 
 foursomes at St Andrews, between Allan and 
 Tom Morris and the Dunns, when all were equal 
 at the hole before the lulen coming in, Allan off 
 the tee put Tom in the bunker just facing the 
 hole. Tom, playing the like, took the ball out 
 of the bunker, but just on to the edge, leaving a
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 long putt over sandy ground of about five yards. 
 Allan had to hole out for a half; he did it with 
 his putter. I had been standing at his back, and 
 after play was finished, said to him, ' My man, 
 Allan, you never had a narrower squeak for a 
 hole all your life.' 
 
 " ' Man,' he said, ' I bid to do it. You see, 
 I put Tom in the bunker.' 
 
 " This match was won by the St Andrews 
 men. 
 
 " Allan was least in stature of the four, but 
 lithe and muscular, and had a swing of his club 
 which was quite musical and described a perfect 
 circle. I have played a great deal with him, both 
 singly (getting odds, of course), and with him as 
 a partner in foursomes; and can testify to his 
 uniform geniality, thorough earnestness to win 
 matches, and uncomplaining temper under trials. 
 
 " Tom Morris and Willie Dunn I would class 
 as on a par. Willie had a particularly graceful 
 style. He was taller than the other three, very 
 supple, and swung his club with great agility and 
 power. James Dunn, I consider, was the least 
 formidable of the four in a single, but alongside 
 his brother was a most dangerous opponent. 
 
 " Tom Morris I need hardly describe. Who 
 has handled a club and does not know his genial 
 countenance; dark, penetrating eye, which never 
 failed to detect a cunning road to the hole, 
 imperturbable temper, unflinching courage, and
 
 Famous Foursome of Olden Days 
 
 indomitable self-control under circumstances the 
 most exasperating? " 
 
 Tom Dunn tells of a big match that his 
 father, \Yillie Dunn, and Sir Robert Hay played 
 against Allan and Tom. The former couple- 
 finished the first round 4 up, but fell off in the 
 second round and were beaten in the match. 
 Tom Dunn says, " It is only fair to add that Sir 
 Robert was at the Fife Hunt Ball the night 
 before, dancing until the hours were well ad- 
 vanced in the morning not a good training for 
 a big match. It is admitted on all hands by old 
 golfers that Sir Robert's style was ideal. He 
 never would take an iron club in his hand if he 
 could help it. Give him his baity, and to see 
 him, as I've watched him many a time approach- 
 ing a hole, banging the shot up to the left and 
 the ball dozing away round, until it frequently 
 lay dead, was ' a sicht for sair ecu.' This shot he 
 used to play with consummate nerve and no one 
 could beat him at it.'
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 EARLY ASSOCIATIONS AND MARRIAGE 
 
 ALLAN and Tom would get a great ovation in St 
 Andrews when they returned victorious from the 
 match I described in my last chapter. The 
 splendid and unexpected victory which they won 
 was enough to stir the placid atmosphere of the 
 old city, and to set the small but select society 
 of golfers talking and boasting of the prowess of 
 the two St Andrews champions of golf. 
 
 And it was a quiet little St Andrews in those 
 days. There were, of course, always a few 
 regular residents in the old city who played every 
 day, and now and then their number would be 
 augmented, their golfing form stirred and their 
 hilarity increased by " visiting brethren " from 
 Musselburgh, Leith and Perth links. There was 
 no Club-House as a sumptuous rendezvous then. 
 The players met in the small Union parlour in 
 Golf Place about noon, and the matches for 
 the day were arranged. And then out to play. 
 If the matches were concluded j or 4 holes 
 from the home green, they would at once turn 
 and commence; their second round, taking a glass 
 of ginger-beer mixed with something stronger if 
 
 74
 
 Early Associations and Marriage 
 
 they had it with them in their flasks, and " a 
 snack " or sandwich at the fourth or " Ginger- 
 Beer " hole. Did the necessities of the match 
 bring them to the home hole, they would visit 
 the Union parlour for a quarter of an hour and 
 take the slight refreshment they allowed them- 
 selves there. They then started on their second 
 round, which would be finished by four o'clock, 
 in plenty of time for their five-o'clock dinner. 
 
 How different, too, the links the terrible belt 
 of "Rashies" for example at the station wall on 
 the left hand of the second hole going out. How 
 far the whins jutted out on the right all the way 
 round, notably at the third, fourth and fifth 
 holes; but, indeed, all the way. Then " Hell " 
 was " Hell," and the " Elysian Fields " a para- 
 dise and haven of rest and rejoicing. How 
 different the putting-greens -the rough surface 
 of the sixth, the sandy nature of the seventh, the 
 undulations of the short hole, and the roots of 
 heathery nature of the ninth. Modern golfers 
 can form little idea of what the links were then 
 like; nor should I be able to do so did not I know 
 every inch of the old course in the 'fifties. The 
 width of the links is greatly increased. Then 
 there was only one hole on each putting-green, 
 which received scant attention in regard to its 
 upkeep. Players used the same hole both going 
 out and coming in. Those first on the green 
 had the right to " putt " out before the match
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 coming from the other direction approached. 
 In time two holes were made, but there was still 
 only one putting-green. Nor were there any 
 teeing-grounds, and boxes of sand were quite 
 unknown. Sand was taken from the bottom of 
 the hole ; sometimes it was carried round by the 
 caddies in bags slung round their necks. The 
 late Sir Robert Anstruther used to say that the 
 first links on which he saw sand boxes were 
 those of Leven. Players struck off, within a few 
 yards of the hole, the balls which had been sold 
 them by Allan in the morning at the window at 
 the back of his house, where the Golf Hotel now 
 stands. Looking in, the purchaser would see 
 Allan and Tom, and possibly Long \Yillie, busy 
 in " the kitchen " stuffing with feathers the bull- 
 hide from which they were made. For his ball 
 he would likely have to pay is. Sd., or i for a 
 dozen were he able to afford that number at a 
 time. Gourlay was then charging 2s. for his 
 balls. These old balls, of course, did not last 
 long, and caddies were loth to start without at 
 least half a dozen in their possession or that of 
 their " man's." One round, barring accidents, 
 was generally enough for one. Once open at the 
 seam and they were very prone to open there, 
 especially in wet weather they were done for. 
 They burst and became useless. It is no 
 wonder, then, that the new ball, the gutta- 
 percha, was hailed by the golfers of '48 and '49. 
 
 Mr James Balfour, Mr Leslie Balfour Melville's 
 
 76
 
 Early Associations and Marriage 
 
 fat IUT, an excellent man and a keen gol fer, tells IK >\v 
 he first made acquaintance with the innovation, in 
 his delightful Reminiscences of Golf on Si Andrews 
 Links (Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1887, price 
 is.) He says : " About the beginning of the year 
 1848 balls were first made of gutta-percha. I 
 remember the commencement of them perfectly. 
 My brother-in-law, Admiral Maitland Dougall, 
 played a double match at Blackheath with the 
 late Sir Ralph Anstruther and \Yilliam Adam, of 
 Blair-Adam, and another friend, with gutta- 
 percha balls, on a very wet day. They after- 
 wards dined together at Sir Charles Adam's at 
 Greenwich Hospital, and Sir Ralph said after 
 dinner, ' A most curious thing here is a golf 
 ball of gutta-percha; Maitland and I have 
 played with it all day in the rain, and it flies 
 better at the end of the day than it did at the 
 beginning.' Maitland came to Edinburgh im- 
 mediately after and told me of this. \Ye at 
 once wrote to London for some of these balls and 
 went to Musselburgh to try them. Gourlay, the 
 ball-maker, had heard of them, and followed us 
 around. He was astonished to see how they 
 flew, and, being round, how they rolled straight 
 to the hole on the putting-green. He was 
 alarmed for his craft, and Inning an order from 
 Sir David Baird to send him SOUK- balls whenever 
 he had a supply by him, he forwarded to him 
 that evening six dozen! Sir David, accordingly, 
 was one of the last who adhered to the leather
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 balls, and did not acknowledge the superiority 
 of the others until his large supply was finished. 
 At first they were made by the hand by rolling 
 them on a flat board; thus made they were round 
 and smooth;* they were not painted, but used 
 with their natural brown colour. \Yhcn new, 
 they did not fly well, but ducked in the air. To 
 remedy this they were hammered with a heavy 
 hammer, but this did not effect the object. 
 They still ducked until they got some rough 
 usage from the cleek or iron. This made cuts on 
 their side which were not liked, but it made them 
 fly. These cuts were easily removed by dipping 
 them in hot water at night. I remember once 
 playing with old Philp the club-maker. I had 
 a gutta ball and he had a feather one. With the 
 dislike which all the tradesmen then had for the 
 former, he said, ' Do you play with these putty 
 balls? ' ' Yes,' I answered. ' But does not the 
 cleek cut them? ' ' Oh, yes,' I said, ' but if you 
 give them a hot bath at night that puts them all 
 right.' ' That's the mischief o't/ he replied. 
 
 " Yet it was soon found out that this same 
 hot bath, while it cured the wound, spoiled the 
 ball. I remember an amusing proof of this. I 
 and a friend, on the day before the medal,, played 
 with two guttas, and they worked beautifully, 
 so that we resolved to play with them next day 
 for the medal. But as they had been a good 
 deal hacked we clipped them in hot water 
 
 *The "featheries" were of a slightly oblong shape. 
 78
 
 Early Associations and Marriage 
 
 over night and removed these defects. When, 
 however, we played off the next day before an 
 assembled crowd, among whom were the ball 
 and club makers, both the balls whirred and 
 ducked, amid the chuckling and cheering and 
 loud laughter of the onlookers. We had to put 
 down feather balls at the next hole. The fact 
 was, they required these indentations to make 
 them ily. About this time it occurred to an 
 ingenious saddler in South Street to hammer 
 them all round with the thin end of the hammer. 
 The experiment was completely successful and 
 the ball thus hammered came rapidly into use, 
 and they were soon improved by being painted. 
 But the ball-makers were still bitterly opposed to 
 them, as they threatened to destroy their trade.* 
 
 " After that an iron mould was invented for 
 making these balls, and on being taken from the 
 mould they were indented with the thin end of 
 the hammer. But latterly the moulds have the 
 indentations in them, so that the ball is now 
 produced indented and ready for being painted. 
 The balls are made everywhere now, but some 
 are better than others, probably because; the 
 maker takes greater pains to use good gutta- 
 percha." 
 
 Those were busy and happy years for Tom 
 Morris, working at his occupation of ball-maker 
 and playing matches on his beloved links. He 
 
 * Allan turned out 2456 bulls in 1844 (feutherie.--). 
 7'J
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 was a hard worker, but he liked his work; he 
 was strong and an adept at his business, and 
 much pride he would have in turning out a good 
 " featherie " and in playing with one of his own 
 make. If he had not been golfing through the 
 day, he and Allan, with perhaps Hugh Philp, 
 Robert Patterson, the slater, and Jamie Kirk, 
 the mason, would go out after the day's work 
 was over for a few holes to the Ginger-Beer 
 Hole or the Hole o' Cross, if they had not time 
 for a full round. The stakes would be " Blaek 
 Strap" (stout or porter), which the} 7 would 
 discuss before going to their beds. Allan 
 and Hugh were great wags, says Mr Balfour, 
 and with Long \Yillic and old Bob Kirk as 
 their caddies, both full of fun, it was a great 
 treat to follow the foursome, for besides seeing 
 fine play on Allan and Tom's part, the fun and 
 frolic were kept up to the end. Though no one 
 could make a better club than Hugh Philp, he 
 was no (great) player, and the old man's temper 
 was often tried by Long \YilhVs pertinent 
 (occasionally impertinent) remarks about his 
 play; but all was forgiven when the stakes came 
 to be liquidated. This was invariably done in 
 the snug licensed kitchen attached to the Union 
 parlour, then the headquarters of the Royal and 
 Ancient Club. Johnnie Ness, a \Yaterloo veteran, 
 was then the caretaker ; Tom remembers him well. 
 But amidst his work and golf play Tom got 
 
 So
 
 Early Associations and Marriage 
 
 time to do something else. He found leisure to 
 do a little bit of " courting," and in time he took 
 unto himself a wife. The girl of his choice was 
 Nancy Bayne. Her father was coachman at 
 Kincaple, or some place in the neighbourhood, 
 and they were married from Captain Broughton's 
 house at 2 Playfair Terrace, where she was then 
 at service. The good old Captain, whom I 
 remember well, would, I am sure, give the young 
 couple as good a send-off as possible. He and 
 Tom were old friends, and no doubt the Captain 
 had a great respect for the bridegroom as well 
 as for the bride. The following story is alike 
 creditable both to Captain Broughton and Tom. 
 It is said to have occurred at the High Hole. 
 Tom was badly bunkered, and had tried once or 
 twice to dislodge his obstinate ball, and playing 
 two or three times. 
 
 " Pick up your ball, Tom, it's no use," called 
 out the Captain. 
 
 " Na, na, I might hole it." 
 
 "If you do, I'll give you 50." 
 ' Done," replied Tom. 
 
 He had another shot at it, eye on ball and 
 perhaps one on the fair Nancy. 1 >y some million- 
 to-one chance the ball did actually go into the hole. 
 
 " That will mak' a nice nest-egg for me to put 
 in the bank," said the young fellow; and he tells 
 us how " the Captain, he put on a gey sarious 
 face, nae doot o' that, and passed on."
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 The Captain honourably turned up with the 
 50, but Tom resolutely refused to touch a 
 copper of the monej r , remarking that the whole 
 affair was a joke, and " he wisna raly meaning 
 it." No doubt the Captain remembered this 
 when the marriage day came round. 
 
 It was Principal Haldane who had baptised 
 Tom, and probably the bride as well, who 
 married them " The Doctor/' as I have said he 
 was called. 
 
 The Doctor was a great favourite in St 
 Andrews, and several stories are still told of 
 him. For two of these I am indebted to a 
 charming lady who knew him, and whom I am 
 proud to call my friend. " Dr or Principal 
 Haldane," she writes me, " was a bachelor, yet 
 had a wonderful gift of drawing children to him, 
 and few could give so interesting and attractive 
 an address to Sabbath School children as he did 
 once a month in one of the large halls of the 
 Madras College, at that time. Many still re- 
 member his kindly face and simple, expressive 
 words; parents as well as children attended to 
 hear the monthly address from the white-haired 
 minister. The one romance of his life did not 
 prosper. It was said that he secretly admired, 
 when a young man, a Miss Jackson, relative of 
 a University Professor. Not having courage to 
 propose, he asked the lady to come and see his 
 house, wishing to know if she approved of his
 
 Early Associations and Marriage 
 
 pictures, furniture, etc., which she did. He 
 then, in rather a hesitating manner, remarked 
 that he rather thought there was still one thing 
 wanting, hoping that the lady would understand 
 and help him out; but she would not speak, so, 
 after repeated attempts, he at last stammered 
 out the remark that perhaps the only want was 
 a sideboard. And so it was all over, although 
 friends suspected she would have been so pleased 
 if he had said ' a wife.' So he remained a bachelor, 
 the one romance of his life concluded." 
 
 In the days preceding the Disruption of '43, 
 when party feeling ran high, and it was well 
 known that Dr Haldane did not sympathise with 
 Dissenters, a report reached him that one of his 
 parishioners named Charles had been guilty of 
 thrashing his wife. The Doctor called to re- 
 monstrate with him, saying, " Charles, what's 
 this I hear about your being unkind to your 
 wife? " To which Charles answered, li Weel, 
 she's aye rinnin' to thae Disruption meetin's, 
 neglectin' the hoose, an' I canna get ma meat." 
 ; ' Ay, Charles," said Dr Haldane, solemnly shak- 
 ing his head, a well-known habit of his, "but 
 ye must be judicious, ye must be judicious." 
 
 It was this fine old Scottish minister, then, 
 who married Tom Morris and Xancy Bayne, and 
 no doubt he would counsel the young couple to 
 be " judeecious." And " judeeeious" Tom lias 
 been all his days.
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 BEFORE AND AFTER PRESTWICK 
 
 AFTER his marriage Tom was naturally anxious 
 to better his position in every possible manner. 
 There were, however, in the middle of last 
 century, not a great many ways in which a 
 professional golf player and maker of clubs and 
 balls could do this. And Tom was already in 
 St Andrews, the Mecca of golf in those days, 
 even to a greater extent than it is now and 
 doing well, after leaving Allan over the words they 
 had in regard to the gutta balls' question, for the 
 immediate cause of this rupture was undoubtedly 
 caused by Tom's using the gutta. At last Tom's 
 opportunity came in the shape of a pressing 
 invitation from Colonel Fairlie to go with him 
 to Ayrshire and look after the links at Prestwick. 
 Colonel Fairlie used to golf regularly at St 
 Andrews and had formed a high opinion of Tom. 
 The respect and esteem were mutual. Many a 
 time have I heard Tom say, " No better gentle- 
 man ever lived than Colonel Fairlie; I'm per- 
 fectly certain o' that." That was Tom's opinion 
 of the Colonel, and one which I am sure all who 
 had the privilege of his acquaintance will en- 
 
 8-1
 
 Before and After Prestwick 
 
 dorse. " You mind o' him? " asked Tom, as 
 \ve continued our conversation; and I replied, 
 '' Perfectly; and it was he who taught you to 
 smoke, Tom, was it not? " 
 
 '' Indeed, it was just him. In those days we 
 used to take our luncheon on the green, and the 
 Cornel (Colonel) would gie me a ceegar. Then 
 he gave me a pipe and I had to buy tobacco. I 
 never smoked till I was thirty, but I've made up 
 for it since," he added, with a chuckle and a 
 good big " draw " of his pipe. " And I never 
 felt it do me ony harm." On one occasion, 
 however, he gave it up for six weeks; this was 
 when he went into training to play his great 
 match with \Yillie Park over four greens. 
 
 And this brings us back to his matches. 
 
 He went to Prestwick in 1851. A local 
 newspaper report said of the event : ' Tom 
 departs from St Andrews for Ayrshire in the end 
 of this month, to a place in the vicinity of Ayr 
 called Prestwick, where they have links, and 
 upon which Tom will likely soon astonish the 
 natives of those parts; he will no doubt reign 
 supreme as a golfer." On this .Mr Everard 
 remarks: " The grammar in the above quotation 
 has now become rather turbid, but the fact is 
 clear that Tom was about as good as anybody at 
 that time at the age of thirty. He went to 
 Prestwick, laid out the links, and remained as 
 custodian for fourteen years."
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 This year (1851), in the month of May, he 
 played a match with Willie Dunn. \Yillie was 
 dormy one, and the finish is thus described: 
 ' The last hole was a very peculiar place at the 
 top of a hill, and Tom's ball rolled first down the 
 cast side, and the next putt sent it over again on 
 the west. Seeing that he could not halve the 
 match, Tom gave his ball a kick in disgust, while 
 Dunn took a snuff and smiled satisfactorily, 
 having the credit of taking the match by two 
 holes.'' 
 
 Next year Tom came back to St Andrews to 
 play a big match with Allan Robertson as his 
 partner against Sir Robert Hay and \Yillie Dunn. 
 The professionals staked /ioo to 50 on the issue. 
 They beat their opponents by 6 holes and 5 
 to play in 2 rounds of the links. In the first 
 part of this match I am told that Sir Robert 
 Hay and Willie Dunn had much the best of it, 
 but Dunn broke down. A newspaper report tells 
 us that, " In the progress inward some boys 
 removed the flags for guiding to the holes and 
 held them aloft in the procession, giving it the 
 appearance of a triumphal entry. Such a scene 
 has not been seen on the links for many years." 
 
 In May 1853 Tom was back playing at St 
 Andrews, and had a tussle with his old friend 
 Allan, and beat him! This match is thus 
 alluded to in what Mr Kverard calls " a long and 
 
 prolix letter, dated June 21, 1853": "Your 
 
 "
 
 Before and After Prestwick 
 
 correspondent, despite the fact of Tom having 
 by his skill and prowess vanquished Allan in their 
 last encounter, still maintains, but without 
 favouring his readers with his grounds for doing 
 so, that the real King of Golfing reigns in St 
 Andrews, and is well known as Allnn Robertson, 
 all others taking that dignity being guilty of high 
 treason." After claiming that honour for Tom, 
 the writer proceeds, " It does not seem to me that 
 he (the other correspondent) can do otherwise 
 than admit this in the face of his own report of 
 the encounter alluded to, which appeared in 
 your paper as follows: Allan and Tom encoun- 
 tered each other in single combat with the 
 clubs and balls a rare occurrence. Some little 
 cash depended on the issue, which Allan, strange 
 to say, lost, Tom conquering him by three holes 
 in the round." This letter was signed, ; ' A 
 Loyal Prestwickian." 
 
 By-and-by a challenge was issued by Tom 
 to play Allan for 100, but the latter did not 
 respond. This is an additional proof, T think, if 
 proof be needed, that Allan was a bit of " a 
 funk " in regard to match playing. My old and 
 excellent friend, the sharer with me of many dear, 
 tender and humorous associations, John (iordon 
 M'Pherson, warned me when I was writing this 
 life of Tom to be careful how I exalted Tom over 
 Allan, adding that from his beautiful manse he 
 
 
 was "watching" me. Well, I was delighted to 
 
 87
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 think that my papers were read by so sympathetic 
 a friend and so keen a critic as mine ancient 
 ally; and I by no means wish to extol my hero 
 in preference to his, but I think even Dr 
 MTherson must admit that Allan did not respond 
 to his challengers as the " greatest golfer who 
 ever lived " might have been expected to reply. 
 He did not take up Tom's challenge, and he also 
 declined to play Willie Park. For myself, I 
 should have been inclined to back Tom against 
 Allan. He did beat Allan, on the occasion about 
 which I am writing, in a big and long match; and 
 a very well-known player and charming writer 
 whom I am proud to know would, I am sure, 
 have backed Park against Allan. ''' More power, 
 a longer driver and magnificent putter, and about 
 then he was at his zenith." Why did Allan not 
 respond? Were symptoms of his fatal illness 
 rendering him less confident? 
 
 In 1852 Tom and Park had the first of their 
 many tussles for 100 a-side. Park defeated 
 Tom twice this year. 
 
 In 1854 Tom and Allan were on opposite 
 sides in a big match. Bob Anderson and he 
 tackled Allan and Willie Dunn for 200, and beat 
 them by one hole in an iS-hole match at St 
 Andrews. In that year and the next Tom and 
 Park played six 100 matches. The honours 
 were about equally divided. In the fifth match 
 at Musselburgh, Tom was rouglily jostled, and 
 
 88
 
 . .*':-
 
 Before and After Prcstvvick 
 
 his ball frequently interfered with. He appealed 
 to the referee, who stopped play and declared the 
 stakes divided. Talking of his old antagonist, 
 Tom says, "He was a splendid driver and a 
 splendid putter. I've been neether, and yet 
 I've managed to beat him." 
 
 In 1857 Tom and \Yillic Park played together 
 against Allan Robertson and Andrew Strath and 
 were beaten by 6 holes in 2 rounds; the stakes 
 were /ioo. 
 
 In this year also Tom played a notable match 
 against Captain Maitland Dougall. Tom was 
 out in 39 and home in 43 82, the lowest score 
 at which the round had yet been taken in. The 
 Captain also played magnificently, being only 
 3 strokes behind Tom. 
 
 They were very happy years. He superin- 
 tended the laying out of the magnificent links, 
 and played many matches on them. Even in 
 Tom's day Prestwick was celebrated as perhaps 
 the best 12-hole course known magnificent turf, 
 splendid hazards, with beautiful views of Arran, 
 Ailsa Craig, and the Heads of Ayr. And no 
 doubt it was owing very much to Tom's good care 
 of it that the links became one of the champion 
 courses of Great Britain. It had several charac- 
 teristics, too, notably its own. ' The course," 
 says Mr II. G. Hutchinson, " went dodging in 
 and out amongst lofty sand-hills. The holes 
 were, for the most part, out of sight when one
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 took the iron in hand for the approach, for they 
 lay in dec]) dells among those sand-hills, and you 
 lofted over the intervening mountain of sand, 
 and there was all the fascinating excitement, as 
 you climbed to the top of it, of seeing how near to 
 the hole your ball may have happened to roll. 
 There is still a measure of this pleasurable un- 
 certainty there are still several holes thus dis- 
 posed in hollows, but now that the course has 
 taken unto itself the full-blown dignity of 18 
 holes, comprising a great deal of ground newly 
 taken in, there is less of the backwards and 
 forwards and cross work among the sand- 
 hills." 
 
 Prestwick was a delightful residence. It had 
 known golf for ages, for was it not on these links 
 or hard by that in pre-Reformation times, to 
 settle some deadly feud, a match at golf took 
 place on " Ye linkes atte Air for his nose between 
 a .Monk of Crossraguel and a Lord of fill/ran. " 
 The links were the property of the Club, whose 
 servant Tom was, and he was virtually lord and 
 master of the situation. 
 
 At Pivstwick Tom flourished as a club and 
 ball-maker. Children were born to him, and 
 Tommy and Jimmy took to golf as soon as they 
 could toddle. But no doubt his heart would 
 often be in St Andrews, to which, from time to 
 time, he returned with Colonel Fairlie, and to 
 play some great match. It would therefore be
 
 Before and After Prestwick 
 
 with joy and gratitude he would return to take 
 charge of the classic links on the invitation of the 
 Royal and Ancient Club in 1863. 
 
 The Minutes of the meeting of the Royal 
 and Ancient Club for September 1863 state that 
 Alexander Herd had resigned the custody of the 
 links, and the Committee accordingly were 
 authorised to appoint a custodian at a salary 
 considerably larger than that hitherto given. 
 Thereupon Major Boothby gave notice of a 
 motion that a professional golfer should be 
 employed as a servant of the Club, and that the 
 entire charge of the course should be entrusted 
 to him. Subsequently a large majority were 
 found to be in favour of the proposal, as a result 
 of which Tom Morris was introduced from 
 Prestwick. His duties were explained to him : 
 to keep the putting-greens in good order, to 
 repair when necessary, and to make the holes. 
 For heavy work, carting, etc., he was to be, 
 allowed assistance at the rate of one man's 
 labour for two days in the week, and it was 
 understood that he was to work under the (liven 
 Committee. Emblems of office were then 
 handed over to him, to wit, a barrow, a spade 
 and a shovel in prophetic instinct, belike that 
 " saund '' and even " mair saund, Honey man " 
 would be in future ages the watchword of the 
 newly-appointed Chief of the Links. The sum 
 of 50 per annum was voted by the Union Club 
 
 91
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 for payment of the custodian's salary, and /2O 
 for the upkeep of the links. 
 
 Though he had only been away fourteen 
 years great changes had taken place in his 
 absence. The number of golf players had 
 largely increased. More attention was in every 
 way paid to the game in all its developments 
 and ramifications. The Club-House had been 
 erected. Traces of the wise head and cunning 
 hand of " The Provost/' Sir Hugh Lyon-Playfair, 
 were to be found on the links and in the Club- 
 House, as well as in every part of the ancient city. 
 His old master and friend, Allan Robertson, was, 
 alas! dead; but in his own son Tommy was 
 arising a greater than Allan, so far as mere play 
 was concerned. 
 
 It must have been with great pride that the 
 father watched his son's progress, and took note 
 of the wonderful promise, so soon to blossom into 
 achievement, which he gave.
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 INSTITUTION OF TOURNAMENTS, THE OPEN 
 CHAMPIONSHIP AND RISE OE YOUNG TOMMY 
 
 A GREAT incentive to professional golf, and to 
 golf in general, was given by the institution of the 
 Open Championship in 1860 four years before 
 Tom left Prestwick. 
 
 To Prestwick belongs the credit of instituting 
 the Open Championship, and no doubt Tom 
 Morris and his friends had a good deal to do with 
 its inception and popularity. It commenced in 
 1860, and for eleven years it was played for over 
 the links at Prestwick. The Champion Belt was 
 the first of its trophies. It was to be held for a 
 year by its winner, and was to become the 
 absolute property of anyone who won it three 
 successive years. Willie Park, of Musselburgh, 
 won it in the vear of its institution thus de- 
 
 <j 
 
 feating Tom on what then were his own links. 
 His score was 17.4. In the two following years 
 Tom won it with the consistent scores of 10 ;. 
 (ioltVrs of those days asked themselves: " Would 
 he: win it again in iS()j? 
 
 No; Willie Park once more came to the front 
 and won it with 168 strokes. Tom was, however, 
 again successful in 1864, witli if)/. Then a new
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 name appears with the best score at which it 
 had yet been won. The winner was Andrew 
 Strath, of St Andrews; his score, 162. Next 
 year it again became Tom's, with i/o. In 1867 
 his successful rival was his own son, Tommy, 
 who won with by far the best recorded score, 
 154. Next year he won it with 157, and in 1870 
 he did what his father had never been able to 
 achieve. He won the Belt for the third time in 
 succession, and by the rules of the play it became 
 his property. His score was 149. Many a time 
 have I seen the coveted belt taken out of its case 
 and handled with great reverence by his father. 
 Six years before this, in 1864, Tommy had 
 made his debut in Perth. My friend, Mr Peter 
 Baxter, in his most admirable book, Golf in 
 Perth and Perthshire, which every golf-book 
 collector should have in his possession, writes: 
 " The Perth tournament of 1864 will ever be kept 
 in remembrance as the first occasion on which 
 the Admirable Crichton of golf, young Tom 
 Morris, engaged in a public combat. As is well 
 known, young Tom had journeyed to Perth with 
 the view of playing as an amateur. Denied in 
 this, and conscious of his inability to play on 
 equal terms with the professionals present, the 
 chances were all against his striking a ball on the 
 Perth green. Happily, one or two of the Perth 
 golfers found a way out of the difficulty, and the 
 incident has since become historical. At that 
 time, and for many years before and alter, I)r 
 
 ''4
 
 Institution of Tournaments 
 
 Thomas Miller, a distinguished St Andrews 
 mathematician, was Rector of Perth Academy 
 (I may interject here that he was the father of 
 the Rev. T. D. Miller, of Kirkurd, well known as 
 a golfer and as a writer on golf), and it was his 
 custom for many years to offer a medal for 
 competition among the boys attending the senior 
 classes of the Academy. One of the boys, \Yillie 
 Greig, had been showing such good golf that 
 season that the school were unanimous that he 
 would carry off the Rector's medal. The victory 
 was a popular one, and \Yillie Greig was the hero 
 of the Academy in the term during which the 
 first Perth tournament took place. The late 
 Joe Smith had the leading part in getting up the 
 unique match between the boys, Willie Greig and 
 Tommy Morris, who at that time would be each 
 about thirteen years of age." 
 
 The year was 1864: the first year in which the 
 green on the famous North Inch of Perth was 
 arranged as a 12-hole course a distance of about 
 2\ miles. 
 
 The month was April the year at the spring 
 whc n young Tommy, in the spring of his life, 
 which was never to see full summer or happy 
 autumn days, went forth to play Willie Greig. 
 It had been a big week of golfing in Perth, fur it 
 \\as the occasion of the first golf tournament ever 
 held in Perth. The first reconK-d tournament 
 had taken place in St Andrews in 1^57, when, 
 in nsponse to an invitation from the Koyal and
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Ancient Club,* two representatives of each of the 
 leading golfing societies appeared to compete for 
 it. Thirteen Clubs accepted the invitation, but 
 the representatives of the Honourable Company 
 of Edinburgh Golfers and of the Carnoustie 
 Panmure failed to put in an appearance. Black- 
 heath won this tournament, having defeated the 
 Royal and Ancient Club, St Andrews, by 7 holes, 
 becoming, as its minute of 24th April 1858 
 proudly puts it, " the champion Golf Club of the 
 
 * Since writing the above, I find, in consulting that very fine 
 volume, Chronicles of Bhickheath Golfers, with illustrations and 
 portraits, edited by W. E. Hughes, late Hon. Secretary of the 
 Blackheath Golf Club (London : Chapman & Hall, Limited, 1897), 
 that the original idea of the tournament issued from Prestwick. 
 On Cth April 1857, Mr John Cuthbert,the Secretary of the Prestwick 
 Golf Club, wrote to the secretaries of eight clubs, proposing 
 the tournament, and naming St Andrews or Prestwick as al- 
 ternative links. If the club agreed to play, the secretary was 
 to name " which of the two links you prefer, as the majority 
 will decide." 
 
 In regard to the institution of tournaments, Mr W. Dalrymple 
 writes me: "So long ago as ijth April 1855, the project of 
 initiating some Grand National Golfing Club (after the curling 
 model, possibly) had been in the air ; and on that date Mr John 
 Uun best known to English golfers as of \Varrington, and Manager 
 of Parr's Bank intimated a formal motion, advocating some such 
 scheme, at a meeting of the Innerleven Golf Club, with Rintoul of 
 Lahill, then Captain, in the chair ; and was requested to correspond 
 with other clubs on the matter and report to the autumn meeting. 
 He did report as desired ; and the Captain Wemyss of Wemyss 
 Castle offered to lay the proposal before the St Andrews Club, 
 with a view to carry out the scheme. On this question Innerleven 
 minute books are silent until I5th April 1857, when a general 
 meeting assembled to consider a proposal by the Prestwick Club, 
 'to institute a match between the following clubs, to come off on 
 St Andrews links, viz.: St Andrews, Perth, Blackheath, Mussel- 
 bur^h, Prestwick, Carnoustie, North Berwick and Innerleven." 1
 
 Institution of Tournaments 
 
 world." The same minute records the election 
 to life membership of Mr Glennie and Captain 
 Stewart, who won the trophy for the Club. The 
 prize was a claret jug. It is engraved with two 
 golfing subjects, and bears the following inscrip- 
 tion: " Won by George Glennie and Lieutenant 
 J. C. Stewart, members of the Royal Blackheath 
 Golf Club, at the First Golf Tournament, held 
 at St Andrews, Fife, in the year 1857. Twenty- 
 two competitors." 
 
 Mr George Glennie is well known to all 
 golfers. Captain Stewart was one ol the last of 
 the Stewarts to hold land in Appin. His regi- 
 ment was the 72nd Highlanders. He died not 
 long ago. It was after being ordered to India 
 that Old Sutherland made moan, " It is a shame 
 of a man with such golfing powers to go out to 
 India." Old Tom has said that he never knew 
 a harder striker than Captain Stewart of Fasna- 
 cloich or George Condie. 
 
 Another tournament was held the following 
 year (1858), in which the conditions were changed 
 from Clubs to individual players. 
 
 The third great tournament at St Andrews 
 (1859) was won by Mr George Condie, Perth, 
 who defeated Sir Robert Hay by holes. 
 
 These tournaments no doubt paved the way 
 for til-.' Perth event of 1864. The credit for its 
 initiation and success was due very much to the 
 late Mr Hay Robertson and Mr Horace Skeete. 
 On the committee were also Major Chalmers,
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 happily still alive, and Mr J. Watson Lyall, who 
 was then Editor of the Perthshire Constitutional. 
 
 The competition on Tuesday, the i2th April 
 1864, was for professionals. The game was 3 
 rounds of 12 holes each, for prizes of 10, 5 and 
 3. As this tournament is not recorded in full, 
 or at all, in any of the several golf books to which 
 I have at present access, the scores of the leading 
 professionals and amateurs may be interesting 
 to many .-Morris, Prestwick, 168; W. Park, 
 Musselburgh, 168; Andrews, Perth, 170; D. 
 Park, Musselburgh, 170; Brown, St Andrews, 
 175; A. Strath, St Andrews, 177; Major Booth- 
 by, Perth, 179; Mr Marshall, Lcven, 184; Mr 
 Alex. Laurie, Perth, 184; Mr C. Hunter, Prest- 
 wick, 184; Mr W. Stewart, Perth, 186; \V. 
 Strath, St Andrews, 187; X. M'Pherson ("The 
 Herd Laddie "), 190; Sgt. -Major Chalmers, 
 Perth, 190; Mr N. M'Gregor, Perth, 190; Mr 
 N. Carse, North Berwick, 190. 
 
 Mr Peter Baxter, in his excellent chronicle of 
 the tournament in his Golf in Perth and Perth- 
 shire, says : " Morris and Park were exceptionally 
 steady in their play, considering they were on a 
 strange green." Tom was 57, 57, 54; Willie 
 
 55, 56, 57. 
 
 " At the end of the second round Brown was 
 fancied to win, but in the third round he went 
 completely off his play." This was G. D. Brown, 
 a tall, handsome Englishman who, in the years of 
 
 my youth, was a professional at St Andrews, 
 
 98
 
 Institution of Tournaments 
 
 where he had a golf-club and ball shop. His 
 scores on this occasion were 54, 53 and 68. 
 " Andrews played, upon the whole, his ordinary 
 fine game, his 58'$ in the second and third rounds 
 being caused by misfortunes at a single hole 
 (the mid-bunker to ' Peninsula ') in each case." 
 His first round was 54. This was " The Rook " 
 the " local hero who, for a week or two previous 
 to the tournament, had been doing the round 
 daily at a stroke or two above 50." Davie 
 Park of Musselburgh outdistances everybody in 
 his third round with a splendid 51 the best 
 round in the whole tournament. 
 
 Next day, immediately on the conclusion of 
 the gentlemen's competition, which was won by 
 Major Boothby with 177, the professionals started 
 to play off the ties of the previous day the 
 conditions being 24 holes, or 2 rounds. Tom 
 Morris did these in 53 and 57, to Willie Park's 57 
 and 67, while Bob Andrews beat Davie Park by 
 no less than twelve strokes, returning two 53'* 
 to Park's 60 and 58. He was the hero of the ties, 
 being 106 to Tom's no, Davie Park's 118, and 
 Willie Park's 124. The four first on the list were 
 therefore Tom Morris, winner, Willie Park, Bob 
 Andrews and Davie Park. 
 
 An excellent and exciting match was decided 
 on the Thursday, Major Boothby and Tom 
 Morris playing against Mr George Condie and 
 Bob Andrews. The St Andrews players won by 
 i hole. On the same day Willie Park bent 
 
 99
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Andrew Strath by 3 holes; and Davie Park won 
 a 5 prize for the unsuccessful professionals, 
 beating Andrew Strath by 2 strokes. In this 
 event, Dow of Musselburgh was third, and Mr 
 Baxter tells us that " The Musselburgh Dow was 
 not at all pleased by his poor appearances, and 
 issued a challenge to Davie Park to play i round. 
 Park promptly accepted, and Dow had the satis- 
 faction of winning by I hole. Perhaps the most 
 important of the after professional contests was 
 that in which Tom Morris and Willie Park, the 
 first and second men in the tournament, opposed 
 Bob Andrews and Andrew Strath. Andrews' 
 knowledge of the green was supposed to balance 
 the superiority of Morris and Park. Great 
 interest was manifested in the foursome, and a 
 large crowd followed the players from start to 
 finish. Loud cheers were raised when the last 
 putt gave the verdict to Andrews and Strath by 
 i hole." 
 
 And now we come to the match between 
 young Tommy and Willie Greig, for which 5 
 was the prize. This is how it is chronicled in a 
 contemporary report : 
 
 " Perhaps the most interesting match of the 
 day was between Master Morris, son of the re- 
 doubtable ' Tom,' and Master William Greig, 
 of, as it seems, Perth juvenile golfing celebrity. 
 They are really wonderful players for their years, 
 both of them. We had no idea that very ' young ' 
 Perth could produce so proficient a golfer as 
 
 100
 
 Institution of Tournaments 
 
 Master Greig. He played with astounding neat- 
 ness and precision, but the honours of the day 
 were in store for his competitor. He has been 
 cast in the very mould of a golfer, and plays with 
 all the steadiness and certainty in embryo of his 
 father. The juvenile competition was extremely 
 interesting, and although the young Prestwickcr 
 gained the day, Perth has the very opposite of 
 any reason to be ashamed of her youthful 
 champion. It was very funny to see the boys 
 followed by hundreds of deeply-interested and 
 anxious spectators." 
 
 The match took place on Thursday,, the I4th 
 April 1864. 
 
 On Friday the weather was bad when Andrew 
 Strath and Davie Park had j rounds, the former 
 winning by 5 holes. Mr Alex. Imrie and Willie 
 Park played Mr Johnstone and Tom Morris and 
 gained the victory by i hole. 
 
 On the Saturday, in beautifully fine weather, 
 the King James VI. dub of Perth tried conclu- 
 sions with the St Nicholas Club of Ayr. 
 
 The players numbered ten a-side, and 2 
 rounds of the green were played. The King 
 James VI. Club had a big victory, " as great," 
 says Mr Baxter, " as it was unexpected, lor at 
 that time ' ye linkes att Air ' were to the south 
 what St Andrews was to the north." The Ayr 
 St Nicholas got only 2 holes, Mr Knight beating 
 Mr \Y. Stewart by I, and Mr C. Hunter (our friend 
 Charlie) beating Captain Pratt, R.K., by I.
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 The Perth Club won 38 holes and thus gained the 
 match by 36. 
 
 On the same day a great match was played 
 between Bob Andrews and Dow of Musselburgh. 
 The game was played under the tournament rules 
 3 rounds of the links. At the end of the second 
 round Andrews was 4 up, but in the third round 
 Dow came away with a great game, drew level, 
 and eventually won the match by 2 holes. 
 Perth people were naturally disappointed with 
 this result, and pointed out that Andrews may 
 have been fatigued with a match he had played 
 in the morning of the same day. Another match 
 was arranged for a purse of sovereigns. It took 
 place on the Monday. Andrews early took the 
 lead, and, refreshed with his " Sawbath's " rest, 
 did the round in 49. He retained his advantage 
 in the second round. Dow again played well up 
 in the third round, but eventually had to own 
 defeat by 6 holes and 5 to play. 
 
 Perth was badly bitten by the tournament 
 fever, and another was arranged two years later 
 for 1866. All the old professionals were again 
 present, with the addition of young Tommy, who 
 would then be a lad of fifteen years of age. The 
 largest concourse of spectators turned out to 
 witness the match between old Tom and Bob 
 Andrews, who had been drawn together. At the 
 Pond hole both he and Andrews were on the green 
 in 3. Tom played the odd and lay within three 
 inches of the hole. Andrews ran down a good 
 
 1 02
 
 Institution of Tournaments 
 
 putt. Tom knocked away his ball with his putter 
 to the teeing-ground close by, forgetting that it 
 was a stroke, not a hole, match. His attention 
 was, of course, drawn to what he had done. 
 Andrews offered to allow Tom to replace his ball, 
 but Tom was too honourable not to see he had 
 disqualified himself. The scoring of many of the 
 players was low during the first round. Andrew 
 Strath was round in 50, followed by a young and 
 powerful amateur, and Bob Andrews in 51. 
 The amateur was one whom all golfers now know 
 as Dr J. G. MTherson. Eventually the tourna- 
 ment was won by "The Rook" Bob Andrews, 
 Perth, 159; Andrew Strath, Prestwick, 161 ; 
 Willie Dow, Musselburgh, 161; Bob Kirk, St 
 Andrews, 166; Mr J. G. MTherson, St Andrews, 
 166; Watt M'Donald, Perth, 168; Tom Morris, 
 St Andrews, 171; Major Boothby, Perth, 173; 
 Mr W. Dolman, Glasgow, 174; Tom Morris, jun., 
 St Andrews, 177. On playing off the tie for the 
 second place, Dow won with 54 for 12 holes, 
 against Strath's 56. 
 
 Next day the amateurs' competition was held. 
 The first three were: Sergt. -Major Chalmers, 
 Perth, 170; J. G. MTherson, St Andrews, 172; 
 William Stewart, Perth, 175. Had MTluTson 
 played as well as he did the day previous, he 
 would have been an easy winner. In the after- 
 noon, Major I>oothby and Tom played George 
 Condie and Bub Andrews, and I he latter couple 
 won by the large margin of ir holes. There was
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 a supper in the Royal George in the evening 
 
 mine host, Mr John Kennedy, a keen " sport," as 
 
 I remember well. Golf was the talk of the night. 
 
 Old Tom let it be known that he and a partner 
 
 he had in his eye would play any two present. 
 
 Willie Park replied that he would take young 
 
 M'Pherson and play Tom and his choice. But 
 
 MTherson was the amateur player Tom had 
 
 chosen. Willie Park then chose Bob Andrews, 
 
 and the match took place on the following day. 
 
 The play on both sides was good. Tom and 
 
 young M'Pherson were i hole up and 2 to play. 
 
 The next hole was halved, so they were now 
 
 dormy I. Tom's account, says Mr Peter 
 
 Baxter, of what followed is, that when the last 
 
 green was reached they were about to play i off 
 
 2. The green was hard-baked, and his first putt 
 
 was neither good nor bad. His partner tried to 
 
 hole, and ran three or four yards past down a 
 
 grasslcss slope. Tom missed! The hole was 
 
 lost, and the match not won. Gordon M'Pherson 
 
 held that Tom was at fault in running the ball 
 
 past and above the hole, in playing i oil 2. For 
 
 yards round the hole the grass had gone, and a 
 
 glaze was over all. The only chance of holing 
 
 down the slope was to bolt it. The half of the 
 
 match was secure. Accordingly M'Pherson tried 
 
 to bolt the ball, but, jumping over the centre of 
 
 the hole, missed. Of coursr old Tom was out of 
 
 holing distance. Each was of opinion that the 
 
 other did wrong, and it is very unlikely that they 
 
 104
 
 Institution of Tournaments 
 
 will change their opinions after all these years. 
 However, the incident may serve to keep the visit 
 of 1866 to the North Inch of Perth fresh in both 
 memories, and we trust that the day is yet far 
 distant when the golden chord may be snapped. 
 
 Another match Tom played on this occasion 
 was with Bob Kirk against Andrews and Strath, 
 who won by 6 up and 4 to play. A month later 
 a return match was played at St Andrews, when 
 Tom and Kirk won by a putt at the last hole. 
 
 In ending his accounts of these tournaments, 
 Mr Peter Baxter says: " In having a couple of 
 tournaments within two years, the Perth golfers 
 thought they had done well, and might rest on 
 their oars lor a year or two. Unfortunately, 
 they have rested ever since." 
 
 Why should this be? Will Perth not dis- 
 tinguish itself some season in arranging another 
 tournament and bringing together the best 
 professional golfers in the country, on some 
 occasion when they may be up in Scotland for 
 some other event? 
 
