Old Tom Morris: new path to statue at Home Of Golf celebrates life of golfing legend

It come just weeks after the unveiling of a statue to the St Andrews born and bred champion golfer renowned as the Grand Old Man Of Golf.

David Annand’s sculpture sits on Bow Butts and overlooks the Old Course. It was unveiled last month by Sheila Walker, his great great granddaughter, assisted by champion golfer, Sandy Lyle, and watched by a large crowd of golfers, residents and visitors.

The new pathway celebrates the life and times of the proud St Andrean who helped to shape the game in the Home of Golf.

Commodore Ronald Sandford, chair of the committee which led the fundraising to create the statue, said: “‘Tom Morris had a remarkable life and we wanted people, as they walked to the statue, to learn about this great man.

“From his humble beginning on North Street and becoming the Champion Golfer to his work as a Church Elder and his transformation of the links, Tom was at the heart of St Andrews for most of his life. Hopefully the pathway captures the highlights of this exemplary St Andrean.”

The statue has been mounted on a bronze plinth in an elegant stone setting with a path of Caithness slabs leading to it - and the team behind it hope it will become a focal point for the hundreds of thousands of visitors to the town every year.

At its official unveiling, Roger McStarvick, golf writer and historian, hailed Old Tom as “a legend in his own lifetime.

“He was a North Street boy, a son of a weaver who became the greatest golfer in the world,” he said. “He did many remarkable things. For St Andrews links, we look to Tom Morris. For the front nine of the Old Course including many bunkers, we look to Tom Morris. For the first and 18th greens we look to Tom Morris.

“For the growth of the game in the 1800s we look to over 100 course created by Tom Morris. He believed in golf for all and that is the spirit of St Andrews.”

Mr McStravick hailed him as “a man apart” adding: “He said golf saved his life, but it is us who are indebted to Tom.”