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The Grandfather of Golf: Old Tom Morris

Posted on October 12, 2018

Old Tom Morris is known as the Grandfather of Golf. Morris was one of the first great golfers in the sport and helped evolve the game in a multitude of ways. In 1860, he held a quintessential role in the organization and running of the inaugural Open Championship, golf’s first major championship tournament. Morris was the original great course designer having designed or remodeled nearly 75 courses in his career, with his first course design at Prestwick Golf Club. His influence extended to golf balls as well, helping popularize the guttie golf ball over its predecessor the featherie.

Thomas Mitchell Morris, Sr., is better known around the golf world as “Old” Tom Morris. Morris was born on June 16th 1821 in the “Home of Golf” St. Andrews, Scotland. Morris’s love for the game of golf started at the early age of 10 when he would play ‘sillybodkins’ with his friends. Sillybodkins was a simple modified version of golf utilizing corks as balls and a homemade club. He then took up caddying and began apprenticing for Allan Robertson at the age of 14. Allan Robertson is recognized as the first true golf professional. Robertson ran St. Andrews Links, made featherie golf balls and hickory golf clubs, and was the best golfer around being practically undefeatable. Robertson taught all aspects of the golf trade to Morris. When Robertson and Morris played together as a pair it is said they never lost a match and were known as “The Invincibles.”

After working with Robertson for 12 years Morris was fired after playing a round with a guttie golf ball. Robertson saw the new gutta percha, or guttie, balls as a threat to his livelihood of making featherie golf balls. So when Robertson heard Morris used a guttie, Morris had ran out of featheries mid-round so got a guttie from a playing partner, Robertson sent Morris packing. Morris made his way to Prestwick Golf Club where he was hired and helped with the design, layout and maintenance of the course. He also ran his own golf equipment business selling guttie balls and hickory clubs. He gave golf lessons to amateur players and helped run golf events.

James Fairlie & Tom Morris

Morris’s former employer Allan Robertson passed away in 1859. Since Robertson was known as Scotland’s undeniably greatest golfer, everyone began to question who would emerge as the new greatest golfer. James Fairlie, and members of Prestwick Golf Club, approached Old Tom Morris to assist in organizing a tournament to determine who was now the greatest golfer. Fairlie sent letters to surrounding golf clubs inviting members to play in the first Open Championship on October 17th 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club. Morris struck the first shot at the inaugural 1860 tournament, he would finish second that year.

The winner of the Open Championship would win the prize of the Challenge Belt, which was later replaced by the Claret Jug, the winner’s purse and the title of “Champion Golfer of the Year.” While Willie Park Sr. won that first tournament, Old Tom Morris would win the Open Championship and title of “Champion Golfer of the Year” the following year in 1861 and successfully defend in 1862. He would win two more championships that decade, winning in 1864 and 1867, proving he was now the greatest golfer in Scotland. Old Tom Morris remains the oldest Open Champion having been 46 when he claimed his last Open Championship. Morris would compete in 36 consecutive Open Championships up until 1896, at the age of 75.

Old & Young Tom Morris

Prior to the launching of the Open Championship, Morris welcomed his son Thomas Morris Jr or “Young” Tom Morris into the world in 1951. Young Tom would later grow into a great golfer in his own right and win four Open Championships as well. Young Tom Morris remains the youngest Open Champion in history having won at the age of 17. When Young and Old Tom Morris formed a team for challenge matches in the mid-1860s they were very successful. Their golf partnership continued until Young Tom’s untimely death in 1875.

In 1865 Old Tom Morris made his return to St. Andrews to become the greenskeeper. During his time there he pioneered many modern approaches to greenskeeping, until he retired in 1904. One innovative approach he introduced was the concept of top-dressing greens with sand, which helped turf growth significantly. He was the first to manage hazards, such as bunkers, on the golf course which were previously left alone to grow wildly. In 1875 he introduced the first teeing area separate from the green, prior to that golfers would tee their ball within two club lengths next to the hole on the green. During his tenure at St. Andrews, Morris set up a club-making shop by the 18th green at St. Andrews; the 18th green on the Old Course at St. Andrews is named in his honor.

Along with being a pro golfer and greenskeeper, Morris was one of the first great course designers. Old Tom helped design or remodel around 75 courses during his career. Some of the most notable courses include Prestwick, the Jubilee Course at St. Andrews, Royal Dornoch, Muirfield, Carnoustie, Royal County Down, Nairn and Cruden Bay. He was a pioneer of strategic golf course design introducing the modern concept of placing hazards in a manner where they could be planned around. Previously golfers had to either hit over the hazard or get punish for an errant shot. Among his many other ideas was the introduction of yardage markers.

Dedicated to golf to the very end Old Tom Morris kept working up until he passed in 1908 at the age of 87. Morris was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1976. Beloved amongst the golf world many visit his burial site at the St. Andrews Cathedral to pay homage to the Grandfather of Golf.

Categories: Golf History, Legends of Golf

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