 It will be noticed that I give the name oi the 
 well-known Perth professional as Bob Andrews. 
 ' The Rook " always wrote his name with the 
 final s. His family was of File extraction; 
 originally the name was Andrew. But the branch 
 that came to Perth were called Andrews, or 
 adopted that form of the name. The name is 
 given in the Badminton Golf and elsewhere as 
 Andrew.
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 TOM'S MATCHES WITH WILLIE PARK 
 
 IT was with \Yillie Park of Musselburgh that our 
 hero played his most memorable single matches. 
 In 1854 there appeared in the Scotsman a 
 challenge from Willie Park, offering to play Allan 
 Robertson, Tom Morris, or Willie Dunn. Getting 
 no reply to his challenge, Willie turned up at the 
 autumn meeting of the same year in St Andrews, 
 where he met the three men he had challenged 
 the greatest golfers of the day. Even then there 
 seemed to be some reluctance to meet him, but 
 eventually Tom Morris agreed to play him a match 
 of 2 rounds of the St Andrews links, which Willie 
 won by 5 holes. Shortly afterwards he again 
 beat Tom at North Berwick. 
 
 In 1856 they had their first big match over 4 
 greens for /ioo a-side. The links chosen were 
 Musselburgh, Prestwick, North Berwick, and St 
 Andrews. On the two former greens Willie had 
 the advantage, and Tom not so great a one over 
 the remaining two. Willie won by 8 and 6 to 
 play. I subjoin this account of the day's play at 
 St Andrews, taken from the Fife Herald of 
 
 I5th May 1856, for the sake of the game itself 
 
 i , / ,
 
 Tom's Matches with Willie Park 
 
 and for the sake of Sir Hugh Lyon-Playfair's 
 opening remarks, which might be laid to heart 
 with advantage at the present day by those 
 intent on witnessing golf matches. 
 
 " On Saturday at twelve o'clock Mr Morris 
 and Mr Park met at the first hole to resume the 
 contest in which they have for some time been 
 engaged. The interest taken in the match by 
 many of the citizens induced upwards of 500 to 
 set apart the day as one of amusement, in viewing 
 the progress of the game. A large number of 
 golfers and other gentlemen from a distance were 
 also present, as well as a number of ladies who 
 stood on the terraces of the Club-House and 
 elsewhere, viewing the commencement of the 
 match. Before the first balls had been struck 
 off, Provost Playfair stated to the crowd that 
 some gentlemen had recommended that a staff 
 of policemen should have been present to keep 
 them back from the golfers while they played; 
 but he thought they were rather disagreeable 
 fellows. Others had thought a magistrate should 
 have been in attendance, but he thought the best 
 and most effectual plan was that everyone should 
 be; his own policeman; he appealed to their 
 honour to keep back from the plavers jo or 40 
 yards while they were striking their balls or 
 putting, and thus give them every fair play. 
 This addii-ss was received with applause, and 
 Tom immediately afterwards struck off his ball,
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 \vhich was followed by Park's, and away the 
 crowd moved after the players till they had 
 finished 2 rounds, which terminated about 
 half-past four o'clock. 
 
 ' The following is the state in which the match 
 stood before the competitors commenced at St 
 Andrews : At Musselburgh, Park gained 8 holes, 
 at Prestwick, 5, and at North Berwick he lost 2, 
 which left him n holes ahead. 
 
 " After the first round was completed on 
 Saturday, Park had come down 3 holes. After 
 playing 12 holes of the second round the match 
 was completed. Park being 8 holes ahead, and 
 there being only 6 to play. 
 
 " As numerous bets depended on the result of 
 the day's play at St Andrews, without having any 
 reference to the principal match, the round was 
 played out, and Tom was found to be gainer of 
 another 2 holes, which made him 5 holes ahead. 
 
 " The following shows the state of play during 
 the first round: 
 
 Going Out. 
 
 Morris, 5 5 5 4 6 5 4 5 
 Park. 656564545 
 
 Coming In. 
 
 Morri-, 4 3 566654 
 1'ark, 43557 fl 776 
 
 " Thus Tom took oo >tn>k<-s to the round, and 
 Park took 96; o holes were hahvd; 6 were taken 
 by Tom. and ^ bv Park.
 
 Tom's Matches with Willie Park 
 
 " The following shows the state of play during 
 the second round: 
 
 Going Out. 
 
 Morris, 6655 6 4545 
 1'ark, 5 7 5 .5 (> 5 (> 3 5 
 
 Coining In. 
 
 Morris, 4455 6 5 5 (> 
 Park, 6 3 4 6 6 6 6 5 (> 
 
 ' Thus Tom took 92 strokes to this round, and 
 Park took 95; 6 holes were halved; 7 taken by 
 Tom, and 5 by Park." 
 
 Pmt in 1862 Tom had his revenge. He won 
 on every green, defeating his opponent by 17 
 holes. They did not play a great match again 
 until 1870, this time on Tom's challenge. Park 
 won the toss, and elected to play over his oppo- 
 nent's links first. The order was, St Andrews, 
 Prestwick, North Berwick, and Musselburgh. 
 The play therefore began at St Andrews on the 
 1 2th of April. 
 
 The links at St Andrews, says a contemporary 
 account, presented an unusually animated ap- 
 pearance, a large number of gentlemen turning 
 out to witness the performance of the two 
 champions. Opinions were very varied as to the 
 capabilities of the two players, many persons 
 believing that the weight of ten years which 
 Morris had to carry over Park gave the latter an 
 advantage, while others maintained that the 
 careful, steady play of the St Andrews repre-
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 sentative would, at any rate on his own green, 
 earn for him the victory over his redoubtable 
 opponent. I followed the match all day. The 
 weather was good, but a south-west wind was 
 rather high for perfect play. The links were in 
 what was then considered to be first-rate order, 
 but the putting-greens were rather keen. " Daw " 
 Anderson carried for Tom, Bob Fergusson for 
 \Yillie Park. Park won the first hole in 3, Tom 
 missing a longish down-hill putt. Tom was 
 bunkered in the second hole, and lost it also. 
 Park met a similar fate at the third, and Tom 
 won the hole. The fourth hole was halved. 
 Park won the fifth, Tom putting indifferently. 
 Tom was in bunkers at the sixth, and was now 3 
 down. He, however, won the high hole. The 
 short and ninth hole was halved. Tom won the 
 tenth, Park the eleventh; Tom won the twelfth, 
 Park the thirteenth. Willie was in " Hell " in 
 the next, and lost. He was again bunkered at 
 the fifteenth, and lost. Match all even and 3 to 
 play in the first round. Tom was bunkered at 
 the sixteenth and lost. He also lost the seven- 
 teenth and eighteenth. So the first round, much, I 
 remember, to the disappointment of Tom's friends, 
 ended with our champion 3 holes to the bad. 
 
 Starting in the afternoon, we hoped for better 
 things, and great was our chagrin when Tom's 
 second shot was in the burn. It was caught by 
 the high head-wind, and in it went. Tom was
 
 Tom's Matches with Willie Park 
 
 now 4 down. However, he won the second and 
 third. Park won the fourth. The fifth was 
 halved. Here Tom holed what looked like a 
 dead stymie, and great was the applause when he 
 successfully negotiated it. They both, however, 
 took 6 to the hole. The sixth was halved also, 
 Tom's ball lying on the lip of the hole with the 
 like. Tom won the seventh. The short hole 
 was halved, Park holing a fine putt. The ninth 
 was won by Tom, who now was only one down. 
 The tenth was halved, Tom lofting a stymie and 
 securing a half. The eleventh was also halved. 
 Park won the twelfth, and was now 2 up and 6 
 to play. The thirteenth was halved, and so was 
 the fourteenth. Tom won the fifteenth i down 
 and 3 to play. He won the next. All even and 2 
 to play. Going to the seventeenth, Park played a 
 magnificent cleek shot, and was on the green in 3. 
 Tom also played well, but just a little strong, and 
 was on the road. Park won the hole and became 
 dormy. The last hole was halved. Park thus won 
 the match on Tom's own green by i hole, and was 
 warmly applauded by the crowd, who however, 
 were not in the best of spirits over Tom's defeat. 
 
 A return match was also won by Park. 
 
 Going to Prestwick, both had some practice 
 over the links there; and in the afternoon of the 
 day previous to the match being resumed, Park 
 and Bob Fergusson played Tom and Charlie 
 Hunter. The latter won the first round by i,
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 but lost the second by 2, Willie and Bob thus 
 winning the match by a hole. 
 
 Next day the great match was resumed, 
 " watched with the greatest interest by a large 
 number of ladies and gentlemen, whose sym- 
 pathies were evidently mostly in favour of 
 Morris, from the fact that he was resident in 
 Prestwick for fourteen years. The links were 
 in admirable playing order, with the exception 
 of the first and last holes, where the sand and 
 uneven putting-green made it difficult to hole 
 out with anything like a good score. The form 
 displayed by the two players was, curiously 
 enough, as nearly as possible just the opposite of 
 that shown at St Andrews on Tuesday. In the 
 first round there was undoubtedly some excellent 
 play, but it was not sustained, and the second 
 round was characterised by the same uneven 
 game. As at St Andrews, the present exhibition 
 of golfing science was reserved for the last round. 
 Park drove magnificently, but his putting was 
 for a time indifferent. Tom Morris, on the other 
 hand, while driving very well, shone most brilli- 
 antly on the putting-green." 
 
 The first round went in favour of Tom by 6 
 holes. After lunch Park played up. " Going 
 to the ' Tunnel ' hole, where lie had so signally 
 come to grief in the two previous rounds, Park 
 substituted his clock for the play club or spoon, 
 and sent the ball safely over Sahara. Torn
 
 Tom's Matches with Willie Park 
 
 followed in the same direction, but more to the 
 left. Park then took his long putter, and making 
 the finest stroke of the day, holed out in 2. 
 For this magnificent play the Musselburgh 
 champion got a round of applause, and his 
 confidence reviving, he played a brilliant game 
 to the close." At the burn hole he had succeeded 
 in reducing Tom's lead of 6 to i, " which was, 
 however, again increased to 2 at the home 
 hole by the beautiful and steady putting of the 
 old champion, who now stood ' dormy,' i.e., 2 
 holes up and 2 to play. Playing to the short hole, 
 Park landed in the hollow at the shoulder of the 
 ' Alps,' but ' decked ' his ball in splendid style 
 out of the hazard. Tom's first stroke took his 
 ball within a yard of the hole, but he missed the 
 putt, and Park doing the same, Tom got the hole 
 with his next, making him 3 up. To the last 
 hole of the green both drove their ball always (sic) 
 at whistling rate. Park's next with the iron lay 
 within four yards of the hole, while Tom, who 
 was further down the hill, was short in his cleek 
 shot, and his putt was too strong. Park missed 
 his putt by six inches, and Tom's next stopped 
 short on the lip of the hole, giving Park the 
 chance to hole out in 4 and win the hole, which he 
 did. The result of the 36 holes was that Morris 
 was 2 up at Prestwick and on the match, a 
 majority of I hole for Morris." 
 
 Mr E. II. Hunter acted as umpire, Charlie
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Hunter coached Tom Morris, and Bob Fergusson 
 advised Willie Park. 
 
 The third day's play was at North Berwick. 
 My Record says: "As the termination of the 
 great match approaches, the interest in it 
 increases, and the excitement over the result is 
 intensified. It was supposed that the turn of 
 the game depended upon the play over North 
 Berwick links, and a very large and enthusiastic 
 crowd of golfers and others interested in the 
 national pastime assembled to witness the third 
 section of the match. The weather was again 
 all that could have been desired for golfing, and 
 the green being in capital order, the sport was 
 proceeded with under the most favourable 
 circumstances. When scores were compared at 
 the end of the four rounds it was found that the 
 champions were ' all even ' on the 36 holes. 
 The play was in some respects the finest that has 
 ever been exhibited during the match; both 
 representatives displaying, at one part or another 
 of the game, that brilliant form which has earned 
 for them the fame of being the best handlers of 
 the club of this generation. In the first round 
 Park took a strong lead, and driving and putting 
 in his best style was 6 holes ahead at the finish 
 of the ninth hole, Morris securing only I hole in 
 the round, while Park got 7, and i was 
 halved. The second round was very evenly 
 
 balanced, each player winning 3 holes and 3 being 
 
 1 14
 
 Tom's Matches with Willie Park 
 
 halved, although at one time Park was 8 holes 
 ahead of Morris. After luncheon, however, 
 ' the old 'un,' with the pluck and patient en- 
 durance for which he is so eminently character- 
 ised, began steadily to encroach on his adver- 
 sary's large majority; and by outdriving and 
 outputting \Yillic he secured 5 holes in the 
 third round to Park's 2, the remaining 2 being 
 halved. The Musselburgh man, notwithstanding 
 this, started on the final round 3 ahead of the 
 St Andrews representative, but getting a suc- 
 cession of ' soft ' lying balls, he was overhauled 
 by his opponent at the seventh hole and headed 
 at the next ; but Park securing the final, the game 
 stood as at the commencement of the day's play. 
 In the fourth round, it may be mentioned, Morris 
 won 5 holes, Park 2, and 2 were halved. Morris 
 still stands I hole up on the whole match; but it 
 must be remembered that the final struggle takes 
 place over Park's own links at Musselburgh." 
 
 On Musselburgh links, then, this great golf 
 match was to have been fought out to a conclu- 
 sion. It was the 23rd April 1870. The weather, 
 unfortunately, was not favourable. Across the 
 links a south-west wind blew in strong gusts, 
 accompanied often by drenching showers of rain. 
 Notwithstanding the unpropitious nature of the 
 weather, it is said that between six and seven 
 thousand spectators assembled to witness the 
 match. A contemporary record says, "It is a
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 matter for regret, however, that the onlookers 
 behaved in the most disgraceful manner. Very 
 fair order was maintained during the first 2 
 rounds of the links ; but as the crowd increased 
 and the excitement over the result intensified, 
 the players were pressed in upon in a very 
 rude manner, and were scarcely allowed room to 
 use their clubs freely." Mr Robert Chambers 
 appealed to the crowd from time to time to 
 maintain better order, but in vain. 
 
 But let us follow the match up to the time the 
 referee had to interfere. In the first round Park 
 managed to get at one time 3 ahead, but Tom 
 stuck to his antagonist, and the round ended with 
 Tom i up, and 2 on the big match. Matters 
 stood in exactly the same condition at the end of 
 the second round, when an interval took place 
 for lunch. At the sixth hole of the third round 
 Tom was only i up. The hole was halved. 
 Going to the seventh hole, Park drove a capital 
 ball straight to the hole, while Morris kept to the 
 right as in his previous round, but duffed his next. 
 Willie's second stroke brought him up to thirty 
 yards from the goal. The crowd broke the line, and 
 it was only after great exertions on the part of a 
 few gentlemen that the spectators were driven 
 back to allow Morris to play up, which he did in 
 good style, but fell short. Park's third stroke 
 carried the ball ten yards beyond the hole, within 
 three yards of which Tom cleeked his next. Both 
 
 116
 
 Tom's Matches with Willie Park 
 
 players missed their fourth strokes, and the hole 
 was halved in 5. Willie drove low and to the 
 right for the eighth hole, while Tom's ball in a 
 straight line flew high. Another drive and a 
 long putt brought them both up to the green, 
 and Park, following up with a magnificent putt, 
 holed out in 4, Morris taking i more. The 
 players were now all even on the green and 
 Morris I up on the match. The crowd at this 
 point behaved in the most disgraceful manner, 
 running in before the players and completely 
 blocking up the entrance to the last hole. Con- 
 siderable delay took place before the green was, 
 with some difficulty, partially cleared. Park 
 then struck off, but his ball, landing on top of the 
 hill, rolled back, while Tom's was carried away 
 to the rails. Park's second was fifteen yards 
 short, and Morris's next was also short. Two 
 putts were missed by both players, and the hole 
 was halved in 5. 
 
 Then the fourth and last round began all 
 square on the links, Tom i up on the match. The 
 first hole was halved in 5. Park won the next 
 hole, and the great match was all square. 
 ' Willie, drove over the rails on to the grass 
 towards the third hole, and Tom fell short on 
 the new course beside the rails, and in decking 
 out of this difficulty he landed in another a sand 
 bunker. lie, however, played a splendid cleek 
 
 stroke from the ha/ard up to the green, while 
 
 ' '7
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Park's second lay in a hollow just before the 
 putting-green, and his third stroke being too 
 strong, went past the hole. Both were over in 
 their next putt, and Tom missing a short putt, 
 at which the crowd set up a great cheer, \Yillie 
 secured the hole in 5 making him a hole ahead 
 on the match." 
 
 At this stage the match was broken off. A 
 contemporary account says : " Both players then 
 retired for refreshments. In a short time Park 
 appeared at the teeing-ground ; but the St 
 Andrews champion not putting in an appearance, 
 the excitement amongst the crowd became great. 
 It was shortly ascertained that the referee had 
 decided that the play in the remaining 6 holes of 
 the match should be postponed till Saturday 
 forenoon at eleven o'clock. Park protested 
 against this, the more especially as he had not 
 been consulted, and stated that if Morris did not 
 come forward and finish the round he would do 
 so by himself and claim the stakes. Morris 
 abided by the decision of the referee, who stated 
 that his reason for postponing the play was: 
 ' That notwithstanding all exertions, no means 
 were practicable for keeping back the onlookers, 
 some of whom by their conduct rendered fair 
 play an impossibility.' Park maintained that 
 the referee had power only to settle disputes as 
 to balls, that he could not postpone the play 
 without the consent of both combatants, and 
 
 118
 
 Tom's Matches with Willie Park 
 
 that the articles under which the match was 
 being played distinctly stated that it should be 
 finished that day. He therefore played the 
 remaining 6 holes himself and sent a letter to the 
 stakeholder (Mr Robert Dudgeon) claiming the: 
 stakes. Mr Dudgeon," the report goes on to 
 say, " we understand, refused to pay over the 
 stakes, and the matter thus stands in this 
 unsatisfactory position." 
 
 Meanwhile Park by himself, followed by the 
 large crowd, played the remaining holes. This he 
 did in line style. His score for the last 6 holes 
 was 44345 and 2 22. On Saturday morning 
 at eleven o'clock, the hour appointed by Mi- 
 Robert Chambers for playing oil the 6 holes 
 left unplayed, Morris and a few spectators ap- 
 peared at the end hole. Park was present, but 
 he adhered to the view he had taken of the 
 referee's duties, maintaining that he had played 
 out the match on the day fixed by the articles, 
 viz., the 22nd of April: That no man had any 
 power to stop the play in the middle of the game. 
 That, as Morris had refused to play out the last n 
 holes when called on by him, he had done so by 
 himself, and therefore, won the match. lie 
 accordingly refused to play the 6 holes with 
 Morris on Saturday morning unless a new match 
 were made. 
 
 Mr Chambers directed Morris to walk the 
 course, which he did, holing the f> holes from Mrs
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Forman's in 4 4 5 5 6 and 4 respectively 28 in 
 all. At the conclusion Morris was loudly hissed 
 by the partisans of the Musselburgh champion, as 
 was the referee, who gave the following written 
 decision in the course of the forenoon :" As 
 referee in the match between Morris and Park on 
 April 22, and in terms of my decision, the remain- 
 ing 6 holes were played by Morris this day, Park 
 declining to finish the game, I therefore declare 
 Morris to be the winner. (Signed) R. Chambers, 
 jun., Musselburgh, April 23, 1870." The con- 
 temporary report ends: " \Ye believe that Park 
 has arrested the stakes in the hands of Mr 
 Robert Dudgeon, the stakeholder, and that it is 
 probable the matter will be carried to a law court 
 for decision. Park, as before stated, rests his case 
 on the articles and on the fact that he was never 
 consulted by the referee as to the postponement 
 of the play. The article of the match in question 
 is as follows: ' Musselburgh, March 8, 1870. 
 We, the undersigned, agree to commence to play 
 our match at golf for 100 sterling a-side on 
 Tuesday, the I2th day of April, and that on St 
 Andrews links at 12 o'clock; on Prestwick, 
 I5th April; North Berwick, iQth April; and on 
 Musselburgh links, 22nd April, to play at same 
 hour (twelve o'clock), as at St Andrews. (Signed, 
 Tom Morris, Willie Park.' " 
 
 It is a pity, of course, that nothing was said in 
 the articles thus signed about the powers of the 
 
 120
 
 Tom's Matches with Willie Park 
 
 referee. But most people, I should think, will 
 admit that he had the powers, reluctantly, we 
 may be sure, assumed by Mr Robert Chambers, 
 jun. No better or more unbiassed referee could 
 have been found, either as a man of strict honour 
 and a golfer, than the winner of the St Andrews 
 tournament at St Andrews, whose home green 
 was Musselburgh, and I hardly think Mr A. H. 
 Doleman is warranted in thus writing of the 
 match in his otherwise excellent paper in Golf of 
 August 28, 1891, on Willie Park, sen., in the 
 "Eminent Golfers" series: '' At Mrs Forman's 
 Tom missed a short putt, which gave Willie the 
 hole and made him 2 up and 6 to play on the 
 match. The excitement was intense, and Park's 
 supporters cheered lustily. Tom went in to 
 Mrs Forman's, as Willie thought, merely for a 
 refreshment (did not Willie go too?), but never 
 returned to play. After waiting nearly half an 
 hour Willie played out the remaining 6 holes and 
 claimed the match. The conduct of the referee 
 on this occasion was much blamed at the time, 
 but it is useless to refer to it now. Then 1 can be 
 little doubt, had the game gone on, Willie would 
 have won pretty easily, seeing his score lor the (> 
 holes was 21. Tom played the holes out next 
 day, taking 28." 
 
 I think we are sale in abiding by the 
 decision of the referee, and in thinking that the 
 conduct of the Musselburgh crowd on this
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 occasion warranted his action and subsequent 
 decision. 
 
 The combatants did not meet again in a big 
 match until May 1882. Play began over the 
 Musselburgh course on Tuesday the gth. A 
 strong wind prevailed from the west, and in the 
 forenoon there were several showers of rain. 
 The links were in good condition, but the greens, 
 owing to the rain, rather sluggish. A contem- 
 porary account states that, " to prevent the 
 possibility of a recurrence of the dispute in 
 1870, several men carried a rope across the green, 
 and were successful for the most part in keeping 
 the people from pressing too closely upon the 
 players. The number of spectators gradually 
 increased during the day, and while the last two 
 rounds were in progress between 2000 and 
 3000 persons were following up." Mr Gillespie, 
 advocate, Edinburgh, acted as referee. Tom 
 Morris won the first round by one. This ad- 
 vantage he increased to 5 up in the second 
 round. After luncheon Park's play much im- 
 proved, lie drew all even in the third round, 
 and Morris was only one up at the end of it. 
 Park, however, won the next round as well, and 
 the match at Musselburgh ended with one hole 
 of an advantage for Park. They were even in 
 strokes, 171 each. 
 
 On Friday, the I2th, the play was at St 
 Andrews. Park was i up, and " whilst his local
 
 Tom's Matches with Willie Park 
 
 backers were confident of his success, the odds 
 were against him at St Andrews 2 to i being 
 offered on Tom. The weather was excellent, 
 but the wind was a little breezy and ahead on the 
 outward journey. The putting-greens were in 
 fine order, but water stood in several hollows, 
 and oftener than once it brought the players to 
 grief." To begin with, the play was rather in 
 favour of Park, but Tom pulled up and reached 
 the turn i up, and all square on the match. This 
 advantage he lost coming in, and the first 
 round ended where it began Park i up on the 
 match. Both men were round in 92. Starting 
 for the second round, Tom played badly and had 
 bad luck. Going to the Heathery hole, Park 
 was 3 up on the round. Tom had the best of it 
 at the Heathery hole, having given Park a 
 stymie, which he could not surmount. A dis- 
 pute took place here in consequence of its being 
 alleged that Tom moved his ball; but Major 
 Boothby, who acted as referee, decided against 
 the claim for a stroke. At the turn Park was 
 i u]), and he retained this advantage to the end 
 of the round. The day's play at St Andrews 
 ended in i up for Park and two on the match. 
 Park's round was 90, Morris's 91. My Record 
 adds: 'From these scores those who know 
 St Andrews links will observe that the piny 
 was not equal to what was anticipated. 
 Morris was particularly deficient in his putting,
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 while Park played sometimes a weak quarter 
 game." 
 
 Tom seems to have missed what was thought 
 a dead putt on the green of the hole Across, 
 coming home in the second round. 
 
 On Tuesday, the i6th May, the match was 
 resumed at Prcstwick. It was, we are told, an 
 ideal golfing day. Bright, warm sunshine, 
 tempered by a slight north-westerly breeze, 
 gave to the few hundred spectators who as- 
 sembled on the green that maximum of comfort 
 and enjoyment which rendered the following up 
 of the spectators a pleasurable undertaking. 
 There was a sprinkling of ladies among those who 
 had assembled to witness the play, and they 
 followed the fluctuating fortunes of the game 
 with as much zest and eager curiosity as any 
 of the gentlemen present who consider golfing 
 as one of their principal pursuits. The putting- 
 greens were in perfect condition, quick, elastic 
 and true, and, indeed, all the conditions re- 
 quisite for carrying on the play with the greatest 
 facility, enjoyment and good scoring were 
 present. On entering the third stage of the 
 match, the little betting that was indulged in 
 was even money, although Park appeared to 
 have the more numerous admirers. At the 
 end of the first round of 12 holes the game 
 stood as it began. By the end of the second 
 
 round, however, Tom was i up on the match, and 
 
 124
 
 Tom's Matches with Willie Park 
 
 the day's play ended with Tom 5 up at Prest- 
 wick and 3 on the match. " Of the day's play," 
 a spectator says, " it was generally conceded 
 that the forward play of both men was in the 
 highest degree excellent, but their quarter 
 game and putting was very defective." J. G. D., 
 which I take to be the initials of the late Mr 
 Denham,* one of the keenest of the followers 
 of the fortunes of the great golfers of those days, 
 tells us that Park played a very steady game, 
 although occasionally getting into unfortunate 
 hazards, two of which compelled him to give up 
 the hole. Tom's long game and approaches 
 could not be surpassed; but he was again de- 
 fective in his putting, which was such a pro- 
 minent feature in his play both at Musselburgh 
 and St Andrews. 
 
 The concluding stage of the match was 
 reached at North Berwick on Friday, the iQth 
 May. With three holes to the good the chances 
 of success lay largely with Morris, who on that 
 account no doubt found most backers; but not 
 a few of Park's admirers were confident that the 
 bold and fearless play of their favourite would 
 prove equal to the occasion, notwithstanding 
 Tom's well-earned reputation for staying 
 powers. To some extent the players were on a 
 
 * Mr Denham left a very valuable scrap-book containing news- 
 paper reports of famous golf matches. His daughter, Mi.-, HiMitU-y, 
 was kind enough to put this at my disposal, and 
 indebted to her for doiny so. This I refer to a-,
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 level so far as acquaintance with the green was 
 concerned the recent alterations on the course 
 at the Shipka, which had just been opened to 
 the public, having been tested by both men on 
 Wednesday and Thursday. Willie Park's 
 thorough knowledge of the old course, however, 
 was reckoned by some a point in his favour, but 
 really there was little to draw between the 
 respective chances of the veterans, barring the 
 three holes by which Tom led at the start of the 
 game. The weather, fortunately, was in every 
 respect favourable to the match, and the greens, 
 thanks to the keeper, Tom Dunn, were in ex- 
 cellent order. Provost Broclic, previous to the 
 match beginning, stated that Captain Suttie 
 had been asked to act as umpire, but that owing 
 to his unavoidable absence he had been pre- 
 vented from complying with the request. In 
 these circumstances he had agreed to discharge 
 the duties of that official, and he trusted these 
 would be of a light character. At the end of 
 the first round Morris had increased his ad- 
 vantage by 2 holes the scores being, Morris 
 85, and Park (allowing an estimate for 2 holes he 
 gave up) 91. In the afternoon Tom brought the 
 great match to a conclusion by winning by 5 up 
 and 3 to play. The umpire, in declaring the 
 result, said there was one feature peculiar to both 
 Morris and Park, viz., that they ever had the 
 
 greatest respect for each other, adding that he 
 
 126
 
 Tom's Matches with Willie Park 
 
 trusted that they would live long and yet be 
 spared to play another match. The remaining 
 holes were played out. Tom won 2 of them, and 
 i was halved. Tom's score was 85, Willie's 
 86. Morris had the best of the play throughout 
 in his long game and approaches, but Park was 
 decidedly the stronger on the putting green. I 
 subjoin an analysis of the whole match, the work, 
 I have no doubt, of my old friend, Mr James 
 G. Denham. It will, I think, be interesting in 
 itself and for the names of the holes in the respec- 
 tive links over which the match was played. 
 Local names have to a large extent given place 
 to numerical names, and a good deal of colour, 
 picturesqueness and interest has thus been lost. 
 
 I. MUSSELBUKGH. .* . ~ _, 
 
 36 holes, 4 rounds. 
 
 
 
 'E 5 > 1: - 
 
 3 
 
 Third . . . o 
 
 
 
 * ^- - ' 
 
 4 
 
 Ginger Beer . o 
 
 I 
 
 Graves . 
 
 2 I 1 
 
 5 
 
 Across ... i 
 
 2 
 
 Linkficld . . 
 
 o 3 i 
 
 6 
 
 Heatherv 
 
 3 
 
 For mans 
 
 i o 3 
 
 7 
 
 Iligh. . . . 2 
 
 4 
 
 Sea .... 
 
 i i j 
 
 8 
 
 Short . . . ; 
 
 5 
 
 Pandy . 
 
 i J i 
 
 9 
 
 Fnd . 
 
 6 
 
 Bathing-coach 
 
 2 I I 
 
 
 In hole-; 
 
 7 
 
 Before Gas . 
 
 2 I I 
 
 i 
 
 First ....o 
 
 8 
 
 Gas .... 
 
 I I J 
 
 2 
 
 Short . . i 
 
 <, 
 
 Fnd .... 
 
 2 I 1 
 
 . 3 
 
 I 'eatherv . . I 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 Across . . . (i 
 
 
 
 I J I ! 13 
 
 : 
 
 Giii'_:'iT Beer . i 
 
 
 Park 
 
 , I hole up. 
 
 6 
 
 Third . . . o 
 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 Corner Dvke i 
 
 
 [I. ST AND 
 
 ki;\vs. 
 
 8 
 
 Koad . . . M 
 
 
 30 holes, j r. 
 
 ninds. 
 
 <, 
 
 Fnd . 
 
 
 ( )ut holes 
 
 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 Burn .... 
 
 O I I 
 
 
 ! j 
 
 j 
 
 Corner Dvke . 
 
 I U I 
 
 i 
 
 '.irk, i In '! up, j i ii 
 
 1 O 
 
 I 1 
 
 I 1 
 
 < ) 1 
 
 1 ( ) 
 
 i 1 
 
 i j/
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 III. PRESTWTCK. 
 36 holes, 3 rounds. 
 
 
 
 '~ 5 
 
 ^j 
 ^ 
 
 if c 
 
 rt - 
 
 3 
 
 Dyke . . 
 
 o 
 
 I I 
 
 
 
 2* 
 
 a 
 X 
 
 ~ f 
 
 4 
 
 Trap . 
 
 020 
 
 1 
 
 Start . . . 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 Angle 
 
 i 
 
 I O 
 
 2 
 
 Alps . . . 
 
 I 
 
 
 o 
 
 6 
 
 Shipka . 
 
 I O I 
 
 3 
 
 Tunnel Out . 
 
 I 
 
 -* 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 Bent . . . 
 
 2 O 
 
 4 
 
 Stone Dyke . 
 
 3 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 Quarry . 
 
 O 
 
 I 
 
 5 
 
 Sea He'thcrick 
 
 o 
 
 2 
 
 i ! 9 
 
 End . . . 
 
 I 
 
 ) I 
 
 6 
 
 Tunnel In 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 In holes 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 Green Hollow 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 2 
 
 I 
 
 Quarry . 
 
 I 
 
 O 
 
 8 
 
 Station 
 
 o 
 
 3 
 
 O 
 
 2 
 
 Pit . . . 
 
 O 
 
 1 
 
 9 
 
 Burn . . . 
 
 2 
 
 o 
 
 1 3 
 
 Shipka . 
 
 I 
 
 o 
 
 10 
 
 Sauch-house . 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 i 4 
 
 High Bent . 
 
 2 O O 
 
 1 1 
 
 Short . . . 
 
 I 
 
 2 
 
 o 5 
 
 Wilderness . 
 
 O O 2 
 
 12 
 
 Home . 
 
 I 
 
 2 
 
 o 6 
 
 Redan . 
 
 I I 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ; 7 
 
 Gate . 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 I I 
 
 10 
 
 6 8 
 
 Point Garry 
 
 O 2 O 
 
 Morris, 5 holes up, 
 
 3 on 
 
 match. 9 
 
 Home . 
 
 I 
 
 I O 
 
 IV. NORTH BERWICK. 
 36 holes, 3 rounds. 
 
 1 Point Garry . i o 
 
 2 Sea o 2 
 
 13 14 9 
 
 Morris winning the match 5 
 up and 3 to play 7 holes 
 on green. 
 
 SUMMARY OF MATCH 144 HOLES. 
 
 Musselburgh 
 St Andrews 
 Prestwick 
 North Berwick 
 
 Muni- 
 won. 
 
 12 
 
 I I 
 13 
 
 P..rk 
 
 Wull. 
 
 4 8 
 
 I I 
 I I 
 19 
 14 
 
 55 
 
 In judging of a match where the players are so equal, 
 a great number of the holes should he halved. It will 
 be observed that the best play took place at Prestwick, 
 where 19 holes out of the jb wt-re halved, and next to it, 
 North Berwick, where 14 was the result. It only remains 
 to be added that nothing could have excelled the long 
 play and approaches of old Tom, and those who remember 
 his lirst encounter with Park, as far back as i85b, were
 
 Tom's Matches with Willie Park 
 
 of opinion that had his putting been at all up to the mark, 
 his antagonist could not have lived, and that he would 
 have defeated him as he did in 1862, when he won over 
 the four greens by 17 holes. Tom was singularly deficient 
 in being short with his long putts, which reminded one of the 
 remark of young Tommy, " that his father would be a good 
 putter if the hole would only meet him half-way ;" while, 
 when he got within holing distance, he has lately taken to 
 his iron, and this has certainly not improved him in holing 
 out. But take him all in all, he is " a grand old golfer," 
 and one of whom the ancient cuy may be justly proud. 
 
 So saith the chronicler of iSSj; and, nearly 
 a quarter of a century later, so say all of us. 
 
 T2Q
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 SOME FAMOUS GOLF MATCHES IX THE 
 'SIXTIES 
 
 THE date at which Tom's last great match with 
 Willie Park was played was 1882. This takes 
 us a considerable distance ahead of the period 
 at which we otherwise have arrived in his 
 history. In this chapter I shall record some 
 matches in which he took part, which as yet 
 have not been mentioned. 
 
 It was in 1849 that he and Allan Robertson 
 beat the Dunns. 
 
 In May 1851 Tom played Willie Dunn, who 
 was dormy one. The finish is thus described: 
 " The last hole was in a very peculiar place at the 
 top of a hill, and Tom's ball first rolled down 
 the east side, and the next putt sent it over again 
 on the west. Seeing that he could not halve 
 the match, Tom gave his ball a kick in disgust, 
 while Dunn took a snuff and smiled satisfactorily, 
 having the credit of taking the match by 2 
 holes." 
 
 In 1852 he and Allan beat Sir Robert Hay 
 and Willie Dunn by 6 up and 5 to play over 2 
 
 rounds of St Andrews links. 
 
 no
 
 In the 'Sixties 
 
 In 1854 he and Bob Anderson beat Allan 
 Robertson and Willie Dunn. 
 
 In 1857 Willie Park and he were partners, 
 and were defeated by Allan Robertson and 
 Andrew Strath by 6 holes in 2 rounds. 
 
 In the same year he played a very good game 
 against Captain Maitland Dougall. Tom was 
 round in 82 (39 out, 43 home), the record for the 
 time. The Captain was only three strokes behind. 
 
 In 1858 Tom played what he considers was 
 one of the most interesting matches of his life. 
 His partner was his brother George, and their 
 opponents Willie and Davie Park. George was 
 Tom's elder brother. He was for long in service 
 in the family of Dr Robert Chambers, the pub- 
 lisher. He had, I am told, perhaps rather a 
 prettier style than Tom, but he was not such a 
 steady player. His name frequently appears on 
 the medal list of the St Andrews (Tub. The 
 match was one of 36 holes, and the brothers 
 were never ahead until they gained the last hole 
 and won the match. Previous to this, Willie 
 Park, then a young lad of twenty, had beaten 
 George Morris in a single. Park was in such 
 great form that Allan Robertson, as a spectator, 
 said, " He frichtens us a' wi' his long drivin'." 
 In the second round he took the first 8 holes, 
 and then George gave forth the famous petition, 
 ' For the love o' Gode gi'e me a hauf ' Park 
 won b some 10 or 12 holes.
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 About this time were played the matches 
 of which Mr H. Thomas Peter writes in his 
 Reminiscences of Golf and Golfers, by an Old 
 Hand. ' I claim," he writes, " to have played 
 with three others in a foursome a greater number 
 of rounds over St Andrews than had ever been 
 done before (though whether since I, of course, 
 do not know). The players were my brother 
 O'Brien (King William IV. Medal Holder in the 
 Royal and Ancient, 1851) and Tom Morris, 
 against Allan Robertson and myself. \Ve 
 played for 2 days consecutively, five rounds 
 each day ; and the match ended in a draw. 
 When we finished Allan said he had never 
 had ' sic a belly fu' o' gouff a' his days.' 
 Neither, I take it, had the rest of us. We 
 were young and agile then, and what can be 
 compared to a game of golf in the heyday 
 of youth over the magnificent turf of St 
 Andrews with such partners as Allan and 
 Tom? It was only after dark we could strike 
 our colours." 
 
 In 1860, while still residing at Prestwick, as 
 the result of some conversation among golfers, 
 and perhaps some betting, Tom went out to the 
 quarry beneath the famous Bridge of Balloch- 
 myle, and from a stick elevated horizontally 
 he endeavoured to hit golf balls over the Bridge. 
 This, however, proved to be beyond his skill, but 
 he succeeded time after time in lofting them on 
 
 132
 
 In the 'Sixties 
 
 to the pathway, which stands four hundred feet 
 above the quarry in which he stood. 
 
 In 1864 he and Andrew Strath tackled 
 Willie and David Park. Strath and he were 
 4 up and 14 holes to play. The Parks, however, 
 managed to pull up, and won the match of 36 
 holes by 6. The Parks' rounds were 89 and 85 
 against 88 and 95 nine strokes better. In 
 regard to the play of Tom Morris and Willie 
 and David Park, though not with particular 
 reference to this match, Mr A. H. Doleman says: 
 
 ' Willie was the more brilliant player, Tom the 
 steadier. The great features in Willie's play 
 were his driving and his putting. His approach 
 was scarcely so good, both Old Tom and Willie's 
 brother Davie being, in my opinion, better 
 approachers with the iron." 
 
 In the month of December 1864 Tom 
 played in rather an extraordinary game which 
 took place at midnight. His partner was a 
 Dr Knowex, a surgeon-dentist, a French- 
 Canadian, who had settled at Ayr, but who 
 afterwards went to San Francisco and died there. 
 Their opponents were Major Crichton and 
 Charlie Hunter, who now occupies Tom's billet 
 at Prestwick. The match was played at Prest- 
 \vick, and a start was made from the old Golf 
 Park House at u p.m. The expected moon did 
 not put in an appearance, and the game was 
 played in almost total darkness. It is said they 
 
 133
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 took t\vo and a half hours to play the round of 
 12 holes, but that only two balls were lost. 
 
 In regard to the scores of golfers in those old 
 days at Prestwick when it was a 12-hole round 
 the i8-hole round was not instituted until 
 1883 it is rather curious that there are almost 
 no records to go on. Even in the early 
 championship matches no detailed scores seem 
 to have been preserved, and not always even the 
 totals for each round. There is, however, a 
 detailed record of one round. The occasion 
 was the spring meeting of the Prestwick Golf 
 Club, and the players were \Yillie Park and Tom 
 Morris. The following are the details: 
 
 Park, 5456425543 4-5,; 
 Morris, 75466436343 657 
 
 This match Park won by 3 up and 2 to play. 
 It is said that Park's 53 was the lowest he ever 
 accomplished in an important match over 
 Prestwick, though on one occasion he holed out 
 in 52. Tom in the 1862 championship had a 
 52, and he is said to have gone round in as low 
 as 50. If this were the case it is only 2 
 strokes over 4 very excellent golf for 
 Prestwick Links in those days. 
 
 On his return to St Andrews in 1865 he began 
 to play a great many foursomes with members 
 of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, which more 
 or less may be described as recreation, but he 
 
 134
 
 In the 'Sixties 
 
 also established a partnership with young Bob 
 Kirk, and the two fought and won many a 
 battle together. They beat the two brothers, 
 Willie and Davie Park, at St Andrews, Willie 
 Park and Andrew Strath at Prestwick, and on 
 the same green, \Yillie Park and Dow. 
 
 On the 1 7th September 1866 a match took 
 place, which was done into verse by one of the 
 players, the pleasant and genial Mr D. L. Burn. 
 Tom and Colonel Walker played Mr Burn and 
 Mr David Lamb, one of a triumvirate of 
 brothers whom I remember well " Ha," 
 " Cha," and " Da," as they were called in those 
 days. Mr David Lamb is the only one of the 
 brothers now alive. He still plays a first-rate 
 game, still takes an interest in the affairs of the 
 city, and still can castigate his civic opponents 
 in letters to the local newspapers. 
 
 The play of the first hole is thus de- 
 scribed: 
 
 " Attended by their ragged cads, 
 Four dirty young St Andrews lads, 
 Waiting each player's stern command 
 To tee his ball with practised hand. 
 Burn struck his ball towards the burn. 
 The Colonel followed in his turn, 
 I he iirst lay sweetly on the swan I, 
 The second met its just reward, 
 And plunged into the muddy stream. 
 Not a good stroke was that, 1 ween, 
 Which lett poor Tom to play one more, 
 Whilst Lamb and Burn holed out in tour." 
 i i^
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 And the second hole: 
 
 " The Lamb led off with dashing stroke, 
 No word from old Tom Morris broke; 
 He sped a wondrous driven ball, 
 
 But anxious thought was in his eye, 
 Till far and safe he saw it fall. 
 
 Thougli nought revealed to standers-by 
 The mind within, well skilled to hide 
 His well-concealed but honest pride. 
 Altho' his smile is beaming now, 
 Said more than words could well avow 
 The hole played out was fairly won, 
 And Lamb and Burn were both outdone." 
 
 And the fifth :- 
 
 " The gallant Colonel drew his ball, 
 And into ' Hell ' we saw it fall. 
 ' Ah, Colonel, now you've come to grief,' 
 Said Tom to his erratic chief. 
 But when to ' Hell's ' black depths profound 
 He came on grassy tuft he found 
 The ball well teed by impious band, 
 Free from all danger, free from sand. 
 The hole was lost by Burn and Lamb, 
 So ' Hell ' in this case proved a sham." 
 
 Then, as if the poet had had enough of it, the 
 match from the sixth to the eighteenth is thus 
 summed up: 
 
 " I know not how the rest were done, 
 But this I know, the match was won 
 By Burn and Lamb, who, full of glee, 
 Did the last hole in only three." 
 
 The second round, we are told in prose, was a 
 
 136
 
 In the 'Sixties 
 
 repetition of the first, only that " the gallant 
 Colonel, being short-sighted, took all the bunkers 
 for the putting holes, and gave the champion a 
 great deal of iron work, which his adversaries 
 applauded by ironical smiles." 
 
 On the I4th of May 1867 an open tourna- 
 ment was held at Leith, under the auspices of the 
 Thistle Golf Club. We give the draw in full: 
 Davie Park v. Jamie Anderson; Old Tom v. 
 Auld Willie (Park, sen.) Willie Dunn v. Willie 
 Dow (of Musselburgh) ; George Morris (Old 
 Tom's brother) v. Bob Dow (Montrose) ; Walter 
 M'Donald v. Tom Hunter; Bob Kirk i 1 . Young 
 Tom; Tom Brown v. G. Paterson (both of 
 Musselburgh); Alexander Brown v. ]. Campbell 
 (of Musselburgh); Bob Fergusson v. Jamie 
 Hutchison; Jamie Dunn v. Sandy Greig; Bob 
 Andrews (Perth) v. A. Smith (Prestwick). The 
 result was as follows: Fergusson, 131; Hunter, 
 132; Anderson, 133; Andrews, 133; Park, 134. 
 In playing off their tic Andrews beat Anderson. 
 
 Of the professionals who took part in this 
 competition some very admirable photographs 
 were published by Mr T. K. Home Crawford, 
 photographer, 130 Princes Street, Edinburgh. 
 They speak for themselves. Copies of these 
 photographs may still be had from Mr Home 
 Crawford at a reasonable figure, and would make 
 valuable additions to the pictures on the walls 
 of club-rooms and private libraries of golfers.
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 On ist May 1867 Young Tom and Willie 
 Dow beat Bob Kirk and Jamie Anderson by 
 3 up and i to play. On the third there was a 
 professional competition for money prizes. The 
 following is the prize-list: Kirk, 80 ; D. Park, 89; 
 Old Tom, 90 ; Young Tom, 91 ; George Morris 
 (Tom's brother), 91; Willie Dow, 95; Jamie 
 Anderson, 95 ; Young Tom (84) beat \Yillie 
 Dow (87) by 2 holes. 
 
 On the 6th of July Bob Kirk inflicted a very 
 severe beating on Old Tom. He won the first 
 round by 7, the second at the High Hole, and the 
 bye at the Burn by 2. 
 
 On the i4th September Old and Young Tom 
 beat Bob Kirk and Fergusson by 4 holes in a 
 match of two rounds. The former were 85 for 
 each round; the latter 88 and 91. Subsequently 
 Kirk beat Young Tom in a single by 3. On 
 the 2nd October, in another money competition, 
 Bob Kirk \vas again first with 85. The next in 
 order were Andrew Strath, 87; Bob Fergusson, 
 89; Old Tom, 90. On the 3rd, Old and Young 
 Tom halved the first round with Andrew Strath 
 and Kirk, but won the second by 3 and 2 to play. 
 
