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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
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 contemporary 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 12th.
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 noticeable 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 of 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 made 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 this youngster
would give him an advantage over his older
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. Willie 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 manifested in the play was as keen as on any former
occasion." Tommy was 1 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.
"With 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 for the remainder of the match.
As if too cautious, both men repeated their
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 fine opportunity of placing the
chances of the game in his favour. Tommy, however, apparently quite
regardless of his experience 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. Willie's
prospects brightened, however, when, by a smart
iron shot, he laid his 'like' nicely on the green,
and followed up this by a really beautiful 'putt,'
which drew from the spectators a round of applause; he halved the hole in 6. The next hole
was also halved, but Tommy lost the fourth in being short with his iron when
approaching the
hole. Both carried their balls into sand to the
left, in driving for the wall hole, but Willie got
over the bunker nicely with odds, while Tommy
was strong with the 'like,' and the lead of the
veteran was thus increased to 2 up and 4 to play. Willie, 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, 1 up. The match being now greatly dependent
on every single stroke of 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. Willie, 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
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, 5 6 4 4 4 5 5 7 5 - 45
Morris, 5 6 4 5 5 4 5 5 4 - 43
"A match of 3 rounds of the green was played
in the afternoon between Tom Morris, sen., and
Mungo Park, for £10 a side. Both men were
in better form than the players in the forenoon,
and a very interesting game was the result. At
the 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 one less than his opponent, and, alter halving
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: 1st round, 40; 2nd
round, 43; 3rd round, 41. Park: 1st 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 & Co.):
"There was a pathetic event here at the
beginning of September in this year. The grand Old Tom Morris (always so
called, in respect and affection great golfer, and best of men)
had a son called, for distinction's sake, Tommy
Morris, who was a greater golfer 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 remarkably 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 cried, '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,
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 of
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! playing splendid golf, and winning great victories
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 W. H. Houldsworth and any three
he chose to name from St Andrews and Prestwick. At St Andrews Mr Houldsworth chose
as his three coadjutors, Mr J. Ogilvie Fairlie, Dr
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; M.
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 Dr Argyll Robertson, who beat
Mr George Molesworth 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 Alexander 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 Fairlie beat M.
Reginald Molesworth by 7 holes, but the Captain
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 30th of November (St
Andrew's Day) and the 1st 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:
It will thus be seen that as far as strokes go, 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 use the term "greens" I mean the
putting-greens. It is necessary for me to
mention this, as in some quarters a practice
has crept in of calling the links greens. Here is
a summary of the play:
It will again be seen that, as far as strokes go,
Tommy won by 45 strokes, which, with the 36 he
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 9, halved 8, and lost 8. Of those, without
needing his stroke, he won 11. 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 Molesworth had 3 in 3, 14 in 4, 18 in 5, 31 in 6, 21 in 7, 11 in 8, 9 in 9, and
1 in 10. On the second
three days' play, Tommy won 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 characteristics 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 continued it.
After the match was over he continued to
be seen on the links and in his old haunts, looking 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 rest, bidding
his father "Good-night" as he went to his room. He did not appear
at the usual hour for breakfast, and, on his being called, there was no response. 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 everywhere. Christmas greetings were checked on
the lips by the question, "Have you heard the
news? Young Tommy is dead! " or the whispered, "It can't be true, is it, that Tommy was
found dead in bed this morning? 'Everywhere 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
conveyed 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 ten o'clock.
at Pilmour Links, St Andrews, Dec. 25, 1875.
"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
oft ' The Belt ' against all comers. He died on
Christmas Day, 1875, at the early age of twenty-four."
Mr C. E. S. Chambers, in publishing this
notice in his Golfiana, says, under date, Edinburgh, 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, I
think, judging from the note appended to it:
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 grief to Tomm in his day.
Who could like him with Fortune deal,
And from the fire undaunted snatch,
With steadfast 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.
"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 suitable monument over his last resting-place, and
as he was widely known and universally admired
for his honest and manly exertions by which he
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.
Musselburgh. 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.
Perth. Hon. Secretary, King James Golf
Club.
Montrose. Hon. Secretary, Royal Albert
Golf Club.
Aberdeen. Hon. Secretary, Aberdeen Golf
Club.
Blackhcath. George Glennie, Esq., Blackheath Golf Club.
Westward Ho! Captain Molesworth, Royal
North Devon and West of England Golf Club.
Wimbledon. David I. Lamb, Esq., Wimbledon 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 golfing-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
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 acknowledged 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 unveil 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 contributions 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 disposition, 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 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 .40 coining
home. Evry true golfer mourned his loss most
sincerely, for he was not only a prime golfer,
but he was a very fine young man cut on 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, for, 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 maintain 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 instrumental 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 monument, 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 monument to his son, the proceedings in connection
with which gratified him so much.
It is to the years that he has spent since then
that we must now turn, and rapidly glance at the
chief points of interest in his long and honourable
career since he lost the son who was so much to
him, and of whose golfing achievements he was so
proud.
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