Old Tom Morris: Life, Tragedy, and Golf Course Design

By
, GolfLink Editor
Updated November 15, 2022
Portrait of Old Tom Morris
  • DESCRIPTION
    Portrait of Old Tom Morris
  • SOURCE
    Jeff J Mitchell
  • PERMISSION
    getty image license

Old Tom Morris may be the only four-time major champion whose golf career is best known for the work he did without a club in his hands. 

Morris held just about every golf industry position that existed in 19th-century Scotland. He was a club-maker, ball-maker, greenskeeper, golf instructor, and champion golfer. Old Tom was among the best of his time in each of those endeavors, but nothing compares to what he accomplished as a golf course architect.

Morris’ design resume includes The Old Course at St Andrews, Muirfield, Carnoustie, and Royal Portrush. That’s four of the nine courses on today’s British Open rota. He’s also responsible for Prestwick, the Open Championship’s original stage which contested 24 Opens before being retired from the rota. It’s safe to say Morris’ accomplishments as a golf course architect will never be surpassed.

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The Life of Old Tom Morris

Old Tom pursued golf same the way most kids pursue their interests. He improvised. Morris was born in 1821 in St Andrews, Scotland, and by age 10, he used makeshift clubs to smack wine corks impaled with nails around town, pretending they were golf balls. If it seemed odd at the time that Morris was making his own golf balls, his own clubs, and imagining his own courses, it makes perfect sense today. That’s what he did until the day he died.

Morris’ career in golf began in somewhat standard fashion, as a caddie. He started caddying at St Andrews at age 14, and developed into one of the best players at St Andrews as a young adult.

Around 1851, Morris was hired by Prestwick Golf Club, where he designed the course, then maintained it. He earned extra money building and selling golf balls and clubs, giving lessons, and running tournaments. In fact, Old Tom Morris helped launch The Open Championship, and is on record along with James Fairlie, as striking the first shot in Open Championship history.

In 1863, Morris returned to St Andrews as golf professional and greenskeeper. St Andrews was in rough shape when he returned, but Old Tom went to work, and the rest is history.

Competitively, Old Tom Morris won four Open Championships, all at his own Prestwick Golf Club. After finishing second in the inaugural Open Championship in 1860, Old Tom won in 1861, ‘62, ‘64 and ‘67.

Old Tom Morris earned his prefix when his son, known today as Young Tom Morris, began to rival Old Tom on the links. Young Tom dethroned his father by winning the 1868 Open, his first of three wins in a row. With that streak, Young Tom permanently claimed the “Challenge Belt” trophy, eventually causing the cancellation of the 1871 Open.

Morris stayed at St Andrews until 1903, and continued to work until his death in 1908.

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Morris Family Tragedy

While Old Tom Morris’s life ended just days before his 87th birthday, sadly, his death was preceded by many family members.

  • September 1875: Margaret Morris, wife of Young Tom Morris dies in childbirth, along with the baby
  • December 1875: Young Tom Morris dies suddenly of lung hemorrhage
  • 1876: Nancy Morris, wife of Old Tom Morris dies at age 61
  • 1886: James Hunter, Morris’ son-in-law (husband of daughter Elizabeth) dies at age 37
  • 1893: John Morris, Tom’s son, dies of epilepsy at age 33
  • 1898: Elizabeth Morris, Tom’s daughter, dies at age 46

Course Design

The Swilcan Bridge on the 18th hole of St Andrews
  • DESCRIPTION
    The Swilcan Bridge on the 18th hole of St Andrews
  • SOURCE
    David Cannon/David Cannon Collection
  • PERMISSION
    Getty Image License

Doing his design work in the 1800s, Old Tom Morris didn’t have the luxury of earth-moving machines that today’s course designers rely on. Instead, he made the most of what the land offered. Morris’ courses force players to avoid costly penal areas, such as deep pot bunkers, and reward accurate players who can identify and hit the ideal angles. Old Tom Morris built courses that featured:

  • Shared fairways and double greens
  • Wide fairways and few trees
  • Straight holes and off-centered greens
  • Utilization of natural burns, streams, and ditches

Even though Old Tom Morris died in 1908, his influence remains strong in today’s architects. Morris mentored a young Donald Ross at St Andrews in the late 1800s. Donald Ross went on to mentor Pete Dye at Pinehurst in the mid-1900s, and Dye has gone on to build some of the best courses of the last 50 years while paving the way for today’s breed of golf course architects.