 In May 1868, Old Tom in a 2-round match 
 beat Fergusson by 6 and 5 and won the bye by 2. 
 Young Tom halved with Willie Dow and next 
 day won by 7 and 5. Davie Park and Bob 
 Fergusson beat Old and Young Tom in a final 
 
 round by 4 and in a second by 3. 
 
 138
 
 In the 'Sixties 
 
 On the 8th of October, in a professional 
 competition, Young Tom led with 87 ; Fer- 
 gusson, 89; Jamie Anderson and D. Park, 90. 
 On the loth, Tommy had a tussle with Bob 
 Kirk and was beaten in the first round by 7 
 Kirk taking 85 strokes and in the second, 
 notwithstanding the fact that Young Tom 
 won 5 holes out of the first 8, by 6 and 4. 
 Young Tom, playing the best ball of Stewart and 
 Maclaren, two University students, was round in 
 79 and 80, and it is recorded that 79 had only 
 twice been done before once by Allan Robertson 
 and once by Old Tom. At Prestwick, on the 
 22nd September, Old and Young Tom beat 
 \Yillie Dow and Fergusson by 4. Young Tom 
 beat Dow by 6. 
 
 On the 6th May 1869, at St Andrews, Fer- 
 gusson and D. Park beat Old and Young Tom 
 by 3 and 2. Next day Tommy, giving D. Buist 
 a stroke, went round in 78. At Prestwick in the 
 same year Bob Kirk and Davie Strath beat 
 Young Tom and Jamie Anderson by I, but on 
 the i5th Jamie and Tommy reversed matters and 
 beat Kirk and Strath by 7 and 6. At Mussel- 
 burgh in this year, on the 23rd of February, 
 \Yillie Park and Bob Fergusson beat Old and 
 Young Tom 4 in a match for 15 a side. On the 
 6th of March Young Tom and Fergusson halved 
 in a match of 36 holes, and going other 9 holes 
 Fergusson won by i. On the 2/th November
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Fergusson beat Old Tom over 36 holes by 4 and 
 3. In another match of 12 holes he won by 5 and 
 3, and the short match by 2. At Luff ness this 
 year Young Tom plays Fergusson for 20 and wins 
 by 8 and 7 ; the bye by 2. On the 26th November, 
 in a 34-hole match, Fergusson beat Old Tom by 
 5 and 3, but Tom won the bye by i. 
 
 In 1868 and 1869 Tom and Bob Fergusson 
 played six matches over Luffness and Mussel- 
 burgh, and Bob Fergusson won them all. Of 
 course, Bob was much the younger man, and his 
 more appropriate opponent was Young Tommy, 
 who, in 1869, beat him by i hole at Mussel- 
 burgh. 
 
 Before leaving the 'sixties, let me say that 
 it was in course oi them that Tom Morris won 
 the Open Championship four times. It was then 
 played for over Prestwick links. Tom won it in 
 1861 with a score of 163, 9 strokes better than 
 Willie Park's score when he won it in the year 
 of its institution. In 1862 he again won " The 
 Belt " in an equal number of strokes. In 1863 
 Willie Park won, but with a score of 168. In 
 1864 Tom won it for the third time with a 
 score of 160 a record which was not impaired 
 until, in 1868, Young Tommy won it with a 
 score of 154. Tom won it for the fourth and last 
 time in 1867 with a score of 170.
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 FATHER AND SOX THEIR STYLES AND 
 THEIR SUCCESSES 
 
 BEFORE we begin to chronicle the great feats of 
 Young Tommy, who for a time alas ! it was for 
 too short a time quite overshadowed even his 
 father's great reputation as a golfer, let us con- 
 sider what Tom Morris was in his prime as one 
 of the greatest players of his day. Let his 
 friend, Mr H. S. C. Everard, introduce him. 
 ' Turn we now to his golfing capabilities," says 
 that excellent player and equally excellent 
 writer in the Badminton Golf (Longmans). 
 " As to that, there is no doubt he was, when in his 
 prime, a very fine player, though perhaps there 
 has been a tendency in some quarters to with- 
 hold from him that recognition of his merit 
 which is undoubtedly his due, and to make use 
 of such a phrase as ' respectable mediocrity ' 
 when referring to him; and, indeed, as one writer 
 has well remarked, we really are perhaps apt to 
 forget how good a player he was owing to the 
 fact of hih fame in a great measure being over- 
 shadowed by that of his son, Young Tom, with 
 
 whom he ireely admits he never could cope. 
 
 141
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Then, too, the standard of play has reached a 
 height never approached in Tom's younger days: 
 so many men, professionals and amateurs alike, 
 are so very good that his best performances are 
 equalled and excelled every day; this, too, 
 tends to the belittling of his deeds of fame. 
 
 " But," Mr Everard goes on to say, " it is to 
 be borne in mind that four Open Championships 
 have fallen to Tom's share, viz., in 1861, 1862, 
 1864, and 1867, with scores of 163, 163, 160 and 
 170 respectively, over Prestwick, and that he 
 was at least the equal of any man living for a 
 great number of years." 
 
 Then Mr Everard comes to what, amongst 
 the greatest living players, has been his besetting 
 sin, judged from the standard of perfection. 
 " True it is that but for one peculiarity he would 
 have been better still; one weak place there 
 has been in his armour, and not a golfer but will 
 know to what we refer. Those short putts! 
 Put him 12 feet from the hole and not a better 
 holer-out could be named. But with 18 inches 
 or 2 feet as the measure to be negotiated 
 but it were kinder to allow the figure of aposio- 
 pesis to come to the rescue. Candour, however, 
 compels the admission that of late years he has 
 evinced (the first edition of the Badminton Golf 
 was issued in March 1890) an enormous improve- 
 ment in this latter respect. In his own words, 
 ' I never miss thae noo/ but it is improbable
 
 Father and Son 
 
 that he will ever live down his shady reputation 
 regarding them; and if he were to hole 5000 
 consecutively, but miss the five thousand and 
 first, it is a moral certainty that the taunts of the 
 scoffers would be levelled at him as of yore. One 
 day, many years ago, he had a most successful 
 encounter with a putt of some six or seven 
 inches, not with his putter, which he habitually 
 used, but with his iron, and for many a long day 
 afterwards, being convinced that he was now 
 at last happy in the possession of the magic 
 secret, he toiled on valiantly with this weapon 
 with varying, but, on the whole, tolerable 
 success. His one theory is (and few golfers 
 will be prepared to question it) that whatever 
 the club used, ' the ball maun be hit,' but the 
 trouble is, or rather was, with him, that he 
 couldn't hit it. ' Gin the hole was a yaird 
 nearer him, my fawther wad be a guicl putter,' 
 Young Tom used to say of him, with a touch of 
 unfilial satire; and Mr \Yolfe Murray once went 
 so far as to address a letter to ' The Misser of 
 Short Putts, Prestwick,' which the postman 
 took straight to the champion." 
 
 Mr H. G. Hutchinson, in his chapter on 
 " Elementary Instruction " in the same volume, 
 in writing of the manner of the grip for putting, 
 says, " We should say that since putting is a 
 very delicate matter, requiring great niceness 
 of touch, the putter should be held well within 
 
 143
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 the fingers not home in the palm of either hand 
 and we would advise that the thumb be laid 
 down along the handle of the club. This gives 
 a greater delicacy of power of guiding. ' Old 
 Tom ' used at one time to carry this tender 
 fingering of his putter to such a length that he 
 putted with his right forefinger down the handle 
 of the putter. But when it was suggested to 
 him on his missing a short putt, ' If you would 
 have that forefinger amputated, Tom, you 
 might be able to putt,' Tom said he would not 
 go to the length of that, but that he would try 
 the effect of holding it round the club, as most 
 human beings do; and he has been putting in 
 this, the normal fashion, ever since, with mani- 
 fest improvement." 
 
 In regard to Tom's driving, Mr H. G. Hut- 
 chinson, in his paper on ' Elementary In- 
 struction " in the Badminton Golf, says, (< Of all 
 good players, Old Tom Morris is probably he who 
 plays with the most supple club, which he is able 
 to do only by reason of the comparative slowness 
 of his swing." He always liked a club with the 
 right amount of life in it, what he himself has 
 called the proper note of " music," and which 
 Mr Hutchinson well elaborates. " A fine steely 
 spring is what the golfer wants to feel, a spring- 
 that will bring the club back, quick as thought, 
 to the straight. Then it feels, in his hands, 
 like a living tiling, full of energy, ol con- 
 
 T.l.J
 
 Father and Son 
 
 trolled obedient energy to do his service." 
 When the club feels in your hand like that, 
 answers this description, then it is that it, 
 according to Tom, is full of music. One part 
 of the game at which he excels, Mr Everard 
 thinks, is the running shot up to the hole with 
 his iron. Of this I think there can be no doubt. 
 In his prime, then, Tom may be said to have 
 been a driver who, as a rule, could be depended 
 on as a long and straight hitter, a splendid 
 approacher, and, with the exception of those fatal 
 short putts, a most admirable putter. His 
 judgment in play of all descriptions was sound. 
 He always played with the club he fancied at 
 the time, and his "fancy" was seldom at fault. 
 He was deliberate, cautious, and yet not too 
 cautious, and steady. He knew the game 
 thoroughly. His intuitions were seldom at 
 fault, and he followed them. Yet he could 
 always give a reason for what he did ; and when 
 he made mistakes was not slow to admit his 
 judgment or execution had been at fault. He 
 had plenty of nerve, and always a great reserve 
 of strategy. 
 
 And now let us look at some points in regard to 
 Young Tommy's play, and to some of the matches 
 that he engaged in with his father and others. 
 
 Tommy was born at Prestwick in 1^51. It 
 was in 1864, when a boy of thirteen, that he 
 made his debut as a golfer, when he played and 
 
 K 145
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 beat Willie Greig on the North Inch of Perth. 
 Next year, in 1865, he took up his residence with 
 his father, in St Andrews, and began that 
 brilliant career as a professional golfer which, 
 alas! lasted only for ten years, for he died at the 
 pathetically early age of twenty-four. 
 
 It was in 1868 that he won his first cham- 
 pionship " the belt >: at Prestwick, with the 
 fine score of 15420 strokes less than that in 
 which it was won by Willie Park eight years 
 before; nine strokes better than his father's 
 best (163) in 1861 and 1862; 8 strokes better 
 than Andrew Strath's record in 1865 (162); 16 
 strokes better than his father's winning score 
 in the previous year, 1867. 
 
 In 1869 Tommy won it again in 157, but 
 next year, 1870, he eclipsed his previous record 
 by 5 strokes, and won it with a score of 149. 
 He thus became the possessor of the trophy a 
 rich red Morocco belt, ornamented with massive 
 silver plates, bearing appropriate devices a 
 fine piece of workmanship, which cost, we believe, 
 some thirty guineas. Of course, it is still in his 
 father's posse>Mon. And the grand old man is 
 always proud and pleased to show it to any one. 
 
 After an interval of a year a challenge cup was 
 substituted, to be played for annually in turn on 
 the three greens, Prestwick. St Andrews, and 
 Musselburgh. 1111872 he won the championship 
 
 for the fourth time in succession, this time with a 
 
 146
 
 Father and Son 
 
 score of 166, which was the same total with which 
 Willie Park won on the next occasion on which it 
 was played for over Prestwick 1875. His record 
 ;< belt " scores, 149, 154, 157, were never beaten, 
 though Jamie Anderson won the cup at Prest- 
 wick in 1878, with the score of 157, young Tommy 
 being second. On the same links in 1881 Bob 
 Fergusson was champion with 170; in 1884 Jack 
 Simpson won it with 160. In 1887 \V. Park, 
 junr., stood first with 161, and in 1890 John Ball, 
 junr., with 164. 
 
 After 1891 the competition was extended to 
 7_' holes. 
 
 In 1869 Tommy achieved a record on the 
 links at St Andrews. \Yhile playing for pro- 
 fessional prizes he tied twice with Bob Fergusson 
 of Musselburgh. They went out a third time, 
 and he was round in 77. Here are the details :- 
 Out, 4445644 3 337 
 I", 334 6 5455 540 
 
 It was about that time that I used to see him 
 
 play most frequently; and I shall never forget 
 
 --and no one can his dash and style. His 
 
 grand swipes, the Glengarry bonnet falling oil his 
 
 head every time he took a full drive, his accurate 
 
 approaches and his phenomenal putting can never 
 
 be forgotten, and how, when necessary, he could 
 
 ' press," and with success! 
 
 Let us look at what some of the cognoscenti 
 say of various parts of his game. 
 
 Mr H. G. Hutchinson, in his chapter on 
 
 147
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Elementary Instruction, in the Badminton Golf, 
 incidentally alludes to him. He says: " All 
 through the upward swing of the club, the eyes 
 are never, for the fraction of a second, to be 
 seduced by the temptation of looking to see 
 where it is going. It is a temptation, most of all 
 a temptation, so poor Young Tommy Morris used 
 to tell us, with the attractive glitter of the well- 
 polished iron." 
 
 Again, writing of the proper and improper 
 " waggle," he says, " Now this ideal ' waggle ' 
 is so smooth and quiet a performance as almost 
 to belie the name which it has, in common 
 parlance, earned, from its exaggeration. Even 
 such a brilliant player as Young Tommy Morris 
 used to ' waggle ' his driver with such power 
 and vehemence in his vigorous young wrists 
 as often to snap off the shaft ol the club close 
 under his hand before he even began the swing 
 proper at all. But genius is superior to rules 
 of grammar." Again, in regard to the great 
 No i rule of golf: ' Do not take your eye off 
 the ball " ; "It was the opinion oi the late Young 
 Tom Morris than whose no opinion is entitled 
 to greater respect that the reason amateurs so 
 often failed in their iron approaches was that 
 they allowed their eye to wander back after the 
 glitter of the iron lace; and certain it is that 
 taking the eye off the ball is a very frequent 
 
 and fatal cause of failure in playing approaches." 
 
 148
 
 Father and Son 
 
 And here is the same writer's description oi 
 Tommy as a putter: " The favourite position tor 
 putting is very similar to the favourite position 
 for iron play, i.e., off the right leg. This, we be- 
 lieve to be, almost without exception, the posi- 
 tion adopted by professionals. One of the very 
 finest of professional putters was the late 
 lamented Young Tom Morris. His attitude 
 was typical of the later professional putters. 
 His right leg forward the ball nearly opposite 
 his right foot. The putter held with perhaps 
 about equal grip with both hands if anything 
 rather firmer with the right. If he were drawing 
 the ball to the left of the hole at all he would 
 probably have told us that it was because he 
 was gripping too tight with the right hand. If 
 he were pushing it away to the right of the hole 
 he would have said that he was rather too firm 
 with his left hand. And most likely he would 
 have been right. Let us have a glance at J. O. 
 F. Morris, brother of the above, and a very fine 
 putter. His style of putting is a modification 
 of that of even his more famous brother. In 
 one point, though, we see that the latter is not 
 typical of the run of good players. He seems to 
 hit his ball much upon the toe of the putter. 
 Doubtless he does better execution than if he 
 were to bother himself about striking the ball 
 truly in the centre of the club; but for the 
 learner the centre is the place in which to strike
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 it." Further on Mr Hutchinson adds: ' Most 
 of the professionals, playing off the right leg, 
 give a curious little knuckle inward of the right 
 knee, just before they draw the club away from 
 the ball. This is probably of no essential as- 
 sistance to the stroke, but is more likely only an 
 evidence of the imitative tendency of the golfer 
 
 a survival, we should lancy, of the dashing 
 style of poor ' Young Tommy/ though it may 
 date further back." 
 
 Before leaving Tommy as a putter, let 
 me quote what Major Chalmers of Blairgowrie 
 has to say in regard to him in that capacity: 
 
 ' The best golfers will admit that while they 
 have days when their putting is quite at its best, 
 they have also days when it is very bad indeed. 
 To this failing Young Tom was a notable ex- 
 ception. Whatever the rest of his game may 
 have been on an odd occasion, his putting never 
 varied from its wonderful accuracy. Most 
 players have occasionally to own that they 
 were short with a putt because of sclaffing the 
 ground behind the ball. Tommy never from 
 this cause failed in a putt, because in putting 
 he always half-topped his ball, which caused 
 it to run like a high-hit billiard ball. The ball 
 thus rolled over slight obstacles instead of jump- 
 ing, as sometimes happens. In addressing his 
 putt there was no crouching with right forearm 
 
 on knee. He stood well up, legs nearly straight, 
 
 150
 
 Father and Son 
 
 right foot pointing straight to the ball, and so 
 near it that the spectator almost expected to 
 see him hit the toe of his shoe, but this never 
 occurred. If the green was good he always 
 used the wooden putter; if rough, he putted 
 with the common cleek. Many have tried to 
 imitate Tommy's method of putting; we have 
 never heard of one who succeeded. 
 
 ' Those were the days of small putting-greens. 
 The lawn-mower had not come into use. This 
 implement has revolutionised golf and made 
 the game of games practicable all the world 
 over." So says Major Chalmers, and he is 
 rii/ht .
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 OLD AND YOUNG TOM I\ MATCH PLAY 
 
 \YE have seen how Young Tommy when merely 
 a boy made his public debut as a golfer at 
 Perth, and how, as a lad of only sixteen years of 
 age, he first came to the front in the professional 
 ranks at Carnoustie in 1867, where he played 
 against and defeated all comers. Soon after 
 this he beat \Yillie Park, and began a triumphant 
 progress, which culminated in his winning the 
 Champion Belt three times in succession at 
 Prestwick. In his short but all-victorious 
 career he made what the Rev. Robert Forgan, 
 in the latest edition of his The Golfer's 
 Manual (a most admirable book in every way) 
 calls " the most brilliant display of golfing ever 
 known, and ultimately constituted him, not only 
 by the result, but by the performance, ' The 
 Champion.' ' 
 
 During these years of phenomenal success he 
 lived with his father at St Andrews, and many a 
 great match they played in partnership or as 
 opponents. Often, too, they would be out on 
 the links at the same time, playing in different 
 matches with some of the members of the Roval
 
 In Match Plav 
 
 and Ancient Club and their visitors, who were 
 proud to enjoy alike their play, their talk, and 
 their friendship. And at night father and son 
 would talk over their matches. Their comrade- 
 ship was delightful and charming. The father 
 was proud of his son, and the son was full of 
 affection and reverence for the father, though he 
 could chaff him when he missed one of the short 
 putts which would have been easy of negotiation 
 to the lad. To chronicle their various matches 
 would be an endless task, so I shall content 
 myself with giving a selection of the matches 
 they played at St Andrews in the summer of 
 1872, many of which I myself witnessed, or if T 
 was not an actual spectator I was playing on the 
 links from time to time during the summer. 
 
 On 4th July of that year Mr J. L. Small and 
 Old Tom played Mr Alexander Bethune, of Blebo. 
 Mr Small and Old Tom were successful in both 
 rounds, in the first by j, and in the second by 
 5 holes; they also won both the short matches. 
 On the same day Mr F. B. Elliot and Young Tom 
 "vanquished" Captain now Sir Alex. Kinloch 
 and Jamie Anderson in a round by 5 holes; the 
 short match was halved. 
 
 On Monday, the 8th, Mr J. \Yhyte Melville 
 and Young Tom beat Capt. Kinloch in 2 rounds, 
 in the first by 6 and in the second by i hole. 
 The short match in the first round tell to the 
 " same parties." 
 
 '53
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 On the Qth Captain Oswald, of Dunnikeir, and 
 Tom Kidd had a round with Colonel Babington 
 and Old Tom, which the former won by i hole. 
 
 On the loth an excellent foursome was played 
 between Sir Robert Hay, Bart., and Mr Gilbert 
 Mitchell Innes against Mr F. B. Elliot and Young 
 Tom. Two rounds were played and were well 
 contested; the first round ended even, but Mr 
 Elliot and Tommy gained the match in the second 
 round but only by I hole. 
 
 On the nth Mr Elliot and Old Tom beat Mr 
 Charles Tennant, of the Glen, by 2 holes in a 
 match of i round. 
 
 On the i3th a fine foursome was played by Mr 
 John Blackwood and Old Tom with Mr Gilbert 
 Mitchell Innes and Capt. Kinloch. The former 
 couple lost the first round by 2, gained the second 
 by one, and lost the third (a short match of 8 
 holes) by i hole. 
 
 On the 1 5th Mr F. B. Elliot and Tommy won 
 2 rounds from Mr Campbell, of Ormsary, and 
 Davie Strath, the latter couple getting 3 strokes. 
 
 Next day Capt. Jackson lost 2 rounds to Old 
 Tom. 
 
 On the i7th Capt. Jackson and Tommy played 
 a foursome with Mr Mitchell Innes and Davie 
 Strath. In the first round the latter were 3 up 
 and in the second 5 up, making them victors by 
 8 holes. 
 
 On the 1 8th Capt. Kinloch and Old Tom 
 
 154

 
 In Match Play 
 
 gained 2 matches from Mr Blackwood and Tom 
 Kidd. f apt. Jackson beat Mr Elliot and Tommy 
 by 3 holes, and also beat with odds Tommy by 
 2 holes. 
 
 On the 20th a fine match was played by Capt. 
 Kinloch and Davie Strath against Mr Gilbert 
 Innes and Old Tom. Three rounds were played. 
 The first went to the former couple by 5 and 4 
 to play, their opponents winning the bye. Mr 
 Innes and Tom won the second round by 3, but 
 lost the third by the same number. Capt. 
 Kinloch and Davie were therefore victors on the 
 day's play. On the 22nd Mr Charles Tennant, 
 of the Glen, lost 2 rounds to Old Tom. On the 
 23rd Mr D. B. \Yauchope and Jamie Anderson 
 played Mr John Blackwood and Old Tom, 
 winning the first round by 2 holes, the second by 
 6, and a short match of 8 holes. 
 
 On the 24th an interesting match was played, 
 of which I give The Field's report. It is interest- 
 ing on account of the players and as showing the 
 style of reporting over thirty years ago, as well 
 as the attention which was then being given to 
 big matches. It is headed: - 
 
 C.KKAT PROFESSIONAL MATCH. 
 
 A >pk-ndid professional foursome, \vhich excited much 
 interest, was played on Wednesday over the St Andrews 
 links between tne Morrises, senior and junior, v. Davit- 
 Strath and Tom Kidd, the latter a young professional ol 
 
 155
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 much promise. The betting on the match was consider- 
 able, the result being very doubtful. Last week 5 to 4 
 were offered in favour of the Morrises, but before the game 
 commenced the betting was even. The day was dull and 
 cloudy, but on the whole the weather was favourable for the 
 game, as the players were not oppressed by the sultry heat 
 which has prevailed for some time. The condition of the 
 turf was excellent, but in some places the green was rather 
 heavy with rank grass. Old Tom led ofi at half-past eleven 
 with a line tee shot, in presence of a large company of spec- 
 tators, who afterwards accompanied the competitors round 
 the course. In going out the first hole was halved, the 
 second fell to the Toms; Strath and Kidd ran away with 
 the next three holes, thus making them two up. In playing 
 the sixth hole, Old Tom played a splendid shot, and laid his 
 ball on the table within a foot of the hole, which they thus 
 won. They also gained the seventh hole, and the eighth 
 and ninth were halved. At the turn all was thus square. 
 Coming in, Strath and Kidd won the first hole, the second 
 was halved; the Morrises won the third and fourth, making 
 all square. In playing the fifth hole Tom landed his ball 
 hard up in the bunker which fronts the hole, and Tommy 
 and his father failing to put it out with two strokes, 
 they gave the hole up, and it was agreed to count seven 
 as their score. The sixth hole fell to the Morrises. In 
 playing the seventh hole Kidd's ball went off the course, 
 and lay in a hollow, but Strath, with a splendid cleek shot, 
 laid it on the putting-green, and the hole was halved. 
 The eighth and ninth fell to Strath and Kidd, who were 
 thus one up on the first round. The following were the 
 scores: - 
 
 MORRISES. 
 
 Out, 5 r ' 5 C) 7 ?> 4 3 544 
 In. 5 5447547 544 
 
 Total, 
 156
 
 In Match Play 
 
 STKAIH ASP Kinn. 
 Out, 5 7 4 5 6 4 5 3 544 
 In. 435 f -> 5 b 4 5 4~ 42 
 
 Total, . . No 
 
 In playing the second round Old Tom and Strath played 
 oft. At the burn hole Kidd holed a Ion;; put, and tin- hole 
 tell to him and his partner. He \vas fortunate in the 
 second also, for he played a dead ^fiaiv, and Young Tom 
 in putting holed Kidd's ball. The third hole tell to the 
 Morrisr-, Young Tom holing a beautiful put. Strath and 
 Kidd gained the fourth ; the fifth was halved. In playing 
 the sixth hole Kidd drove into a bunker; but as their 
 opponents were also unfortunate, the hole was halved, each 
 taking six stroke--. The Morrises won the seventh, their 
 opponents the eighth, and the Morrises the ninth. Strath 
 and Kidd were thus one up on the second round two on 
 the whole match. Coming home, the tirst hole was halved; 
 Strath and Kidd won the second. In playing the third hole 
 both balls lay badly, but both were played out well, and the 
 hole was ultimately won by the Morrises. Strath and Kidd 
 won the fourth, the Morrises gained the fifth and sixth, 
 reducing Strath and his partner's lead to one up, or square 
 on the second round. The seventh hole was gained bv 
 Strath and Kidd. who were now Jnnn\ : two up and two t<> 
 play. The next hole the Morrises were bunkered and lost 
 the hole, deciding the match in favour ol Strath and Kidd 
 bv thrt" j up and one to play. Thev also won the last hole, 
 making them lour up on the two rounds. The --cores 
 were: 
 
 44 
 -17 
 
 Total
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 ANI> KIDI\ 
 Out, 45545653 542 
 In. 43647645 5-44 
 
 Total. . . Sb 
 
 The players on both sides \vcre in excellent fettle, and 
 drove splendidly; but Kidd far exceeded his opponent- 
 in driving, his lung swipes being much admired. Th- 1 
 Morrises were rather uniortunate in their putting; but 
 on the whole the play on both sides was capital, considering 
 the grassy condition of the green. 
 
 In the early part of August of this year (1872) 
 some interesting matches were played. Mi- 
 Gilbert Innes and .Major Bethune played Mr 
 John Blackwood and Old Tom 2 rounds. The 
 first round ended square, but the latter couple 
 won the match in the second round by 3 and 2 
 to play. Mr Elliot and Mr K. Chambers of 
 Edinburgh beat Mr Herman Ree and Tommy in 
 2 rounds by 2 and i to play in the iirst, and 3 
 and 2 to play in the second. Mr Gilbert Mitchell 
 Innes and Major Bethune again played Mr John 
 Blackwood and Tom Morris. The game con- 
 sisted of 3 rounds. In the iirst round Mr 
 Blackwood and Tom Morris were 3 up and 2 to 
 play, and by the same number won in the after- 
 noon. The third round, however, fell to Mr 
 Innes and Major Bethune by i hole. The match 
 was again played the following week, and again 
 Mr Blackwood and Tom had the best of it. A 
 capital foursome, Mr Dempster of Dunnichen and
 
 In Match Plav 
 
 Old Tom v. Mr F. R. Elliot and Davit* Strath. 
 In the first round the latter won by 4 and 3 to 
 play and also gained the bye. Mr Dempster and 
 Tom, however, gained the second by 2 and i to 
 play and halved the bye. 
 
 Professor Tait and Mr Inglis beat the Right 
 Hon. John Inglis (Lord Justice General) and 
 J. O. F. Morris by 2 and i to play, but lost by 
 the same number in the afternoon. Mr Gilbert 
 I lines and Tom again tackled Jamie Anderson 
 and Tom Kidd, betting 3 to 2 in favour of the 
 professionals, who were 4 up in the first round. 
 They also won in the afternoon by 4 and 2 to 
 play. Davie Strath beat Old Tom in a single 
 by / and 5 to play; and the short match by i. 
 Strath, Si; Tom, 91. On the i6th Tom and Mi- 
 Gilbert limes played Capt. Kinloch and Davie 
 Strath. The weather was wet and stormy. The 
 betting was in favour of the former couple. Two 
 matches were played, the first consisting of 2 
 rounds and the second of i. The first round 
 ended in favour of Tom and Mr limes, and the 
 second in favour of their opponents by i. Mr 
 I nnes and Tom were thus winners of the match. 
 The scores were :--- 
 
 Fir.>t Round < Mr. I n I'oi.il 
 
 (a|>tain Kinloch and l)avir .jh ^o t)(i 
 
 Mr Innrs ami i om 44 47 -qi 
 
 Second Round ( )u I 1 n Total 
 
 ( attain Kinloch and Davu- 40 48 174 
 
 Mr Inncs and Tom 45 51 90
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 The play was capital and the scores good, 
 considering the stormy nature of the day. In 
 the afternoon the second match (i round) was 
 played, when Mr Innes and Tom again won by 3 
 and 2 to play, and also won the bye. 
 
 The same day Sir Robert Anstruther, Hart., 
 M.P., and Young Tom played a fine foursome of 
 3 rounds with Mr Whigham and Mr Robert 
 Clarke, and won all the 3 rounds. 
 
 Tom and Mr F. B. Elliot beat Sir Robert 
 Anstruther and Mr Robert Clark on the 23rd, 
 and subsequently several more rounds were 
 played between Capt. Kinloch and Davie Strath 
 against Mr Mitchell Innes and Old Tom. As the 
 latter weie considered more than a match for the 
 Captain and Davie, it was arranged that Strath 
 should play all the tee shots. Tom and his 
 partner won the first round by 2 (92 and 95), but 
 lost the second (89 and 87) and the match by i. 
 In the second match and third round Mr Innes 
 and Tom won by 3 at the burn. Capt. Kinloch 
 and Davie won the return match. 
 
 Mr Gilbert Innes and Davie Strath played 
 Tommy and Jamie Anderson and lost the match 
 by i hole 89 and 90, 03 and 91. 
 
 On 29th August Mr John Blackwood and 
 Young Tommy beat Capt. Kinloch and Mr 
 Mitchell Innes by 4 holes in 2 rounds. Mr George 
 Glennie and Jamie Anderson were worsted in a 
 match of 2 rounds by Mr Hugh Alexander and 
 
 IOO
 
 In Match Play 
 
 Old Tom by 4 and by i. Mr Blackwood and 
 Tommy beat Mr F. B. Elliot and Davit 1 Strath by 
 3 and 2 to play, I round. Mr F. B. Elliot and 
 Jamie Anderson won a first round by i from Mr 
 Blackwood and Young Tommy, but lost a 
 second by 4 and 2 to play. ('apt. Kiuloch and 
 Old Tom lost 2 rounds by i to Major Bethune 
 and Jamie Anderson. 
 
 Early in September ot this year Tom and 
 Jamie Anderson played a mateh of 36 holes over 
 the St Andrews links. Though rain fell heavily 
 during the day it was followed by a large eon- 
 course of spectators. In the first round Tom 
 took the first 3 holes and won also the fifth and 
 eighth. Jamie got the fourth and the rest were 
 halved, and so were the first, second and last holes 
 coming in. Tom won the third and fifth, and the 
 fourth and last three fell to Jamie, leaving him, 
 however, 2 down on the first round. Old Tom's 
 score was 42 and 48 90; Jamie's, 46 and 46 
 92. 
 
 In the afternoon Tom took every hole going 
 out with the exception of the first, second and 
 sixth, which were halved. At the turn he was, 
 therefore, 8 up and 9 to play. The next 2 holes 
 were halved, so Tom won at the Eden with 8 up 
 and 7 to play. Jamie won the- short match by a 
 hole. The scores were: Tom, 42 and 45 87; 
 Jamie, 49 and 4493. 
 
 Mr John Blackwood and Young Tommy
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 played Mr F. B. Elliot and Davie Strath. The 
 latter couple won both rounds by i hole each. 
 
 In this year father and son were at Hoylake 
 and played a match of 36 holes against Tom 
 Dunn and Bob Kirk, representing England v. 
 Scotland, though, of course, all four players were 
 Scots. But Tom Dunn and Bob Kirk were at 
 that time professionals on English greens. Old 
 Tom and Tommy were 6 up in the first round, 
 but gained nothing in the second and won by 6 
 and 5 to play. ' The weather," Tom Dunn tells 
 us, " was horrible, the ground being completely 
 charged with several days' rain." 
 
 162
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 TOMMY WINS OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP FOR FOURTH 
 TIME AND PLAYS DAVID STRATH 
 
 ON the I3th September of 1872 the Open 
 Championship was reinstituted and reconstituted. 
 This is how it is described in The Field of 2ist 
 September a description which, in view of the 
 great event it has now become, will, we think, 
 be very interesting to all our readers. The Field 
 report says : 
 
 PRESTWICK GOLF CLUB. 
 
 The competition tor the challenge trophy came off last 
 Friday, lor the first time, over the Prestwick links. A 
 competition has not been held since iS/o when the " belt," 
 presented by the late Earl of Eglinton, fell into the hands of 
 the younger Morris, who that year scored his third successive 
 victory. The competition tor the Championship in former 
 years was fruitful of considerable interest, and tended to 
 keep the "royal game " before the public. It was, there- 
 fore, deemed advisable that these annual professional 
 contests should not cease, and several lovers ot the ancient 
 game resolved to revive the champion competition. An 
 appeal was consequently made, and sufficient funds raised 
 among the members of the Prestwick Golf Club, the Royal 
 and Ancient Golf Club ot St Andrews, and the Mu--M-lburgh 
 Club, to procure a "cup" for annual competition; the 
 competition to be open to all comers, and to be played for 
 annually over one ot the following links, viz., Pivstwk'k, 
 
 163
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 St Andrews and Musselburgh alternately. Unlike the 
 " belt," this trophy can never become the absolute property 
 of any winner, but along with the custody of it for a year 
 he gets a medal to be specially retained, and also a money 
 prize. It will thus be observed that the champion com- 
 petition is now thoroughly established, which will tend to 
 increase the popularity of this elegant and healthy pastime. 
 
 The competition this year came off during the autumn 
 meeting of the Prestwick Golf Club, and both together 
 drew a large gathering. The weather on Friday during 
 the competition was fine, barring a strong westerly breeze, 
 which blew in gusts across the course. The puffed (sic) 
 nature of the putting-green, caused by the late track of 
 wet weather, also tended to make the play below the 
 average of former belt competitions. 
 
 The match commenced about ten o'clock, and consisted 
 of three rounds of 12 holes each, St Andrews rules being 
 observed; and Sir Robert Hay, Bart., acted as umpire. 
 Eight competitors entered, and moved off as follows: 
 i, Young Tom Morris, St Andrews, and Mr William 
 Hunter, Prestwick; 2, Old Tom Morris, St Andrews, and 
 Davie Park, Musselburgh; 3, Charlie Hunter, Prestwick, 
 and Mr William Doleman. Prestwick; 4, Davie Strath, St 
 Andrews, and Hugh Brown, Prestwick. 
 
 Young Tom, the champion, was the favourite until the 
 commencement of the third round, when Strath started with 
 five strokes of an advantage. Tom, in the first round, 
 played a very steady game, but was unfortunate in several 
 of his short " putts," caused by the wetness of the turf. 
 In the second round he also played well. In making to the 
 "stone-dyke hole," he crossed the "cardinal" with his 
 third stroke, and his ball lay about 3 in. from the wall. 
 The ball could not thus be played with his putter, but, 
 taking the iron, he played it against the wall so as to make 
 a rebound; but, instead, the ball ran up and fell over into 
 the next field. Tom could not see the hole, as the dyke 
 
 164
 
 Fourth Time Open Champion 
 
 intervened, but a well-directed stroke with his niblick laid 
 it close to the hole. Da vie Strath also played a tine game 
 in the first round, but was unfortunate in several of his 
 long " putts." He was likewise very fortunate in the 
 second round, and holed that round in 52 strokes, which 
 was the lowest score in which the links were taken during 
 the da}". The betting consequently wont in his favour, 
 5 to 4 being offered. In the third round a succession of 
 ill-luck attended him. In playing the second hole he made 
 an unfortunate iron shot, which cost him three strokes, and 
 in the last hole he lost a stroke in the water. He finally 
 wound up IIH third round with a score of hi strokes, being 
 eight behind Young Tom in the third round, and three on the 
 day's piny. His putting, although not always successful, 
 has not hitherto been surpassed on these links. The play 
 of Tom Morris, sen., and Davie Park was also much admired. 
 The game at the close stood as follows: 
 
 ist rod. jnd rnd. 3rd rnd. Total 
 
 Tom Morris, jim. 57 50 53 ibh 
 
 Davic Strath 50 52 hi 169 
 
 Mr \Y. Doleman 03 bo 54 177 
 
 Tom Morris, sen. 02 ho 57 179 
 
 Davie Park or 57 hi 179 
 
 Charlie Hunter ho ho ho, 189 
 
 Hugh Krown (K 73 hi 190 
 
 Mr \Yilliam Hunter h- ; (13 74 202 
 
 Young Tuin Morris was thus returned as champion tor 
 the present year, having carried off the trophy, along with 
 which was a medal to be permanently retained, and /S 
 in money. It is of importance, as bearing on the present, 
 match, to observe that, in winning the champion belt, 
 young Tom did the three rounds in I 8hS in 154 strokes; in 
 iSho, 157 stroke--, ; and in 1870, in 141) stroke-;. The next 
 live competitors in order received money prizes to the value 
 ot 5, "4, j, 2, and 1 respectively.
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Taking advantage of the presence ot so many profes- 
 sionals, the members of the Prestwick Golf Club, during their 
 recent meeting, enjoyed many fine and interesting matches. 
 
 A capital foursome was played by Mr H. Hart and Tom 
 Morris, jun., against Mr \Y. Hunter and Da vie Strath. 
 The former were receiving a third in the first round, which 
 fell to them by 2 holes. In the second round, playing even, 
 they also won bv 2 up and i to play. The holes in this 
 match were well holed. A foursome of some interest was 
 played by Mr G. E. Ewing and Tom Morris, sen., against 
 Mr Gordon Smith and Mr Alexander Morris. The latter won. 
 
 A professional foursome came off between the elder and 
 younger Morris ro'siis Davie Strath, St Andrews, and 
 Davie Park, Musselburgh. The match was two rounds, 
 24 holes; the first round ended all square; in the second 
 round Davie Strath and Davie Park were defeated by I hole 
 in the two rounds. 
 
 In the spring of 1873 Tommy was pitted 
 against Davie Strath, one of a well-known St 
 Andrews golfing family. Strath beat him by 
 2 holes at " the Burn," but there was only one 
 stroke of difference in the 36 holes. In the return 
 match Tommy turned the tables on Davie, and 
 beat him bv the same number of holes. Thus 
 
 */ 
 
 they stood match for match. This result drew 
 an even closer attention to the relative merits of 
 the young golfers, and a great match of 108 
 holes (three days' golf) was arranged. Strath 
 won by the narrow margin of 3 holes. Here are 
 the details: 
 
 D. STRATH. TOM MORRIS, Jr. 
 ist Round out 43 out 46 
 
 in 43 86 in 4288 
 
 1 66
 
 Fourth Time Open Champion 
 
 2nd Round 
 
 out 41 
 
 
 out 40 
 
 
 in 42 
 
 -83 
 
 in 43 - 
 
 S3 
 
 out 43 
 
 
 out 44 
 
 
 in 46 
 
 89 
 
 in 45- 
 
 89 
 
 out 42 
 
 
 ou t 44 
 
 
 in 3<) 
 
 81 
 
 in 44 
 
 i s S 
 
 out 45 
 
 
 out 42 
 
 
 in 44 
 
 -89 
 
 in 42 
 
 ^4 
 
 out 44 
 
 
 out 41 
 
 
 iu 40 
 
 -84 
 
 in 47 
 
 88 
 
 Js . 
 
 512 
 
 520 
 
 omul 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 SO A 
 
 3rd 
 4 th 
 5th 
 
 Oth 
 
 1 otal oi .six Round 
 Average oi eac 
 
 The closeness of this match naturally gave rise 
 to a repetition of it. The " return " was played 
 on the 2/th, 28th and 2Qth of August. It drew 
 together large and interested crowds from all 
 quarters. At the end of the first half of the match 
 Strath was 5 up, and it seemed as if he was going 
 to score another victory. But with character- 
 istic and indomitable determination, Tommy 
 concentrated his energies for a desperate light, 
 and by wonderful play eventually secured the 
 match by 6 holes. The following are the par- 
 ticulars oi the strokes: 
 
 out 41 
 
 in 47 
 out 39 
 in 45 
 
 !'>-
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 4th Round 
 5th " 
 6th 
 
 out 43 
 
 out 41 
 
 in 43-86 
 
 in 41 82 
 
 out 45 
 
 out 40 
 
 in 4287 
 
 in 4383 
 
 out 43 
 
 out 41 
 
 in 47 qo 
 
 in 4485 
 
 5*5 
 
 507 
 
 nd . 85,; 
 
 84^ 
 
 Total o! six Rounds . 
 Average of each Round 
 
 On the 12 rounds Tommy was thus 3 holes 
 ahead, but so close was the play that the number 
 of strokes was exactly equal. 
 
 \Yith regard to these matches between Tommy 
 and Strath, Mr Lvcrard, writing of the former in 
 Golf in the Badminton Library (Longmans) says, 
 " The only professional who really ran him close 
 was his friend, Davie Strath, with whom he 
 played some wonderfully good and close matches, 
 but in the long run, and especially in competitions 
 of importance. Tommy appeared to have the 
 inside turn. This was due, probably, to his 
 extraordinary skill as a putter and holer-out ; any 
 sort of putt appeared to be- dead to him, and of 
 the short ones he missed iewer than any player 
 the writer has ever seen." 
 
 \Yriting of David Strath, Mr Kverard says: 
 " This grand player, though never fortunate 
 enough to win the blue riband, was nevertheless 
 about as line a player as St Andrews has ever 
 produced. He lives chiefly in the recollection of 
 golfers as the determined opponent of Young 
 
 1 68
 
 Fourth Time Open Champion 
 
 Tom, and there are not wanting many who 
 declare (and the writer is not indisposed to share 
 this opinion) that for brilliant and steady play 
 combined with absence of mistakes, the golf that 
 these two exhibited day after day has never been 
 surpassed. 
 
 " On one occasion they played twelve con- 
 secutive rounds, and, if the writer's recollection 
 serves him, not one round by either player 
 amounted to 88, and the great majority of them 
 ruled about So, or very little over. His style 
 was the very poetry of swing, the most perfectly 
 graceful and easy that can be imagined. If there 
 was any one point in which he could not quite 
 come up to Tommy, it was at the short game; 
 though Davie was a truly excellent putter, yet 
 his rival was on occasions phenomenal. It is to 
 be regretted that consumption deprived the golf- 
 ing world of this brilliant player ere he had 
 reached thirty years." 
 
 And here at the zenith of Tommy's fame it 
 will be opportune to introduce the opinion of a 
 great golfing authority in regard to his play and 
 form in respect to the great players of to-day. 
 
 169
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 TOMMY'S PLACE ix THE GOLFING WORLD HE 
 
 AND OLD TOM PLAY STRATH AND ANDERSON 
 
 \YHEN at Muirfield in 1896, watching, as he puts 
 it, " the tide of glorious battle," my friend the 
 Rev. William Proudfoot, one of the parish 
 ministers of Haddington himself a great golfer, 
 admirable writer, and very fine preacher, son of 
 the able schoolmaster of Leuchars in my youth 
 had the good fortune to " foregather with that 
 grand old golfer, Mr \Yilliam Doleman, of 
 Glasgow." In regard to Mr Doleman, he very 
 justly says: r< As all who know him will frankly 
 admit, his golfing lore is comprehensive and 
 accurate, and his critical estimate of golfers is 
 never lightly spoken, never merely fanciful, but 
 always thoughtful and based on something like 
 solid argument." Mr Doleman and Mr Proud- 
 foot were talking of Herd's marvellous 72, and 
 they reverted back to talk of " the immortal days 
 of Tommy." The mention of the name suddenly 
 lit up the face of the old golfer a sure signal that 
 some reminiscence, humorous or serious, was 
 forthcoming. ' I tell you, sir, there isn't a man, 
 English or Scotch, in all this field that impresses
 
 Tommy's Place in Golfing World 
 
 me with the same sense of power, or golfing 
 genius call it what you like as Tommy did, 
 the instant he addressed the ball." He had just 
 been speaking with warm admiration of Braid, 
 Vardon, Taylor and Herd, and Mr Tait, but his 
 heart had to return to the old love, to the kindling 
 memory of a prowess that has never been quite 
 restored to the green by even the most brilliant of 
 present-day heroes. Mr Proudfoot could not but 
 concur in the remarks. It was just his own 
 feeling. He told Mr Doleman so, adding that he 
 seldom cared to express it in the presence of a 
 younger generation, who were never slow to 
 ascribe it to rank prejudice. " Prejudice is 
 theirs," replied Mr Doleman, " and proof, I 
 humbly think, is thine." " But they tell us he 
 had nobody to play against." " That's non- 
 sense, for he had Davie Strath, Bob Fergusson, 
 Jamie Anderson and other notable golfers; but 
 supposing he hadn't, he had always the ideal, the 
 ' par ' score of the green to play against. Pin 
 them to that, and let them wriggle as best they 
 can, for it is there we get at Tommy's position in 
 the golfing world of to-day." Then came the 
 following train of reasoning. " He asked me," 
 Mr Proudfoot tells us, " what I thought the ' par ' 
 play on Mini-field." Mr Proudfoot went over the 
 holes thus: 
 
 Out, J4445444 4-36 
 
 In - 45443454 5 3S 74 
 171
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 The calculation was allowed to pass. Indeed, it 
 was the same as Mr Doleman's own calculation, 
 and that of some professionals with whom he had 
 discussed the question. Perfect play, then, for 
 the 2 rounds, or the 36 holes, may be set down at 
 148. In favourable weather conditions, the best 
 score for the two rounds in succession at the 
 Championship meeting was 155, or 7 strokes 
 worse than the ideal. He then, according to the 
 very same standard of reckoning, submitted the 
 " par " play at Prestwick in 1870, when Young 
 Tom won the Champion Belt for the third time in 
 succession. First hole, 5; Alps, 5; Tunnel, 3; 
 Stone Dyke, 5; Sea He'therick, 5; Tunnel, 4; 
 Green Hollow, 3; Station, 3; Burn, 5; Sauch 
 House, 4; Short Hole, 3; Home Hole, 4; total, 
 49. Three rounds were played, to make up the 
 36 holes. The " par " score accordingly stood 
 at 147. And what was Tommy's card on that ever- 
 memorable day? It was 149, or only two strokes 
 in excess of absolutely faultless play. That 
 aggregate, unequalled in the history of the 
 Championship, was made up thus: 47, 51, 51. 
 " Now, sir," said the very shrewd and analytical 
 old golfer to Mr Proudfoot, "if in the face of 
 facts like these, which no man can deny, anyone 
 will venture to accuse us of prejudice, or tell us 
 we are the antiquated slaves of foolish sentiment, 
 or that we haven't seen as great things in our 
 
 young day as any the present can show, I know 
 
 172
 
 Tommy's Place in Golfing World 
 
 with whom lies the prejudice, and I leave all 
 such to love their own darkness. Some of these 
 moderns are grand golfers, no doubt, but the 
 more I think out these things, the more am I 
 convinced of Tommy's surpassing greatness, 
 and the better am I able to vindicate his superi- 
 ority against all comers." 
 
