A Century of Golf at Lahinch 1892-1992
Lahinch Golf Club, 1991. 145p, cloth. Old Tom Morris design, some great links golf holes, blind, semi-blind, lovely setting.11. More
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Thomas Mitchell Morris (16 June 1821 – 24 May 1908), otherwise known as Old Tom Morris, was a Scottish golfer. He was born in St Andrews, Fife, the "home of golf" and location of the St Andrews Links, and died there as well. Young Tom Morris (died 1875), also a golfer, was his son.Morris was the son of a weaver, and began golf by age ten, by knocking wine-bottle corks pierced with nails (to serve as balls) around the streets of the town using a homemade club, in informal matches against other youths; this was known as 'sillybodkins'. He started caddying and playing golf from a young age, and formally was hired as an apprentice at age 14 to Allan Robertson, generally regarded as the world's first professional golfer; Robertson ran the St Andrews Links and an equipment-making business. Morris served four years as apprentice and a further five years as 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, played by alternate shot format, which were the principal form of competition at that time. It was said the two never lost a team match played on even terms. The team became known as "The Invincibles". By the time Morris was in his early 20s he was the second-best player in St. Andrews, close to Robertson in golf skill, and won an informal match from him over the Old Course in 1843, but the two players rarely played seriously head-to-head. As Robertson's employee, Morris was in somewhat of an awkward position.[2]
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; Robertson had a profitable business making the featherie ball, which was threatened by the emergence of the guttie. Morris was then hired by Prestwick Golf Club, which was just starting up. At Prestwick, 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 was influential in beginning The Open Championship in 1860, and struck the very first shot in that event.
Morris returned to St Andrews as greenkeeper and professional in 1865, at a then-generous salary of ₤50 per year. He was sought out by the Royal and Ancient, which formally passed a motion in 1864 calling for his rehiring. St Andrews was then in very poor condition, and his first task was to correct this. He did so by widening the fairways, enlarging the greens, applying greenkeeping techniques he had developed at Prestwick, building two new greens (on holes 1 and 18), and "managing" the hazards. He stayed in the post until 1903, a total of 39 years, and was kept on afterward by the R & A at full salary.[3]
Morris worked as a greenkeeper, clubmaker, ballmaker, golf instructor, and course designer, as well as playing match and tournament golf. He came second in the first Open Championship in 1860, and won the following year. He followed this up with further victories in 1862, 1864 and 1867. He still holds the record as the oldest winner of The Open Championship at 46. Also, he was part of the only father/son couple being winner and runner-up.[4]
Morris held the record for the largest margin of victory in a major championship (14 strokes in the 1862 Open Championship), which stood until Tiger Woods won the 2000 US Open by 15 strokes. He became the second player to break 80 over the Old Course, scoring 79; Robertson had been the first to do it. Once his son Young Tom Morris became an accomplished player in his own right by his mid-teens, in the mid-1860s, father and son formed a team for challenge matches, usually played by alternate shot (foursomes play), where they proved very successful. Their partnership, although not exclusive, would continue until the death of Young Tom in 1875.[3]
Morris played a role in designing courses across the British Isles. He began by assisting Robertson lay out ten holes at Carnoustie in 1842. His subsequent work included Kinghorn Golf Club in 1887, Prestwick, Muirfield, Machrihanish, the Jubilee Course at St Andrews, Balcomie at Crail, Moray, Askernish in South Uist, Lahinch and Rosapenna in Ireland, Warkworth and Royal North Devon Golf Club (Westward Ho!) in England, King Edward Bay Golf Club in the Isle of Man and the Castletown Golf Club in the Isle of Man.[5]
Morris was also the father of modern greenkeeping. He introduced the concept of top-dressing greens with sand, which significantly helped turf growth. He introduced many novel ideas on turf and course management, including actively managing hazards (in the past, bunkers and the like were largely left to their own devices, becoming truly "hazardous") and yardage markers. He was the first to use a push mower to cut greens. He improved play at St Andrews by widening fairways to handle increased play, improving greens, and establishing separate teeing areas on each hole; all of these measures spread out play over larger areas, and led to better turf conditions. He created a new first green on the Old Course, and was responsible for the initial design of the New Course 1895 and Jubilee course in 1897. He also introduced the modern idea of placing hazards so that the golf ball could be routed around them; this was the beginning of strategic design, which has dominated golf course design ever since. Before his time hazards were thought of as obstacles that either had to be carried or were there to punish a wayward ball.[5]
Morris kept working right up until his death, just before his 87th birthday. 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. The grave is simple but stands beneath the highly 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 who wish to pay homage to this golfing hero.