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Old Tom Morris Course List

Course Location
Alyth Golf Club Alyth, Scotland
Anstruther Golf Club

Anstruther, Scotland

Arbroath Golf Links Elliot, Scotland
Askernish Golf Club

Askernish, Scotland

Bridge of Allan Golf Club

Bridge of Allan, Scotland

Callander Golf Club

Callander, Scotland

Carnoustie Golf Links (Championship)

Carnoustie, Scotland

Crail Golfing Society (Balcomie Links) Crail, Scotland
Crieff Golf Club (Ferntower) Crieff, Scotland
Cruden Bay Golf Club (Championship Course)

Cruden Bay, Scotland

Cruden Bay Golf Club (St Olaf Course)

Cruden Bay, Scotland

Cullen Links Golf Club Cullen, Scotland
Dunbar Golf Club

Dunbar, Scotland

Dunkeld and Birnam Golf Club

Dunkeld, Scotland

Forfar Golf Club Forfar, Scotland
Glasgow Golf Club

Bearsden, Scotland

The Golf House Club Elie, Scotland
Helensburgh Golf Club Helensburgh
Kinghorn Golf Club

Kinghorn, Scotland

King James VI Golf Club Perth, Scotland
Kingussie Golf Club

Kingussie, Scotland

Kirkcaldy Golf Club

Kirkcaldy, Scotland

Ladybank Golf Club

Ladybank, Scotland

Lanark Golf Club

Lanark, Scotland

Leslie Golf Club Leslie, Scotland
Leven Links Golf Course Leven, Scotland
Luffness New Golf Club

Aberlady, Scotland

Lundin Golf Club

Lundin Links, Scotland

Machrihanish Golf Club (Championship)

Machrihanish, Scotland

Montrose Golf Links

Montrose, Scotland

Moray Golf Club (old course)

Lossiemouth, Scotland

Muirfield

Gullane, Scotland

Nairn Dunbar Golf Club Nairn, Scotland
Nairn Golf Club Nairn, Scotland
Newtonmore Golf Club

Newtonmore, Scotland

North Berwick Golf Club (The West Links)

North Berwick, Scotland

North Inch Golf Course Perth, Scotland
Panmure Golf Club Barry, Scotland
Prestwick Golf Club

Prestwick, Scotland

The Royal Burgess Golfing Society of Edinburgh

Barnton, Edinburgh, Scotland

Royal Dornoch Golf Club

Dornoch, Scotland

Scotscraig Golf Club

Tayport, Scotland

St Andrews Ladies’ Putting Club (The Himalayas)

St Andrews, Scotland

St Andrews Links (Jubilee Course)

St Andrews, Scotland

St Andrews Links (New Course)

St Andrews, Scotland

St Andrews Links (Old Course)

St Andrews, Scotland

Stirling Golf Club

Stirling, Scotland

Strathpeffer Spa Golf Club

Strathpeffer, Scotland

Tain Golf Club Tain, Scotland
Tarland Golf Club

Tarland, Scotland

Thornhill Golf Club

Thornhill, Scotland

The West Kilbride Golf Club

West Kilbride, Scotland

Cleeve Hill Golf Course

Cheltenham, England

Cleveland Golf Club

Redcar, England

Dewsbury District Golf Club

Mirfield, England

Kendal Golf Club Kendal, England
Kettering Golf Club

Kettering, England

Kirby Muxloe Golf Club

Kirby Muxloe, England

Lindrick Golf Club

Lindrick, England

Mitcham Golf Club

Mitcham, England

Newcastle United Golf Club

Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Northampton Golf Club

Harlestone, England

Ramsey Golf and Bowls Club

Ramsey, England

Royal Cromer Golf Club

Cromer, England

Royal North Devon Golf Club

Westward Ho!, England

Wallasey Golf Club

Wallasey, England

Warkworth Golf Club

Warkworth, England

West Herts Golf Club

Croxley Green, England

Royal Portrush Golf Club

Portrush, Northern Ireland

Lahinch Golf Club Lahinch, Ireland
Rosapenna Golf Links (Old Tom Morris Links)

Downings, Ireland

Castletown Golf Links

Derbyhaven, Isle of Man

King Edward Bay Golf Club

Douglas, Isle of Man

Pwllheli Golf Club Pwllheli, Wales
Royal County Down Golf Club (Annesley and Championships Links)

Newcastle, Northern Ireland

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Old But Not Irrelevant

Old Tom Morris was the rare jack of all trades who somehow mastered them all. He made his living through every facet of the golf industry, but he built his legacy one golf course at a time.