 To this Mr Proudfoot adds: " My old friend's 
 argument seemed good, sound sense. There are 
 other considerations, too, in the shape, not of 
 sentiment, but of evidence, which go to strengthen 
 his contention. Herd's 72 at Muirlield (par play 
 being 74) is matched by Tommy's 47 at Prestwick 
 (par play being 49) ; and while Herd fell griev- 
 ously away in the subsequent round, Tommy 
 held steadily on to a very high level of excellence. 
 Herd's 77 in the Open Championship at St 
 Andrews in 1895. the finest achievement of the 
 meeting, was equalled by Tommy twenty-six 
 years ago in a professional tournament, and 
 those deeds of a quarter of a century back were 
 performed when less attention was given to green- 
 keeping, with old-fashioned clubs, with neither 
 bulger nor mashie, nor putter of the twisted neck, 
 which, according to their fancies, go to saving 
 of strokes, and with hand-hammered balls that 
 did not rejoice in the name of ' Agrippa ' or 
 ' Silvertown.' " 
 
 In regard to Tommy's record score of St 
 Andrews links, it is somewhat amusing to read
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 the figure at which it was put in a paragraph in 
 Boys for May 1894, page 490: " Spofforth, on 
 his best day, or in his best season, was incom- 
 parably the finest bowler that ever donned cricket 
 shoe. What cricketer will ever forget that first 
 famous appearance at Lord's? No event in the 
 record of ball games in our memory, at all 
 events ever created such a furore. The nearest 
 approach to it that I can think of is, when in 
 golfing circles it was passed from mouth to mouth, 
 in awestruck whispers, that Tommy Morris had 
 done the medal round at St Andrews in 7774. 
 But as golf had not taken the deep hold on the 
 public fancy that it since has done, the excite- 
 ment in that case was more or less of a local 
 character. Moreover, since poor Tommy's 
 death, we believe his record has been 
 broken." 
 
 On the i/th July 1873 Tommy and Jamie 
 Anderson played 3 rounds over St Andrews links 
 against Davie Strath and Tom Kidd. The 
 former, after being 2 down at the end of the 
 first round, won by 8 holes out ol the 54. A 
 contemporary record says: ' It is doubtful 
 whether such an exhibition of foursome play was 
 ever witnessed, the average of the 3 rounds being 
 a little over 85." 
 
 As a matter of fact, according to the care- 
 ful statistics kept by Mr J. G. Denham, the 
 rounds of the winners were 89, 82 and 81 252; 
 
 1/4
 
 Tommy's Place in Golfing World 
 
 while their opponents were 87, 85 and 88 
 260. 
 
 In 1875, on the /th of May, the first pro- 
 fessional match of the season was played at St 
 Andrews between Old and Young Tom Morris 
 against Davie Strath and Jamie Anderson. Two 
 rounds were played, and the stake was 20. A 
 local report says that " the play on the whole was 
 not marked by great brilliance, though some rare 
 good shots were made on both sides. A defect 
 of both parties, noticeable at the outset, was a 
 timidity on the putting-greens, but the players 
 attained more confidence as the game progressed. 
 In the second round especial!)' the play of Strath 
 and his ally was very bold, but their too-great 
 daring placed them several times into hazards 
 which otherwise they would have escaped. The 
 Morrises played with their usual caution, and 
 landed the stake with the substantial majority of 
 7 holes, or n strokes." The respective scores 
 were : 
 
 out In Tl. 
 MORRISES First Round . 4<> 42 
 
 >econd Round . 42 4.-, S5 
 
 AND ANDFRSON First Round . 47 45 02 
 second Round 40 40 92
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 
 YOUNG TOMMY'S MATCHES, BEREAVEMENT, 
 DEATH AND MEMORIAL 
 
 IN the summer and autumn of this year (1875) 
 father and son had a busy time of it with 
 matches. A series of professional matches was 
 inaugurated at Burntisland for small money 
 prizes. Tommy came in first, followed hard by 
 Bob Fergusson, and not so hard by Davie 
 Strath, T. Cosgrove, Jamie Anderson, G. Low, 
 G. Paxton, Mungo Park, and Tommy's younger 
 brother, J. O. F. Morris. At the conclusion of 
 this little tournament, Mr Robert Clark, the 
 compiler of the original book of Golf which I 
 am glad to see in a new and cheaper edition got 
 up a match between the brothers and Fergusson 
 and Paxton. The brothers won it by two 
 holes. 
 
 Tommy was again first in a professional 
 tournament on the 3rd of September at North 
 Berwick doing the three rounds in 131. Willie 
 Park was second with 132, Davie Strath third 
 with 133, Cosgrove fourth with 134, and Old 
 Tom fifth with 135. There must have been 
 several big golf matches that season at
 
 Young Tommy's Death 
 
 North Berwick. Some of them I have no records 
 of, and I should be glad to hear from any reader 
 who could supply them. Judging from a con- 
 temporary account of a great match between 
 Tommy and Willie Park, I conclude that the 
 St Andrews men had encountered some 
 reverses. This match took place on the I2th. 
 It is thus introduced: ' North Berwick links 
 were again enlivened on Saturday by the 
 throng of spectators and the appearance of 
 bustling animation, which are always notice- 
 able when any match of more than usual interest 
 between professionals is being engaged in over a 
 golfing green. There not having been a tussle 
 between Tom Morris, jun., and Willie Park for 
 the last six or seven years never, in fact, since 
 the former gained the first championship belt- 
 it was a matter ol congratulation among golfers 
 when it became known late on Friday afternoon 
 that arrangements had been made to have the 
 Musselburgh and St Andrews ' cracks ' pitted 
 against each other for 25 a side. To the 
 friends of Willie Park this was all the more 
 satisfactory, as their favourite had already 
 given a good account of himself in two maU lies 
 which were brought to a termination on Friday. 
 By the supporters of the St Andrews man, on 
 the other hand, it was confidently hoped that 
 the superior staying powers of th< i youngster 
 would give him an advantage over hi^ older
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 opponent, whose energies had been kept on the 
 stretch for a couple of days previously, and 
 would thus enable him to gather up the ' spilt 
 milk/ over which, according to rumour, the 
 players at St Andrews had taken to crying when 
 it became known that the representatives of 
 Musselburgh had walked away from their rivals 
 in the former matches. As matters turned out, 
 it was apparent that the calculations of neither 
 party had been very wide of the mark, although 
 the play, on the whole, could not be compared 
 with that of Wednesday. \Yillie indeed, for 
 the first round, was in capital form, but his 
 scoring after that was somewhat high; while 
 Young Tom, until near the conclusion of the 
 match, handled his clubs somewhat loosely. 
 An opportunity was, however, afforded for an 
 enjoyable day's outing, and the interest mani- 
 fested in the play was as keen as on any former 
 occasion." Tommy was i up at the sixth 
 hole, but the round ended with Park 2 up; the 
 scores being 39 and 43. In the second round, 
 Tommy knocked off these 2 holes, and the game 
 was all even both taking 44 strokes. 
 
 " \Yith the barkers somewhat at a loss to 
 know which man the result would favour, a 
 start was made on the third and deciding round 
 with every prospect of the play being, at any 
 rate, pretty close lor the remainder of the match. 
 As if too cautious, both men repeated their
 
 Young Tommy's Death 
 
 former by no means uncommon game by halving 
 the first hole in 5, the same figures as were 
 placed against this hole in the second round. 
 Park, taking his honour in going for the second 
 hole, for the first time during his three days' 
 play missed his ' tee shot,' and gave the 
 youngster a line opportunity of placing the 
 chances of the game in his favour. Tommy, 
 however, apparently quite regardless of his ex- 
 perience in the previous round, took a much too 
 narrow line, and lost a stroke by sending his 
 ball down to the beach, and having to play on 
 to the green with his niblick. Notwithstanding 
 that luck seemed thus determined to favour him, 
 Willie rendered his hopes for the hole exceedingly 
 shaky by using for a second time a spoon where 
 an iron would have been the safest game, and 
 leaving himself in sand, from which he had to 
 play the ' like ' to Tommy's fifth shot, which 
 was we'll within sight of the hole 1 . Willie's 
 prospects brightened, however, when, by a smart 
 irem shot, he laiel his ' like ' nicely on the green, 
 and followed up this by a ivally beautiful ' putt,' 
 which drew from the- spectators a round of ap- 
 plause; he halveel the hole 1 in n. The next hole 
 was also halved, but Tommy lost the fourth In- 
 being short with his iron when approaching the' 
 hole. Both carrie-d their balls into sand to the 
 left, in driving for the 1 wall hole, but Willie got 
 over the bunker nicelv with odds, while Tommv
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 was strong with the ' like,' and the lead of the 
 veteran was thus increased to 2 up and 4 to 
 play. \Yillie, however, was again bunkered by 
 his ' tee shot ' for the sixth hole, and, failing to 
 clear the hazard with his niblick when playing 
 the ' odds/ he threw up the hole. Game Park, 
 i up. The match being now greatly dependent 
 on every single stroke ol the game, the players 
 watched each other's progress with apparent 
 anxiety, while the crowd of followers did not 
 allow a single whisper or movement of any kind 
 to disturb the work being made either in the 
 long or the short game. Both men played 
 cleverly and cautiously for the seventh hole, 
 getting on to the green in 3, and holing out in 
 5 a half being, in this way, all that was gained 
 by each. In the game for the eighth hole, the 
 youngster had, by a long way, the best of it, as 
 Willie took a dangerous road for the hole, 
 bunkered himself with his third, was short on the 
 putting-green, and only holed out in 7, against 
 Tommy's 5. Game all even. And now came 
 the tug-of-war in real earnest. Tommy, settling 
 down to his work with characteristic coolness, 
 had played an admirable losing game, and it was 
 not likely that he would fail when he had revived 
 the hopes of his supporters. \Yillie, however, 
 had proved himself particularly deadly with his 
 putter, and there being no bunker which, when 
 
 the course is kept, at all interferes with the play 
 
 1 80
 
 Young Tommy's Death 
 
 for the ' home hole,' many thought the veteran 
 would either secure himself by a ' draw ' or win 
 the match by one of those beautiful steals on the 
 putting-green which so often stand him in good 
 stead. As it was, Tommy took a very good road 
 for the hole by keeping well on the green to the 
 right, but Park expecting, in all likelihood, to 
 get the better of his opponent by driving nearer 
 to the putting-green took the narrow course, 
 and had his ball caught by the sandy ridge 
 skirting the green, near the bathing-houses. To 
 get out of this difficulty cost Park a stroke, and 
 Tommy, taking care to avoid all mistakes, gained 
 the match by holing out in .4, against the other's 5. 
 The following were the scores in the third round: 
 
 Park, 56444557 545 
 Morris, 564554 5 5 443 
 
 " A match of 3 rounds of the green was played 
 in the afternoon between Tom Morris, sen., and 
 Mungo Park, for /io a side. I>oth men were 
 in better form than the players in the iorenoon, 
 and a very interesting game was the result. At 
 tlie end of the first two rounds neither had got 
 in advance of the other, but in the last round the 
 St Andrews man failed in a couple of holes going 
 out, and allowed Mungo to place the game 3 up 
 in his favour with 5 to play. Old Tom, however, 
 took the wall hole in 2, the next hole in 3 both 
 in OIK- less than his opponent- -and, alter halving
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 the seventh, squared the game at the eighth hole, 
 in approaching which Mungo did not do himself 
 justice. As in the other match, the result 
 thus came very much to depend upon the 
 swiping for the last hole. Tom, desirous at 
 all risks to be safe, played a good deal to the 
 right, while Mungo, not profiting by the ill-luck 
 which attended his brother, took the narrow 
 course, and was badly caught in the bunker. 
 This settled the match, as Old Tom was not slow 
 to follow up the advantage given to him by his 
 opponent's mistake, and holed when playing the 
 ' like ' to Mungo's fourth, which only lay ' dead.' 
 The scores were: Morris: ist round, 40; 2nd 
 round, 43; 3rd round, 41. Park: ist round, 
 40; 2nd round, 43; 3rd round, 43." 
 
 Alas! those pleasant autumn days and 
 matches were to have a sad ending. The father 
 and son had just finished a very close match 
 with the brothers Park, whom they beat by one 
 hole, when a telegram was handed to Tommy, 
 announcing that his wife was dangerously ill, 
 and requiring his immediate return. 
 
 Let my dear and revered friend, the author 
 of The Recreations of a Country Parson, tell the 
 pathetic story in his Twenty-five Years of St 
 Andrews, 1865 to September 1890 (London: 
 Longmans, Green cv Co.): 
 
 ' There was a pathetic event here at the 
 
 beginning of September in this year. The 
 
 182
 
 Young Tommy's Death 
 
 grand Old Tom Morris (always so called, in re- 
 spect and affection great golfer, and best of men) 
 had a son called, for distinction's sake, Tommy 
 Morris, who was a greater goller than himself. 
 At an early age Tommy won the dignity of 
 Champion of the World, and bore it well and 
 meekly. On Thursday, September 2, father 
 and son went together to North Berwick, to 
 play a great match on the links there. Tommy 
 left his wife perfectly well. She was a remark- 
 ably handsome and healthy young woman : 
 most lovable in every way. Her brother was 
 a great manager and speaker in the Trade 
 Union world. But on Saturday afternoon, that 
 fine girl (she was no more) had her first child, 
 and at once ran down, and died. A telegram 
 was sent to Tom, who told his son that they 
 must leave at once; a line yacht was put at their 
 disposal, and, without the weary railway 
 journey by Edinburgh, they were brought 
 across the Firth of Forth. Tom did not tell his 
 son that all was over till they were walking up 
 from the harbour. I was in the house when they 
 arrived. What can one: say in such an hour? 
 I never forget the poor young man's stony look: 
 stricken was not the word; and how, all of a 
 sudden, he started up and crird, ' It's not true! 
 I have seen many sorrowful things; but not 
 like that Saturday night." 
 
 It was indeed a terrible bolt out of the blue, 
 
 is ^
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 and a most sad and pathetic home-coming, both 
 for the young lad-husband and the father who 
 loved him and the poor young girl, with whom 
 he hoped his son would be happy for long 
 years. 
 
 Young Tommy never really recovered from 
 this shock and grief. He had been married less 
 than a year, and he was devotedly attached to 
 his wife. And now he had lost her in the 
 saddest, and, to a young husband, in the most 
 pathetic and appealing manner. He went about 
 like one who had received a mortal blow. Even 
 his beloved game failed to rouse him. He lived 
 as if in some trance all his light-hearted 
 buoyancy gone. He played well as of old in the 
 few matches in which he was engaged, but it was 
 evident that his heart was not in his work as ol 
 old. At the close of the October meeting at St 
 Andrews he and his father played Davie Strath 
 and Bob Martin. They were 4 up and 5 to 
 play. The match seemed to be finished, when 
 Tommy broke down in the most complete, 
 though, perhaps, one cannot add in the most 
 unexpected and unaccountable, manner. They 
 lost every one of the remaining 5 holes, and, 
 consequently, also the match. 
 
 Only one more important match was he 
 destined to play. At this time there was a 
 great golfing family from Westward Ho! play- 
 ing splendid golf, and winning great victories 
 
 184
 
 Young Tommy's Death 
 
 wherever they went. This was the famous 
 Captain Molesworth, who lately figured in the 
 octogenarian foursome, and his three sons. 
 They were all magnificent players. Their 
 calibre may be judged from the fact that the 
 Captain let it be understood at St Andrews 
 and Prestwick that he and his sons were willing 
 to play Mr \V. H. Houldsworth and any three 
 he chose to name from St Andrews and Prest- 
 wick. At St Andrews Mr Houldsworth chose 
 as his three coadjutors, Mr J. Ogilvie Fairlie, Or 
 Argyll Robertson, and Mr L. Bal four-Melville, 
 and these four played against the Captain and 
 his sons, Reginald, George and Arthur. The 
 Captain beat Mr Houldsworth by 9 holes; Mi- 
 Reginald Molesworth beat Mr J. Ogilvie Fairlie 
 by 2 holes, and Mr Arthur Molesworth beat Mr 
 Balfour-Melville by 2 holes. The only member 
 of the St Andrews team who won his match was 
 T*)r Argyll Robertson, who beat Mr George Moles- 
 worth by 7 holes. The Molesworths thus won 
 the match by 6 holes. At Prestwick, the Rev. 
 Mr Syme, the. parish minister of Dundonald 
 and an old St Andrews student, and Mr Alex- 
 ander Stuart took Dr Argyll Robertson's and 
 Mr Balfour-Melville's places. Mr Syme beat 
 Mr George Molesworth by 2 holes, but Mr 
 Arthur Molesworth beat Mr Alexander Stuart 
 by 6 holes. Mr Ogilvie Fairli-' beat Mi- 
 Reginald Molesworth by 7 holes, but the Captain
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 beat Mr Houldsworth by no less than 10 holes. 
 On the whole match the Molesworths had a 
 majority of 7 holes. It will be seen that, of 
 the young men, Mr Arthur Molesworth was the 
 only one who won both his matches, as the 
 father did. 
 
 So well was Mr Arthur Molesworth playing 
 that he felt justified in backing himself to play 
 any professional with the receipt of a third. 
 To this challenge Young Tommy, rather against 
 his will, was induced to respond. The first 
 match was played on the 3Oth of November (St 
 Andrew's Day) and the ist and 3rd of December 
 over St Andrews links two rounds each day. 
 The weather was fine for the season of the year. 
 I am able to give the details of every hole in this 
 great match, owing to having the good fortune 
 to possess the careful analysis made by my 
 friend, the late Mr J. G. Denham. 
 
 Here is a summary of the strokes: 
 
 TOMMY MORRIS. 
 
 Mr ARTHUR 
 MOLESWORTH. 
 
 ist Round 
 
 out 45 
 
 
 out 45 
 
 
 
 in 51- 
 
 -96 
 
 in 58 103 
 
 2nd 
 
 out 44 
 
 
 out 50 
 
 > 
 
 in 49- 
 
 -93 
 
 in 50 100 
 
 3rd 
 
 out 43 
 
 
 out 49 
 
 
 
 in 44- 
 
 -87 
 
 in 51100 
 
 4th ,, 
 
 ou t 44 
 
 
 out 51 
 
 )l !' 
 
 in 44- 
 
 -SS 
 
 in 49 100 
 
 5th 
 
 ont 47 
 
 
 out 45 
 
 i , , 
 
 in 42- 
 
 -8q 
 
 in 46 g i 
 
 1 86
 
 Young Tommy's Death 
 
 out 47 out 5 1 
 
 in 42- -8q in 4* q<) 
 
 Total out, 270 Total out, 201 
 
 in, 272 ,, in, 302 
 
 Total of six Rounds, 542 503 
 
 It will thus be seen that as far as strokes 
 0,0, Tommy won by 51 strokes, which, with 
 the 36 he conceded, gave him an advantage 
 of 15. 
 
 As far as holes were concerned, Tommy won 
 36; Mr Molesworth won 24, and 48 were halved. 
 Of the holes at which Mr Molesworth had a stroke, 
 he won 10, halved 15, and lost 8; and 3 he won 
 without requiring his stroke. Again we find that 
 Tommy did 10 holes in 3, 16 in 4, 51 in 5, 19 
 in 6, 7 in 7, and i in 8. Mr Molesworth did 
 3 in 3, 17 in 4, 40 in 5, 29 in 6, 13 in 7, 4 in 
 8, and 2 in 9. The issue, then, of the first 
 three days' play was that Tommy won by 
 12 holes. 
 
 The next three days' play took place in snow 
 and frost. So thick was the snow on the links 
 that the umpire thought the match should be 
 postponed. But to this Mr Molesworth would 
 not agree, and, accordingly, the greens were 
 swept. And perhaps I may as well state that 
 when T use the term " greens " I mean the 
 putting-greens. It is necessary for me to 
 mention this, as in some quarters a practice
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 has crept in of calling the links greens. Here is 
 a summary of the play: 
 
 
 
 Mr ARTHUR 
 
 
 TOMMY MORRIS. 
 
 MOLESWORTH. 
 
 ist Round 
 
 out 48 
 
 out 50 
 
 M ,. 
 
 in 48 96 
 
 in 50 100 
 
 2nd ,, 
 
 out 47 
 
 out 47 
 
 ,i 
 
 in 4491 
 
 in 49 96 
 
 3rd ., 
 
 out 51 
 
 ut 55 
 
 M .1 
 
 in 61 IT2 
 
 in 60115 
 
 4th ,, 
 
 out 50 
 
 out 56 
 
 ,, ,, 
 
 in 52 102 
 
 in 60 1 16 
 
 5th 
 
 out 56 
 
 out 62 
 
 i . 'i 
 
 in 55 in 
 
 in 63 125 
 
 mli ,, 
 
 out 56 
 
 ut 53 
 
 ,, 
 
 in 55 "i 
 
 in 63 116 
 
 Total out, 308 
 
 Total out, 323 
 
 
 in, 315 
 
 .. in, 345 
 
 Total of six 
 
 Rounds, 623 
 
 668 
 
 It will again be seen that, as far as strokes go, 
 Tommy won by 45 strokes, which, with the 36 lie 
 conceded, gave him an advantage of 9. So 
 far as holes were concerned, Tommy won 35 ; 
 Mr Molesworth 33, and 40 were halved. Of the 
 holes at which Mr Molesworth had a stroke he 
 won o, halved S, and lost 8. Of those, without 
 needing his stroke, he won n. Then we find 
 that Tommy did 7 holes in 3, 14 in 4, 29 in 5, 
 29 in 6, 19 in 7, 7 in 8, and 5 in 9. Mr Moles- 
 worth had 3 in 3, 14 in 4, 18 in 5, 31 in 6, 21 in 7, 
 ii in 8, 9 in 9, and i in 10. On the second
 
 Young Tommy's Death 
 
 three days' play, Tommy \voii by 7 holes, and 
 thus gained the match on the six days' play by 
 19 holes.* 
 
 Especially during the last three days' play 
 the conditions of the weather were adverse to 
 scoring. But, besides this, it was evident to all 
 that Tommy was in no condition to play a great 
 match. His play lacked all its old character- 
 istics of spirit and determination. His heart 
 was not in the game. It was, indeed, not very 
 far away in the snow-clad grave in the old 
 cathedral churchyard, where his wife and baby 
 had been so lately laid. During the progress 
 of the match he repeatedly said to his friend, 
 Mr Denham, that but for the interest of his 
 friends and backers he would not have con- 
 tinued it. 
 
 After the match was over he continued to 
 be seen on the links and in his old haunts, look- 
 ing ill and depressed. Then he went from home 
 for a few days. He returned for the Christmas 
 week. On Christmas Eve he supped with a 
 private party of a few friends. Returning 
 home about eleven o'clock, he conversed with 
 his mother, who was by this time an invalid, for 
 a little while, and then retired to ivst, bidding
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 his father " Good-night " as he went to his room. 
 He did not appear at the usual hour for break- 
 fast, and, on his being called, there was no re- 
 ponse. When they entered his room to see 
 what was the matter, he was found lying as if 
 asleep, but alas! it was the sleep of death. 
 Examination proved that his death had been 
 caused by the bursting of an artery in the right 
 lung. 
 
 The news spread like wild-fire over the links 
 and in the city. Consternation prevailed every- 
 where. Christmas greetings were checked on 
 the lips by the question, " Have you heard the 
 news? Young Tommy is dead! " or the whis- 
 pered, " It can't be true, is it, that Tommy was 
 found dead in bed this morning? ' Every- 
 where there was genuine grief for so great a loss 
 the loss of one who had been the joy and 
 pride of the whole golfing world; everywhere 
 the sympathy with the bereaved father and 
 mother was keen and great. The telegraph 
 coin-eyed the news to the evening papers, 
 and next morning to some of us among our 
 belated Christmas cards and greetings came 
 this: 
 
 OBITUARY NOTICE. 
 
 Thomas Morris, jun., died here this morning 
 at u-n o'clock. 
 
 >} Piirnour Ln.k-. M Andrews, [V< . ^5, 1875
 
 Young Tommy's Death 
 
 Mr f. E. S. Chambers, in publishing this 
 notice in his Golfiana, says, under date, Edin- 
 burgh, 1893: "Had Young Tom been spared 
 to golf in our own times he would, I feel certain, 
 have well maintained his great reputation. He 
 had, at least, the advantage of dying in the 
 zenith of his fame, at a time when golf was 
 really golf, and such modern rubbish as hammer- 
 headed drivers, handicap trophies, and endless 
 other doubtless ' improvements ' were happily 
 unknown." 
 
 He was laid to his rest on one of the last days 
 of a year that had seen some of his best play, 
 but which had dealt him such a cruel blow 
 beside his young wife and child, in the presence 
 of a very large and sincere company of true 
 mourners the revered parish minister, the 
 genial and able A.K.H.B., reading the prayers 
 at the grave, after doing what he could to soothe 
 and comfort the sorrowful ones at home. 
 
 The following verses appeared in a paper 
 which must have been published abroad, 1 
 think, judging from the note appended to it: 
 " Tommy Morris was champion golf player of the 
 world. Reared at St Andrews, the Scottish 
 headquarters of the national game, he early 
 evinced a talent for golf, doubtless inherited 
 from his father, the much-respected custodian 
 of the links, and during the latter years of his 
 career he on three successive occasions carried
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 oft ' The Belt ' against all comers. He died on 
 Christmas Day, 1875, at the early age of twenty- 
 four." 
 
 A GOLFER'S ELEGY 
 
 Beneath the sod poor Tommy's laid, 
 Now bunkered fast for good and all : 
 
 A better golfer never played 
 A further or a surer ball. 
 
 Among the monarchs of the green 
 For long he held imperial sway ; 
 
 And none the start and end between 
 Could match with Tommy in his clay! 
 
 A triple laurel round his brow, 
 The light of triumph in his eye, 
 
 He stands before us even now, 
 As in the hour of victory. 
 
 Thrice belted knight of peerless skill! 
 
 Again we see him head the fray ; 
 And memory loves to reckon still 
 
 The feats of Tommy in his day. 
 
 In vain to trap his flying sphere 
 
 The greedy sand yawned deep and wide. 
 Far overhead it circled clear, 
 
 Nor dropped but on the safer side. 
 
 In vain along the narrow course, 
 Entangling whin-; in ambush lay; 
 
 But never hazard was the source 
 Of rief to Tomm in his da'
 
 Young Tommy's Death 
 
 Who could like him with Fortune deal, 
 And from the fire undaunted snatch, 
 
 With steadtast heart and nerve of steel, 
 The desperate hole that won the match 5 
 
 To him alike were tee and rut, 
 
 From both he found his certain way; 
 
 And who could predicate a putt 
 Too long for Tommy in his day D 
 
 ' For all in all our Tommy take," 
 
 The verdict of the links will say, 
 We ne'er shall look on one who'd make 
 A match for Tommy in his dav! 
 
 Soon after his death a movement was set on 
 foot to erect a memorial to the gifted young 
 golfer. Mr J. G. Denham, to whose careful 
 and accurate golfing statistics I have often had 
 occasion to refer in the course of the latter part 
 of this memoir, was the life and soul of it. He 
 acted as hon. secretary, and spared neither 
 time nor trouble in making it a success. The 
 notice sent out to golf clubs and those likely 
 to be interested in the matter ran as 
 follows : 
 
 " A very general wish having been expressed 
 that a memorial should be erected to the memory 
 of the late Tom Morris, junr., by placing a suit- 
 able monument over his last resting-place,, and 
 as he was widely known and universally admired 
 for his honest and manly exertions by which he 
 x 193
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 rose to the first place in the golfing world, and 
 for his frank and courteous conduct towards all 
 classes, which made him respected wherever golf 
 was played, it has been thought desirable that 
 an opportunity should be afforded to all who 
 knew him and have witnessed his extraordinary 
 golfing powers, of joining in this tribute to his 
 memory." 
 
 The names of those who consented to receive 
 subscriptions, and of the hon. secretaries of the 
 various Golf Clubs of thirty years ago, will no 
 doubt bring back once familiar figures to golfers 
 of that time in various parts of the world. 
 
 St Andrews. Major R. Bethune, Union 
 Club, treasurer to the fund; Mr G. Murray, 
 Post Office. 
 
 Miissclburgh. Captain Kinloch, Honourable 
 Company of Golfers; James Miller, Esq., 
 Musselburgh Golf Club. 
 
 North Berwick. Provost Brodie. 
 
 Prestwick. Henry Hart, Esq., Prestwick 
 Golf Club. 
 
 Glasgow. Mr A. W. Smith, Glasgow Golf 
 Club. 
 
 Lcven. Charles Anderson, Esq., Leven Golf 
 Club. 
 
 Carnoustie. Jas. G. Archer, Esq., Dalhousie 
 Golf Club.
 
 Young Tommy's Death 
 
 Perth. Hon. Secretary, King James Golf 
 Club. 
 
 Montrose. Hon. Secretary, Royal Albert 
 Golf Club. 
 
 Aberdeen. Hon. Secretary, Aberdeen Golf 
 Club. 
 
 Blackhcath. George Glennie, Esq., Black- 
 heath Golf Club. 
 
 Westward Ho! Captain Molesworth, Royal 
 North Devon and West of England Golf Club. 
 
 Wimbledon. David I. Lamb, Esq., Wimble- 
 don Golf Club. 
 
 Liverpool. James Tweedie, Esq., Royal 
 Liverpool Golf Club. 
 
 Only four English clubs! even in 1876! 
 How different it would be to-day were a memorial 
 started to any of our great golfers ! 
 
 The Committee accepted designs furnished 
 by Mr John Rhind, sculptor, Edinburgh, and in 
 course of time a monumental tombstone was 
 erected by the grave in the old Cathedral 
 burying-ground. The design is worked out in 
 Binny freestone. In bas-relief a figure of 
 ' Tommy," about three-quarters of the. size of 
 life, is shown in a well-chosen and characteristic 
 position. Wearing a goliing-jacket, with the 
 Scottish Glengarry, which was such a well-known 
 headmark on all links, the player is represented 
 bending over an " iron;" as if about to play a
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 wrist shot to the hole. The pose is admirable, 
 and the action of the golfer is well caught. The 
 likeness is capital. The inscription was written 
 by the Very Rev. Principal Tulloch, Dean of the 
 Thistle and Vice-Chancellor of the University 
 of St Andrews : ' In memory of ' Tommy/ 
 son of Thomas Morris, who died 25th December 
 1875, aged twenty-four years. Deeply regretted 
 by numerous friends and all golfers. He thrice 
 in succession won the Champion belt and held it 
 without rivalry, and yet without envy, his 
 many amiable qualities being no less acknow- 
 ledged than his golfing achievements. This 
 monument has been erected by contributions 
 from sixty golfing societies." On the afternoon 
 of the 25th September 1878 the memorial 
 was unveiled in the presence of several hundred 
 ladies and gentlemen and representatives from 
 various golfing clubs. 
 
 In performing the ceremony, the Lord 
 Justice-General (the Right Hon. John Inglis), 
 standing on a platform in front of the monument, 
 spoke as follows : 
 
 " The monument which we are met to un- 
 veil is dedicated to the memory of the late Tom 
 Morris, the younger. It is a simple, modest, and 
 characteristic erection, and I think it adequately 
 expresses the sentiments of the members of not 
 less than sixty golfing clubs, by whose contri- 
 
 IC/J
 
 Young Tommy's Death 
 
 butions the requisite funds have been obtained. 
 It is inscribed with the familiar name of 
 ' Tommy/ a name by which he was best known 
 to all his numerous friends and admirers. 
 There is something in these familiar names of 
 great significance, and in this case I think the 
 name expresses a kindly regard which he secured 
 from all who knew him by his amiable dis- 
 position, by his simple; and unaffected manner, 
 and by his manly independence. It would be 
 idle, to an audience such as that around me, to 
 speak in detail of his golfing achievements, for 
 these were known to you all. But I think 
 I will not be accused of extravagance if I say he 
 was the greatest golfer of his day. In the year 
 1860, if I am not incorrectly informed, the 
 Prestwick Club instituted a Champion belt, which 
 was competed for annually for a good number of 
 years, and always changed hands every year. 
 But at length Tommy succeeded in gaining the 
 belt for three 1 years in succession, and thus, 
 according to the rules of the competition, he 
 was entitled to it in absolute property. And I 
 have no doubt it remains in the hands of his 
 family as a most treasured possession. It is 
 also recorded of him that he went round the 
 links of St Andrews on one occasion with the 
 unparalleled score of 77 37 out and .|o coining 
 home. Hvcry true golfer mourned his loss most 
 
 sincerely, for he was not only a prime golfer, 
 
 197
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 but he was a very tine young man cut oii in the 
 prime of his life. But the time of grief is now 
 gone by, and all that remains of Tommy is a 
 pleasant memory. But I think you will allow 
 me to say that we have some consolation still, 
 lor, although we have lost him, we have still a 
 Tom Morris Old Tom. And I think I may 
 venture to say that there is a great deal of life 
 in that old dog yet. Long may he live to main- 
 tain his reputation! I have nothing further 
 to say, except to ask you to give a vote of thanks 
 to two gentlemen who have been mainly in- 
 strumental in having this monument erected 
 I mean Major Bethune, the honorary treasurer, 
 and Mr J. G. Denham, honorary secretary, to 
 whose exertions we owe a great deal. I now 
 desire the monument to be unveiled." 
 
 Miss Phelps, on behalf of Mrs Hunter, 
 " Tommy's " sister, then unveiled the monu- 
 ment, and it was afterwards inspected with 
 interest by the large crowd who had congregated 
 in the old churchyard. 
 
 The Lord Justice-General's aspiration for 
 old Tom has been heard. He is still with us. 
 There is still " life in the old dog," close on 
 thirty years after the unveiling of this monu- 
 ment to his son, the proceedings in connection 
 with which gratified him so much. 
 
 It is to the years that he has spent since then 
 
 198
 
 Young TommvS Death 
 
 that we must no\\ r turn, and rapidly ijamv at the 
 chief points of interest in his long and honourable 
 career since; lie lost the son \vho \vas so nnirh to 
 him, and oi \vlnjse golfing achievements lit- was so 
 proud.
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 TOM AND GOLF AT ST ANDREWS IN 1876 
 
 IT must have been with a heavy heart, and the 
 consciousness of something vanished from his 
 life, that Tom would resume his play on the 
 links. He was never more to find in his dear 
 boy a partner worthy of himself, of whom he 
 was so proud, whom he loved as his own soul. 
 There was no dear career to watch with affec- 
 tionate interest no more victories to recount- 
 no wonderful play to chronicle. However, in 
 the true spirit of the Apostle, who, after his 
 great grief, said "I go a-iishing," Tom tackled 
 his clubs again, and many famous matches 
 he was still destined to play. 
 
 Next year 1876 was a great one in St 
 Andrews, and one in which Tommy would be 
 more than usually missed. His Royal Highness 
 Prince Leopold was captain of the Royal and 
 Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, and, conse- 
 quently, there was a great and distinguished 
 gathering at the Autumn Meeting. I remember 
 the occasion well more especially as I was 
 then minister of the Parish of Kclso, and his 
 Royal Highness came straight from St Andrews
 
 Golf at St Andrews in 1876 
 
 to Floors Castle as the guest of my kind patrons 
 and dear friends their Graces the Duke and 
 Duchess of Roxbnrghe. I therefore had the 
 opportunity of seeing something of his Royal 
 Highness, both at St Andrews and in my own 
 parish; and I can bear my testimony to the 
 interest he took in golf and in the subject of 
 this memoir,, with whom he played at St 
 Andrews, 
 
 Arriving at the Club-House with his host, 
 Mr \Yhyte-Melville, Prince Leopold came down 
 to the teeing-ground, and, amongst others, he 
 was introduced to Tom Morris. The two shook 
 hands and engaged in conversation. The Prince 
 was then instructed in his duties as captain of 
 the club. Tom teed his ball for him. The 
 Prince struck off in a manner which showed he 
 was no novice in the art. The crowd vigorously 
 applauded. The cannon was fired and the 
 opening of the meeting was an accomplished 
 fact. 
 
 Among the professionals present were Jamie 1 
 Anderson, Bob Kirk, J. (). V. Morris, Tom 
 Kidcl, and R. Martin St Andrews men; Davie 
 Strath was there also, but was at that time 
 stationed at North Berwick; and Mungo Park 
 was also present, as the representative of 
 Musselburgh professional golf. Alter the gentle- 
 men had completed their round it was found 
 that Mr Leslie Balfour (now Mr Leslie JJalfoiir-
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Melville) had won the first position with the 
 score of 91; and I may mention that he also 
 won it in the previous year with 93, and he w r on 
 the following year, the third in succession, with 
 89, thus tying with Mr Hodge's record ten 
 years before. The second medal the gold 
 medal given by the Club went to Mr Alexander 
 Stuart, with 92 strokes. 
 
 I cull the following account of the meeting 
 from the St Andrews Citizen, of September 30, 
 1876:- 
 
 ' The members dined together at night 
 under the presidency of the Prince. The dinner 
 was largely attended, and the speeches, and 
 indeed all the proceedings, were extremely 
 interesting. 
 
 " On Thursday morning, September 28, Prince 
 Leopold attended the meet of the Fife Fox- 
 hounds at Mount Melville (where he stayed 
 during the week from Monday till Friday), 
 and then left for St Andrews, arriving at the 
 Cl Lib-House a little alter noon." The St 
 Andrews Citizen tells us that, subsequently, 
 "Along with Tom Morris, the veteran custodier, 
 his Royal Highness played a short match 
 against Mr J. Why te- Melville and Major Lock- 
 hart. The distinguished party were accom- 
 panied by a goodly following. The Royal 
 golfer showed by his play that he was not a 
 
 202
 
 Golf at St Andrews in 1876 
 
 novice at the game, and made some excellent 
 shots. The first two holes were halved, but in 
 the third the Prince and Tom had the pull, and 
 the first gain of the day was placed to their 
 credit. At this point the players turned their 
 faces homewards. Coming in, Mr Melville and 
 the Major were unfortunate, being bunkered, 
 and another hole was won by his Highness and 
 the veteran, which made them ' dormy ' 2 up 
 and 2 to play, and, the ' Burn ' being halved, 
 the Prince and Tom stood victors by 2 up and i 
 to play. They also got the last hole, and were 
 thus 3 up in all on the day's play." 
 
 In view of this account of the Prince's play 
 there seems to be as much truth as politeness in 
 the amusing and characteristic speech of the 
 St Andrews' caddie, "Be he Prince or deevil, 
 he canna play gowf a d 
 
 At this meeting Tom Morris and Jamie 1 
 Anderson played Davie Strath and Mr Andrew 
 Smith (Glasgow). Strath was in line form, but 
 none of the others seemed to be playing at the top 
 of their game. Tom and Jamie won the first 
 hole, but lost the second. Then followed a long 
 succession of halves, when Mr Smith and Strath 
 won the ninth hole, and turned r up. At the 
 Short hole in they were all even, and eventually 
 they were all square and I to play. The last 
 hole was indillerentlv itlaved, and Mr Smith
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 threw away the chance of a half by taking a 
 leaf out of Tom's book during the round, and 
 missing a short putt. Tom and Jamie thus won 
 the match by one hole. The scores were: 
 Morris and Anderson, 45, 47 92; Mr Smith 
 and Strath, 44, 49 93. " Not at all dis- 
 creditable," says a newspaper report, " when 
 the unfavourable weather is taken into 
 account." 
 
 In 1876 the contest for the championship 
 also took place at St Andrews at the September 
 meeting. Tom and \Yillie Park played together, 
 and to their play " no little attention was paid." 
 Those who showed special interest in this direc- 
 tion had an opportunity of witnessing, if not 
 the most brilliant, at all events a pretty steady 
 game; Tom, indeed, if a couple of mistakes on 
 the putting-green be exceptcd, was in capital 
 form for the first 13 holes. Tom was 44 out, 
 Park 49; in, 56 and 45; Tom 90, Park 94. In 
 the next round, however, Park ;< warmed to 
 his work " and kept Tom mostly on the higher 
 side of the card. The scores were: Park, out 
 44, in 45 89; Tom, out 46, in 49 95. Park's 
 total for the two rounds was two lower than 
 Tom's 183 and 185. Park, however, did not win 
 the championship. The real struggle lay be- 
 tween Davie Strath and Bob Martin. And it 
 was not decided without " a row." It is thus 
 
 recorded in a contemporary account: 
 
 204
 
 Golf at St Andrews in 1876 
 
 ' By Strath and Martin some very fine 
 practice was made. The chances of the former 
 had all along been greatly fancied, and the 
 expectations of his backers Davie fully justified 
 by his powerful game. In driving, it is true, he 
 was not always so well on the course as he might 
 have been, notwithstanding the wind, but his 
 short game was, on the contrary, almost uni- 
 
 o f <j ) 
 
 formly deadly. In his first round the most 
 noticeable incident occurred at the sixth hole 
 ' in.' Here Davie had to play a ball which was 
 lying within two or three inches of the hole, 
 and, with a want of caution not quite unblame- 
 able, he went carelessly up to it, touched it in 
 passing with the reverse side of his club, failed 
 to hole it, and in this way lost a stroke. In 
 approaching the last hole but one in the second 
 round Strath again unfortunately got himself 
 into grief. It having become known by this time 
 that Martin had accomplished the first round 
 in 86, and the second in 90, and that Davie, to 
 win, would require to take both the remaining 
 holes in 5, there was now the greatest excitement 
 manifested. Every shot was watched with 
 eagerness, and it was with the eyes of several 
 hundreds upon him that Davie came to play 
 his third shot for the disc in question. The 
 distance between him and the hole was that of a 
 full drive, and innocently enough, as at all
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 events it appeared to us, Strath played his ball, 
 notwithstanding that there were players on the 
 putting-green who had not holed out. The 
 ball, as it chanced, was helped along a good 
 deal by the wind, and most of those who were 
 watching its course expected that it had been 
 carried on to the road. When, however, the 
 putting-green was reached it was found that 
 the drive had been stopped short by a legitimate 
 enough ' rub on the green,' and, nothing being 
 said of the matter, the hole was played out, 
 5 being taken to it. In his short game for 
 the ' Home hole ' Davie was faulty, and a total 
 of 6 being run up, it was expected by nearly 
 everyone that a tie would be declared. Not 
 many minutes elapsed, however, before it was 
 announced that one of the competitors, upon 
 whom Davie had played as indicated above, 
 insisted that a disqualification should follow 
 upon what he held to be a violation of the rule 
 providing that no one shall approach a putting- 
 green on which there are players. To this 
 objection there was added the contention that 
 Strath's card had not been accurately kept by 
 the marker one of those who had been specially 
 provided. \Yhile these points were being de- 
 liberated upon by a committee of the Royal 
 and Ancient Club, the result was left in doubt 
 for some time. It was not, indeed, till about 
 seven o'clock that it was officially stated that
 
 Golf at St Andrews in 1876 
 
 the tie would be played off to-day (Monday) 
 under protest." 
 
 I have no record of the playing of the tie, 
 but Martin must have won, as in the (iolf Year- 
 books he appears as champion.
 
 CHAPTER XIX 
 
 TOM AND BOB KIRK V. THE ANDERSONS 
 
 ON the lyth and iSth ot March 1879 there was 
 played a foursome between Tom and Bob Kirk 
 against the brothers Jamie and David Anderson. 
 The contemporary record says : ' The stakes 
 being pretty high (40) and the men never having 
 come together before in the same way, the event 
 had been looked forward to with not a little 
 interest among golfers, but notwithstanding the 
 curiosity which had been awakened it is safe to 
 say that in nearly every other part of the country 
 thoughts were yesterday morning far enough 
 away from golf. Not so in St Andrews, however ; 
 there the game would appear to be seasonable at 
 all times, and accordingly, though the country 
 around was lying whitened with snow, the players 
 were enabled to start about noon, with a clear 
 green before them, and accompanied by a large 
 gathering of interested spectators. Of the play 
 throughout, the two rounds which constituted 
 the final half of the match, it may be said 
 generally that the great share of credit was 
 earned by Jamie Anderson, who was in his best 
 form, and by Bob Kirk, who has, since his return
 
 >,tf *&&{,':&&&';
 
 Fine Foursome 
 
 to his native green, got back much of his former 
 rattling play. Tom Morris, on the other hand, 
 did not give his partner the support he deserved; 
 one of his favourite little mistakes in the putting 
 having apparently caused him a good deal of 
 annoyance. Davie Anderson, too, who wants 
 the steady style of his brother, was at times 
 rather wayward, though perhaps not more so 
 than was to be looked for, in view of his com- 
 parative inexperience in such matches. In the 
 early part of the first round the game went 
 rather heavily against the Andersons, who, 
 before the turn homeward, were 3 holes behind. 
 It was, however, just at this point, when there 
 was no saying \vhat difference an additional hole 
 placed to the lead might have caused, that Tom 
 made his unfortunate slip, throwing away a 
 ' dead ' putt which, had it been taken, would 
 have left his opponents 4 down. To this mishap 
 was no doubt accountable the loss of the next 
 4 holes, in both of which Tom was strong with 
 his putter, and so left his partner out of sight 
 of halving when he came to play the final like to 
 Davie Anderson. Then in the third hole there 
 was more indifferent play on the part of Tom 
 and Davie, bringing up the halving figures to 6, 
 in which figure the next 2 holes were also taken. 
 In this way Morris and Kirk retained their lead 
 till they came alongside the railway, when, 
 through shortcomings on the part of both their
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 opponents, the Andersons were allowed to take 
 the call in 5, making the game all even. Going 
 to the Corner of the Dyke, the play was for the 
 most part one long series of mistakes, beginning 
 with a couple of ' topped ' balls from the ' tee,' 
 and ending with the missing of a short putt by 
 Jamie Anderson, who, had he holed, would have 
 placed his side to the good. A half in 5 at the 
 Home hole completed the i round without ad- 
 vantage to either side. 
 
