On the 16 June, 1821, Thomas ‘Old Tom’ Mitchell Morris, was born in the ‘home of golf’, St. Andrews, Fife.
The son of a weaver, Tom began ‘golf’ aged 10, using a homemade club to knock wine-bottle corks pierced with nails around the streets of St. Andrew,. He was formally hired as an apprentice at age 14 to the world’s first professional golfer, Allan Robertson, who ran the St Andrews Links. Morris served four years as apprentice and a further five years as a journeyman under Robertson, by most accounts the world’s top player from about 1843 until his death in 1859.
From the early 1840s, Robertson often chose Morris as his partner in challenge matches, it is said the two never lost a team match played on even terms. The team became known as ‘The Invincibles’.
Morris worked under Robertson at St Andrews until 1851, when he was fired on the spot after being caught by Robertson playing the new ‘guttie’ golf ball, as he had a profitable business making the ‘feathery’ ball. which was threatened by the emergence of the guttie.
Morris was then hired by the newly formed Prestwick Golf Club, where he designed, laid out, and maintained the course, ran his own golf equipment business selling gutties and clubs, gave instruction to players, and ran events.
He returned to St Andrews in 1865, at the then-generous salary of ₤50 per year. Morris worked as a green keeper, club-maker, ball-maker, golf instructor, and course designer, as well as playing match and tournament golf.
Morris was influential in founding The Open Championship in 1860, along with James Fairlie, and struck the very first shot in that event. He came second in the first Open Championship in 1860, and won the following year. He followed this up with victories in 1862, 1864 and 1867. He still holds the record as the oldest winner of The Open Championship at 46, and was part of the only father and son couple being winner and runner-up.
By his mid-teens, his son ‘Young Tom’ Morris became an accomplished player in his own right, and in the mid-1860s, father and son formed a team and competed in challenge matches, usually played in the foursomes format, where they proved very successful. Their partnership, although not exclusive, would continue until the death of ‘Young Tom’ in 1875.
Morris kept working right up until his death, just before his 87th birthday in 1908, when he died after falling down a flight of stairs in the clubhouse of the New Golf Club in St Andrews.
He is buried against the eastern wall of the churchyard of St. Andrew’s Cathedral, in a simple grave which stands beneath the notable monument to his son, ‘Young Tom’ Morris, which carries a bronze statue of the golfer in high relief against a white background, and is visible across the breadth of the churchyard. His grave attracts thousands of golfers each year wishing to pay homage to this golfing hero.
16 June, 2019