Lahinch Golf Club, 1991. 145p, cloth. Old Tom Morris design, some great links golf holes, blind, semi-blind, lovely setting.11. More
England: J. Burrow and Co. Limited. 1937. 28p. wrappers light green with Brown text. Last tournament winners 1937. Prestigious course originaly laid out in 1893 by Tom Morris Thus unlisted. Scarce. More
Chelsea, Michigan: Sleeping Bear Press, 2001. 229p. decorative simulated leather. Inspired by the original scrapbook discovered by Peter Crabtree, this is a treasure of images of Old Tom and very collectable. Signed by author. More
Chelsea, Michigan: Sleeping Bear Press, 2001. 229p. decorative simulated leather. Inspired by the original scrapbook discovered by Peter Crabtree, this is a treasure of images of Old Tom and very collectable. Signed by author to Archie Baird. D&J J13210. More
Cruden Bay: Privately Printed, 1998. 160p, decorative leather, illustrated. Stunning course, ranked in the worlds top 100 courses, laid out by Tom Morris, a course once played never forgotten, large elevation changes, links golf for the most part at its very best. D&J K3430. More
Cruden Bay: Privately Printed, 1998. 160p, decorative leather, illustrated. Stunning course, ranked in the worlds top 100 courses, laid out by Tom Morris, a course once played never forgotten, large elevation changes, links golf for the most part at its very best. D&J K3430. More
Amber-Allen Pub, 1996. Hardcover with dustjacke, nicely signed by the author. More
London: Sports Design, 2000. 239pp. Illustrated Cloth. Pictorial Biography, inspired by the find of a multitude of unknown Hodge works in London. His art helps build the history and characters synonymous with The Royal and Ancien Golf Club, Tom Morris, St. Andrews, and its characters. No doubt many a famous..... More
United Kingdom: Latham, 2013. Richard Latham, classic set! Royal Liverpool, Hoylake Royal County Down Muirfield Individually each book is £99.00 together £229.00 Royal Liverpool 160p. Illustrated cloth. Foreword, Mr Peter Dawson Secretary of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews. Into. plus 3 parts and 2 Appendix's. History..... More
London: Methuen, 1907. 299p. Red Cloth. Plain tan (unrecorded) dust jacket. Exiting find Illustrated with plates from 24 photographs, including a frontispiece portrait of Herd, Taylor, Braid and Vardon, together, with tissue-guard. original red cloth, lettered in gilt, gilt golfer vignette on spine. Very interesting book, autobiographical accounts of 34..... More
London: Methuen, 1907. 299 pp. Illustrated with plates from 24 photographs, including a frontispiece portrait of Herd, Taylor, Braid and Vardon, together, with tissue-guard. original red cloth, lettered in gilt, gilt golfer vignette on spine. Very interesting book, autobiographical accounts of 34 golfers, the contributors are James Braid, Tom Morris..... More
London: Methuen, 1907. 299 p. Illustrated with plates from 24 photographs, including a frontispiece portrait of Herd, Taylor, Braid and Vardon, together, with tissue-guard. original red cloth, lettered in gilt, gilt golfer vignette on spine. Very interesting book, autobiographical accounts of 34 golfers, the contributors are James Braid, Tom Morris..... More
London: Methuen, 1907. 299p. Red Cloth. Illustrated with plates from 24 photographs, including a frontispiece portrait of Herd, Taylor, Braid and Vardon, together, with tissue-guard. original red cloth, lettered in gilt, gilt golfer vignette on spine. Very interesting book, autobiographical accounts of 34 golfers, the contributors are James Braid, Tom..... More
London: George Bell and Sons, 1895. 58p. decorative cloth. Third edition. First 1889, second 1892. illustrated with four photographs of "Old Tom" Morris. Author was the founder and Captain of the Cambridge University Golf Club and a personal friend of Old Tom. Brevity is common in these early golf volumes..... More
ST. Andrews: Privately Published, 2003. 221p, green Full leather. Limited to 30 copies only, this copy being number 28 Foreword by Arnold Palmer. Written by Mackie, designed by Harper. Popular and important St. Andrews club, housed of the 18th Fairway. Very scarce edition of only 30 copies, distributed to just..... More
ST. Andrews: Privately Published, 2003. 221p, green Full leather. Limited to 30 copies only, this copy being number 25 Foreword by Arnold Palmer. Palmer was made an honouraty member, the club only ever has one honourary member, Palmer being the 4th, previous members being, Alex Herd, Bobby Jones, and Old..... More
ST. Andrews: Privately Published, 2003. 221p, green cloth. Foreword by Arnold Palmer. Written by Mackie, designed by Harper. Popular and important St. Andrews club, housed of the 18th Fairway. More
Ballater, Royal Deeside, Scotland: Glengarden Press, 2008. 384p 1st edition. Quarter leather Keeper of the Green edition of number 376 of 395 copies, signed by Peter Crabtree. Colour plates, illustrated end papers. Both the Full leather subscribers edition of 87 copies and the quarter leather Keeper of the Green edition..... More
Birlinn, 2010. 322p, cloth. Without doubt the ultimate Tom Morris book. Years of reserarch. More
Ballater, Royal Deeside, Scotland: Glengarden Press, 2008. 384p 1st edition. Full Leather limited edition No. 80/87 of the Subscribers "87" edition. One printed for every year of his life. Best book yet, U.S.G.A's book of the year, and by many best book of the century! Old Tom's life and times..... More
Tain, Scotland: Privately Printed, 1990. 96p 1st ed. illus. wrapps. Laid out by Tom Morris and similar terrain as Royal Dornoch. D&J M22120. More
St. Andrews: St. Andrews Golf Press, 2020. Two book set, both Limited editions of 300 copies only. Regular Price £199 and £99 =£298 Set price = £249.00 The Road War Papers 322pp. illustrated, gatefold (french flaps) stiff wrappers. Limited edition signed and numbered 300 only. Forewords David Hamilton, Pete Georgiady..... More
W. & A. K. Johnston Limited Edinburgh and London. Postaly unused nice clean card. More
1905. A FANTASTIC OLD ORIGINAL POST CARD SHOWING ' TOM MORRIS'. OF St. ANDREWS IN SCOTLAND. IT SHOWS OLD TOM WITH THE TOWN OF St. ANDREWS BEHIND HIM. THIS CARD IS THE WELL KNOWN PHOTOGRAPH OF OLD TOM OUT ON THE COURSE TAKEN BY THE WELL-KNOWN PHOTOGRAPHER OF EDINBURGH, JAMES..... More
Glasgow: Jackson, Son & Co., 1938. 144p. Introduction by Bernard Darwin. Illustrated from photographs and drawings, including frontispiece, and with 5 large folding plans of the links and grounds in the back. 25x18.3 cm. (10x7½"), gilt-lettered red cloth, top edge gilt, other edges untrimmed. First Edition. History of the famed..... More