 " The scores in the round were: 
 
 Out, 
 
 In, 
 
 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 .5 ~45 
 
 " Goiiii outward in tlie second round, the 
 Anderso;:- again fell into arrears, their opponents 
 playing nost faultless game, and placing 
 
 over their reckoning a series of figures worthy of 
 the brightest and most genial day, and really 
 surprising as performance's in cold and biting 
 winter weather. As happened also in the first 
 round, Jamie Anderson drove into the Burn at 
 the start, and the fnv.t call accordingly went to 
 Morris and Kirk, who finished with a pretty 4.
 
 Fine Foursome 
 
 liquallv fine was the style in which Kirk carried 
 the second with a long putt in the same figures, 
 thus bringing up the lead to 2. An exceedingly 
 huge swipe of Bob's gave his side the advantage 
 in the play for the third disc; but a little loose- 
 ness on Tom's part in the putting brought the 
 others to equal terms, and a half was declared 
 in 5, as would again have been the case at the 
 Ginger-Beer hole had Jamie not imitated Tom's 
 example bv throwing away a little putt. Game- 
 Morris and Kirk, 3 up. The Long hole, on the 
 other hand, was saved to his partner and himself 
 by Davie, who, in playing a long odds in 5, 
 finished very prettily and secured a half. The 
 interchange of the next 2 holes Tom giving 
 away the one and gaining the other by a beautiful 
 approach to the High hole brought the players 
 to the Short hole, where Jamie succeeded in 
 reducing the odds, as it proved permanently, by 
 getting better over to the green with his swipe than 
 Tom. At this point, unfortunately, snow began 
 to fall heavily, and soon spectators, players, 
 caddies and the links were clad in one thick 
 uniform of white-. Accompanying this fall, too, 
 there was a strong piercing wind, which, carrying 
 the blinding drift as it did across the links, made 
 it matter of impossibility to play the game 
 with any care or caution. In spite of this storm, 
 however, the game was carried on. In the re- 
 mainder of the round the holes were pretty
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 equally exchanged, the High hole being lost by 
 Tom's putting, the third by a foozle of David 
 Anderson's in the long game, the fourth mainly 
 by Kirk's ball getting a nasty rub, the fifth gained 
 by a pretty steal of Jamie Anderson, the sixth 
 halved by Tom, when matters were looking 
 rather threatening, lying dead off a long and 
 difficult putt over a snow-covered green, and the 
 seventh also halved in 5. With 2 more holes to 
 play, the Andersons in this way stood I down; 
 but at the Corner of the Dyke, Jamie, with an iron 
 shot, the like of which he seldom plays, pitched 
 a good lying ball away from the putting-green 
 into a ditch on the far side of the road, and with 
 the ball, of course, the hole. At the Home hole, 
 however, he made amends for this mistake by 
 holing when playing the ' like ' to Tom, leaving 
 his side, after all, only i down on the day's play. 
 The scores in this round were: 
 
 MORRIS AND KIRK 
 Out, 44555544 541 
 In, 45477556 49 
 
 Total, . . 90 
 
 ANDERSONS 
 
 Out, 66565453 5-45 
 I", 4 4 5 () 7 5 5 i> 5 4'J 
 
 Total, . . 04 
 
 " Next day there was a great improvement in 
 the weathei. All traces of the snowstorm had 
 
 212
 
 Fine Foursome 
 
 disappeared, and the temperature was spring-like. 
 The play was also or, perhaps, one should say 
 consequently better. Mistakes, of course, oc- 
 curred now and then; but, taken as a whole, the 
 scoring gave evidence of increased steadiness and 
 precision. In Kirk's driving there were, of 
 course, one or two inexcusable slips; but, on the 
 other hand, the determination with which he 
 came out in the more difficult parts of the game 
 more than atoned for any such occasional 
 looseness, and stamped his appearance through- 
 out as the most successful player of the four. 
 Tom Morris, too, handled his clubs to good 
 purpose, being generally ready to wipe out by 
 strong driving and pretty iron play any little blot 
 placed on the card through his aversion to 
 ' dead ' putts. To the Andersons fell the hardest 
 and most discouraging task of any than can be 
 given at golf the playing of a losing game from 
 first to last. Handicapped as they were in this 
 way, the brothers kept at their work very pluckily. 
 In Jamie's play there was a lack of that nicety 
 of iron pitching that has so often before stood 
 him in good stead, and David was now and again 
 slovenly in his long game; but neither the one 
 nor the other was to be shaken off or broken 
 down, Davie in particular proving himself as 
 good at ' holing out ' as any of the lot. 
 
 " Starting with one to the good, Tom and Bob 
 walked away from their opponents in the finish-
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 ing half of the first round to an extent that 
 seemed to threaten speedy extinction of all the 
 hopes of the other side. At the Burn, Jamie 
 failed to lie dead in 4; at the second hole, Tom 
 was extra good in his approach ; at the third hole 
 the stronger game was again on the same side, and 
 then the lead went up to 4. At the Ginger-Beer 
 hole, Tom secured a pretty half with a well-taken 
 putt; and at the Long hole, although Kirk drew 
 his ball from the tee, and sent his partner into 
 the most dreaded bunker in the links, a half was 
 in the long run called in 6. The next 2 holes 
 went to swell the account of the winning side 
 the ' Heather ' hole gained by a beautiful shot 
 of Bob's, which left the ball all but dead off a 
 long drive; and the High hole being given away 
 by Davie Anderson, who, owing to a ' foozle ' 
 of Kirk in driving, had the game in his hands, 
 but threw it away by dribbling into sand in his 
 approach. After the Short hole had been halved 
 in 3 Bob improved his position still further at 
 the last hole out by finishing with a pretty steal 
 which placed the Andersons 7 behind. At this 
 point, however, the fickleness of the game 
 asserted itself, and soon it was apparent how rash 
 any premature confidence would have been. 
 In the first 7 holes in the return journey, Tom 
 and his partner were only allowed to get 2 halves, 
 and accordingly, in striking off for the Corner of 
 
 the Dyke, Jamie and his brother were merely 2 
 
 .j. i
 
 Fine Foursome 
 
 behind. On the first green, Tom loft his partner 
 with more to do than Jamie did; on the next, the 
 Andersons were a second time within better 
 distance in the putting; on the fourth, Davie 
 holed out well, while Bob had again rather much 
 expected from him; on going for the fifth, Tom 
 topped his tee shot, and thus lost a stroke, and 
 with it the hole; and the seventh Kirk gave away 
 in a short putt. On the way to the Corner of the 
 Dyke Jamie Anderson missed a nice Iving ball in 
 playing his second, and though the others trilled 
 somewhat with the advantage given to them, 
 they secured the call in 6 against 7. The last 
 hole being halved, the round was finished with 
 Morris and Kirk 3 to the good. The scores 
 were : 
 
 MORRIS AND KIRK 
 Out, 5 4 4 5 (> 4 5 3 339 
 hi. 5 4557 5 5 '-' 5 -~47 
 
 Out, (> 5 5 () 5 ' .; 4 40 
 hi, 4 J 4 5 5 5 4 7 5 -4- 
 
 . . SS 
 
 " In the first half of the second round Morris 
 and Kirk retained their lead. At (he Burn, after 
 a good approach by Davie, Jamie pocketed the 
 hole cleverly in 4.; but the advantage he gained 
 ir. this disappeared on the next green, in phiving
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 for which he drove into sand to the left of the 
 flag. In the next 4 holes there was a good deal 
 of brisk fighting. At the third hole, Tom 
 secured the call by deadlier putting: in the long 
 hole this was squared by very similar play on 
 the part of Jamie Anderson; at the Heather hole, 
 Davie took liberties with the short game; the 
 High hole was made good by the brothers through 
 a fine approach. The Short hole was credited 
 to the same side, Tom being wide in his drive, 
 while Jamie lay within five yards of the flag, and 
 the last hole out was halved in 4, leaving the 
 game at the turn 2 up in favour of Morris and 
 Kirk. As there was now not much preference to 
 be given for the chances of the leading couple, the 
 play came to be watched with great interest. 
 This interest, indeed, increased to excitement 
 when, in the first hole, Davie reduced the odds to 
 one by an exceptionally fine iron approach. In 
 going for the third flag, Davie unluckily made an 
 awkward and fatal mistake by topping a cleek 
 shot, but after two halves had followed this, Tom 
 failed to take an opportunity of being ' dormy ' 
 at the sixth hole, and as the result was still left 
 an open question, the hopes of the other side once 
 more revived. At the next hole the prophecies 
 of the most sanguine received some justification 
 by the plucky way in which Davie holed-out in the 
 like, to a shot in which Bob was disappointed in a 
 bold bid for the hole; and the game was declared
 
 Fine Foursome 
 
 i up and 2 to play. The Corner of the Dyke hole 
 was halved in an indifferent 6, both Davie and 
 Bob missing holeable putts; and the Andersons 
 were consequently left with the chance of halving 
 the match by gaining the remaining hole, the 
 others being dormy. After the long game, both 
 balls being on the home green in 3, Bob playing 
 the odds ran up to the edge of the hole, and 
 Davie in the like had still the possibility before 
 him of saving the stakes. In this important shot 
 he made a capital effort, but the ball ran past, 
 and a half was declared in 5, giving the match to 
 Morris and Kirk by I hole. The scores in this 
 round were : 
 
 MORRIS AND KIRK 
 Out, 54457454 442 
 I"- 54556556 546 
 
 Total, . . 88 
 
 ANDERSONS 
 
 Out, 46556543 442 
 I", 34656546 544 
 
 Total, . . 86 
 
 In the total score there was only a difference of 
 4 strokes in favour of Tom and Bob, 356 to the 
 Andersons' 360. Mr T. T. Oliphunt, of Kossie, 
 acted as umpire on both days." 
 
 217
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 MATCHES OF TOM AND HIS SON JAMIF. 
 
 IN this year, 1879, a professional foursome was 
 substituted for the annual tournament at 
 Burntisland. Tom Morris and Tom Kidd, as 
 representatives of St Andrews, played the two 
 Musselburgh cracks, Bob Fergusson and Willie 
 Park. It was played on the i6th of August. 
 The course was a small one of 5 holes, only 2 of 
 which gave scope for 2 drives. The ground was 
 more like pasture land than the usual sandy soil. 
 The game consisted of 6 rounds. The first round 
 finished with Fergusson and Park i up. In the 
 second this was increased to 2 up. At the end 
 of the third the match was all even. Then the 
 St Andrews men took the lead, and never again 
 lost it. The end of the fourth round saw 7 them 
 i up, and at the fifth they were all square. The 
 last round and the match was won by the St 
 Andrews men by 2 up and i to play. Tom and 
 \Yillie Park then played a single a couple of 
 rounds which Park won by i hole. 
 
 On the 26th of August there was a profes- 
 sional tournament at North Berwick 2 rounds 
 of the links. The winners were Bob Fen/usson
 
 Matches of Tom and his Son Jamie 
 
 (14), 154; T. Armadale (7), 156; Jamie 
 Anderson and Bob Martin tied for the third place 
 with 157, and, on playing off, Jamie won (3), and 
 Bob Martin (/i). The next scores were: Ben 
 Savers, 163; \V. Cosgrove, 163; J. (). F. Morris, 
 164 ; Tom Kidd, 166 ; D. Grant and G. Paxton, i(>S ; 
 \V. Brown, 169; \Y. Thomson and T. Brown, 171 ; 
 P. Paxton and G. Strath, 172; \Y. Park, 173; 
 T. M. Mnyers, 175 ; Tom Morris, 176 ; J, Smith, 177 ; 
 J. Foreman, 178; R. Collins, 17(8 ; G. Kay, i8_> ; T. 
 Beveridge, 183; T. Park, 184; A. Brown, 186. 
 
 On the 28th, James Allan, of Westward Ho! 
 and J. 0. F. Morris had a round at St Andrews, 
 which Allan won by 6 up and 5 to play, the scores 
 being 87 and 94. The stakes were a five-pound 
 note. Next day J. O. F. Morris played Matthew 
 Allan and Jamie Allan. In the first loimd with 
 Matthew Allan both men were over the first green 
 in 3, bnt Jamie won by excellent putting. The 
 second, third and fourth holes were halved. All 
 square at the Hole Across. Allan won the Heather 
 hole with a splendid putt. Jamie's play at the 
 High hole was " superb." He won it in 4 against 
 Allan's 6 all square. At the eleventh hole both 
 players were " dead " in a couple of shots; but 
 Jamie, playing from the first half, struck the 
 hole and then ran round it ; withal, his ball closed 
 up the road to Allan, and a half in 4 was the 
 result. Jamie won the end hole and turned I up. 
 Jamie was, however, I down at the Heather. All
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 even at the Hole Across. Then Jamie was I up 
 and 3 to play. The sixteenth was halved in 4; 
 and Allan won the seventeenth. All square and 
 i to play. Both were on the last green in 2, but 
 Allan was not half up with his putt. Jamie was 
 " dead," and, Allan requiring another 2 to hole 
 out, Morris won by i. Morris, 89; Allan, 91. 
 
 In the afternoon Jamie Morris played Jamie 
 Allan, but lost again, Allan being 4 up at the 
 Dyke 2 to play. At the same time Matthew 
 Allan played Jamie Anderson, who beat him by 
 3 up and 2 to play. 
 
 On the 30th the brothers Allan played J. O. F. 
 Morris and Jamie Anderson. Betting was about 
 equal. At the turn in the first round they were 
 all square, Anderson seemingly having thrown 
 away 2 holes by indifferent putting. At the 
 fifteenth they were still all square. " A stymie at 
 the turn and bad luck at the end were the fate of 
 St Andrews, and Westward Ho ! stood 2 up on the 
 round the Allans 90, Morris and Anderson 91. 
 In the second round the Allans had at the turn 
 increased their advantage to 3, and they were 4 
 up with 5 to play. At the next hole the match was 
 still kept open by the St Andrews men winning 
 in 4; then it stood 2 up and 3 to play for the 
 Allans. The third hole, however, was won by 
 the Allans, and the match by 3 and 2 to play." 
 
 On the ist of September a return match was 
 played. " The performance, however, was not
 
 Matches of Tom and his Son Jamie 
 
 up to Saturday's. The Allans made more mis- 
 takes, and Anderson's driving was a little weak, 
 and Morris's putting notably unsteady. The St 
 Andrews men started for home i up, but lost the 
 tenth and won the eleventh hole. The round 
 ended with them being i up. Beginning the 
 second round, the Allans ran away with the first 
 3 holes. They were 2 up at the turn. They 
 gained the tenth, and then were 3 up. They 
 were, however, only i up and 4 to play all 
 square and 3 to play. A half-stymie made Morris 
 shy of the hole, and the Allans again led by i. 
 All square and i to play. At one time it ap- 
 peared that St Andrews was to win, but a stymie 
 once again interposed and gave a half a halved 
 match. The stakes were 10." 
 
 A single was played between Jamie Anderson 
 and Matthew Allan, which Jamie won by 3 up and 
 i to play. 
 
 Next day the foursome was played for the 
 third time. It took place in a gale of wind all 
 the skill and caution of the players being needed 
 to keep the course and to make the necessary 
 allowance on the putting-green. At first the 
 Allans seemed a little puz/led with the wind, but 
 afterwards they settled down into a good steady 
 game as the number of holes that were halved 
 showed. Anderson played a deadly short game, 
 while Morris's putting when occasion required 
 was all that could be wished for. The St
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Andrews men were 3 up and 6 to play. Both 
 sides experienced the same fate by being bun- 
 kered off the tee in going to the next hole, and 
 after 3 intervening strokes, each made good putts 
 for the hole, which was halved in 5. The Ginger- 
 Beer hole was likely to go to \Yestward Ho! but 
 Anderson made it a half by a good putt. The 
 next hole in brought the match to a close by a 
 remarkable stroke of Jamie Anderson's. He was 
 lying about eighty yards from the hole, and he 
 achieved the almost unprecedented feat of 
 holing. It elicited a round of applause from the 
 spectators. The match thus ended in favour of 
 St Andrews by 4 up and 3 to play. As the 
 Allans won the first match and halved the 
 second, the players were thus all square on 
 matches. 
 
 In October 1879 a tournament was held at 
 Alnmouth, in which Tom Morris took part. A 
 contemporary record tells us that it attracted 
 much interest " at this beautiful Northumber- 
 land watering-place " ; and adds that it was 
 " chiefly through the Alnmouth Club the ancient 
 game of golf has been introduced into North- 
 umberland." Owini^ to a variety of circum- 
 stances, the number of entries fell short of what 
 was anticipated, but what was wanting in 
 numbers was, according to the reporter, " forth- 
 coming in quality, for, among the eight who 
 entered were Jamie Anderson, of St Andrews,
 
 Matches of Tom and his Son Jamie 
 
 the champion golfer, who has won the Champion 
 belt three years in succession it had ceased to 
 be a ' belt long ere this, however; Bob 
 Fergnsson, of Musselburgh ; Tom Morris, of St 
 Andrews; and Mnngo Park, the respected 
 professional of the Almnouth Club; while among 
 the lesser lights were young Ben Savers, of Leith, 
 who is justly regarded as the coming champion; 
 John Campbell of Musselburgh; \Y. Park, jun., 
 and G. Rochester, of Almnouth." Jamie 
 Anderson and Mnngo Park led off, followed by 
 Bob Fergusson and Tom Morris. The record 
 says that " It should be mentioned that Morris 
 did not feel himself at home on the links, and 
 perhaps he did not play up to his best form." 
 He did not get one of the prizes. Jamie Ander- 
 son and Bob Fergusson tied for the first place, 
 Mungo Park was third and Ben Sayers fourth. On 
 playing off the tic, Bob Fergusson won. While 
 the tie was in progress, Tom and Mungo Park had 
 a couple of rounds, and Mungo had a stroke to 
 the good 84 against Tom's 85. 
 
 In September of the next year 1880 there was 
 a second tournament at Almnouth. Of Tom's 
 play on this occasion it is said: ' From Tom 
 Morris a good game was expected after his brisk 
 performance at North Berwick a fortnight ago, 
 and it was thought that his partner, Mungo Park, 
 might be able to derive some advantage from 
 his superior knowledge of the green; but, as it
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 proved, neither of these forecasts was borne out, 
 Tom quite failing to remind one of his old style, 
 and Mungo being inclined to play a loose game, 
 to which the condition of the green was at once 
 fatal. Four rounds were played, and the prize- 
 men \vere as follows: Bob Martin, 168; W. 
 Doleman, 170; Jamie Anderson, 171 ; Bob Fergus- 
 son, 174; Ben Sayers, 175; Mungo Park tied for 
 the sixth place with four others with 182. Tom 
 tied with his son Jamie with 188; Hunter and 
 the two Parks, father and son, being better than 
 they by a few strokes." 
 
 The year after this, September 1881, Tom did 
 somewhat better at Alnmouth. The order on 
 this occasion was: Fergusson, 160; Martin, 163; 
 W. Park, jun., Kirk and Mungo Park each 172; 
 Cosgrove, 173. Tom was not in the prize-list, 
 but came next with 174, tying with Jamie 
 Anderson. Willie Park, sen., was 175, and Ben 
 Sayers 178. 
 
 Tom does not appear to have been present at 
 the Alnmouth Tournament in September 1882, 
 when the premier position was won by W. Fernie, 
 then at Dumfries, now at Troon, with 166. Bob 
 Fergusson and W. Park, jun. (Ryton), were next 
 with 169. On this occasion a match for 5 a-side 
 was played between Park, jun., and Sayers, I 
 round. Park won by i hole scores 41 and 42. 
 " The play throughout was excellent." 
 
 In August 1880 there was a series of profes- 
 
 224
 
 Matches of Tom and his Son Jamie 
 
 sional matches played at North Berwick. Tom 
 was unable to go for the competition, but on the 
 Saturday, 28th August, he went over to play with 
 Bob Martin as partner against Bob Fergusson, of 
 Musselburgh, and Ben Savers, of Feith, who had 
 won the chief prize on the previous day. The 
 record of the time says: " The match was thus 
 representative of the two links North Berwick 
 and St Andrews and it would scarcely have been 
 possible to have procured better representatives 
 of the two greens. The play was chiefly remark- 
 able for the careful and steady game of the St 
 Andrews veteran, who commenced play immedi- 
 ately on his arrival at the station. The green 
 was in the same hard and slippery condition as on 
 the previous day, and putting at all the holes was 
 difficult and even hazardous. Old Tom ex- 
 perienced this at the Jirst hole, where a well- 
 played iron shot most unexpectedly ran a yard 
 too far and into the road Martin redeeming the 
 misfortune with a capital deck shot, which opened 
 up the hole. Here Tom was again too far with 
 his putt, and the hole was won by Fergussoii 
 and Sayers with an excellent 4. The next 2 
 holes fell to the St Andrews players, and matters 
 went pretty evenly, though generally with a 
 slight lead for the St Andrews men, until the 
 latter, by winning the (late hole, were J up and 2 
 to play. Their opponents, however, won the 
 next j, and the first round finished with Tom and
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Martin i up. In the second round they increased 
 their advantage and were 4 up and 7 to play; 
 and they eventually won the match by 3 up and 
 2 to play." The record continues : " The play all 
 through was not quite up to the best professional 
 form on account of the difficult state of the green, 
 which made any bold attempts to hole out im- 
 possible. Tom Morris, however, showed to very 
 great advantage by playing all through with 
 great skill and judgment, and his well-earned 
 victory was well received by the dense crowd of 
 visitors who followed the match." 
 
 At the Autumn Meeting at St Andrews in 
 September 1881, Tom took part in an interesting 
 match, in which he and Mr Kverard were opposed 
 by Mr Mure Fergusson and Jamie Anderson. A 
 contemporary account of it says: "A lot of 
 money was betted on the result." At the Hole 
 Across on the first round going out, Mr Fergusson 
 and Jamie stood 3 up. After this, Mr Fverard 
 and Tom exhibited some fine play, and " at the 
 turn the match was all square." Returning, 
 the advantage again lay with Mr Fergusson and 
 Jamie, who won the Short hole in 3. Two halves 
 followed, and then again the same players added 
 to their majority. From this point to the finish, 
 all the holes were halved- -an evidence of the 
 closeness of the match. At the end of the first 
 round Jamie and hi^ partner were 2 up. In the 
 second round, Tom and .Mr Fvcrard had the pull
 
 Matches of Tom and his Son Jamie 
 
 and turned I up. Coming in, at the Burn, the 
 match stood all even and i to play. To the last 
 hole Tom and Mr Everard took 6, while 5 was 
 enough for Jamie and Mr Fergusson, who thus 
 won the match by i, and, on the day's play, by 
 3 holes. 
 
 Tom played for the Championship in icSS;-;. It 
 was held at Musselburgh. The 4 rounds ended 
 in Bob Fergusson and Willie Fernie tying for 
 the first place with 158. \Y. Brown and X. 
 Pringle were third and fourth with 160 and 161. 
 Then came W. Lamplock and (i. Paxton with i6j. 
 The other scores were : Ben Savers, 164 ; \\'. Park, 
 jun., 165; Wm. Dunn, 166; and Tom Morris and 
 several others 167. The tie was won by Ferine, 
 after a very close match 158 to Fergusson 's 
 
 159- 
 
 Tom was present again in 1884, when the 
 
 competition took place at his old links Prest- 
 wick. On this occasion he tied with his son 
 Jamie, but both were pretty far down in the list 
 174. The Championship was won by J. 
 Simpson with 160. Douglas Rolland, fresh 
 from his victory over Mr Johnny Ball, tied 
 
 J -J 
 
 for the second place with Willie Fernie, with 
 164. 
 
 Early in May 1885, Tom's son, Jamie, had a 
 match of 2 rounds at St Andrews with Willie 
 Campbell. It was felt that both men we're pretty 
 well matched, but it was thought that Jamie's
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 knowledge of the links would give him the 
 advantage. He did not, however, altogether 
 justify expectations, for he frequently had 
 difficulty in keeping the course. He had, how- 
 ever, often the advantage on the putting-green. 
 The first round was finished with Campbell i up 
 Campbell, 85 ; Morris, 86. In the second round 
 Campbell improved his position, and was dormy 
 6 coming home. Jamie then tackled to his 
 work and took the next 3 holes. At the Dyke 
 hole, however, he could get only a half, and 
 Campbell won the match by 3 up and 2 to play 
 his lead in the first round. The second round 
 being halved, they played a short match of four 
 holes, which Jamie gained by I. Scores for 
 second round: Morris, 88; Campbell, 90. 
 
 On the nth of May, Jamie Morris and Jack 
 Kirkaldy played Jack Simpson, Klie, and 
 Bernard Sayers, Musselburgh. The record says: 
 " Golfers as a rule were quite at sea as to the 
 merits of the respective couples, and betting was 
 about even. As it turned out, however, the 
 strangers had by far the best of the game, and 
 it may be questioned if their record in the first 
 part of the journey in the second round was ever 
 equalled in foursome play. In the first round 
 the visitors turned 4 up and won the round by 
 3. In the second round, Simpson and Sayers 
 never gave a chance, and won coming home, at 
 the high hole, by 9 up and 7 to play."
 
 Matches of Tom and his Son Jamie 
 
 First Round 
 
 Sayers and Simj>son, . 4^1 45 (ji 
 Morris and Kirkaldy, . 52 44 (/> 
 
 Second Round 
 
 Sayers and Simpson, . 3S 44 Sj 
 Morris and Kirkaldy, . 44 4/,--Sj 
 
 The four then played a round for prizes, which 
 resulted: Simpson, 90; Jack Kirkaldy, 90; 
 Morris, 91; Sayers, 98. 
 
 In August 1885 a "very exciting " foursome 
 was played between Bob Martin and Mr Hunter. 
 Tom Morris's son-in-law, and Mr Fverard and 
 Peter Fernie. The winners were Mr Hunter and 
 Bob Martin, with the fine score of 81. Then a 
 match was played, " attended with much excite- 
 ment, and on the result of which bets were freely 
 offered and accepted," the players being, on the 
 one side Colonel Boothby and Tom Morris, and 
 on the other Messrs Everard and Hunter. The 
 veteran winners, Colonel Boothby and Tom 
 Morris, whose united age, it may be stated, was 
 ihen 120 years, gained the match by 3 holes. 
 
 The Championship for 1885 was played at St 
 Andrews on the 3rd of October. It was won by 
 Bob Martin, St Andrews, with a total for the 
 2 rounds of 171. Then followed Archie Simpson, 
 rarnoustie, with 172; David Ayton, St 
 Andrews, 173,; \Y. Fernie, Felixstowe; Willie 
 Park, jun., Musselburgh, and Bob Simpson, 
 Carnoustie, tied at 174. Then came T. Burns, 
 
 22<)
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 St Andrews, and John Paxton, with 175 and 176. 
 The rest of the prize-winners were: Willie 
 Campbell, Musselburgh, and J. O. F. Morris, 
 St Andrews, who tied at 177. Several amateurs 
 came in before Old Tom, who took 190. Mr 
 Horace Hutchinson was 178, Mr E. Laidlay, 179; 
 Mr Leslie Balfour, 181; Mr Evcrard, 182; Mr 
 Mure Fcrgusson, 187; Mr W. H. Goff, 188; Mr 
 Ball did not give in his card. 
 
 By the time which I have reached 1886-87 
 Tom was sixty-five years of age longer, as he 
 himself put it to me on one occasion, than (< most 
 fowk get leeving, far less gowfing." 
 
 The year 1886 saw a succession of great con- 
 tests between his son Jamie and \Yillie Campbell, 
 of Musselburgh ; home and home matches for 
 25 a-side. The first began at Musselburgh on 
 the 3rd of June, and 4 rounds were played. At 
 the end of the first they were all even. The 
 second round finished with Campbell i up. 
 This, in the third round, was increased to 2. 
 The last round was halved; leaving the position 
 Campbell 2 up, at Musselburgh. The first 
 round at St Andrews was halved. Jamie had the 
 best of the second round, and the combatants 
 were all even and i to play. Then came an 
 exciting finish, and a hard one for Campbell, as 
 it turned out. At the home hole they were both 
 lying on the green in 3, and Morris, in his fourth, 
 
 lay on the edge of the hole a dead stymie to 
 
 230
 
 Matches of Tom and his Son Jamie 
 
 Campbell, who was short by a club's length. 
 The position was an extremely difficult one, and 
 Campbell, giving up any chance of being able to 
 " loft " his ball over the other and so drop into 
 the hole, attempted to screw round the side, but 
 only succeeded in sotting the balls, as the reporter 
 put it, " cheek by jowl," and thus lost the match 
 by i hole. 
 
 A return match was played over the links of 
 St Andrews and North Berwick. Commencing 
 at St Andrews, Campbell was again 2 up on the 
 first round, and increased his lead to 4 in the 
 second. At the Dyke hole in the second round 
 he turned the tables on Jamie by leaving him a 
 dead stymie, which Morris failed, as Campbell did 
 in the previous match, to negotiate. At North 
 Berwick, in the first round, Campbell gained 
 another hole, and was 4 up, with 18 to play. In 
 the second round he won with 7 up and 5 to 
 play, and also gained the bye by 2 and i to play. 
 
 In August of this year (i88(>) there was a big 
 tournament at Troon amateur and professional. 
 The professional competition was won by \\ . 
 Park, jun., with a score of two 74's i.|S. He 
 was closely followed by Bob l-Yrgusson with 140, 
 A. Simpson, 15^; I'Yrnie, 154.; T. Simpson and 
 Willie Campbell, 155; Jamie Morris was 157, and 
 his father 105. At this meeting Willie Dunn 
 beat both father and son. 
 
 The Amateui Championship \vas i\\\< year
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 held at St Andrews, on 2ist September. The 
 players were started by Old Tom. It was won by 
 Mr Horace Hutchinson. At a professional com- 
 petition in October, which was won by Jack 
 Simpson (Carnoustie), neither Tom nor Jamie dis- 
 tinguished themselves; nor did they at a similar 
 competition later on at North Berwick. On the 
 I3th October \Yillie Fernie beat Jamie Morris 
 by 5 up and 4 to play. In the second round 
 Fernie was home in 76, Morris in 79. The 
 Open Championship was held this year at 
 Musselburgh, as late as November. It was won 
 by David Brown in 157 strokes. Jamie Morris 
 was 163, and Old Tom 173. 
 
 At St Andrews, in May 1887, Mr Faidlay won 
 the Bombay Medal in 86 (Mr Hutchinson was 
 first with 84), and played several notable matches. 
 He played the best of the two balls, Old Tom 
 and Jamie Anderson. At the fourth hole, Tom, 
 in putting, alter striking the ball, exclaimed, 
 "I've missed the ball!" The ball, however, 
 found the hole, and the incident drew from one 
 of the gentlemen overlooking the match the 
 remark, " Give a few misses like that, old man." 
 Tom and Jamie Anderson won by 4 holes: Tom, 
 87; Jamie Anderson, 84; Mr Laidlay, 88. He 
 then played the best balls of Mr Kverard and 
 Tom, 3 rounds, winning one and losing two. 
 
 In the spring of 1887 Jamie Morris and 
 Archie Simpson, of Carnoustie, on the latter's
 
 Matches of Tom and his Son Jamie 
 
 green, had a tussle for 25. The first round 
 went to Simpson with 3 to spare, and lie eventu- 
 ally won at f arnoustie by 7. The first round at 
 St Andrews was halved 83 each. In the last 
 round Simpson won by 9 up and 7 to plav. 
 Simpson's score was 81, Morris's 86. 
 
 The Championship of 1887 \\as played at 
 Prestwick in September, and was won by Willie 
 Park with 161, Bob Martin 162, Willie. Campbell 
 164, and Mr Laidlay 166. Tom played, but did 
 not return his score, and Jamie does not appear 
 to have been present. Neither seems to have 
 been at Alnmouth later in the month, when Park 
 again secured first honours. Later on in the year 
 Jamie played a three-ball match with Archie 
 Simpson (Carnoustie) and Willie Fernie (Troon) 
 over Carnoustie and St Andrews links. The 
 total scores for the two clays' play were: Fernie, 
 344; Jamie Morris, 356, and Simpson, 359. 
 
 On the 3 ist of March 1888, we read in a 
 newspaper of the period: il Tom Morris had the 
 gitt made to him from his friends of the Thistle 
 (iolf Club of a handsome silver snuff-box. Tom 
 has been an honorary member of the Club for 
 twenty-three years, and ha^ always manifested a 
 great interest in its welfare." About the same 
 time a match for a small stake took place at 
 St Andrews between J. O. F. Morris and Hob 
 Martin against Matthew Allan and Jack Kirkaldy. 
 Play throughout was very dost 1 , and the interest
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 was maintained until the last hole, when Morris 
 and Martin won by 2. In 1888, play for the 
 Championship was at St Andrews. The record 
 eays : " The work of sending off the various 
 couples was superintended by Old Tom Morris, 
 who, however, found time to take part a very 
 creditable part too in the Championship, in the 
 records of which his name holds so honourable a 
 place. Indeed, the gathering would not have 
 been complete without the veteran, who has not 
 since 1860 the year when the challenge belt was 
 first competed for been absent on any occasion 
 when the Championship was being played for." 
 
 The champion turned out to be Jack Burns 
 (Warwick), with 171. Ben Saycrs and Davic 
 Anderson tied for second and third places, with 
 172. Then came Mr Leslie Balfour with 173 
 just 2 behind the winner. J. 0. F. Morris took 
 186, and Tom 192 20 behind the champion. 
 
 In October there was a tournament at 
 Montrose. It was won by Willie Fernie (of 
 Troon), 74, with Andrew Kirkaldy, 75, second. 
 Jamie was 84, and Tom 85. In this month 
 Tom's brother George died. At one time he 
 kept the green at Carnoustie, but for the last 
 twenty-five years of his life had been in the 
 employment of Messrs W. & R. Chambers, 
 Edinburgh. He was well known on almost every 
 links; and from his long connection with the late 
 Dr Robert Chambers, and his kindly nature and
 
 Matches of Tom and his Son Jamie 
 
 genial Scottish humour, he was much liked 
 wherever he was known. He was in his seventieth 
 year. 
 
 Early in November there were several good 
 competitions at Sandwich, under the auspices of 
 the St George's Club. In a professional tourna- 
 ment Tom Morris was beaten by W. Fernie by 
 4 holes, and J. Gow beat Jamie by 2. The final 
 heat was between Simpson and Rolland. It 
 resulted in a halved match, and, on another hole 
 being played, Archie Simpson won the twenty- 
 guinea prize, Rolland taking 10. 
 
 In 1889 Tom acted as usual as starter for 
 the May Meeting of the Royal and Ancient. 
 Owing, probably, to rather a high north-easterly 
 wind, the scoring was somewhat high, and the 
 record says: " This at least is certain, that the 
 course could not be held in any way responsible 
 for the indifferent natures of the scores. In no 
 respect could the least fault be found either with 
 the course or with the putting-greens. The 
 venerable custodian of the green knows his work 
 too well to allow the winter to pass without taking 
 advantage of it, and yesterday found the links in 
 first-class trim the course well clothed and the 
 putting-greens true and trim. Tom Morris was 
 at his accustomed post, and with an apt word for 
 each he despatched the numerous couples." 
 
 A few days later the Amateur Championship 
 was played for and was won by Mr J. K. Laidlav.
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 In the autumn of the same year there was a 
 competition among local professionals at St 
 Andrews, under handicap rules. It is curious to 
 note that Andrew Kirkaldy, playing scratch, tied 
 with Jamie Anderson, receiving 4 odds. Bob 
 Martin was third, with 2 odds. Hugh Kirkaldy 
 was fourth, playing scratch, and Tom Morris, 
 receiving 5 odds, was one of a tie for the next 
 place. Jamie, receiving 6 odds, does not appear 
 in the prize-list. Most of the players then went 
 on to play in a professional tournament at Troon, 
 which was won by Fernie. 
 
 The Open Championship Meeting took place 
 at Musselburgh on the 8th of November, and 
 Tom took part as usual, playing with Mr Evcrard. 
 It resulted in a tie between Willie Park, jun., 
 and Andrew Kirkaldy in 155. The championship 
 fell to Park in 157, against Andrew Kirkahlv's 
 162.
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 
 MATCH KS lSfj<)-J 
 
 I\ regard to the St Andrews May Meeting in 
 1890, the record says: " The rainfall of the 
 previous night had done the putting-greens, 
 which stood in need of moisture, a world of good, 
 and their condition and the condition of the 
 course generally showed what a wonderful green - 
 doctor Old Tom is." 
 
 Tom was again present at the Open Champion- 
 ship this year, which was held at Prestwick. He 
 played with Mr Charles Hutchings (Hoylake). 
 It was won by Mr John Ball, jun. Later, there 
 was a professional tournament at North Berwick, 
 in which \Yillie Fernie, beating Andrew Kirkaldv, 
 had the best score. In regard to Tom's play, 
 the record says: " Leading the van in the fore- 
 noon was the veteran professional, Tom Morris, 
 who showed throughout form which would have 
 done credit to a player half his age. Though he- 
 did lose his single, he gave (Irani a capital game, 
 playing his iron, both then and in his foursome, 
 particularly well, and lioling-out in exceptional 
 style." 
 
 In the afternoon Hen Savers and Willie Ferine
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 beat Archie Simpson and Andrew Kirkaldy by 
 4 up and 3 to play; and Old Tom and Davie 
 Grant beat Crawford and White by 7 up and 6 
 to play. 
 
 On Friday, igth September, 1890, was pub- 
 lished the first number of Golf, a weekly record 
 of " Ye Royal and Ancient " game, and hence- 
 forth we have its valuable assistance in following 
 the story of our hero's life. 
 
 In regard to the Royal and Ancient Spring 
 Meeting in 1891 the record says: " The golfers 
 had also to be thankful to Tom Morris that he 
 had done all that human agency could ac- 
 complish to bring the putting-greens into satis- 
 factory condition. At its close the Amateur 
 Championship contest took place, and was won 
 by Mr J. E. Laidlay." 
 
 The twelfth of the series of " Eminent 
 Golfers" in this paper was devoted to our 
 hero. It appeared on the 3ist July 1891, and 
 was written by his friend, Air H. S. C. Everard. 
 The article ends thus: ' Long may he live, this 
 grand old golfer! All golfers may be proud of 
 remembering Old Tom among their friends. His 
 the native dignity which outweighs all fictitious 
 advantages; his the pleasant demeanour, 
 courteous without servility, independent with- 
 out aggression, which affects favourably to all, 
 and renders the possessor the master of circum- 
 stances on e\vry occasion. \Ye may fitly con-
 
 Matches 1890-3 
 
 dude with an echo of the sentiment of Tom's 
 favourite poet, page upon page of whom he 
 delights in quoting : 
 
 " 'The rank is but the guinea stamp, 
 'Hie man's the ^o\vd lor a' that.' ' 
 
 On the 4th of September of that year ap- 
 peared in Golf some excellent Latin verses by 
 " k. Duckworth" [the Canon?], entitled "Old 
 Tom and Jimmy Morris." Tom was present 
 as usual at the October meeting, when Mr A. 
 Stuart was the winner. In the end of the 
 month Tom was in Newcastle, and laid out 
 the new iS-hole course for the use of the 
 members of the City of Newcastle Club. He 
 gave it as his opinion that it would be one of 
 the best inland greens in the country. The. 
 issue of Golf for the 4th of December con- 
 tained this story: Scene: English railway 
 station. Tom Morris has just arrived to play 
 over neighbouring links. Enthusiastic secretary, 
 who meets Tom, spies a member of his club 
 at the station, and forthwith introduces him, 
 with an intimation that Tom is going out to try 
 their course. Innocent Golfer (loquitur): 
 ' What, do you play golf too'.' " Tom Morris 
 (drilv): ''On, aye; I've tried it aince or 
 twice." 
 
 In 1891, the Open Championship was held at 
 St Andrews on the 6th of October in ram and a
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 gale of wind. It was won by Hugh Kirkaldy 
 with the fine score of 166 the best that had 
 been recorded at St Andrews in the history of 
 the competition. Considering the adverse con- 
 ditions of the weather it was most excellent. 
 His victory was a popular one ; and no one was 
 better pleased than Old Tom, who had fancied 
 Hugh's chances from the beginning. His brother 
 Andrew tied with Ferule for the second place in 
 168; and on playing off the tie, won, so that the 
 Kirkaldy brothers occupied the two leading 
 positions in the Open Championship for 1891. 
 Tom's score was 193. 
 
 In 1892, the Open Championship for the 
 first time was held at Muirfield, to which links 
 the Honourable Company of Edinburgh golfers 
 had migrated from Musselburgh. The weather 
 was all that could be desired. It was won by 
 Mr H. H. Hilton with the fine score of 305. In 
 the second place there was a tie between Mi- 
 John Ball, Hugh Kirkaldy and A. Herd, with 
 308. Tom's score was 364. 
 
 In March 1892 he visited the Cullen Links 
 at the imitation of the local Golf Club. He 
 suggested alterations in several holes and on the 
 teeing-grounds, and recommended places for 
 more hazards. Mr John Smith and he played 
 io holes against Mr G. Seivwright and J. \V. 
 Stuart. Tom and his partner gained 6 holes, 
 
 and their opponents i. The other three were 
 
 240
 
 Matches 1890-3 
 
 halved. During the same visit he went over 
 the Moray Club's course at Lossiemonth, and 
 gave Mr Rodger, the captain of the Club, a 
 licking. In the afternoon Mr William M'Bay 
 and he played the captain and the treasurer 
 (Mr M' Isaac), and won by 2 holes. Tom 
 expressed much satisfaction with the recent 
 alterations in the course, and gave it as his 
 opinion that after it had been played upon a 
 little it would be a superior course to that at 
 North Berwick. 
 
 In April he was at the opening of the Dun- 
 blane Hydropathic golf course. It was inaugur- 
 ated by Mr Leslie Balfour, and he and Mr A. 
 Stuart played against Tom Morris and Ben 
 Sayers, winning against the professionals by 9 
 up and 8 to play, in a match of 4 rounds. 
 Messrs Balfour and Stuart, 151; Morris and 
 Sayers, 161. " Tee-shots " said that the winners 
 " exhibited splendid form. Although Old Tom 
 Morris does not now play so strong a single 
 game as he formerly did, he is still an admirable 
 partner in a foursome, and his defeat in com- 
 pany with Ben Sayers says a good deal for the 
 ability of the amateurs." A return match was 
 played at St Andrews just before the May 
 meeting. The report says: "On Tuesday the 
 principal event of interest was a foursome 
 between amateurs and professionals, the former 
 
 being represented by Messrs Alexander Stuart 
 <> 241
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 and Leslie Balfour, while Old Tom Morris, who, 
 like the brook, ' goes on for ever/ and Ben 
 Sayers, represented the latter. It may be re- 
 membered that the professionals were badly 
 beaten by their antagonists on a recent occasion 
 at Dunblane, where a new green was opened. 
 
 " The present match, therefore, was the result 
 of a laudable desire to rehabilitate their some- 
 what tarnished reputation. Nevertheless, public 
 opinion was strongly in favour of the amateurs. 
 A considerable amount of money depended on the 
 result, the price at which speculation may be 
 quoted being about 3 to 2. In the event the 
 match proved a most attractive one to watch, 
 full of incident and interest sustained almost 
 to the end of the 36 holes. The weather, 
 however, was such as to seriously interfere with 
 the enjoyment of the game; a terrifically cold, 
 strong wind, from a direction between north 
 and east, rendered low scoring impossible, and 
 it is questionable if a single round was played 
 that day which did not exceed 90. The best 
 performance for a half-round was Mr F. A. 
 Fairlie's 42 for the first 9 holes. Mr Laidlay 
 was well satisfied with 44 for the outward half. 
 It may be said that when at St Andrews one 
 encounters whin-bushes in full career across the 
 links, at a pace exceeding that of Mr Pickwick 
 when running across country after his deplorable 
 immersion when one can scarcely venture to
 
 Matches 1890-3 
 
 open one's eyes, by reason of the pain inflicted 
 by the gale-driven sand when, moreover, 
 the course is as hard as a board, the putting- 
 greens razor-keen, and almost innocent of grass: 
 under these circumstances the game becomes 
 one of exceeding difficulty. But such conditions 
 had to be faced on the Tuesday, and it was 
 thought that they would in all probability 
 operate prejudicially on the play of the com- 
 petitors for the medal, which was to follow next 
 day. Perhaps to some extent this was actually 
 the case; but gallant Old Tom, notwithstanding 
 his age and often infirmities, made a brave 
 fight of it with the elements, and, being most 
 ably assisted by Ben Sayers, who played an 
 admirable game, managed to win by 3 and i to 
 play, on the 36 holes. ' What should you say 
 were the chief incidents of that hole? ' asked 
 the writer of a comrade on the completion of the 
 opening hole of the day's play. The addressee 
 replied (pipcrc ulho non sine (iceto, we had almost 
 written, only it was not thus meant), ' The 
 chief incidents of that hole are that Old Tom 
 holed a short putt.' So he had; but, as one 
 may say, it took him all his time. The ball 
 twirled round in a vague and undecided sort 
 of way, but, somehow, did manage to arrive 
 at the bottom of the hole; wherefore the pro- 
 fessionals, by this brilliant stroke, found them- 
 selves I hole up, for Mr Stuart had driven 
 
 24. ^
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 right into the burn near the road from the tee, 
 thanks to the wind, there favourable. Three 
 splendid putts were holed on the way out by 
 the professionals, two by Savers and i by Tom, 
 the couple completing the journey in 44, which, 
 considering the day, was remarkably line play. 
 At this point they were reduced from 5 to 
 4 ahead, but now came a succession of re- 
 verses, which entirely altered the aspect of the 
 match. To begin with, Mr Balfour laid an iron 
 shot stone dead and took the hole. Shortly 
 afterwards Mr Stuart repaid this debt in kind 
 with a somewhat similar shot. Next, the same 
 gentleman, from behind a hill and out of a bad 
 place, drove an extraordinarily long shot with a 
 driving mashie, which shot was mainly in- 
 strumental in winning the long hole home. Sub- 
 sequently all four players endeavoured to get 
 into the railway, but Old Tom was the only 
 one who, by means of a topped ball out of the 
 field, succeeded. The amateurs, having hit 
 posts and wires and things which kept them 
 in the straight and very broad course, were 
 saved from themselves, and won the hole, the 
 match being now all square. The last two 
 holes were halved, but here the play was poor 
 on both sides. The amateurs, however, had 
 played very well since the turn ; and though they 
 finished with a 7 and 6, were only 43 to the 
 half round, 92 to the whole considering the
 
 Matches 1890-3 
 
 day a very good score. The professionals had 
 picked up their ball at one hole, but would 
 have been about 94 or 95. 
 
 " Meanwhile the wind increased, and play in the 
 afternoon became even more difficult than hereto- 
 fore. The second round was remarkable for the 
 absence of halved holes, and for the circumstance 
 that neither side could even place more than one 
 to its credit until just at the close of the match. 
 In the whole match the only holes halved were 
 the eighth and sixteenth, and in the end the 
 professionals won by 3 and i to play. A good 
 deal of bad putting took place this time, 
 especially on the sixth and seventh greens, 
 where the professionals were twice terribly short ; 
 but at the twelfth hole Tom made a remark- 
 ably line iron shot from out of a small bunker a 
 hundred yards away, right on to the green and 
 close to the hole. About this time, indeed, he 
 began to play a wonderfully line game; he was 
 usually in front of Mr Stuart from the tee, 
 and the closer the crisis, the better he seemed 
 to play. The amateurs this time finished in 
 ioo ; the others would have been about 3 strokes 
 better, but did not play out the last hole owing 
 to Savers having driven into the garden of the 
 corner house. These scores show the force of 
 the wind; indeed, man\ r of the players lound 
 themselves compelled to go whither they would 
 not bv reason ol it. The IJombav mednllist,
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 for instance, carried over the garden wall, which 
 comprehended Mr Sayers within its limits, 
 over the road, and into another garden, where he 
 had to delve amongst the peas of Mr Jamieson, of 
 Gibson Place. But notwithstanding these scores 
 a great deal of very line play was shown in this 
 foursome, and the winners must certainly be 
 congratulated on their plucky and well-won 
 victory." 
 
 About this time Tom must have been play- 
 ing an exceptionally line game, for, on the iSth 
 of July of this year (1892), Golf relates that: 
 " Old Tom, playing with Mr Xeilson, came 
 away with the grand score of 82 strokes. The 
 veteran seems to be playing as good a game in 
 his seventy-rirst year as he did when he was a 
 much younger man. In his game on Monday 
 he missed 3 putts, but still came in with a score 
 which many younger golfers would envy." His 
 detailed score was 
 
 Out, 4 6 4 5 4 5 5 3 4~4 
 In, 434505 5 5 5- -42 
 
 Total, . . 82 
 
 In the summer of 1895 Tom laid out a 
 short golf course of 9 holes for St Leonards 
 School for Girls, St Andivws. The green is 
 within the large expanse of private grounds, 
 and is of a suitable description for the 
 L r ame.
 
 Matches 1890-3 
 
 By this time the club-makers at St Andrews 
 had become numerically a considerable body. 
 Year by year, after the boom in golf commenced, 
 they had increased, until in 1890 a handicap 
 medal was instituted, and the competition 
 became an annual one. That for 1893 took place 
 towards the end of May. In a notice which, 
 judging from internal evidence, I should say was 
 written by Mr Everard, it is said: " Some of the 
 scratch men are line players, one of whom, William 
 Auchterlonie, if he could devote sufficient time 
 to practice, assuredly ought to make his mark 
 in the Open Championship. Another, W. 
 Duncan, has lately been coming to the front, 
 and in a local competition recently returned 
 the three grand scores of So, 80, 83, with which 
 he won a prize for the two best scores out of 
 three. In these columns the exploits of the 
 ever-popular ' Old Tom ' have been ere now 
 sufficiently noticed; but perhaps never has 
 he performed a feat more worthy of special 
 commendation than that which we have pleasure 
 in recording this week. That a man who is 
 verging on his jjnd year should deieat a Ik-Id 
 containing a goodly proportion of scratch 
 players, all of them lusty, strong, and in the 
 heyday of youth, is a fact unique. That he 
 should win at all is most creditable; but he 
 comes out, as will be seen, far in front of the 
 thronu". He is like Odvsseus amoni/ tin- I'lia-- 
 
 -> '
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 acians at the Court of Alcinous. The lover 
 of Homer will recall the scene how Laodamas 
 and the rest badgered the hero to ' putt ' the 
 stone; how, notwithstanding its extra weight, 
 he put it so far that, as Athene, with fine irony, 
 remarked-' For it is no wise lost among the 
 throng of the others, but is far the first '; even 
 so is the 83 of the ' goodly steadfast ' veteran 
 in no wise lost among the throng of QO'S, which 
 many of the scratch men returned. Hence- 
 forward the problem will be what to do with 
 him ; it is almost uncanny that one of his age 
 should hand in such a card. Probably he will 
 receive no odds in future, and he should, perhaps, 
 therefore be known as ' Old Scratch.' The 6 
 at the fourth last hole was due to a rather un- 
 lucky approach; with that exception the last 
 half round is beyond reproach. The course 
 was by the left, the weather on both days 
 perfect; and it may be added that the veteran's 
 4 to the seventeenth hole was due to a couple: of 
 line drives, which landed him well up on the 
 green. Details: Tom Morris (first prize and 
 medal), 83 less 5 78. 
 
 Out, f> 5 55 d 5 3 344 
 In, 43545644 439 
 
 Total, . . 83 
 
 The highest scratch man was William Auchtcr- 
 lonie, 8f)."
 
 CHAPTER XXII 
 
 MATCH ES WITH DOW 
 
 Ix (tolf of joth June iSgj, this paragraph 
 occurs: " St Andrews Fine scoring by Old Tom 
 .Morris. In a match last week, Mr Kvcrard 
 playing against the best balls of Dr J. G. 
 M'Pherson and Tom Morris, some fine scoring 
 was made. This is a very severe handicap, 
 for although Mr Everard went round in 83 
 and Old Tom in So, Mr Everard was beaten 
 by 5 up and 4 to play. Old Tom's score is re- 
 markable as he is in his seventy-third year. 
 His play is as good as ever, and he is the envy 
 of his younger rivals. Tom's score was as 
 follows : 
 
 ()llt . 4 5 f) 5 4 5 5 .; 4 4 1 
 In , 4 J 4 4 5 5 5 5 4 3') 
 
 Total, . . So 
 Mr Evcrard's figures were: 
 
 Oll< . 4 5 5 -I 5 '> () .; 4-4- 
 In . 5 -I 4 5 5 4 4 5 5 4 1
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 The best ball score of Old Tom and Dr 
 M'Pherson was: 
 
 Out, 45554553 4~ 4 
 I", 43445544 538 
 
 Total, . . 78" 
 
 Tom was, in fact, playing so well that high 
 hopes were entertained that he would win his 
 match against Bob Dow (Montrose) for a 
 handsome money stake subscribed by the 
 members of the Montrose Royal Albert Golf 
 Club. The match took place on the Montrose 
 links on the 2Qth of July. The weather was 
 excellent, and the greens in good condition. 
 These hopes were not, however, realised. Dow 
 was playing on his own links, and playing well. 
 lie won the first round by 5, and the second by 
 i, making him 6 up on the day's play. 
 
 Two days later Tom and Dow had a match 
 with Mr \Y. Bouch (London) and Dr Stone, the 
 lion, secretary of the Royal Albert Golf Club. 
 The weather was fine, though there was a very 
 gusty wind. Old Tom was in good form, and 
 was specially making a good use of his cleek and 
 putter. Dow also played a good game, and had 
 some splendid tee shots. Mr Bouch's long, 
 powerful driving was much admired; but he 
 was frequently unfortunate in playing his ball 
 into hazards, from which it required all Dr 
 Stone's skill with his niblick to extract them.
 
 Matches with Dow 
 
 The Doctor also showed to advantage on the 
 green. The professionals allowed Mr Bouch 
 and the Doctor a third; but, notwithstanding 
 this handicap, the latter were defeated in the first 
 round by 3 up and 2 to play. In the second 
 round the professionals were even more 
 victorious, winning by 6 up and 5 to play. They 
 also won the byes by i hole. The last time 
 Tom Morris and Bob Dow had played together 
 previously in a foursome was twenty-three years 
 ago at Hoylake with Tom Dunn and Jack Morris. 
 In the end of August a professional tourna- 
 ment took place at Kilmalcolm, organised by 
 the local club. Tom was present, and " created 
 a good deal of interest amongst the West 
 Country devotees of the game as he drove 
 oil." Tom, however, found the undulating 
 character of the course too much for him, and 
 gave ii]) during the first round., but received 
 the prize of i awarded to the oldest com- 
 petitor. The prize-list is interesting owing to 
 the number of now-famous names in it. The 
 English professionals were golfing en route to 
 the Open Championship :it Brest wick, (i) A. 
 Herd, 141; (2) Willie Fernie, 142; (j) Ben 
 Savers, 147; (4) J. II. Taylor, 148; (5) Hugh 
 Kirkaldy and Harry Yardon, 150. Braid does 
 not seem to have been present. The men then 
 went on to Brest wick to play for the Open 
 
 Championship. It was won by W. Auehter- 
 
 251
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Ionic with 322 ; J. E. Laidlay, 324 ; Herd was 325, 
 Hugh Kirkaldy, 326; Andrew Kirkaldy, 326; 
 and Old Tom 383. I note that Mr Garden G. 
 Smith was 26 strokes better (359). Thereafter 
 the players went over to the Emerald Isle to play 
 for the Irish Championship at Newcastle, Co. 
 Down, when W. Auchterlonie was again successful, 
 322; A. Herd, 325; Hugh and Andrew Kirkaldy, 
 326 ; Taylor, 333 ; Ben Saycrs, 335 ; Harry Vardon, 
 344; Tom Vardon, 345; and Old Tom, 383. 
 
 In the practice play for the St Andrews 
 Autumn Meeting Tom Morris's shop played a 
 somewhat peculiar part. Mr Frank Fairlie 
 and " Freddy " Tait were playing Mr A. F. 
 Macfie and Mr Charles Hutchings. The former 
 couple were dormy i in the first round, but, 
 approaching the last hole, li Freddy " played a 
 characteristically long shot with his cleek. It 
 was, however, very much oil the line. The ball 
 alighted on the roof of Tom Morris's shop, 
 and from there rolled down under a pile of wood 
 on the roadway. It was quite unplayable, 
 and the hole was lost and the match halved. 
 In the afternoon, however, " Freddy " and his 
 partner won by 4 and 3 to play: as, indeed, 
 they were entitled to, as their score was the fine 
 one of 79. Mr Mure Fergusson won highest 
 honour at this meeting with 79; "Freddy" 
 was second with 80, and Mr Charles Hutchings 
 and Mr Enilev Bkickwell were each 82.
 
 Matches with Dow 
 
 On 3ist October Tom Morris and I Job Dow 
 had a 36-hole tussle at St Andrews. Mr Kverard 
 is the chronicler of it in a characteristic article. 
 He tells us that " an appreciative if select 
 company were ready to follow the fortunes of the 
 veterans on the classical green," and he con- 
 tinues: 'Needless were it to expatiate on the 
 varied events of ' Old Tom,' sketches of whose 
 career have been repeatedly written; but it may 
 be assumed that Bob Dow is not so well known 
 to fame. Nevertheless, he has attained a fair 
 proficiency in the game, which he has played 
 since boyhood, and, fifty years ago, used to carry 
 for the well-known Mr Campbell, of Saddell. 
 Ever to be remembered by Dow is the Prince of 
 Wales's wedding-day (the present King), for that 
 date marks his introduction to Montrose, engaged 
 by the Royal Albert Club as their professional 
 a post he has held ever since. Never quite strong 
 enough to win outright in a professional iield 
 indeed, such players as ' Young Tommy ' and 
 Davie Strath could have given him a third --Dow, 
 nevertheless, could play a sound and steady 
 game, and with a long driver on his side was a 
 capital partner. Another day impressed on 
 Dow's recollection, and perhaps naturally, is the 
 Saturday when he and Old Tom, his present 
 opponent, played Tom Dunn and Jack Morris 
 for 10. The latter made an excellent start 
 by winning 5 out of the first n holes, notwith-
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 standing which, they were ultimately defeated 
 by 2. 
 
 " This much concerning the past. As to the 
 present, the interest in the match has regard 
 rather to the ages of the two veterans than to 
 any prospective excellence of play. Their years 
 combined amounted to 133, Tom having been 
 born on June 15, 1821, and Dow, June 14, 1832. 
 The former, therefore, had what, at an earlier 
 period of life, might be the advantage to the 
 extent of eleven years; but it was not noticeable, 
 so far as knowledge of the game went and of the 
 proper club to use, that these years had brought 
 any increment of wisdom; consequently Tom 
 had to rely upon his physical prowess alone. 
 Briefly, we may recall the circumstance that last 
 summer he won the Club-Makers' Medal, with a 
 score of 83, defeating, among others, no less a 
 person than the present champion, William 
 Auchterlonie. Thus, apart from his general play, 
 there was some justification for the odds laid 
 upon him, which, exactly stated, were in pro- 
 portion of 21 to 16. So much, therefore, by way 
 of introduction. So far as weather was con- 
 cerned, the day was perfect. A sharp frost 
 during the night made the ground hard, yet not 
 sufficiently so to interfere with good play; on 
 the contrary, the day was eminently favourable 
 io low scoring. Torn began well. Two good 
 shots took him across the burn (a feat Dow did
 
 Matches with Dow 
 
 not attempt either in the forenoon or afternoon), 
 and a steady 5 saw him up. Dow no\v drove 
 into ' the Scholar's Bunker,' when he was unable 
 at all to emerge, and therefore picked up his ball. 
 This inability on his part to clear the lace of a 
 bunker was very marked; he seemed entirely 
 lacking in the necessary knack (acquired through 
 doleful experience by every St Andrews player) 
 of getting out of a sandy hazard at the expense 
 of i stroke only, this deficiency costing him 
 innumerable strokes in the course of the day's 
 play. It was now Tom's turn to make acquaint- 
 ance with such hazards as the course 1 affords, and 
 they are many and varied in character. A visit 
 to the ' Principal's nose ' was the primary cause 
 of his losing the third hole,, and a deplorably bad 
 shot far into the whins close to the railway bridge 
 cost him the fourth; the match therefore was all 
 square. A well-played 4 at the Klysian Fields 
 gave him the lead again, which, however, he 
 assumed only to sec, 1 it immediately wrested from 
 him, Dow here playing faultless golt. Hole about 
 followed, and at the end, to quote a historical 
 report of a match of bygone years, ' The veteran 
 laid his approach shot stone-dead; but subse- 
 quently, however, failed to hole.' Dow here 
 holed out well from about two yards, hence this 
 slip on Tom's part gave the Mont rose prolessional 
 an unexpected lead of I. Tom, however, 
 thoroughly outplayed him at the tenth, the only
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 really good hole he had during the round; his 
 first drive was beautifully followed up by a 
 perfect middle spoon shot, well winded, which, 
 with a little luck, might have produced a 3. 
 All square. From this point Dow had it all his 
 own way, winning 4 out of the next 6 holes, but 
 as he lost the burn he finished 3 up and 18 to play. 
 The veracious chronicler must admit the fact 
 that better golf might have been looked for, 
 especially from Tom, who has a really strong 
 game in him. Doubtless he can summon it at 
 will, as Glendower his spirits; still, Hotspur may 
 hint a certain coyness of response. 
 
 " By no possibility could this winner have 
 missed a three-figure score had the second hole 
 been played out. Also, it is worthy of remark 
 that not one of the first 12 holes was halved, a 
 further indication of the unstable character of the 
 play. Thus far Tom's backers had little cause 
 for jubilation, but in the afternoon a wonderful 
 change for the better took place. He was well 
 on his game for the greater part of the round, 
 which at one time promised to be a really low 
 one, though in the end, a 7 and four 6's some- 
 what spoiled the 1 actual total, which was 91. 
 Still, it was obvious that he could do much as he 
 pleased with Dow, whom he outdrove severely, 
 and with tolerable regularity. The first 2 holes 
 were halved. Tom then won 3 in succession, 
 the last being particularly well played in 4. All
 
 Matches with Dow 
 
 square on the day. Tom also \von the next, and 
 after two halves lost the end hole. Turning 
 homewards, the first hole was halved, but then, 
 by altogether stronger play, the elder veteran 
 won 5 holes in succession and the match ; he also 
 won i of the 3 remaining holes. 
 
 " The second half of the match was played 
 over the Montrose course on the ist of November. 
 Tom was 4 up at the end of the first round, 83 
 and 88. Both were off their play in the second 
 round, and the exhibition was disappointing. 
 Tom won by 7 up on the day's play. Dow won 
 the bye. They again played at [Montrose on the 
 3oth November, when Dow won by I hole." 
 
 Here is a detailed account of this the last 
 match these veterans played, and as it is highly 
 characteristic of both we give it in full. 
 
 ' It does not follow that because Tom is 
 ' Old Tom ' Bob is ' Young Bob.' There are 
 ten years between them, it is true; but Bob is 
 sixty-two. He is more energetic than his re- 
 nowned elder, but he is not so sure. Tom ages 
 perceptibly, but his swing is yet good and his 
 drive is still long. Bob Dow would not like 
 to be called an old man. Nor at threescore and 
 two is he; but his game is scarcely what it was. 
 By taking thought he could make it much better 
 than it was yesterday. Still, it was an interest- 
 ing enough match. Bob had come back from 
 St Andrews 4 holes to the bad, and that, too,
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 after making a very fair start. Bob somehow 
 seems nervous in these matches, but it was hoped 
 he would come out all right on his own green. 
 Montrose Links never looked better than they 
 did in yesterday's sunshine. It is a long and 
 trying course, but it affords capital scope for the 
 varied skill of the crack golfer. If he cross the 
 ' Cannons ' gully in safety, and cheat the 
 ' Coffin,' are there not the perils of the Girdle? 
 And if these be passed, are there not the desert 
 dangers of the long hole through the field, and the 
 hideous earthworks called bunkers which con- 
 front the player as he approaches the hole near 
 the skating pond? which latter, by the way, now 
 holds water. Everything being favourable, we 
 looked for a good display. There was none of 
 what a magazine writer has called ' this d d 
 Englishry ' of golf in yesterday's game. It was 
 a serious, solemn, dignified Scots match between 
 two of the old dogs, in both of whom there is yet 
 considerable life. 
 
 "It is not my province to describe hole by 
 hole the play. That infliction can be sought 
 elsewhere. It is enough here to note a few points 
 of the match for the benefit of striving and deserv- 
 ing amateurs, and to do so in a way that may 
 interest even the good man who in this age of golf 
 lias the misfortune not to know a brassey from a 
 ] tutting cleek. It is a misfortune, but it can be 
 remedied; and in golf, as in other things, as no
 
 Matches with Dow 
 
 less a person than the late Irish Secretary reminds 
 ns it is better to have a late conversion than to 
 remain nnregenerate. The spectators yesterday 
 might not have witnessed the brilliant strokes 
 they have seen on St Andrews, Prestwick or Hoy- 
 lake, but in the steady play of the two hardy, 
 resolute, and withal genial old men, there was 
 much to interest and much to admire for its own 
 sake. There were several things calculated to 
 cheer the heart of the observant duffer. Pro- 
 fessionals, even at sixty-two and seventy-two, are 
 just as other men, in that they do not always 
 profit by the experience of their fellows. Time 
 and again yesterday, when one of the old warriors 
 would make a blunder, it was promptly repeated 
 by his opponent. Now Tom would be scant with 
 his cleek, and it was quite evident that Bob 
 could not hope to reach the green with his either, 
 but all the same he persisted in having a try, with 
 the result that both lay short. Even old stagers 
 can make, a muddle in long grass or whin. Tom 
 lost several strokes in this way, and Bob had 
 quite a partiality for bunkers. But how 
 pleasantly each played out of his difficulty, and 
 with what good temper. The tyro would have 
 broken clubs and cursed. Like all true golfers, 
 Morris and Dow wield the wooden putter. (In 
 the eyes of which eminent goiter does gun-metal 
 or other patent liud favour?) And how beauti- 
 fullv and naturallv, not to s;iv fondlv, did thev
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 handle the club. Tom was invariably deadly on 
 the green. Bob was nervous, erratic and weak. 
 ;< Like ordinary golfers, however, even line old 
 players like Dow and Morris experience their 
 difficulties in keeping the score. The scoring 
 card is an invention of ' the Englishry,' the Scot 
 is above strokes, and only reckons the game as it 
 should be reckoned by holes; but all the same it 
 is well to know what your opponent is down in if 
 you have forgotten the odds played. It was at 
 the Long hole, and no one was quite sure what 
 it had cost. The players themselves were 
 appealed to. ' Fat wis you in, Tom? ' queried 
 Bob. ' I played 4 oot th' bunker,' was the reply. 
 Then Bob told what he had done, and it was 
 found the hole was halved in 7. The match was 
 won at the Skating Pond hole, and here again the 
 line feeling between the two old men manifested 
 itself afresh. Bob had encountered difficulties in 
 the first bunker, but with a beautiful cleek shot 
 he reached the green, and lay what ought to have 
 been dead. Tom played his putter from the edge 
 of the green, and lay even closer to the cup. 
 Bob, playing 2 more, failed to get down, but laid 
 his man a dead stymie. Tom had 2 for the hole, 
 and it was his anyhow by playing round; but to 
 allord the old St Andrews champion an oppor- 
 tunity of showing his quality, Dow gave him the 
 hole, and asked him to try and putt it with his 
 
 iron. ' I dinna ken if I'll manage/ said Tom as 
 
 260
 
 Matches with Dow 
 
 he reached for his lofter and seriously regarded 
 the stymie, but he set himself to the task, and the 
 spectators had the pleasure of witnessing as 
 pretty a loft over Bob's ball and into the hole as 
 they could have wished. The crowd showed its 
 approval, and Old Tom looked pleased. The 
 match was over Morris 7 up and 5 to play on 
 the day; and there was talk whether the re- 
 maining holes should be played out. Tom, 
 triumphant, lighted his pipe, and regarded the 
 question with indifference. Bob suddenly re- 
 membered that there were ' some it her bets ' on, 
 and it was resolved to finish. Bob easily pulled 
 off the bye. His closing play was remarkably 
 strong. But for that matter neither player at 
 the finish looked any the worse for his 36 holes. 
 The old dog for the long journey, they say. The 
 scores were not brilliant, but the exhibition was 
 one of the higher golf. It was an eminently 
 Scottish match. Stroke for stroke and putt for 
 putt it was a genuine struggle 'twixt two old 
 men. And the older fairlv won.''
 
 CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 PLAY 1 894-9 
 
 IN May 1894 Tom was in the Isle of Man, and 
 laid out a course on Duchess Head, Douglas Hay. 
 In June he was in Ireland. The members of the 
 Royal Dublin Golf Club gave him a warm 
 welcome as he came to Dollymount, brisk and 
 hale, from Lahinch, in the county of Clare (where 
 he had just laid out a capital links of 18 holes), 
 and from Killarncy Lakes. Playing on the 
 evening of his arrival at Dollymount, with 
 Brown, the professional, Tom went round in 88 
 an excellent score, and one that, with know- 
 ledge of the links, might easily have been under 
 So. On \Yediiesday the veteran golfer and Mr 
 fiilroy (the captain of the club) played Brown 
 and Mr Petrie. The match was halved; and on 
 Thursday a return match was played, which 
 ended in a win for the captain and the visitor by 
 i hole. ' Is there need to add," says a report, 
 "that all the members of the Club gave a hearty 
 welcome to the grand old champion, that we 
 look forward to another visit from him soon, and 
 that he departed with good wishes for his success 
 at Sandwich during the Championship Meeting? "
 
 Play 1894-9 
 
 In Golf, for July J, I^Q.J, the following letter 
 from Tom appears on the question Ought the 
 " stymie " to be abolished? " To the Hditor of 
 Golf : In reply to yours of June 15, anent 
 stymies, I beg to state that I have always been in 
 favour of stymies being abolished. I think a 
 modification could easily be made. A motion 
 was proposed by Captain Burn at a meeting of 
 the Royal and Ancient Golf Club that a rule as 
 follows should be made:-' A player may, on the 
 putting-green, remove his opponent's ball, but 
 such act of removal should be equivalent to the 
 opponent having played his stroke and holed.' 
 This would do for one, but, of course, the Royal 
 and Ancient would have many suggestions 
 brought before them if the subject was put to 
 them by other Clubs." 
 
 In August Tom paid a visit to Luffness, and 
 had a round of the new green at Saltcoats with 
 the Rev. Air Prouclfoot, one of the ministers at 
 Haddington. Subsequently, with ;i large stall of 
 workmen, he made a considerable number of 
 improvements on it, especially in the way of 
 bunkers. 
 
 On the 2ist September he was at Port Krrol 
 on the Great North of Scotland Railway, in 
 regard to a golf course which the directors wished 
 to establish. lie was met on the ground by the 
 Karl of Krrol, Mr Kergusson, the chairman of the 
 railwav, and a number of those interested in the
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 movement. He had a round with Mr C. E. 
 Stephens, Uxbridge. 
 
 On the 22nd September 1894 Tom went to 
 the opening of the new course of the Alyth Golf 
 Club, in which his old friend, Dr Gordon 
 M'Pherson, had much interested himself. His 
 duties were light. They consisted of teeing the 
 ball with which Miss Ross of Balloch played the 
 first shot on the new links. Thereafter he and 
 Provost Orchar played the Rev. Dr M'Pherson 
 and the Rev. J. R. M'Laren, parish minister of 
 Alyth. They won their match by 2 and i to 
 play. 
 
 In " Tee Shots," Golf, December 28, 1894, 
 there appeared this pleasant and interesting 
 paragraph: 
 
 " An enthusiastic golfer in the Midlands, 
 whose letters are always interesting (and who 
 never forgets the old country and its heroes, for 
 he is a Scotchman, and his wife, as Pat would say, 
 is 'another'), in writing us lately says: ' \Ye 
 had old Tom Morris staying with us a couple of 
 nights last week. He is as fresh as a daisy, and 
 had just been laying out a new course at North- 
 ampton. I took Tom to a ladies' school six miles 
 from here, and in the evening we had some music, 
 which Tom enjoyed very much so much so that 
 lie wrnt ii]) to the lady principal, who played, and 
 said : " Miss B., if I could handle the clubs as you 
 
 handle that piano I wouldna be feared for any o' 
 
 264
 
 Play 1894-9 
 
 them, auld as I am. . . ." One of tho gover- 
 nesses also sang. She had a sweet voice; but 
 Tom whispered to me: ' Doctor, her pronuncia- 
 tion is very bad, for I canna mak oot a word she's 
 sayin'." No wonder. The song was French! 
 The old man was highly amused when he heard 
 this, and afterwards had to bear a good deal of 
 chaffing about his French.' ' 
 
 Early in the year 1895 Tom appeared on the 
 stage! albeit a local one. The occasion was an 
 entertainment given by Mr and Mrs T. T. 
 Oliphant, in the Town Hall, St Andrews, on the 
 23rd and 25th of February. In the tableaux 
 rtiants there were two golf scenes. The scenery, 
 which represented the links, the sea and the city, 
 was well painted. The first scene was "The 
 Stymie." " Old Tom " had just played the 
 ''' like," leaving his opponent, Mr Fverard, in his 
 scarlet golfing jacket, a dead stymie. Mr 
 Everard is carefully studying his putt, consider- 
 ing whether it would be better to try and loft 
 his ball over the other or to screw round it. Old 
 Tom is looking on with evident satisfaction, 
 though he does not believe in stymies, and 
 feeling fully confident that his opponent will be un- 
 able to negotiate 1 the difficulty, and that the hole 
 is as gcrxl as his. The second scene is " The Short 
 Putt." Mr Everardhas holed his ball, and it now 
 remains for Tom to hole his short putt. He is 
 seen in the act of addressing his ball. In the
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 third scene it is evident that he has missed! 
 His attitude is one of characteristic annoyance 
 and astonishment, and a wild and wicked 
 triumphant elation is on Mr Everard's features. 
 In July 1895 a Committee of the members of 
 the Royal and Ancient Club was appointed to 
 report as to the best means for carrying out a 
 proposal to present Tom Morris with a testi- 
 monial. Accordingly an Extraordinary General 
 Meeting was called, at which the following 
 resolution was unanimously adopted, " That the 
 sum of fioo be voted from the funds of the Club 
 
 /v 
 
 towards the Tom Morris Testimonial Fund," and 
 the Committee were instructed to issue a fresh 
 appeal for subscriptions and to notify the adop- 
 tion of the resolution. 
 
 In Golf of May 8, 1896, there occurs the 
 following paragraph: 'The Tom Morris Testi- 
 monial is to close on May 15. It now amounts 
 to 1240, and the committee in charge, having 
 taken the advice of an eminent accountant, 
 recommend that 500 of this sum be set apart to 
 purchase an annuity of 80, and that the balance 
 be invested in the names of the Trustees of the 
 Royal and Ancient Club, the interest of which is 
 to be paid to Tom Morris during his life, thus 
 giving him an income of over 100 a year, in 
 addition to that which he receives as green- 
 kecper of St Andrews links and from other 
 sources, and that thereafter the capital or interest
 
 Play 1804-9 
 
 thereon shall be applied lor the benefit of Mrs 
 Hunter, daughter of Tom Morris, and her 
 children, in such manner as the said trustees may 
 decide. The committee further recommend that 
 the Club at a general meeting have power to 
 modify the last recommendation if they see fit 
 and pay the whole or any portion of the //on to 
 Tom Morris during his Hie." 
 
 In the spring of 1896 Tom superintended the 
 laying-out of the line course in the island of 
 Islay. In May he played in n professional 
 tournament at Aberdeen. 
 
 In May 180,6 Tom went to Edinburgh to 
 attend the General Assembly of the Church of 
 Scotland as one of the representative elders of 
 the Presbytery of St Andrews. It was a graceful 
 recognition of his high qualities as a man and a 
 Churchman, and the golfers among the members 
 of the General Assembly extended to him a warm 
 welcome. Tom, in his capacity as elder, would 
 attend the sittings of the General Assembly day 
 by day, and at night, on the occasion of the Synod 
 of Fife dining at the Palace, would dint 1 with his 
 Grace the Lord High Commissioner, who this 
 year was the Marquis of Tweeddale. He would 
 also attend the levee, and the receptions and 
 " At Homes " of the Marchioness. While dining 
 at Holyrood lie was remonstrated with, by a 
 clerical golfer who sat beside him, on not par- 
 taking more freely and generally of the numerous
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 dishes. He remarked that he had had " a glide 
 denner at the recht time o' day, and couldna eat 
 at this time o' nicht dinner at 7.30 p.m." 
 
 In September 1896 Mr A. J. Balfour, M.P., 
 was in St Andrews, on his way to Balmoral, and 
 was the guest of Mr and Mrs Asquith. Mrs 
 Asquith and Mr Balfour played Old Tom and Mr 
 Asquith. At the turn the M.P. and Tom were 
 3 up, and eventually won by 4 and 3 to play. 
 Mr Asquith was not playing his usual game, 
 while Old Tom was in capital form. He was 
 playing a very good game all this season, and 
 "Tee Shots" of Golf (October 23, 1896) says: 
 " Old Tom Morris is said to have made a record 
 in the medal week at the end of last month. He 
 engaged in 8 matches over the St Andrews course, 
 and was successful in them all." 
 
 In November of this year a number of the 
 members of the Kettering Golf Club, learning 
 that Tom Morris was in the neighbourhood, 
 conceived the happy idea of showing their ap- 
 preciation of the old veteran by entertaining 
 him to dinner. Dr Allison took the chair, 
 with Tom on his right, and his grandson, Mr 
 Bruce Hunter, on his left. In proposing the 
 toast of the evening, Dr Allison said they all 
 knew that they had with them that evening the 
 Father of the Game the Nestor of golf. It was 
 almost impossible to believe that Tom Morris 
 was now in his seventy-sixth year. It was in 
 
 208
 
 Play 1894-9 
 
 the year 1861 that he was champion of Great 
 Britain, and again in 1862 and 1864; but, 
 unfortunately, he missed in 1863. However, he 
 won it again in 1867, and was thus four times 
 champion. If that was not enough to stamp him 
 as one of the finest golfers they had, he might 
 further state that Tom was the parent of one of 
 the finest golfers that ever breathed, and who 
 also was champion several times. Although it 
 was thirty-five years since Tom was champion, 
 he could still play a wonderfully good game. If 
 any ol them went to the ancient city of St 
 Andrews they would find that Tom was the 
 absolute Pope of the place. When the history of 
 Scotland for the century came to be written he 
 was convinced that the name of Tom Morris 
 would take a prominent place. Everyone wished 
 him long life and happiness. Tom Morris was 
 loudly cheered on rising to reply. He said he 
 hoped they would not expect him to reply to all 
 the grand things which the chairman had said 
 about him. His best playing days were done, 
 and he only played now for the good of his health. 
 Many beginners at the game said to him that they 
 supposed golf was a good healthy game, and he. 
 usually pointed to himself as a good example. 
 
 In regard to Tom's wonderfully good health, 
 we may here add what " Rockwood," a well- 
 known sporting writer, says of him in his 
 
 Reminiscences of West Country Gulj : " Old Tom 
 
 209
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Morris was green-keeper at Prestwick during the 
 early 'sixties, and many will recollect his little 
 shop on the High Road, almost facing the old 
 Red Lion Inn. Self-preservation and the art 
 generally of taking care of Number One too 
 rare among the golfing professionals of these clays 
 had much to do with his best successes, until 
 the yearly contests resolved themselves literally 
 into matches between \Yillie Park the elder and 
 himself. \Ye recollect a gentleman staying in a 
 cottage adjoining that of the late Bailie \Yilson, 
 the wealthy President of the St Nicholas, shouting 
 out one cold, frosty morning that there was ' a 
 man on the beach trying hard to drown himself.' 
 It was only Tom Morris breaking the ice to enjoy 
 his usual morning dip in the sea, for he made a 
 practice of bathing all the year round, notwith- 
 standing the state of the atmosphere. To this 
 and his practice (still maintained) of sleeping 
 with his window down a foot at the top, and the 
 natural exercise of his calling, his wonderful 
 state of preservation is no doubt attributable." 
 But Tom's bedroom window, in St Andrews 
 at least, and in a room facing the north-east, was 
 open more than a foot when I used to see it. It 
 was open quite half way down. And I remember 
 him telling me on one occasion that he awoke to 
 find himself lying with a coverlet of snow over 
 his bedspread. It had snowed through the 
 
 night, and the nor'-easter had blown the flakes 
 
 270
 
 Play 1894-9 
 
 right in upon his bed, as it well might do, as the 
 room is a tiny one off his sitting-room. He kept 
 up his bathing habits at St Andrews, and I was 
 fortunate enough for a short time each summer 
 to be one along with him of a happy and healthy 
 party of before-breakiast bathers. 
 
 Golf of March 26, 1897, contained the follow- 
 ing : "At St Andrews, in a match among the 
 members of the St Andrews Golf Club, played in 
 foursomes, a large crowd followed a match 
 between Old Tom Morns and Andrew Kirkaldy 
 against Mr James Kirk and \Yillie Auchterlonie. 
 Old Tom and Kirkaldy had the worst of the play 
 during the out-going journey, and turned 4 holes 
 down. Homeward, they held their own better; 
 but their opponents got the match by 4 holes. 
 The veteran is evidently still able to play a good 
 game, and it is more than likely that he will again 
 enter for the Championship at Hoylake." 
 
 The Amateur Championship Match was held 
 this year at Muirfield. The final was between 
 Dr Allan and Mr J. Robb. At the end of the 
 first round I)r Allan was i up. During the 
 luncheon hour the chances of the finalists were 
 much discussed. A difference of I hole was not 
 of much account. Old Tom, backed up by 
 numerous St Andrews representatives, had still 
 faith in Mr Kobb, though he had not played quite 
 up to expectation in the forenoon. 1 he old 
 veteran's reply to the question, " Who's going to
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 be champion? " was the laconic, " Robb, deid 
 shure." On the other hand, Dr Allan had won 
 golden opinions by his coolness and precision, and 
 it was felt that he had the better of Mr Robb in 
 these respects as well as in play, for the old 
 enemy " funk " was decidedly affecting the St 
 Andrews youth and at times winnowing his hand. 
 As the golfing world knows, Dr Allan became 
 champion for 1897 4 up and 3 to play. Of the 
 runner-up, it was said that he only succumbed 
 in the final after playing brilliantly through- 
 out the tournament. Then a clerk in the Clydes- 
 dale Bank at St Andrews, and but nineteen 
 years of age, he had secured fame as a player 
 in several tournaments, with a record of 74 
 at St Andrews. He is a thick-set, sturdy, 
 healthy-looking fellow, and, though not taking 
 a full swing, he is a good representative of 
 the orthodox St Andrews style, and a worthy 
 pupil of Old Tom, who thinks him able to 
 hold his own with any amateur or professional 
 going. From his brilliant appearance at Muir- 
 lield it was thought much might yet be expected 
 of him in important contests. \Ve know how 
 well the amateur champion of 1906 has fulfilled 
 the expectations of his friends. 
 
 In 1^0,4 the Open Championship was held for 
 the first time at Sandwich. It was won by J. 
 H. Taylor with a score of j^6 D. Rolland being 
 second with Jji and Andrew Kirkaldy third with
 
 Play 1894-9 
 
 333- Tom was present, playing the first day with 
 Captain Tattersall, but he retired on the second 
 day after scoring ion in his round with J. Ross. 
 Next year (1805), the same fine English player 
 won at St Andrews with the excellent score of 
 322, with Alex. Herd second with 326, and Andrew 
 Kirkaldy tliird with 332. Old Tom competed for 
 the thirty-fifth time and, notwithstanding a very 
 bad first round 107, persevered and was rewarded 
 with a 92, 96 and 97, making a total of 392. 
 He was the first to congratulate the winner, and 
 in Mr Scott Duncan's Golfing Annual it is said, 
 " Perhaps the old man's thoughts (lew back ovei 
 the long years to the invincible ' Tommy/ who, 
 like Taylor, could always be trusted to rise to 
 the occasion/ 1 
 
 Tom again played next year (1896), at Muir- 
 field, when the Championship was won by Harry 
 Vardon, after a tie with J. II Taylor with 316. 
 Vardon's two rounds in playing for the tie were 
 157 against Taylor's, 161 Mr F. d. Tait was 
 third with 310,. Tom retired after playing three 
 rounds, 101, 103,, 105. 
 
 In the competition in 1897, at Hoylake, Tom 
 did not enter. The Championship was won by 
 II. II. Hilton with 31 |. lie was closely followed 
 by I >raid with 315 and by Mr F. ( 1 . Tait with 3,1 7. 
 Xor was he present in i8()8, when it was again 
 won and at Prestwick, by Harry Yardoii in 3,07, 
 with \Y. Park 308 and IF IF Hilton 309, as
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 second and third. And he was a " notable 
 absentee " at Sandwich in 1899, when Vardon 
 won. 
 
 In Golf for July 2, 1897, here is a " Tee 
 Shot": "Old Tom Morris entered upon his 
 seventy-sixth year on Wednesday, June 16. For 
 several years past he has been in the habit of 
 counting his score on his birthday,, but Wednes- 
 day being exceptional!} 7 stormy it was impossible 
 to play. On Thursday, however, he had a round 
 with Mr Everard, and, despite the heavy wind 
 which prevailed from the west, achieved the 
 round in 94. He was out in 52, but came home 
 with the very creditable score of 42." Later on, 
 he went North to improve the course at Newton- 
 more. 
 
 In April 1898 we find it chronicled that 
 " Old Tom Morris, who is seventy-seven next 
 June, has recently returned scores of 87 and 88 at 
 St Andrews; so that the veteran has evidently 
 not lost the power of his elbow." 
 
 This year, at Hoylake, St Andrews made a 
 great show for the Amateur Championship. All 
 the semi-finalists were St Andrews men, and Old 
 Tom was heard to mutter : " They'll no' be savin' 
 ' Puir St Andrews ' the day "; they were Mr F. 
 G. Tait, Mr John L. Low, Mr Mure Fcrgusson, 
 and Mr Robb. A reporter of the scene at the 
 final says: " It was easy to single out the most 
 venerable of the professionals. Old Tom, who
 
 Play 1894-9 
 
 keenly followed the fate of his St Andrews men, 
 and had that happy twinkle in his eye which 
 makes his face perfect when the semi-finalists 
 were declared." 
 
 Alas, the light of satisfaction in his eye was 
 soon to give place to sorrow and tears. His only 
 daughter, Mrs Hunter, who was loved and 
 respected by all who knew her, died very sud- 
 denly early in June, at St Andrews. He had 
 intended this hero of thirty-live Championships 
 
 to be at Prestwick for the sake of auld lang syne 
 and as an onlooker, but on the morning of the 
 meeting tidings came of his great bereavement 
 
 the worst he could have had. Since the death 
 of her husband Mrs Hunter had lived with him 
 as his solace and stay. Needless to say he 
 received many marks of sympathy from all 
 quarters, as was also the case when his only 
 remaining son, J. O. F. Morris, died in 1906. 
 
 Mr A. J. Robertson resigned his duties as 
 Editor of Golf, and said some words of farewell 
 to his readers and contributors in the issue of 
 July i, 1898. Every golfer knows how much 
 the literature of the game is indebted to Mi- 
 Robertson, and how much he has done- and 
 still does for its intelligent appreciation, with his 
 clever and facile pen. The new Editor, Mr 
 Garden (Jr. Smith, who happily succeeded him, 
 made his bow in the next number, and in 
 it (No. 417, Vol. XVI., July 8, 1898), Mr I). I).
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 \Yhigham, Prestwick, has the following letter: 
 ' In your very kindly notice of my old golfing 
 friend, Bob Andrews, of Perth, in your last issue, 
 in the terms of which I most cordially concur, 
 you say inter alia that at the Prcstwick meeting 
 of 1863 a match was played between Mr D. 
 D. \Yliigham and Tom Morris (getting a third), 
 against Bob Andrews and Andrew Strath, and 
 that the latter two won by 2 holes. May I, as 
 the only consolation I have in old age, correct 
 your informant. The match was played at the 
 odds mentioned, and Tom and I won by 5 or 6 
 holes. So elated were we by the victory that we 
 challenged the two to play us level the following 
 day. The match was played, and we won again, 
 and to this day ' Old Tom ' has often a pleasant 
 joke with me as to the days ' when you and I 
 beat the two professionals.' Charlie Hunter well 
 remembers the match, and with him and Old Tom 
 and myself as witnesses I am sure you will give 
 us credit for iacts. That was in 1863, and now, 
 when muscles and nerves are apt to fail, it is the 
 only resource we have as old golfers to think 
 back upon what once could be done." 
 
 In June Tom was at Cleveland superintend- 
 ing the extending of the links and playing over 
 the course. 
 
 In the autumn of 1898 Messrs Dickenson & 
 
 Foster published a reproduction of their picture 
 
 -Medal Day at St Andrews. Grouped in front
 
 Play 1894-9 
 
 of the Royal and Ancient Club-House and on the 
 green, are no fewer than 191 golfers. In the 
 foreground Old Tom Morris is represented as 
 stooping down in the attitude of teeing a ball 
 for W. A. J. Balfour. 
 
 Golf Illustrated of June 23, 1899, contained 
 the following congratulations to Tom on attain- 
 ing his seventy-eighth birthday: "Our hearty 
 congratulations to Old Tom Morris on his seventy- 
 eighth birthday. The anniversary occurred on 
 Thursday last, and all golfers will join in wishing 
 the grand old golfer many happy returns of the 
 day. In accordance with his usual custom the 
 veteran celebrated the event by playing a match 
 over St Andrews links. This year it took the 
 form of a three-ball match, in which his opponents 
 were Mr Everard and Mr Stanhope/' 
 
 Mr Andrew Lang, during this summer, had 
 an article on golf in the North American Rcric'a', 
 and in the course of many learned and leisurely 
 witty remarks on the game had this on the spread 
 of golf: " Golf is now established near Rome, and 
 the learned archaeologist, Signor Lanciani, is a 
 golfer. \Yith the purpose of improving his 
 style he means to take lessons at St Andrews 
 from Old Tom or Auchterlonie in winter (I 
 cannot wish him better or more courteous and 
 agreeable: instructors), and incidentally he will 
 deliver the St Andrews Gilford lectures on 
 ' Revealed Religion.' If he could introduce a
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 lecture on the Roman game of ' Cambuca ' and 
 its relations to golf, I daresay Tom Morris would 
 attend the lectures. As a rule, Tom is content 
 with revealed religion, and gives the lectures a 
 wide berth. I do not condemn this conduct in a 
 man who has played golf for some seventy years, 
 and whose natural bent (as displayed in his 
 attitude towards the abolition of the stymie) is 
 favourable to new or revolutionary ideas." 
 
 In a note about the novelist, Mr S. R. 
 Crockett, Golf says: " He alludes with pride to 
 a strong friendship for Old Tom Morris, extend- 
 ing over many years, and quotes a remark of the 
 veteran's relative to his taking up the game late 
 in life: ' Eh! Mr Crockett, what an awfu' heap 
 of yer life hae ye no wasted.' ' 
 
 In a most excellent paper, " An Interesting 
 Picture of Scottish Professional Golfers in the 
 Open Tournament at Leith, 1867," Mr \Y. 
 Dalrymple gives some of the opinions Tom held 
 in regard to his rival great players and vice 
 versa. Tom describes Willie Dow as " playing a 
 great game," and remembers how Major Bethune 
 spoke to him many a year ago about Willie, and 
 asked Tom if he thought he could tackle this 
 formidable Musselburgh man. Tom cautiously 
 replied that he could try, anyway. He did, and 
 won. It is a curious fact that Old Tom and Auld 
 Willie Park never won a match in partnership. 
 
 As Park put it to Mr Dalrymple, " I aye likit 
 
 278
 
 Play 1894-9 
 
 best to play against Old Tom." This, of course, 
 was said from no feeling of unfriendliness, far 
 less enmity. On the contrary, it was rather 
 conceived in the light of a compliment. At 
 Perth, in 1864, they lost to Kirk and Strath by 
 i, and next year, at St Andrews, Dow and Strath 
 beat them by 3 up and i to play. Tom speaks 
 of Dunn as a splendid golfer and superb driver 
 of about the same calibre as Park, and recalls 
 one foursome with a smile and twinkle in his 
 eye. Tom was playing with Bob Anderson for 
 his partner against Dunn and Allan Robertson. 
 Bob was a mason by trade, but a brilliant driver 
 and a fine golfer generally. As Dunn was also 
 a very long driver Tom feared that his partner 
 might be led to press, and succeeded in persuad- 
 ing him to drive against Allan, whom, of course, 
 he could easily out-drive; just as, on the other 
 hand, Dunn could easily out-drive him. The 
 ;i little act of generalship," the tactics of which 
 were worthy of the redoubtable Allan himself, 
 saved the match. " \\"e came," says Tom, 
 ' to the last hole square and i to play. Pro- 
 bably Allan pressed. At anyrate, he loo/led 
 hi:-, tee-shot. He was even accused of selling 
 the match, but, of course, that was all nonsense. 
 Allan was not that sort of chap." 
 
 Of a very good partner of his, Bob Kirk, Tom 
 said, " I remember him very well, lie was a 
 club-maker and a very line player none better, 
 
 and used to keep the Blackheath green." 
 
 2 79
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 And this may be a suitable opportunity to 
 give Tom's ideas on the subject of the laying-out 
 of links as embodied in a letter to the Editor of 
 Golf, written at the end of a gelling season some 
 years ago: 
 
 " SIR, I sec in your last issue that a gentleman (by 
 name Mr Stevens) is anxious to get a little information 
 regarding laying out a golf links. I hope you will allow me 
 space in your valuable golfing paper to answer his questions 
 as far as possible. 
 
 " i. As to the length and breadth of links. If you have 
 so many miles of ground, you can put holes down at, say, 
 from loo to 550 yards, varying them accordingly. The 
 breadth may be from 50 to 100 yards. 
 
 " 2. Regarding the probable cost of preparing it. If 
 the putting-greens had to be laid out it would require 5 
 for each green. Then, if the course 1 had to be cleared of 
 goi>e bushes or whins, it would likely cost about 200. 
 
 " 3. Regarding the third question, the best way to form 
 a Club would be to get as many of your friends together as 
 possible and form a Club; then advertise that such a Club 
 ha> been instituted. As to subscriptions, the scale of Club 
 entry money runs from 2s. ud. to /io. 
 
 " 4. There is no necessity to have trees on a golf course; 
 lar.ne sand-pits dug in the course, called bunkers, or a whin 
 or two to serve as a hazard to all players. 
 
 " 5. With reference to the last inquiry, it would entirely 
 depend upon what the rental of the ground was and whether 
 it was depriving the landlord or tenant of any privilege 
 which he may have let. 
 
 I may state in conclusion that if the putting-greens 
 require to be laid with turf this is the best time of year to 
 
 j .-' i
 
 Play 1894-9 
 
 lay them. Rut you can safely lay turf at any time of the 
 year, provided the ground is moist to let the turf .net a hold. 
 I am, Yours, etc., TOM MORRIS." 
 
 In the end of July this year the famous lady 
 golfer, Miss Rhona Adair, visited St Andrews 
 and played a 36-hole match with Tom, who, 
 evidently determined " no' to be licket by a 
 lassie," put his best foot foremost. Me got the 
 lead at the first hole, and managed to retain it, 
 being doriny at " the Dyke/' and winning the 
 Jirst round by I hole. In the afternoon he was 
 j up at the turn; but the clever young lady 
 succeeded in reducing him to 2 in the homeward 
 journey. Eventually he won the match only 
 by i hole. 
 
 On another day of this visit Mr Everard 
 played the best ball of the lady and Old Tom, 
 and won by 5 and 4 to play. In the afternoon 
 Tom and his fair partner showed much better 
 form, and won by 3 and 2. 
 
 Towards the end of this year, Mr John L. 
 Low's Memoir of Freddy Tait was published. 
 Here is a story told in it in regard to the line 
 young player and Old Tom: 'In iSSS Tait 
 played a lot of golf: more than 120 matches are 
 recorded in his match-book. On Jist July we 
 iind the record of a match with Mr Norman 
 Playfair, which Tait lost by /. ' Driving very 
 poor; put a ball through a man's hat, and had 
 to pay live shillings.' In the afternoon Tait
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 seems to have kept the line better, for he beat 
 his opponent by 5 holes ; and no further casualties 
 are reported. The moment Freddy made the 
 almost fatal shot just recorded, Norman Playfair 
 shouted out, ' You've got him! ' and so he had. 
 Freddy was somewhat annoyed at having to 
 part with the five shillings, and took that king of 
 kindly counsellors, Old Tom, into his confidence, 
 in the hope that he would gain from his old 
 friend some consolation. But Tom could not be 
 persuaded that Freddy was the injured party: 
 his thought was rather one of gladness that the 
 teat had been accomplished without any real 
 injury. He saw that ' Freddy's ' driving needed 
 more 'control,' so he replied: 'Ah, Master 
 Freddy, ye may be verra thankfu' that it's only 
 a hat and no' an oak coffin ye hae to pay for.' '
 
 ( HA1TKR XXIV 
 
 FROM I f/)0 
 
 THE following appeared in The Dundee Ad- 
 vertiser of nth January 1901: ' Notwithstand- 
 ing the fact that old Tom Morris, the veteran 
 golfer, is in his eightieth year he still moves 
 about freshly. Daily he is seen enjoying a 
 walk on the classic links and at the same time 
 supervising with his keen eye the work of the 
 green-keepers, while on other occasions he can 
 be observed wielding his club with youth- 
 like vigour. As showing his wonderful vitality, 
 it might be mentioned that on the closing day 
 of the year, and on the first day of the Xew 
 Year, he engaged in a couple of rounds each 
 day, taking part in a foursome with three 
 Glasgow gentlemen. He played a remarkable- 
 game for his age." 
 
 About this time negotiations which Tom 
 had entered into in regard to the well-known 
 hazard, about which there has been so much 
 controversy, known as ' The Stationmaster's 
 (iarden," were successfully carried through. 
 
 In (iol/ Illustrated of 25th January 10,01, we 
 find the iollowiim : "This world-famed hazard.
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 around which raged a historical controversy in 
 the pages of Golf, was shorn of much of its terror 
 by the new law as to ' out of bounds.' It still 
 remained, however, a trap for balls. Assuming 
 that the high walls were successfully scaled 
 by the search-party no mean feat the dis- 
 position of the buildings and the confused 
 jumble of rubbish and vegetation around them 
 rendered it impossible to say in what direction 
 the errant ball should be looked for, and if to 
 play into it no longer involved the loss of the 
 hole, it still too often meant the loss of the ball. 
 The wise and good Tom Morris has, however, 
 diplomatically approached the stationmaster 
 with such success that easy access will hereafter 
 be afforded to golfers who have driven into it, 
 while the garden is to be so ' redded up ' that 
 a lost ball will be almost an impossibility. 
 Thus has Tom served the cause both of golf and 
 horticulture. American golfers will no longer 
 be bitterly disappointed with the contrast be- 
 tween the reality and the idyllic picture they 
 had formed of the famous garden of the station- 
 master, and even home-bred golfers will be 
 obliged to confess that, after all, 
 
 " ' It really is a \\vrry pretty garden 
 
 li it wasn't lor the 'ouses in between. 5 ' 
 
 On Saturday, the ist of February IQOI, Tom 
 assisted at the proclamation of the King at St
 
 From 1900 
 
 Andrews. A correspondent thus describes the 
 incident: 'The King was proclaimed at the 
 Cross in Market Street last Saturday bv Provost 
 
 j 
 
 Ritchie Welsh, after a fanfare of trumpets. 
 The procession was very ably marshalled in 
 the Madras grounds, all public bodies being 
 represented the University students, the 
 Church, etc., and the Royal and Ancient (iolf 
 Club officially. The silver clubs were draped 
 in crape and carried by the Club officer, 
 Nicholas Robb, while to Old Tom Morris was 
 assigned the less ponderous silver putter. The 
 route was up South Street to the Cathedral, 
 thence westwards down the length of North Street, 
 round Abbotsford Crescent, and so through 
 Hope Street up Market Street to the Cross. 
 A rare pace was set, so much so that Old Tom 
 was beginning to make rather bad weather of it, 
 and announced that he would rather have played 
 two rounds of the links." 
 
 In this month Tom acted as " ski]) " in a 
 curling match which, on the invitation of Mr 
 James Cheape of Strathtyrum, was played over 
 the pond on the estate. The result was as follows : 
 
 J. (). Wallace, Janus ('lira; >o, 
 
 Major Carnegie, |anu-s Kirk, 
 
 William (ireig, ('a; tain r>urn, 
 
 Tom Morris (skip). 22. William I'atrrson (skip), K>. 
 
 On the i6th of March, the day before the 
 old course closed tor its annual re^t, Tom had
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 a match with his friend Mr Everard. He 
 
 came " in " in the fine score of 43, and although 
 he lost the match by two at the Burn, he 
 averred that he was playing as good a game as 
 he had done for the last twenty years. It is 
 noticeable that James Anderson was out on the 
 same day and played well in a foursome. 
 
 The meeting at which the Open Championship 
 for 1900 was played for at St Andrews was a 
 memorable one. The old grey city was gay with 
 flags and bunting, for it was the day after 
 Pretoria Day, and the people had been deter- 
 mined not to be a whit behind their neighbours in 
 rejoicing over the fact that the stronghold of 
 Kruger had succumbed to Lord Roberts, and 
 that 4000 of our soldier prisoners were free. 
 The night previous to its commencement had 
 been given over to rejoicing and high jinks of 
 various kinds. Everyone was still sporting 
 appropriate favours, and Old Tom at the starting- 
 point was not a whit behind the others, for he 
 was sporting his red, white and blue rosette. 
 It was memorable, too, on account of Taylor's 
 winning the blue riband with 309 to Vardon's 
 317, and Braid's 322. 
 
 Later, " Tec Shots " in Golf Illustrated, June 
 22, contained the following paragraph: ' Tom 
 Morris celebrated his seventy-ninth birthday on 
 Saturday, the i6th, when he received the 
 
 congratulations of his numerous friends and 
 
 286
 
 From 1900 
 
 admirers. The veteran, who is as hale and 
 hearty as ever, played a round of the links in the 
 course of the day with Mr H. S. ('. Everard." 
 Immediately after this he further celebrated the 
 event by laying out the golf course at Collieston 
 a charming little fishing-village just north of 
 Aberdeen hard by the famous sands of Towie. 
 
 The issue for the week following had the 
 following paragraph: " Old Tom Morris, who 
 attained his eightieth birthday on Sunday (says 
 the Glasgow Herald], celebrated the occasion 
 by playing a round on St Andrews links a 
 custom which he has followed annually for a 
 number of years past, and his partner was Mr 
 H. S. C. Everard. The weather during the 
 match was cold and stormy, the latter stages 
 being finished in heavy rain. Notwithstanding 
 his advanced age, Tom, who was in receipt of a 
 third from his opponent, played a remarkably 
 good game; and the match ended all square." 
 This paragraph has caused much doubt and 
 apprehension in Scotland, and I am able to state 
 it is quite erroneous. The ' Grand Old Man ' of 
 golf passed his eightieth birthday (which was 
 Sunday) in his usual quiet and devout manner, 
 and it was on Monday that lie ' celebrated the 
 occasion ' by engaging in a round with Mr 
 Everard." 
 
 Tom's saying in regard to Sunday golf is well 
 known: "If you gentlemen," he is reported to
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 have said to two Englishmen desirous of playing 
 on the Sunday, " dinna need a rest on the 
 Sawbath, the links does." 
 
 In April several golfing relics were sent from 
 St Andrews to the Glasgow Exhibition through 
 the energy of the Rev. John Kerr ot Dirlcton, 
 who has done so much for the game on its 
 historical and literary side. They included 
 the Championship Belt won by the late 
 Tommy Morris, which is now, of course, the 
 property of Old Tom ; the putters of Tommy 
 and his father, and those of Davie Strath and 
 Allan Robertson. 
 
 A "Tee Shot" in Golf Illustrated of June 14, 
 1901, says: " Old Tom Morris, haler and heartier 
 than ever, made the journey from St Andrews 
 to Muirfield and graced the starting-point (at the 
 Open Championship) with his genial presence." 
 
 "' Jacky Eergusson and ' Eicry, 1 who was carry- 
 ing for Willie Park, represented the ancient 
 school of Mussel burgh." 
 
 The same issue contains an excellent portrait 
 of Tom along with Professor Sir John Chiene. 
 
 And another of June 21 says: " f O for anc 
 and tii'ciify, Turn ! ' Old song. Heartiest con- 
 gratulations and best wishes to Old Tom who 
 reached his eightieth year last Saturday. Many 
 more birthdays may he see ! He had a round of the 
 links on the forenoon of the previous Saturday." 
 
 Towards the end of June old Tom and the
 
 From 1900 
 
 late Mr T. I). Forgan had a match playing 
 square. Tom began badly by losing the iirst 4 
 holes, but nothing daunted he stuck to his man, 
 and at the turn he was only I down. Coming 
 home lie played a good and steady i^ame, but 
 Mr Forgan eventually \voii the inateh j up and 
 2 to play. Tom came " in " in .14. 
 
 Tom was in great form on Saturday the 2jrd 
 of August. He went round in N6. 
 
 5 5 5 5 4 5 5 j 4~ 4 1 
 
 4 5 J () 5 5 5 () 45 
 
 During the whole of this summer he played 
 a great deal and extremely well; better, he 
 thought, than he had done for twenty years. 
 One day he played with Mr Robert Strath, a 
 visitor from Canada. Old memories of bygone 
 days were awakened when the starter called out 
 the once familiar combination of names, " Morris 
 and Strath." 
 
 On the I2th of October Old Tom and Mi- 
 fames Kirk, a well-known old St Andivws 
 player, had a match with Mr \\illiam Doleman 
 and Mr J. Jenkins, both line players. The 
 match was well contested. Tom and his partner 
 led bv 1 at the turn, but the match ended all 
 square. Towards the end <>! this year the 
 veteran had an invitation to visit Australia for 
 the purpose of playing exhibition matches.
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 15ut alas, his years were against his accepting 
 the proposal, though it was a very tempting 
 one. 
 
 Early in January 1902 Tom and Principal 
 Story played a foursome with Mr Charles 
 Anderson of Fcttykill and Mr H. Anderson. 
 Tom and the Principal won by 2 up and i to play. 
 
 In Golf Illustrated of July 4, 1902, this 
 "Tee Shot" appeared: "Heartiest congratula- 
 tions and best wishes to Old Tom, who attained 
 his eighty-first birthday on Monday of last week. 
 He is, I am glad to say, enjoying the best of 
 health, and on his birthday played a round with 
 Mr H. S. C. Everard. A short time ago he had 
 a round on twelve consecutive days." 
 
 When Mr Andrew Carnegie was in St Andrews 
 in the summer of this year, 1902, receiving the 
 freedom of the city, he had a long chat with 
 Old Tom and handed him his calling card, on 
 the back of which he wrote, " Tom Morris, King 
 of Golfdom, your loyal subject, A. C." He 
 ordered two full sets of clubs to be sent to him to 
 Skibo Castle. 
 
 At the Coronation procession at St Andrews 
 there were two interesting features Old Tom 
 and the officials of the Royal and Ancient Club 
 carrying the famous silver clubs and balls, and 
 also a lorry on which were several of Messrs 
 Forgan's employees working at the different 
 
 departments of club-making. 
 
 290
 
 From 1900 
 
 In Coif Illustrated, September 19, 1902, then- 
 is given an admirable photograph of Tom and 
 his dog " Silver." And here I may state that 
 about this time Sir George Reid was com- 
 missioned to paint Tom's portrait for the Royal 
 and Ancient Club. 
 
 In the autumn of this year he had rather a 
 sharp illness, but by November he was able to 
 be about again, using as a stall' a portable seat, 
 so that he could sit down and have a rest at any 
 time. 
 
 By the beginning of 1903 Tom was reported 
 to be " quite himself again and able to dispense 
 with his stick." In fact, on Hogmanay, the 
 last day of the year, he played in a foursome. 
 
 By February our hero had given his last 
 sitting to Sir George Reid, R.S.A., in Edinburgh, 
 for his portrait for the Royal and Ancient Club. 
 During his stay in Edinburgh he was the guest 
 of Mrs Tait, widow of the Professor and mother 
 of Freddy. He would be much made of in that 
 ere\\hile happy family circle. 
 
 In the spring of 1903 he laid out the golf 
 course at Eeuchars. His birthday greeting this 
 year from (iolf Il'nsti'iiU'tl was as follows: 
 " Hearty congratulations and many happy re- 
 turns of tht 1 day to Old Tom Morris, who cele- 
 brated his eighty-second birthday on Tuesday 
 the loth inst." 
 
 To a paper ol mine in 'I lie \\ tvA7)' Scotsman
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 in June of this year, entitled, " A Chat with 
 Tom .Morris," the veteran kindly sent me this 
 message to give to boys. It is written by his 
 son, J. 0. F. Morris, and signed by Old Tom: 
 " I would advise all boys, if they possibly can, 
 to take plenty of fresh air, and if they prefer to 
 take golf as a recreation I would advise them to 
 take time and learn the game; also see that they 
 do not lose their temper. In playing see that 
 they swing quietly and keep their eye on the 
 ball." 
 
 My old and dear friend, Frank Boyd, writing 
 in his smartly-conducted paper, The Pelican, 
 referring to this eighty-second birthday, says he 
 " joins tens of thousands of players of the royal 
 and ancient game in wishing its most representa- 
 tive figure many happy returns of the day." He 
 tells us how he had the privilege of writing " Old 
 Tom's " first interview a good many years ago, 
 and adds: " On that occasion Tom, who had 
 known me since I was a little boy, told me many 
 things, some of which duly appeared in print 
 and some of which stayed in my heart " a 
 very pretty touch, friend Pelican " as they were 
 meant to. Talking of how St Andrews even 
 then was changing, and of how the old people 
 were passing away, Tom said, ' Now that the 
 Principal (Tulloch) has gone, there are only the 
 Doctor (Boyd) and me left. And soon the 
 Doctor will bury me and that will be the end of
 
 From 1900 
 
 Tom.' But the end is not yet for Tom Morris 
 by a long way, although he was one of those who 
 helped to lower A. K. II. B. to his last sleep in 
 the beautiful churchyard within the ruins of the 
 grand old Cathedral at St Andrews, looking out 
 to the sea." 
 
 Sir George Reid's portrait of Tom arrived at 
 St Andrews in August. It was voted a great 
 success. It represents old Tom in a character- 
 istic attitude. He is holding a niashie in his 
 right hand, while his left is thrust into his 
 trouser pocket. It remained on view for some 
 days in the Club-House; and there it now has 
 an honoured place. 
 
 In this month Lord Roberts, accompanied by 
 Sir Ian Hamilton, paid a short, hurried visit to 
 St Andrews. They went out a few holes of the 
 old course and returned by the Jubilee course. 
 They visited old Tom's shop, but unfortunately 
 Tom was out playing and so a meeting between 
 the two heroes in their respective fields did not 
 take place. 
 
 On this visit Tlic EdiiihurgJi Ercuiiig DispiifcJi 
 remarks: " (iolf is a game whieh needs no 
 advertisement, but there is no golfer who will 
 not feel ilattered by the delicate tribute which 
 has been paid to the prevailing interest of the 
 pastime by the Commander-in-("hief of the 
 Hritish Army. Lord Roberts, having some time 
 to spare, took a tour last Lriday to St Andrews.
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 And what came he forth for to sec ? The grey old 
 city by the northern sea has a history and 
 traditions reaching back to the units of antiquity. 
 The scholar, historian, ecclesiastic and anti- 
 quarian all take pleasure in her stones ; her very 
 dust to them is dear. But what was it, according 
 to the reporter, that chiefly engaged the attention 
 of the Field Marshal? Not the Chapel of the 
 Culdees, or the relics of the stately Cathedral, or 
 the classic colleges, or the Bottle Dungeon, or the 
 pulpit of ' A. K. H. B/ His lordship, we arc 
 told, was taken out upon the links and was 
 interested in the game of golf. What a contrast 
 docs this present between the old and new St 
 Andrews! It is no longer chiefly known as the 
 place whence the first stream of learning was 
 sent abroad through Scotland, or where Papist 
 and Reformer fought their fiercest battles for 
 the faith. The ancient St Andrews flourished 
 by the spread of learning and the preaching of 
 the Word. The modern St Andrews flourishes 
 by the royal and ancient game, and the dis- 
 tinguished visitor is taken to sec an exhibition of 
 the popular pastime instead of the hoary an- 
 tiquities." 
 
 In the autumn of 1903 Tom, feeling the 
 infirmities of age, and thinking that a younger 
 man would be able to give a greater amount of 
 strength and energy to the task, gave up the 
 custodianship of the links lor which lie had so
 
 From 1900 
 
 long cared. According to Coif Illustrated it was 
 " an event which may be said to mark the close 
 of an epoch in the history of golf." The Club 
 arranged that his salary should be continued. 
 His successor was appointed at the October 
 meeting. The choice of the dub fell on 1 lugh 
 Hamilton, late of North Berwick, and at the date 
 of his appointment green-keeper at Portmarnock, 
 Ireland. The feeling of Tom's local admirers on 
 his retirement was thus expressed by one of them. 
 
 " Where'er the game of Scotland runs 
 
 It and its minstrelsie 
 \Yhen hearts yearn hame to breezy links. 
 There's a kindly wish for thec. 
 
 Our a'c a'e wish is a lang, lane; wish 
 (But it comes from a braid countroe); 
 
 An' aye, an' aye the burden is, 
 ' A blessing, Tom, for thee.' ' 
 
 Early in 1904 Principal Story was in St 
 Andrews and Tom and he hud a round. Shortly 
 after this we find him at Kinghorn planning the 
 extension of the course there. Mr M'Xeil, ex- 
 champion of Australia, writing to the Mcl^nicnie 
 Leader on golfing topics, lias the following 
 concerning the veteran : " I spent a morning with 
 old Tom Morris at St Andrews. There are two 
 things which stand out about this wonderful old 
 man. The first is his bright and healthful 
 appearance; lie might be sixty or seventy and
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 he is really eighty-two. The second is his 
 knowledge of every little point about the game 
 and the leading players. Old Tom has a wonder- 
 ful charm of manner, and altogether I felt it was 
 a real privilege and education to spend that hour 
 with him." 
 
 On February 19, 1904, Golf Illustrated had 
 this bulletin in regard to him: "Old Tom is 
 playing a great deal of golf just now. It is 
 satisfactory to know that Tom continues in the 
 very best health and spirits." 
 
 During the Whitsuntide recess this year Tom 
 played a very good game in a match with Sir 
 Walter Foster, M.P. He gave the member for 
 the Ulverton Division a third and beat him by 
 2 and i to play. His score was 94 46 out and 
 48 in. He was particularly good in his driving- 
 lying within two yards of the long hole in 3, 
 while at the High hole he was on the green with 
 his second. 
 
 On the 24th of June 1904 this appeared in 
 "Tec Shots/' Golf Illustrated: "I am but 
 echoing the sentiments of every golfer when I 
 tender my sincere congratulations to Old Tom, 
 who on Thursday of last week attained his 
 eighty-third year. He celebrated the day with 
 his usual birthday round of the links. Mr II. S. 
 C. Everard played the best ball of Old Tom and 
 the Rev. Mr Parsons, giving them a stroke a hole. 
 Old Tom was in splendid form and that in spite
 
 From i goo 
 
 of a strong wind which blew right across the 
 course. After very even play on the outward 
 journey he led by a couple of holes at the turn, 
 and continuing to play a line, steady game 
 coming home, he finally won by 6 up and 5 to 
 play. The great feature of his piny was his 
 driving from the tee and long game generally."
 
 CHAPTER XXV 
 
 A SCOTCH PHYSICIAN TOM AS HEAD OF 
 THE FACULTY 
 
 TOM has frequently appeared in the pages of 
 Punch, and the article which we quote describes 
 him acting as an eminent Scotch physician the 
 Head of the Faculty. 
 
 " Bulger was no cricketer, no tennis-player, 
 no sportsman in fact. But his doctor recom- 
 mended exercise and fresh air. ' And I'm 
 thinking, sir,' he added, ' that you cannot do 
 better than just take yourself down to St Andrews 
 and put yourself under Tom Morris.' ' Is he 
 a great Scotch physician? ' asked Bulger; ' I 
 don't seem to have heard of him.' ' The Head 
 of the Faculty, sir,' said the medical man ' the 
 Head of the Faculty in those parts.' 
 
 " Bulger packed his effects, and in process 
 of time he arrived at Leuchars. Here he 
 observed some venerable towers within a short 
 walk, and fancied that he would presently arrive 
 at St Andrews. In this he was reckoning 
 without the railway system he was compelled 
 to wait at Leuchars for no inconsiderable time, 
 which he occupied in extracting statistics about
 
 A Scotch Physician 
 
 the consumption of whisky from the young 
 lady who ministered to travellers. The revela- 
 tions now communicated convinced Bulger that 
 cither Dr Morris was not on the lines of Sir 
 Andrew Clark, or, as an alternative, that his 
 counsels were not listened to by travellers on 
 that line. 
 
 " Arriving in the dusk, Bulger went to his 
 inn, and next morning inquired as to the address 
 of the Head of the Faculty. ' I didna ken, 1 
 said an elderly person to whom he appealed, 
 ' that the professors had made' Tom a doctor, 
 though it's a sair and sad oversicht, and a 
 disgrace to the country, that they ha'ena done 
 sac lang syne. But I jalouse that your doctor 
 was jist making a gowk o' yc.' ' What! ' said 
 Bulger. ' Jist playin' a plisky on ye, and he 
 meant that Tom wad pit ye in the way o' 
 becoming a player. Mon, ye 're a bull-neckit, 
 bow-leggit chicT, and ye'd shape line for a 
 gowfer! Here's Tom.' And, with this brief 
 introduction, the old man strolled away. 
 
 ' Bulger now found himself in the- presence 
 of Mr Morris, whose courtesy soon put him on a 
 footing of friendliness and confidence. He 
 purchased, by his mentor's advice, a driver, a 
 
 I J 
 
 clerk, a putter, a brassey, an iron, a niblick, and 
 a mashie. Armed with thor implements, whieh 
 wen 1 'carried by an orphan boy,' and under 
 tlir guidauer of the I lead of the I 1 acuity himself,
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Bulger set forth on his first round. His first 
 two strokes were dealt on the yielding air; his 
 third carried no inconsiderable parcel of real 
 property to some distance; but his fourth hit 
 the ball and drove it across the road. ' As 
 gude as a better/ quoth the orphan boy, and 
 bade Bulger propel the tiny sphere in the direc- 
 tion of a neighbouring rivulet. Into this affluent 
 of the main Bulger finally hit the ball; but an 
 adroit lad of nine stamped it into the mud 
 while pretending to look for it, and Bulger had 
 to put down another. \Yhen he got within 
 putting range he hit his ball, careering back 
 and forward over the hole, and, ' Eh, man,' 
 quoth the orphan boy, ' if you could only drive 
 as you putt! ' 
 
 " In some fifteen strokes he accomplished 
 his task of holing out; and now, weary and 
 desponding (for he had fancied golf to be an 
 easy game), he would have desisted for the day. 
 But the Head of the Faculty pressed on him 
 the necessity of ' the daily round, the common 
 task.' vSo his ball was teed, and he lammed it 
 into the Scholar's Bunker, at a distance of 
 nearly thirty yards. A niblick was now placed 
 in his grasp, and he was exhorted to ' Take 
 plenty sand.' Presently a kind of simoom was 
 observed to rage in the Scholar's Bunker, out 
 of which emerged the head of the niblick, the 
 ball, and-, linallv, Bulger himself. His next
 
 A Scotch Physician 
 
 hit, however, was a line one, over the wall, where, 
 as the ball was lost, Bulger deposited a new one. 
 This he, somehow, drove within a few feet of 
 the hole, when he at once conceived an intense 
 enthusiasm for the pastime. ' It was a line 
 drive/ said the Head of the Faculty. ' Mr 
 Blackwell never hit a finer.' Thus inflamed 
 with ardour, Bulger persevered. He learned 
 to waggle his club in a knowing way. He 
 listened intently when he was bidden to ' keep 
 his eye on the ba',' and to be ' slow up.' True 
 he now missed the globe and all that it inhabits, 
 but soon he hit a prodigious swipe, well over 
 cover-point's head or, rather, in the direc- 
 tion where cover-point would have been. 
 ' Ve're awfu' bad in the whims,' said the orphan 
 boy; and, indeed, Bulger's next strokes were 
 played in distressing circumstances. The 
 spikes of the gorse ran into his person he could 
 only see a small part of the ball, and, in a few 
 minutes, he had made a useful clearing of about 
 a quarter of an acre. 
 
 ' It is unnecessary to follow his later achieve- 
 ments in detail. He returned a worn and weary 
 man, having accomplished the round in about 
 iSo, but in possession of an appetite which 
 astonished him and those with whom lie lunched. 
 In the afternoon, the luck oi beginners attending 
 him, he joined a foursome of professors, and 
 triumphantly brought in his partner an easy
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 victor. In a day or two he was drinking beer 
 (which he would previously have rejected as 
 poison), was sleeping like a top, and was laying 
 down the law on stymie and other ' mysteries 
 more than Eleusinian.' True, after the first 
 three days, his play entirely deserted Bulger, 
 and even professors gave him a wide berth in 
 making up a match. But by steady perse- 
 verance, reading Sir Walter Simpson, taking 
 out a professional, and practising his iron in an 
 adjacent field, Bulger soon developed to such 
 an extent that few third-rate players could 
 give him a stroke a hole. He had been in con- 
 siderable danger of ' a stroke ' of quite a different 
 character before he left London and the delights 
 of the Bar. But he returned to the capital in 
 rude health, and may now often be seen and 
 heard topping into the Pond at Wimbledon, 
 and talking in a line Fifeshiro accent. It must 
 be acknowledged that his story about his drive 
 at the second hole, ' equal to Blackwell himself, 
 Tom Morris himself told me as much,' has 
 become rather a source of diversion to his inti- 
 mates; but we have all our failings, and Bulger 
 never dreams, when anyone says, ' What is 
 the record drive? ' that he is being drawn for 
 the entertainment of the sceptical and unfeeling. 
 Bulger will never, indeed, be a player; but, 
 if his handicap remains at 24, he may some day 
 carry off the monthly medal. With this great
 
 A Scotch Physician 
 
 aim before him, and the consequent purchase 
 of a red eoat and gilt buttons, Bulger has a new 
 purpose in existence ' something to live for, 
 something to do.' May this brief but accurate 
 history convey a moral to the pessimist, and 
 encourage those who take a more radiant view 
 of the possibilities of life! "
 
 CHAPTER XXVI 
 
 TOM AS A MODERN STATESMAN * 
 (By WILLIAM HODGSON) 
 
 THE Society journals have hitherto omitted Tom 
 Morris from their lists of modern statesmen. 
 They continue negligently to follow his fortunes 
 in brief paragraphs only about his "rounds." 
 \Yith incomprehensive zeal and steadfastness 
 they devote their energies to infamous beauties 
 and famous politicians, as if the foremost man 
 in his world was not Tom Morris. It would 
 follow from this that the Society journalist is 
 not a golfer; or if he is, that he has never been 
 in St Andrews, and is utterly unaware of Mi- 
 Clark's entrancing book. If he wields the play- 
 club at all, it must be on some back green of 
 his own, and after the fashion of the man of 
 whom Allan Robertson once said that he " paps, 
 
 * It affords me ; -Icasure here to introduce a chapter by my old 
 friend Mr William Hodgson, for Ion.; known as the Denial and 
 able editor of the Fifeshire Journal. Mr Hodgson was always a 
 welcome v ; sitor to the links of St Andrews and the Club-Hoti.se. 
 His chapter, i- .\mon;_, r the St Andrews Golfers," in Mr Clark's 
 book is well known. He has for loiv^ been a close friend of 
 Tnm Morris. This chapter appeared as a leader in the ///?- 
 shite J'juriLil, on the i<jth Au;_;u.-t loSo.
 
 As a Modern Statesman 
 
 paps awa, ye ken; but ye canna ca'd playing." 
 Anyhow, we can only reconcile Tom's omission 
 from the galaxy of statesmen in the Society 
 papers with partial knowledge in their conductors 
 of men who are noted for skill, worth, and 
 their indispcnsablencss. For a peerage would 
 not add a stiver to Tom's fame. Nor would 
 a seat in the Cabinet adorn his accepted character. 
 Either would be, on the contrary, in the nature 
 of a calamity. It would take Tom away from 
 the links, which were never nearer to perfection 
 than now, and which, to all seeming, cannot 
 do without him. The preceding generations of 
 golfers, not having lived to this day, have been 
 denied the pleasure of " a round " on links the 
 like of which they never saw. They should 
 have stayed till now to enjoy the results of 
 handiwork which has eclipsed the handiwork of 
 all predecessors, and which leaves to the most 
 ardent imagination not an inch of space in which 
 to flee speculatively. Tom has won and lost 
 in his day with all the implements in the armoury 
 of his craft, and has been mainly a lu-ro in 
 disaster as in triumph. I5ut these ;ire matters 
 which go into reports ami legends and 
 momentary tittle-tattle. They mellow in the 
 recollection, and, in a sort, cease to be, like all 
 human endeavours. It is altogether otherwise 
 with these links of his, which, notwithstanding 
 the dailv walk of the human race over them,
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 and the chipping at them of school-boys with ill- 
 favoured irons, are without reproach in being 
 the utmost reward of diligence, patience and 
 knowledge. They comprise Tom's monument, 
 which all men see while yet he lives. No 
 rival statesman has so commanded the approba- 
 tion of all classes for Collective Note or Com- 
 mercial Treaty as Tom at present commands 
 the universal and the hearty praise. 
 
 It is little wonder that there is a good deal 
 of prevailing delusion about who Tom is and 
 where he came from. That is constantly the case 
 with the careers of uncommon men, who always 
 come to grief with the archaeologist and the 
 gossips. In Tom's case this is remarkable, for 
 his story is clear and quite unique. And it may 
 be as well to put bits of it on record. Tom's 
 natal origin was very peculiar. He was found 
 one dewy morning in the Dyke hole. 
 The date can be accurately ascertained from 
 that of the fact that a bovine witness of the 
 scene was so excited with its novelty as to 
 have made the bunker known ever since as 
 " Tain's Coo." The date of that performance 
 will settle the date of Tom's origin. From this 
 point on all is luminous in the extreme in the 
 matters of habit and custom. He rapidly 
 grew by means of " black strap " (a preparation 
 of Dublin stout and soda water) and the short 
 spoon. And that reminds us of the singular
 
 As a Modem Statesman 
 
 coincidence which is in Prince Bismarck, who 
 has fed himself all along on equal parts of 
 champagne and London porter, and whose 
 concurrent recreation, differing from Tom's short 
 spoon, has been big dogs. In both cases there 
 has been the rising superior to the lacteal 
 mixture. Tom began to play when he was 
 four months old he felt himself so early to 
 be " in form." It is an age since now, an age 
 full of adventure and vicissitude; but Tom's 
 public performances, from the early day when 
 in his first round he fell into the hole in which 
 he originally was found, make all dubiety about 
 his public career foolish. There is not a break 
 of heather, a bunch of thyme, or a tuft of bent 
 on any links in the two kingdoms on which Tom 
 has not placed his feet, while following that ball, 
 lie has been the companion of all the heroes 
 and duffers of the lugubrious past, and of all the 
 same in the urgent present. He has lived 
 through the momentous epoch of balls made of 
 leather and feathers,, and is on the eve of seeing 
 the commonplace one over of balls made of 
 gutta-percha. In the course of his peaceful 
 avocations lie has placed men under obligations 
 to him who are in all ranks of society in all the 
 islands of the sea. It is an open secret that if 
 Tom were to be tried by the Lord President of 
 the Court of Session to-morrow for roughly 
 vindicating any breach of his authority on the
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 links, or for driving O'Connell's coach and six 
 through any one of the statutes that are passing 
 or passed, a flaw would instantly be found with 
 the minor or the major proposition of the 
 indictment. This excessive personal popularity, 
 and the fondness of amateurs for him, is less 
 due to the mystery 'of Tom's origin, which is 
 so much more charming than that of Macduff, 
 than to the unfailing knack he has always had 
 of having kept his position in life, which is that 
 of a gentleman in virtue of his manners. It 
 is proposed, with the assimilation of the franchises 
 which is coming with the Greek Kalends, to 
 have a redistribution of seats, and that The 
 Parlour is to have two members. In that event 
 it is quite on the cards that members of all 
 parties in it will concur in a requisition to Tom 
 that he should agree to serve the links in Parlia- 
 ment after having served the links so well and 
 so long near the flagstaff. It will be admitted 
 on all hands that his courteous bearing there 
 and his meek assiduity would be an improvement 
 on the turbulence and the bounce that have 
 been the main fruits of the recent election. 
 
 Marvels about famous men are habitual, 
 and we so found it in Tom's case. It is said 
 of him, for instance, that he symbolises more 
 of thrift and well-being to St Andrews than the 
 United Colleges. The interest in his own person- 
 ality, and his fame in the excellence of the links
 
 As a Modern Statesman 
 
 which he is keeping, are drawing people to St 
 Andrews, it is contended, who are willing to 
 spend and be spent for the local tradesmen, 
 who, without Tom and the links, would never be 
 in St Andrews. But that is the view which 
 takes all the romance and repose out of golf 
 which are in it, and it can be at once set aside 
 as fitted merely for sinister contrasts. Then 
 it is said that Tom alone has the secret about 
 the little sonnet in stone which is over the 
 Swilcan Burn. He can be quoted if he would 
 only tell, to the disparagement of the theory 
 that the bridge was built as part of a lost path 
 to the old castle. It is even hinted that in the 
 mists of antiquity it was foreseen, in the remote 
 future, as to be of use in the short cut to arise 
 from The Parlour to the Railway Station, and 
 that as such it was on purpose contrived and 
 constructed. Tom could tell us more than that, 
 it seems, out of the wallet of his inspired con- 
 jecture, as may be inferred from the " rumour " 
 about his secret that the arch is yet to form the 
 picturesque feature o( the enlarging scheme of 
 things, of which the Links Road and its polls 
 -wliew! are the latest development. Putting 
 aside, however, these conjectures and specula- 
 tions about Tom's known merits and hidden 
 knowledge, enough remains in what we have 
 said about him to show that until now the 
 newspapers, Society and other, have been at
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 fault. They have been at fault in not recognising 
 the worth and work of a man who has done his 
 duty to St Andrews, as its all-important links 
 at present can prove to a demonstration, accord- 
 ing to his lights, of which no golfer can say that 
 they are darkness. And as that is all that the 
 best of us can do, it would be impossible to 
 pitch the tone of the praise any higher. In 
 lightly touching upon some of the features of 
 the career in which there has been so little 
 striving and crying, contrary to the world's 
 stormy custom, a career associated in their 
 sunniest hours with those of so many other 
 people, and in whose elasticity, vitality and 
 success there would seem to be the gracious 
 recompense in touching upon some of the 
 features of it, we say, we have been so bold as 
 to be marvellous, and so free as to be novel. 
 It is not the habit that with the mere biographer, 
 who rarely perceives humour in life, and who 
 ordinarily is solemnly precise in style. If Tom 
 Morris had fallen into the hands of one of the 
 set his lineaments would have been smirched 
 in the energetic endeavour to give him a 
 character. It is because Tom has a character, 
 and that we arc not biographers, that we have 
 given him none, as all will admit to be wise who 
 think that "good wine needs no bush," or who 
 from daily experience are presently aware of 
 what the condition is of the St Andrews links.
 
 As a Modern Statesman 
 
 The biography will conic by-and-by may it be 
 a long by-and-by! - - with the proper man; 
 meanwhile here is the merited tribute while yet 
 there is time, and before the autumn medal day 
 comes to close the year with new joys for old 
 golfers.
 
 CHAPTER XXVII 
 
 TOM AT HOME ON THE LINKS, IN SHOP AND 
 HOUSE 
 
 SEVERAL years ago I wrote of Tom Morris as a 
 " Celebrity at Home " in The World. I have not 
 my article beside me as I write this chapter. 
 But in it I intend as well as I can to describe my 
 golfing hero as he appeared to me some thirteen 
 years ago at home, on the links of St Andrews, 
 in his shop and in his house. It is the day of the 
 Autumn Medal a day of bright sunshine, with 
 a gentle and cooling breeze making the grass on 
 the bents quiver a little and tiny crests of white 
 spindrift to gleam on the tops of the blue 
 wavelets racing towards the shore along the yellow 
 sands an autumn day of brilliant beauty, such 
 a day on which St Andrews, its bay and its links, 
 looks its fairest. 
 
 It is the Autumn Meeting of the year and no 
 less a personage than Mr Arthur J. Balfour is 
 Captain of the Club. And I have come literally 
 from the very top of Ben Xevis to be present 
 at it. Yesterday at this hour I was climbing up 
 its white heights with Her Grace, for it was one 
 of the years Lord Breadalbane, with the good-will
 
 Tom at Home 
 
 of the whole of Scotland, held the high position 
 and fulfilled the arduous and honourable duties 
 of Lord High Commissioner to the General 
 Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and he and 
 his distinguished wife were known as " Their 
 Graces." Just about the time the guns will lire 
 to-night to announce that the competition is 
 over for another year, I was bidding her and 
 Lady Onslow and the party who made the ascent 
 with us " Good-bye," as they left the train at the 
 Bridge of Orchy and handed me back my " tall 
 hat," that had been left in charge of the station- 
 master overnight, amid laughter and inter- 
 rogative song as to where I " got that hat " and 
 whence came " that tile." It was the end of a 
 pleasant little sojourn at the Black Mount, 
 where I met Lord and Lady Onslow to be met 
 again in a few months in the native city of 
 Jcyporc in Rajputana and Lord Colin Campbell 
 to be met afterwards, and also shortly before his 
 lamented and all too-young death, at the Byculla 
 and the Yacht Clubs of Bombay the Beautiful. 
 And like many another I had left the Highlands 
 to be present at this particular Autumn Meeting 
 in vSt Andrews by the sea. 
 
 Above us a great expanse of vivid blue, in 
 which a few white; fleecy clouds are floating 
 southwards, wafted by the high wind, which has a 
 fine bracing touch of autumn in it. So much 
 expanse is there overhead that Mrs Oliphaiit has
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 somewhere said that the sky here gives one a 
 better idea of the sphere in which we live than it 
 does in any other place known to her. In the 
 background a quaint, quiet, academic city with 
 ruins that carry the mind back to the earliest 
 ecclesiastical settlement in the country. To the 
 right a long reach of beautiful blue, buoyant, 
 restless water. Mrs Craik savs that nowhere is 
 
 */ 
 
 the sea so beautiful as here. The rocks are white 
 with sea-gulls. The waves, " blue, fringed with 
 white," are racing up the yellow sands and will 
 not rest until they reach " the bents," across 
 which lie the famous links in their long stretch of 
 green, velvety, springy, elastic turf. To the left 
 the shops of the makers of clubs and balls, a 
 large hotel with modern houses on either side 
 of it. Farther off the woods of Strathtyrum, 
 where John Blackwood, editor of Maga, used to 
 live, and where George Eliot, Mrs Oliphant, 
 Anthony Trollope, Laurence Lockhart, Charles 
 Kingsley and many other famous people were 
 wont to come. In front the Forfarshire hills 
 the sun lighting up their patches of mottled 
 colour and away in the distance the Grampians 
 crowned with the crest of dark Lochnagar. 
 
 As you stand in front of the Royal and 
 Ancient Club-Hoiise, and coming down the steps 
 take your place among many more at the first 
 teeing-ground, you are surrounded by bevies of 
 smart and pretty women in charming toilets, 
 
 3*4
 
 Tom at Home 
 
 discussing the prospects of the favourites and 
 chatting endlessly about golf, for here " maid 
 and matron are given over soul and body to a 
 tvrannisiner tramc." The Royal Standard and 
 
 '. 
 
 the flag of the Club are floating from the flagstaff 
 above you. The Captain is striking off the 
 first ball and thereby declaring himself winner 
 of the Silver Club the Captain's medal. The 
 report of a small cannon announces that he has 
 done so. Hands are clapped, cheers are raised 
 
 being led off by a fine-looking old man one 
 of Nature's gentlemen, " born in the purple of 
 equable temper and courtesy." With shoulders 
 somewhat rounded, left hand in trouser pocket, 
 pipe in hand, he is now superintending the start 
 of the competitors with sunny smile and apt 
 greeting for each. What a fine Scots face he 
 has, full of intelligence, kindliness and humour, 
 with keen, observant eyes underneath somewhat 
 heavy and shaggy brows. Look well at him. 
 He is the best known and most popular pro- 
 fessional golfer who has ever lived, lie is 
 watching the outgoing players. As soon as he 
 sees the couple which has started last across the 
 burn he turns to the next couple and says, 
 
 ' You may go now, gentlemen." 
 
 The afternoon will find him standing on the 
 perfect green of the Home hole, flag in hand, 
 keeping the green clear, and watching the putting 
 out ol the players as they return at intervals of
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 about five minutes and give in the record of 
 their scores. Then will the little cannon 
 declare that the play is over and that the gold 
 medal presented by his late Majesty, King 
 \Yilliam the Fourth, has been won, in this year 
 of grace 1894 the year I am taking as a typical 
 year, the year in which Mr Balfour is captain- 
 by perhaps the most popular among all the 
 players Freddy (Frederick Guthrie) Tait, in 
 the fine score of 78. And the winner of the gold 
 medal given by the Club is Mr Laidlay. Who 
 knowing him will ever forget the charming, the 
 cheery, the affable Freddy, fine soldier, brilliant 
 player, lovable lad. For one I shall always 
 cherish his memory and lament his too-early 
 death. I had watched his career from the time 
 he was a little boy and I could not count the 
 number of times I have walked round the links 
 of St Andrews following, often in company with 
 his gifted father, his charming mother and sister, 
 his matches, with all our hopes centred on Freddy 
 winning. St Andrews, nay, the whole golfing 
 world, had taken the powerful and brilliant, the 
 dashing and daring, the unaffected and unspoiled 
 golfer to her heart as she 1 , had taken none other. 
 St Andrews loved him for his own sake and for 
 the love she bore to his people. She loved him 
 as a mother loves her son and because she had 
 followed his career from its earliest attempts to 
 its latest triumphant achievements. He was her
 
 Tom at Home 
 
 affectionate pride, the champion of her traditions, 
 on whom she could rely with confidence for fresh 
 laurels for her brow. She loved him because he 
 was her own and because he was what her links, 
 surroundings and associations had made him, 
 and for the simplicity and charm that was 
 in himself. Feeling thus she set him down to 
 take an almost similar place in the very heart of 
 the whole golfing world. His name, his fame, 
 his achievements were magnetic. Hundreds 
 who never saw him followed his career and 
 successes with something of the same affectionate 
 pride and interest. For the lovableness of his 
 nature, and for his power and pluck as a player, 
 his memory will ever live in the annals of the 
 game which he loved so dearly, which he helped 
 to make so popular, and to which he imparted so 
 much interest. Round him the halo of memory 
 will ever be bright, and his name will be an 
 incentive and an emulation, a spur and a stimulus,, 
 to future generations of aspiring and enthusiastic 
 young golfers. May the sand ivst lightly on his 
 brave and blameless, his healthy and his happy, 
 heart. 
 
 \\V11, the play is over for the day, and as the 
 shadows of evening are gathering around and 
 the sun is setting in glorv, lighting up the grey city 
 and the green links and the tawny sands, you 
 saunter with loin up to 'the shop," you 
 exchange greetings with " Jamie," who is busy
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 at his desk writing up the transactions of the 
 day, and with some of the " hands " in the shop, 
 all of whom are more or less known to yon. 
 The very smell of the shop is redolent of old days 
 and brings back old associations to you. From 
 this little shaving-strewed shop, with the water 
 for the gutta boiling on the stove, clubs and balls 
 have gone forth to the uttermost parts of the 
 earth. And if you pause for a little with him 
 you may hear him tell a consultant " aye to play 
 wi' the club you fancy." You will see specimens 
 of an excellent driver he sent out some years ago, 
 in which the best qualities of the bulger and the 
 ordinary club were secured. You can hear him 
 descant on the qualities of dogwood and per- 
 simmon, of which he has large quantities well 
 seasoned and in capital condition, of thorn and 
 of apple and lunderwood, and hickory and ash for 
 shafts. And then you will pass with him 
 through the narrow passage and up the outside 
 stair which leads to his own particular sanctum. 
 Inside, he may say, " Maybe it's ga'en to be a 
 wee cauld the nicht, we'll be nain the waur o' a 
 bit fire," and he will proceed to light a gas stove. 
 He courteously invites you to take a seat, and 
 seating himself down in his arm-chair lights his 
 briar-root pipe and is ready for a crack. A 
 large window looks out upon the putting-green 
 of the first hole, the tecing-ground of the starting- 
 point, the sands, the rocks, the sea of which he
 
 Tom at Home 
 
 will tell you he " never wearies." He uses it 
 also as a coign of vantage for supervising his 
 beloved putting-green at the Home hole; and 
 sometimes will be heard from it a roar which 
 has been compared to that of a wounded lion, 
 "Hand off that puttin'-grcen." And the youth- 
 ful offenders tremble and skedaddle. Above his 
 mantelpiece there is a large picture containing 
 full-length photographs of his famous son and 
 champion golfer, " Tommy," and his other son, 
 " Jamie." In the middle there is a head of 
 himself. Under the photograph of each son 
 there is a record of his best score out and in the 
 links of St Andrews. From it you see that 
 " Tommy," in 1869, went out in 37 strokes and 
 returned in 40, making a total of 77. In 1887 
 ' Jamie " went out in 38, and returned in 39, 
 making the same total as his greater brother. 
 
 The walls of Tom's sanctum are covered with 
 pictures of famous golfers professionals and 
 amateurs many of Allan Robertson amongst 
 the former and of Colonel Fairlie of Coodham 
 among the latter. His adjoining bedroom, too, is 
 full of photographs of well-known players and 
 famous matches, and his toilet-lable is literally 
 covered with golf balls. If he does not dream of 
 his life's occupation and favourite game it is not 
 the fault of his surroundings. On the table in his 
 sitting-room is the big family P>ible, without a 
 chapter of which Tom never goes to his bed.
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 And if you ask him he will bring out the 
 Champion Belt won by his famous son and tell 
 you its story, and many another story, too, of 
 his life; and, if you have been fortunate enough 
 to have known him all your life, of many dear to 
 you both. On one of the many occasions I 
 have thus " cracked " with him, when bidding him 
 good-bye, he said, " Bide a wee, I maun tell ye 
 a story o' yer Faither, the Principal, and the 
 Doctor Dr Boyd. It was a Monday and we had 
 baith been i' the kirk the day before. I meets 
 your Faither at the second hole he was gaun 
 oot and I \vas coming in. I says to him, 
 ' Principal, the Doctor was gey guid yesterday.' 
 And the Principal, he just put his hand on ma 
 shoulder and gies me a bit clap in that kindly 
 way he had, and says he to me, ' But, Tom, the 
 Doctor's aye guid except when he havers ! ' 
 And we baith laughed and passed on. I was unco 
 fond o' baith yer Faither and the Doctor. Like 
 the links o' St Andrews they were gey ill to beat." 
 But Dr Boyd had not " departed " on the 
 memorable occasion of which I am writing. He 
 was to say " the grace " at the dinner to which 
 I left Tom to hurry to, and Mr Balfour was to be 
 in the chair, and Freddy Tait was to reply to the 
 toast of the medal-winner ; and with Dr Boyd I was 
 to walk home after it was over and listen to his 
 talk of the speeches and of his " elder," the great 
 and good Tom Morris, for whom he had such a 
 
 warm regard. 
 
 1,20
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII 
 
 CONCLUSION 
 
 UNDER the title of " Classics for the Club-Men/' 
 the following appeared in Golf Illustrated of 
 June 28, IQOI : 
 
 TOM MORRIS 
 
 (EccE, SEXEX AXDREAXUS) 
 
 Dae ye ken an auld man, 
 \Yha's famous and so forth; 
 
 A part, tae, o' tlie shrine 
 In a Mecca o' the North? 
 
 Dae ye ken an auld man 
 
 Mair worshipped than the Saint 
 
 O' the grand auld city of St Andrews? 
 
 Dae ye ken an auld man, 
 \Yha's naething of a " toff," 
 
 \Years ony sort o' jacket 
 At the Royal game o' golf? 
 
 Dae ye ken the auld man, 
 The Ji>\'cn o' the cralt, 
 
 In the golf-mad toon o' St Andrews? 
 
 1 >ar ye km an auld man, 
 The Yoiitht'u' goiter's liien', 
 
 \\ ha m'es ye sage advice 
 \\ i' a sparkle in his eeii ? 
 
 I >ae ye ken the auM man, 
 
 \\ ha say-, " Tak' plenty san' ' 
 
 Hi-> cf-cii SL^itiuc tae St Andrews?
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Dae ye ken an auld man 
 
 (A gentleman, indeed; 
 Tho' whiles, when he is vexed, 
 
 You may hear him gie a screed 
 O' words, that may not 
 
 Be the Apostolic Creed) ? 
 The " Classics " on the links o' St Andrews? 
 
 But our dwelling's so transparent 
 
 That we daurna throw a stone. 
 There's Hades here and always 
 
 For golfing folks alone. 
 So such lapses we forgie, 
 
 Aye, an' wink the other ee, 
 Tae the grand auld man o' St Andrews. 
 
 Dae ye ken an auld man 
 
 O' missionary fame, 
 Aye opening new links 
 
 In the interests o' " the game "? 
 Is it true he'll sometimes say, 
 
 On a drop o' dry champagne: 
 " Your links are as good as St Andrews? " 
 
 Yes, Mr Andrew Lang, we " a' ken the auld 
 man/' and are very, very proud of him. And we 
 know that in his true old heart- just as well as 
 we know in our own hearts there are no 
 links in all the world like the links of St 
 Andrews. 
 
 To him and the writer of the story of his life 
 this must ever be the case. To Andrew Lang, 
 and to many more, St Andrews is a haunted 
 town. To Tom Morris, and to many of us, its 
 
 links are haunted links haunted happily, yet 
 
 322
 
 Conclusion 
 
 sadly (do not the two always go together, and 
 are they ever far separated?) haunted by the 
 most sacred of memories, and by forms that are 
 the dearest to us that our eyes are ever likely 
 to see! The Club-House, the starting-tee, the 
 road, the burn, the bridge, the old station, the 
 ' Principal's Nose," the " Ginger-Beer " hole, 
 "Hell," "The Elysian Fields," and "The 
 Shepherd's Cottage " alike are haunted. 
 Haunted, too, the wonderful putting-green at the 
 fifth, " Walkinshaw's Grave," the " Heathery " 
 hole, the " High " hole, the " Short " hole, the 
 ' End " hole, where one would meet us and walk 
 home all the haunted way with us. " It was here 
 and here. It was there and there that this and 
 this, and that and that happened." Here we 
 laughed till we were like to cry. There, things 
 happened that make our eyes dim to think of, 
 were our lips not filled with laughter and our 
 tongues with singing, for we know it is well with 
 those who thus made our happiness, and we arc' 
 like those who dream when we look up into the 
 fair sky haunted by their sweet presences, and 
 when we remember the Re-union is not so far oil 
 as once it was. There are not so many miles of 
 the weary way to go till we reach the Golden City 
 of our later dreams. The larks in the blue lift 
 sing of the glad time. The little waves, tipped 
 with their white crests, whisper of it as they die 
 of love upon the sands they caress. \Ve catch
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 sight of the Towers that keep sentinel over the 
 Silent City where the dear ones sleep; where we, 
 too, shall be laid to rest in hearing of the sea 
 that moaned about our cradle and shall moan 
 about our graves, and shall sing our Requiem while 
 other eyes and other faces of the new generation 
 will make pilgrimage to our resting-places. 
 
 And well pleased, dear Old Tom, will they be 
 to know that on these links of St Andrews you 
 are alive for evermore and that your memory will 
 never be forgotten. 
 
 Well pleased, too, shall I be if in the course of 
 time my memory may be linked in however small 
 a way with your immortal one as he who, amid 
 labours and honours not a few, valued by the 
 many perhaps more than by himself, is happy in 
 having found the leisure and the opportunity to 
 be the humble chronicler of deeds so great as 
 yours, and of a life so true, so honest, so noble 
 and so loving as your own. 
 
 To us these things are still in the future, 
 though it cannot be the long future it must be 
 more or less short. Meantime, it is a matter of 
 gladness to me that I have been able to bring this 
 chronicle to a close, while its subject is still alive 
 and as well as one of his years can be expected 
 to be. \Yhy, it is only the other da}' since the 
 grand old man went out with a friend and played 
 his 2 holes, and with the rubber-cored ball, too! 
 To me it has been a labour of love to write the
 
 Conclusion 
 
 story of his life, for as I wrote all the air has 
 been alive with happy memories and vocal with 
 the sound of voices familiar as yesterday, though 
 unheard for long and often wean", love-unil- 
 lumined years love such as theirs. It has been 
 a pleasure to know from numerous correspondents 
 while it passed through the pages of Golfing 
 that my narrative awakened similar memories in 
 many hearts and that they have followed the 
 great golfer's story with lively and affectionate 
 interest. My thanks are due to these and to the 
 various correspondents who have helped me to 
 write this story, and to the Editor of the journal 
 in which most of it first appeared. My apprecia- 
 tion of his unfailing kindness and courtesy is 
 indeed great and sincere. 
 
 It is pleasant for me also to know that 
 among the numerous readers of Golfing I have 
 made many new friends; and it is a matter 
 of congratulation that TOM MORRIS is still 
 spared to the world of golf, to his own St 
 Andrews, to his personal friends, and to the 
 thousands who, though they have never seen 
 him in the ilesh, regard him with that admiration 
 and respect and love which is the tribute that is 
 due to his greatness as a golfer and to his worth 
 as a man. 
 
 Above all, it is pleasant to me to think that 
 my work has won the appreciation of the grand 
 old man himself.
 
 Tom Morris 
 
 Long may he still be with us to enjoy the 
 happy memories which must be his as the 
 recollections of the past troop into his pre- 
 sent and illumine his outlook towards The 
 Future. 
 
 326
 
 INDEX 
 
 ABERDEEN, 55, 56, 267 
 
 A i.iir, Miss Kh.>;ia, 281 
 
 Adam, >ir Charles, 77 
 
 Adam, Mr William, of Blair-Ala::!. 
 
 77 
 
 Adamson, Dr. viii 
 .-}ti7't>:'isc'r, The DitH.ia, vii, 7, 
 
 12,283 
 
 Allan, Dr. 271, 272 
 Allan, fames. 219 
 Allan. Matthew, 219 
 Alexander, Hr.gh, 160 
 Alexander, ' I'.u," 3 
 Allison, Dr, 268 
 Alnmou'.h, Tournaments at, 222- 
 
 224 
 
 Alyth, 264 
 Anderson, Mr Charles, 9, 104, 
 
 290 
 
 Anderson, Davie, 208-217 
 Anderson, f.imie. 22, 137-130. 147, 
 
 153. 159-161, 171, 201. 203, 208- 
 
 217 
 
 Anderson, Mr T., 25 
 Andrews, I'ob, 97-105, 276 
 Ari-truther, Sir Ralph, 43. 77 
 An-tnnher, Sir Robert, 100 
 Armstrong, Dr Robert. 29 
 A'ichtcrlonie, \V.. 248. 251, 271. 
 
 -77 
 
 : ur. Mr I. ,\., 268, 316 
 1 '..'.!!' 'i:r, Mr laun.-s, 70 
 I;al:"ur. Mr |n':.n. i if Hal: 'irnie, 40 
 I',:'.;, Mr I .lin, 147. 227, 237 
 I',::\'. r. Mi IVler. 43, 94- 105 
 I< .vr,c. X.incy, 8l 
 I: .yr.e, Tin nr.as, viii 
 
 Mulches, Co',. M irr;iy, 44, 50 
 
 jrridale, Lord. 48 ' 
 
 erwick, William, 55 
 
 :hune. Ma;or, 158, 161, 192, 10; 
 I ethune, Mr Alex., of Jllebo, iS. 
 
 15.3 
 
 ack heath, 96 
 
 ackwell. Mr Fdward, 301, 302 
 1 ackwood, Mr lames, 4. 44 
 
 ackwood, Mr John, i, II, 155, 
 i >$, 161, 514 
 an-. Mr F., 48 
 jbs' ill, 58. (')O 
 
 >othby, Cob, 3, 91, fS, 09 
 1 .yd, Rev. Dr A. K II.. [82, 
 
 101, 202. 294. 320 
 1 >yd, Mr Frank. 292 
 
 '}'- '74 
 
 1 inch. Mr W., 250 
 
 1 raid, fame-, 17. 171 
 readalbane. Marquis and Mar- 
 chioness of, 312 
 
 urn. Cap'.ain. 263 
 urn. Mr David L., 135 
 mdie, Provost, 194 
 ruwn, Mr 1 lu^h, 104, 165 
 nice, Mr Tyndall. 47 
 ;irn: inland, 2. I 76 
 
 ( 'AMI'IU'.I.I., Lord COI.IN, 313 
 ' 'ampbell of ( )rn:sary. Mi, 154 
 Campbell of Saddell, Mr, II. 12, 
 
 30, 31, 35. 37, 253 
 Camobell <>'. Schiehallion, Mr, (17 
 Campbell, Capt. David, 46 
 Cam;.' ell, Sir |ohn, o! Aird, 44 
 Carnegie, Mr Andrew, 2Qo 
 ('arm- ie, (ie-r^e l-'ullartoii, 7, S, 
 
 32
 
 Index 
 
 Cnalmers, Major, 97, 98, 103, 
 
 '5' 
 
 Chambers, Mr C. E. S., 191 
 Chambers, Dr Robert, 44, 131. 
 Chambers, Mr Robert, 1 16, 119 
 Championship, Open, institutu 
 
 93, 94, 146 ; reinstituted, 
 
 reconstituted, 163 
 Championship, Open, 227, 
 
 232. 233, 234, 236, 237.239, 
 ^ 254, 272, 273, 286, 288 
 Charles I., King, 56 
 Cheapo, Captain, 40 
 Ciieape, Gen., 285 
 Cheape, George. 45 
 Chiene, Sir John, 287 
 Clark, Sir Andrew, 299 
 Cl.uk, Mr Robert, 33, 160, 176 
 Condie, James. 50 
 Con. iie, George, 42, 43, 97 
 Coventry, lion. Henry, 45 
 Craik, Mrs. 314 
 Crawford, T. K. Home. 137 
 Crichton, Dr, 29 
 Crichton, Major, 13 5 
 Croall, Mr f. P., vii'i 
 Croall, Mr'W. M. , viii 
 Crockett, Mr S. K., 278 
 C '.;!'. en, 240 
 
 DAI.RYMPI.K. Mr \\ 
 
 9''', 278 
 " Daw, 1 ' 12, no 
 
 Demp-ter. Mr Geor 
 
 chen. 46, 158, 159 
 IK-nham. ). G., vii, 125, 127, 
 
 186, 189, 193, 198 
 Dickenson Ov. Foster. 276 
 I >ickson, Tames, viii 
 Dickson, John, 5^ 
 Dispatch^ Eiiintnn; h Evening, 
 Dolenian, Mr A. II., 121, 133 
 D "Ionian. Mr William, 164, 
 
 172. 2^9 
 
 Dollymount, 262 
 D >ugall, Admiral Mai:!ar,d, 7; 
 Dow, Hob, 102, 137 
 Dow, Willie, 138. 139. 279 
 Duckworth. Canon. 2^0 
 Dudgeon, Mr Robert. 120 
 Dunblane Hydropathic Golf Co 
 
 241 
 Dun:an, Mr Scott, viii. 27; 
 
 150, 
 
 2 34 
 
 ,158 
 
 n ("f. 
 and 
 
 of 
 
 293 
 I7O- 
 
 Dundas, James II., W.S., 44 
 Dunn, James, 64-73 
 Dunn, Tom, 65. 73. 162 
 Dunn, Willie, 45, 64-73, S6, 279 
 
 KGI.INTOUN, Karl of, 65, 163 
 
 Eliot, George, 314 
 
 Elliott, Mr F. Boileau, 153-155, 
 
 158-162 
 
 Errol, Earl of. 263 
 Everard, II. S. C.. viii, i^, 22, 51, 
 
 52, 68, 85, 86, 141, 142, 145, 1 68, 
 
 238, 247, 253, 265, 281, 287, 290, 
 
 290 
 Exhibition, Glasgow, 288 
 
 FAIKI IF., Col., 49, 84 
 
 Fairlie, J. Ogilvie, 185 
 
 Fergus-son, Hob, m, 112, 114, 137, 
 
 138-40, 147. 171, 227 
 Fergus.-, 'ii, Mr Mure, 274 
 Fernie. Willie, 227. 2^4 
 Field, 'llic, vii, 155-158, 163-166 
 " Fiery/' 288 
 Forbes. Duncan. 58 
 Forgan, Mr Robert, 6, 22. 152 
 Forgan. T. H., 289 
 
 Gn.i.F.sriK, Mr, 122 
 Glasg' iw. Lord, 33 
 Gleniiie, George, 2. 97, loo. 1 
 Golf, i2i. 238. 263-275 
 GW/'( Badminton), 15, 51, 141 
 Uj.'> I >" us! I--.1 V./, vii. 239. 
 
 283, 296 
 
 Goiter;' Chronicle; of Blackhe 
 Golfing, Editor of, 325 
 Golfing, viii. 325 
 Golt'tn.' .l>ntii:i., 273 
 Gordon. Sheriff. 48 
 Gourlay. Douglas, 61 
 Gourlav, ]ohn. () I -63 
 (irace. Mr Charles Stuart, 4 
 Graham. Dr, oo 
 ( Irani, Mr J< "hn. 48 
 Greig. Willie, 95, 100, 146 
 
 IlAi.i'ANK. ]'rinci[ial. 28. 82, 83 
 I lalkett, Mr Craigie, 40 
 1 lamillon, I lugh., 295 
 I lamilton. Sir Ian. 293 
 Hart, Mr II.. 166, i<).; 
 Hastie. Mr, M.I'., i r
 
 Index 
 
 Hay, Mr James. 48 
 
 I lay, Mr lohn, 49 
 
 Hay, Sir Robert, 73, 86, 97, 154, 
 
 104 
 
 Henderson, Mr Henry, viii 
 /Avw.':/, /';'/{, 1 06 
 Hoa'.d, G'a^o-v, \'\: 
 Herd, Alex. 17. 275 
 Hilton, Mr H. II., 240, 273 
 I lodge, Mr Tom, 4.15 
 Hodgson. Mr William, 304 
 I lolcroft, Major, 40 
 I loneyman, 91 
 
 Houldsworth, W. II., 185, 186 
 Hunter. Charles, 98, ill, 113. 133. 
 
 164,276 
 
 Hunter, Mrs, 198, 267. 275 
 Hunter, William, 164-166 
 I luntley, Mrs, 125 
 Hutchinson, Horace G., viii, 22, 51. 
 
 INCUS, Hon. JOHN, 1^9, 106, 198 
 In nes, Mr Gilbert Mitchell, 154. 
 
 153, 158-160 
 I>lay, 267 
 
 JACKSON, Cap:., 154. 155 
 Jackson, fohnny, 60 
 James II. . King. 56 
 lames VI. , King. 54, 62 
 
 Kinn, TOM, 154-160, 201 
 Kingsley, Rev. Charles. 314 
 Kinloch, Sir Alex., 'Sr'55. 161, 
 
 194 
 Kirk, Ho!), 138-140, 162, 201, 208- 
 
 -17, 27, i 
 
 Kirk. Old H 'b. 9 
 Kii',:. James So. 271 
 Kirkaldy, Andrew. 23^. 237. 271, 
 
 ii 
 
 Kirkaliiy, Ih:gh, 240 
 
 LAH.I.AY, Mr [. R.. 232. 235. 238, 
 
 .5 1 <'> 
 
 Lam 1 -. Mi I >.iv:'d I.. 135. I ;6. 105 
 Lang. Mr Andrew, viii. 277, 321. 
 
 ft ii :'< ". .'/,- - i'tini' . 205 
 L>.'i >. Ci.aries, R.S.A.. 41 
 Li-ith, 5". 3 s 
 i .t-i'Ii, T urname;.: :'.'., 137 
 
 Leonard'.-. Scho.-.l, St, 246 
 Leopold, H.K.H., I'rince, 2OO- 
 
 Leven and Melville, Karl. 48 
 Lindsay, Mr Robert, 47 
 Lockhart, Major Lawrence. 2^2. 
 
 3M 
 
 Lockhar:, Sir N. II.. 44 
 
 L'^Ssieini <\i'Ai, 24 I 
 
 Low, Col. , 3 
 
 Low, Sir [ohn. 5 
 
 Low, Johii I.., 274. 281 
 
 Lutin -.-s, 20 ^ 
 
 Lyall, Mr Watson J., 98 
 
 MAcDoNKi.i., .KNLAS RONAI.I^ON. 
 of Glengarry and Cl..n Rar.ald. 31 
 M'Kwan, Douglas. 25, 26 
 M'L\\an, i'eter, 26 
 Maefarlane Dr Ik-i'.ry, 44 
 MacGregor, Sir I l.n Mv.n.'.v. 
 
 47 
 
 Mackenzie. Sir fohn Muir, 47 
 M'Xeil, Mr. 20^ 
 M'l'herson. Kcv. J. G., 18. 87. 8i. 
 
 10}, 104. 2.;o. 204 
 M-Wiiannell, Tom, 4 
 Man, Isle of, 202 
 Martin, Hob. 204-207, 220 
 Mathe.- n. Rev. Tin_.ma~. ^ s 
 Mayne, William, ^4 
 Meiklejohn. I 'rot..' 20 
 Melville. Leslie Lalfour, -" '^5- 
 
 201. 241-2 ;6 
 
 Melville. Mr George Whyte. ] 
 Melville. Mr John Wi.yte. '3. 48. 
 
 40. 153. 201-3 
 
 Melvil'.e. Lady Call: ;:: e \V!;y te, ; 
 Mes>ie;;x. Mr'.S.imuei, 4- 
 Miller. Mr ';-.. I'); 
 Miller. Rev. T. !/., 05 
 Mon -ri,-::e, C.- n.. ;o. .: ; 
 Moncriefie. Gen. ( i-- t. . .:-- 
 Moncri. fie, Sir Ti. -:...'-. ' : 
 
 Mor.tr.,, -. D;:^/ of. ;'"- 
 
 M o ;i... Dr, 40 
 
 M- Tri-. 1 1--- Tge, 131. i 3^. 23 : 
 
 Mortis lan.r- ( ).' F. . o.. 14 .. 150, 
 201. 233, 275. 310 
 .I.';.' :.- - 
 
 r. lauie^ All,.:, 21'.. 22 
 :. Maf./.ev Alia:.. 21'.. 2J
 
 Index 
 
 MurrK Tame? O. F. coiifiuiicJ 
 Matches 
 
 and James Anderson r. Allans, 
 
 220-222 
 
 :'. Willie Campbell, 227 
 and Jack Kirkaldy v. Simpson 
 
 and Sayers, 228 
 :'. Willie Campbell, 230, 231 
 v. Archie Simpson, 232 
 Archie Simpson and Willie 
 
 Ferme (3 balls) 233 
 and Bob Martin ~>. Matthew 
 Allan and Jack Kirkcaldy,234 
 with his father, 218. 236 
 Death, 274 
 Morris, John, 28 
 
 Morris, Tom, birth, 6; parentage 
 and baptism, 28 ; boyhood, 29, 
 30 : early occupation, 38, 54 : 
 early style of play, U-54 ; Allan 
 Robertson and he play the brothers 
 Dunn, 64-73 : early associations 
 and marriage. 74-83 : goes to 
 I 'rest wick, 85 ; appointed green- 
 keeper to the Royal and Ancient 
 Club, and returns to St Andrews, 
 01 : wins Open Championships, 
 play? a: tournament at Perth, and 
 great series of matches with Willie 
 Turk, 93-129: matches in the 
 -ixties, 130-140: style, 141-144: 
 i artnership with his son Tommy 
 in many matches, 152-162: he 
 and Tommy play Strath and 
 Anderson. 170-175: Tommy's 
 bereavement, death and memorial, 
 176-199; plays with H.R.II. 
 i'rince Leopold ; many matches, 
 1876, 200-207 5 ne :in d Ijl> Kirk 
 play the Andersons, 208-217: 
 matches of Tom and his son Jamie, 
 218-236 ; presented with silver 
 -miff-box by Thistle Golf Club, 
 2^3; matches 1890-1893, 237- 
 248 ; at Newcastle. 239 : at 
 opening of Dunblane Hydropathic 
 Golf Course, and he and Ren 
 >ayers play Mr Ral:"ur Melville 
 and Mr Alexander Stuart. 241- 
 246; in seventy-first year goes 
 r :".nd S'. Ar. irews links in 82. 
 246 ; won St Andrews clr.b- 
 makers' me ial, 247 : ma: ;. = 
 
 Morris, Tom continued 
 
 with Dow, 249-261 ; in Isle of 
 Man, in Ireland, 262 ; on the 
 abolition of the stymie, 263 ; at 
 Luffness, Rort Errol, Alyth, Mid- 
 lands, 263-4 : appears on stage in 
 Tableaux I'irants, 265 ; Tom 
 Morris Testimonial Fund, 266 ; 
 in Islay, 267 ; an elder at General 
 A-sembly, 267 ; entertained by 
 Kettering Golf Club, 268; " Rock- 
 wood " on Tom, 270 ; his daughter, 
 Mrs Hunter, dies, 274 ; death of 
 his son, J. O. F. Morris, 1906, 
 274 ; opinions as to fellow-pro- 
 fessionals, 278. 279 ; on the laying 
 out of links, 280 ; negotiations as 
 to stationmaster's garden. 283 : 
 a--is!s at proclamation of King 
 Fdward VII., 284; "skip"' in 
 curling match. 285 ; at eighty 
 goes round in 86. 289 ; assists at 
 King's Coronation function at St 
 Andrew's, 200 ; sits to Sir George 
 Reid, R.S.A.. for portrait, 291 ; 
 advice to boys, 292 ; resigns 
 custodianship of links, 294 ; as 
 S.-i'tch physician Head of the 
 Faculty. 298-303 ; as a modern 
 statesman. 304-311 : at home, on 
 the links, in shop and house, 
 312-320; Ei\'c. Scncx Aiith-eatnis, 
 3 2 1 -3-6 
 Matches 
 and Allan Robertson r 1 . Willie 
 
 and Tom 1 >unn. 64-72 
 and Allan v. Sir Robert I lay 
 
 and Willie Dunn, 73. 86 
 r. Willie Dunn, 86 
 r'. Allan Robertson, 86 
 -'. Park, 88. 106-120, 134 
 and Rob Anderson :'. Allan 
 Robertson and Willie Dunn, 
 88 
 
 and Willie Park v. Allan 
 Robertson and Andrew 
 Strath, 89 
 
 -,'. Capt. Maitland Dougall. 89 
 and Major Boothby r. Mr 
 George C< indie and Bob 
 An Irews, 99. 105 
 and Mr Johnston r. Mr Alex. 
 Imrie : .nd Willie Park. 101 
 
 330
 
 Index 
 
 Mori is, Ti >m continued 
 Ma'i /us 
 and Dr M'Pherson r. Willie 
 
 Park and Huh Andrews, 104 
 and Boh Kirk -'. Andrews and 
 
 Strath, I '.15 
 r.r.d George Morris r. Willie 
 
 and Davie 1'ark, 171 
 and O'Brien Peter :. Mr II . 
 
 Thomas Peter and Allan, 
 
 132 
 and Andrew Strath v. \\illie 
 
 and Davie Park, 133 
 and Dr Kimwex "'. Major 
 
 Crichton and Charlie Hunter, 
 
 134 
 .\nd Hob Kirk r. Willie and 
 
 Davie Park, 135 
 :. An !rew Strath and Willie 
 
 Park. 135 
 :. Willie Park and Dow, 
 
 135 
 and Col. Walker r. Mr Burn 
 
 and Mr David Lamb, 135, 
 
 136 
 
 z: B. !> Kirk, 138 
 .ind Tommy :. Bob Kirk and 
 
 Fergusson. 138 
 :. Fergusson, 138 
 and Tommy r. Davie Park 
 
 and Bob Ferguson. 138, 
 
 139 
 and Tommy r 1 . Willie Park and 
 
 pub Fergussun, 139 
 : . Ferguson, 140 
 and J.' L. Small v. Mr Alex. 
 
 Bethune. 151 
 and Col. Babington r. Capt. 
 
 Oswald and Tom Kidd, 
 
 154 
 
 Te.:.:.ant. 154 
 .r.d Mr John Blackwood :-. Mr 
 
 Gilbert limes and S:r A. 
 
 Kinludi, 154 
 :. Capt. Jackson, 154 
 ..r.d Sir Alex. Kmi"ch r. Mr 
 
 Blackw", ,(J and Tom Kidd, 
 
 155 
 
 i r.d Mr Mite:. ell Innes :. Sir 
 Alex. K.nloi.-h and Davie 
 
 Morris, Tom ccntintud 
 .l/.;.- ; Ac's 
 and Mr Blackwood r. Mr I). 
 
 B. \Vai:chi >].(.- and j.iinie 
 
 Ander>oii. 155 
 and Tummy r. Davie Strath 
 
 and Tom Ki'id, 155-1 S8 
 and Mr Blaekwo-d :. Mr 
 
 Innes and Major Belhunc, 
 
 158 
 and Mr Dempster i'. Mr I- . B. 
 
 F.iliot and Davie Straih, 
 
 I 5 S 
 
 v. 1 >av.e Strath, I 59 
 and Mr Inaes r. [air.ie Ander- 
 
 r-on and Tom Kidd, I 55 
 and Mr Hugh Alexander r p . Mr 
 
 Gefirge Glennie and Jamie 
 
 Aii'!cr.-on loo 
 and Sir Alex. Kinloch :. Major 
 
 Bethune and Jamie Anderson 
 
 161 
 
 i'. [amie Anderson, 161 
 and Tommy -. Tom Dunn and 
 
 Bub Kirk, 162 
 and Mr C. F. F.wing r. Mr 
 
 Gordon Smith arvi Mr Alex. 
 
 Morris, 1 66 
 and Mr C. E. Ewing r. Davie 
 
 Strath and Jamie Amler>n. 
 
 175 
 
 V. M ungo Park. 181 
 and Tommy 7'. Davie Strarh 
 
 anil B' '''> Martin. 184 
 and 1 1. K.I I. Prince Leopold 
 
 :. Mr J. Whyte Melville :.d 
 
 Majur I.uckhart. 2^2 
 anil lair.ie A;ider-"ii ;. Dt\ie 
 
 Sir:'.::! :ir,d. Mr Aniiiew 
 
 Smi 1 . h, 2u^ 
 and H,,b K'iik :-. Jamie and 
 
 I ).ivie Amli-r-i n, 2uS- 21 ~ 
 and T.'in Ki'M r'. Wiilie 1 ark 
 
 and B-b I-Yr/usson, 218 
 an i Boh M.ir.m :-. Fer.;i: -on 
 
 and Savers, 205 
 and Mr Hverani" ?-. Mr M-.irc 
 
 I-'ei L;US<C !! a:.d lam:" A:,'':-.-r-
 
 Index 
 
 Morris, Tom continued 
 Matches 
 and Mr Everard v. Mr Laidlay, 
 
 232 
 and Davie Grant z r . Crawford 
 
 and \Vhite, 238 
 and Mr John Smith r. Mr G. 
 
 Seivwright and J. W. Stuart, 
 
 240 
 
 i 1 . Mr Rodger, 241 
 and Mr W. M'Bay z: Mr 
 
 Rodger and Mr M' Isaac, 
 
 241 
 and Bob Savers ~j. Messrs 
 
 Balfour Melville and A. 
 
 Stuart, 243-248 
 and J. MTherson 'best bail). 
 
 r'. Mr F.verard, 249 
 and Bob Dow v. Mr \V. Bouch 
 
 and Dr Stone, 250 
 -'. Bub Dow, 253. 256-261 
 and Provost Orchar v. Revs. 
 
 Dr M'Pherson and Mac- 
 
 laren, 264 
 and Mr Asquith r'. Mrs Asquith 
 
 and A. J. Balfour, 208 
 and Mrs Asquith t 1 . Mr Asquith 
 
 and Mr A. J. Ba'.f-ur, 268 
 ''. Mr Everard. 274 
 "'. Miss Rhona Adair. 281 
 and Miss Rhona Adiir (best 
 
 ball', v. Mr Everard. 281 
 and Col. Bonthby r. Messrs 
 
 Everard an,: Ilur.ter, 229 
 and Davie Grar.t r p . Crawford 
 
 and White, 238 
 a-.d Mr John Smith v. Mr G. 
 
 Seivwright and 1. V." Str.art. 
 
 240 
 and Andrew Kirkaldy 7'. Mr 
 
 James Kiik and Wiilie 
 
 Aucht--rl jr.ie. 271 
 and Mr James Kirk r. Mr \V. 
 
 D'.leman and Mr I. Jenkins, 
 
 289 
 and Principal Story r. Mr 
 
 Charles and Mr II. Ander- 
 son. 290 
 
 M >rris. T'.mmy. birth, 90. 145: 
 tnake></c l ' ; '.v.'a>golfer, 94 -.and ' ea's 
 Willie Greig at Per;:;, 05. 100 ; 
 cornet to the fr nt a' Cam 'Ustie, 
 wins fir.-t cham; i nship :.:. ' : - 
 
 comes possessor of the Champion 
 Belt, 146, 152; makes record of 
 St Andrews links, 14"; style, 147- 
 151 ; partnership with his father 
 in many matches, 152-162; wins 
 Open Championship for fourth 
 time and plays David Strath, 163- 
 169: his place in the golfing 
 world he and his father play 
 Strath and Anderson, 170-175 ; 
 more great matches, marriage, 
 bereavement, death and memorial, 
 1/6-199 
 Matches 
 and Willie Dow v. Bob Kirk 
 
 and Jamie Anderson, 138 
 v. Bob Kirk, 138 
 -'. Wiilie D.nv. 138. 139 
 i 1 . ben ball, Stewart and Mac- 
 laren and Jamie Anderson 
 r. Bob Kirk and Davie Strath. 
 
 139 
 
 T. Fergusson, 139, 140 
 and F. B. Elliot v. Sir Alex. 
 
 Kinloch and Jamie Anderson, 
 
 153 
 and J. Whyte Melville :. S.r 
 
 Alex. Kin'.och 
 and Mr F. B. E\\ : . t r. Sir 
 
 K bert Hay and Mr Gilbert 
 
 Mitchell Innes, I 54 
 and Mr F. B. Elliot r. Mr 
 
 C" : .m;ibell of Orrr.sary an - : 
 
 D.ivie Strath, 154 
 and Caot. Jackson r 1 . Mr 
 
 Mitchell Innes and David 
 
 Strath. 154 
 and Mr. F. B. Elliot r<. Capt. 
 
 Jackson, 155 
 and Mr Herman Ree :. Mi 
 
 l-'.'l: >t and Mr R. Chamb-rs, 
 
 158 
 ar.d Sir Iv^bt. Anstruther r r . Mr 
 
 Whi-ham and Mr Robert 
 
 Clarke. 1 60 
 and Jamie Anders- n r- Mr 
 
 Inr.es and Davie Strath. 
 
 1 60 
 and Mr J..hn I!ia:kwf,rul -. 
 
 Sir Alex. Kir.Iuch an i Mr 
 
 Mi-rhell Innes. 1 60 
 an i Mr Blackwond r. Mr Flli 
 
 :-.r. ' Jamie Ander- in, 161
 
 Indc; 
 
 ex 
 
 M- riis, Tommy ijittinufd 
 Matcfst-s 
 
 and Mr Blackwood -. Mr Klliot 
 
 and Davie Strath, 162 
 and Mr II. Hart v. Mr W. 
 Hunter and Davie Strath, 
 102 
 
 r'. Davie Strath, 166-169 
 and Jamie Ander-on T. Davie 
 
 Strath and Tom Kidu, 174 
 :. Willie Park, 177-181 
 r. Mr Aithur Moleswurth, 186- '< 
 
 189 
 
 Muirfield, 271 
 M .rrav, I Ion. David. 50 
 M 'array, Mr J. Wolfe, 49 
 Musselburgh, I 15-122 
 
 XKSS, JOHN, So 
 
 N'oniianij >ti insiiire, 267 
 North 15er\\ ick, 65, loS, 109, 176- 
 182, 218 
 
 Or.H'HANT, Col., of Rossie, 39 
 O'.iphar.t, lames, W.S.. 44 
 Oliphant, Mr-. 39, 313, 314 
 Olinhant, Mr T. T. , 39, 217, 
 265 
 
 PARK, DAVID, 98. 99, 133, 135. 
 138, 139, 164-166. See JAz.'i .'/t ., 
 
 Park. Willie. I r, 12, 85, 88. 89. 93, 
 07-90. mi, 103, 104. 106-129. 
 133, 134, 138-140, 147, 152, 204, 
 233, 270. 278. \,y Ma.'i/ics and 
 M' irris. 'Pom and Ti 'imny 
 
 Para-. Rev. Mr. 290 
 
 Pa'.ersoii, Roi ert. So 
 
 Pater-,,.,. Willie. 21. 23 
 
 Pater- : e the Cobbler. i<'> 
 
 '.<. _,,. Ti-,.i,..i>, .12 
 
 ',.'. ;:e.'w., 46' ' 
 
 I -!, Ti: nii- IP. 24. (.5 72. i ;j 
 
 P ,';-. Mi I" v 
 
 !:,:;.-' ir, ( 1.. 17 
 
 l.t-.i. Mi llu-i) P}";:. 12, }I, 
 
 P:av: (ir/Mr NI r;;...::. 281 
 
 Port Krrol, 263 
 
 Pretwick. 84, 85-92, 132-134, 
 
 145. '63, '97 
 Proudfoot, Rev. William, 170- 
 
 263 
 
 RKK. HKKMAN. 158 
 Reid, Sir George, 201, 2113 
 Khind, Mr John, 195 
 Richartix -n, Mr, 3 
 Robert-, Lord, 293 
 Robertson, Mr A., 275 
 Robert.-on, Allan. 5, 7, 20, 30, 
 
 43. 4S, 52, 60, So, 87. 132, 
 
 288, 304. 319 
 Robertson, Dr Argyll. 185 
 Robertson. Charle.-, 44 
 Robertson, David, 7, 8, 27 
 Rol.iert.-on, Mr 1 lay. 07 
 Ri iberl.-i n, I'et'-r, 7 
 Robb, puiie.-. 271, 272, 274 
 Robb, Nicholas 285 
 Ri ckwoud," (juoted, 209 
 Rogers, Dr Charles, 5 
 Rollan.l, D., 272 
 
 SAND\V!I ii, 2 ^ 
 Savers. Pen, 241-246 
 S.-otsniii/.', vii, 1 06 
 S-.-o.'.-niiin, ll\ii\'r, 291 
 Shaw, Sir ( 'haries, 47 
 ' ' Silver.'' 29 I 
 SinitiM in, la 'k, 14 7, 22~ 
 S:mps' 'ii. S;r \\'al: er. ' ' 
 Skeete, Mr Horace, 97 
 Sk -Hon, Sir Io!;n, ] ' 
 Sli-o, |or,n, 4S 
 Small, 1. 1... i ;; 
 Smith. Mr Archil aid, 4 
 Smith, A. W. 104. 203 
 Smith, ( lanieii ( .. . 275 
 Stewart. Ca: i. 1. ( '.,'07 
 Stiili: :;, Mr [. :.n, 50 
 St' ne, 1 );-, 2 v) 
 
 Stta: :i, AI;I ![ \\ , 22. So, 1)4, 
 
 139.
 
 Index 
 
 Sylvia, Lady, of the Silver City, viii 
 
 TAIT, F. G.(" Freddy''). 171, 252, 
 
 273, 274, 282, 291, 316, 317, 
 
 320 
 
 Tait, Mrs, 291, 316 
 Tait, Professor, 159, 291, 316 
 Taylor, J. II., 17, 171, 273 
 Tennant, Sir Charles, 154, 155 
 Tournament at Alnmouth, 222, 223, 
 
 224 
 
 Tournament at Burntisland, 2I& 
 Tournament at Leith, 137 
 Tournament at Montrose. 234 
 Tournament at North Berwick, 218, 
 
 225, 237 
 
 Tournament at Perth, 94-105 
 Tournament at Sandwich, 235 
 Tournament at St Andrews, 95-97 
 Tournament at Troon, 231 
 Tournaments, institution of, 95, 97 
 Trollope, Anthuny, 314 
 Tulloch, Principal, 3. 196, 320 
 
 Tweeddale, Marquis and Mar- 
 chioness of, 267 
 Tweedie, Mr James, 195 
 
 VALENTIA, Viscount, Lord, 45 
 Vardon, Harry, 17, 171, 273, 27 
 
 WAGSTAFFE, C. E.. 41 
 
 Walkinshaw, Mr, 2 
 
 Wauchope, Mr D. B., 155 
 
 Welsh, Provost Ritchie, 285 
 
 Wemy.ss, Erskine, II 
 
 Wemyss, Mr James, of Cuttlehill, 40 
 
 Whigham, Mr D. D. , 160. 276 
 
 White, Logan, 53 
 
 " Willie, Long," 80 
 
 Wilson, Bailie, 2/O 
 
 Wilson, Mr Frank. 3 
 
 Wilson, Mr Tames, 22 
 
 Wood, Mr W., 45 
 
 World, The, 312 
 
 YOUNG, Mr ANDREW, 20 
 
 334
 
 tfporf* Xidrary 
 
 The Complete Fisherman 
 
 By W. M. GAI.I.ICHAN. Illustrated. 
 
 The anther of u Fi-hii ^ in Wales. F;.-h:n_; in 
 Derbyshire,'' etc., is an enthu-ia^tic n-herman of 
 lifelong experience, and h:s book :s of a practical 
 character, and contains instruction for old and 
 young 1 angler.-. The intricate art of dry-fiy 
 fishing. the methods of fly-n-'nin^ for various 
 freshwater fish besides trout and sa m n, the 
 practice c.f spinning for pike and other fi-h, t!;e 
 latest de\ ices for luring roach, and the newest. 
 tackle are all freshly and concisely described in 
 this handb >ok. That the author is by no means 
 orthodox in all his methods \\ill be .-ee;i by- 
 reader- of Mr ( iallichan's ne\v bo".k. 
 
 The Golfer's Manual 
 
 By A. BUTI.F.R. Wkh an Intr(jducti< m by I)r 
 MACXAMARA. Illustrated. 
 
 This work is an exposition of the elementary 
 principles of the yame lor beginners in a .-nr.ple 
 and liir-jct way so as to prevent the adoption <it' 
 \vron_; methods at the outset. The rank- of 
 golfers are daily bein^ reinforced by a class of 
 piayers uho.-e opportur.nit s tor sou:ul tuition are 
 nui' h rc.-tr.cted, an. I the rd)^ence of such facilities 
 may h;i\t'. in most cases already resulted \:\ a 
 style th.at need-; prompt and ei;"ecti\e a:;'.e: .ilmer.t 
 it any substantial progress is to 1 c -enured. 
 I)r Maciiamara .-uriplies an ir.troiiuciio:-.. 
 
 The Complete Bridge-Player
 
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