KEEPERS OF THE GREEN
Known as "The Grand Old Man of Golf" Tom Morris lived through some of the most dramatic phases in the development of the game. Born in 1821 he started his career as a feather ball maker with Allan Robertson in St Andrews. Robertson was known as the world's first golf professional and accepted by his peers as the finest player of the day. The two men worked together until the gutta-percha ball (or guttie) replaced the feather-ball in 1849 and sparked a professional argument between them, much like the arguments today as to the fairness of golf ball development.

Morris moved to Prestwick in 1851 as "Keeper of the Greens" but continued to partner Robertson in foursomes matches (in which they were never beaten) until the latter's untimely death in 1859, just one year before the first Open Championship (or The Challenge Belt as it was initially known). Runner-up in the first Open he went on to win it in 1861, 62, 64 and 67. He's still the oldest winner of the championship aged 46 and holds the biggest winning margin, set in 1862. "I won it by thirteen shots - mind you, there were only four professionals playing that year, but that's a minor detail from my point of view."

In 1864 Morris was invited back to St Andrews to be "Keeper of the Green - Custodian of the Links" and presented with his emblems of the office for the Old Course - a barrow, bucket, spade - and £70 annually for his salary and upkeep of the course! He held his position at St Andrews for nearly 40 years - retiring in 1902 - but retained an active involvement in his club-making shop (established 1867) until his death in 1908 aged 87. The shop still exists today, although clubs are no longer made there, alongside the 18th green of the Old. He played in Opens up to 1894 and was involved in all aspects of the game, notably as an architect, designing numerous courses and reconstructing many more both in Britain and Ireland. "One pound a day I charged and walked every venue" he said. Courses such as Muirfield, the New Course at St Andrews (1895) and Royal Co Down are amongst his credits. As one of the original "Big Three" - with Robertson and Willie Park (Musselburgh) - he saw golf develop into the 20th century and left a considerable imprint on the game.

Keepers of the Green, the first ever golfing tribute to Tom Morris, was established in December 1995 as a fellowship to promote the traditions of the game of golf and also as a charity to provide powered wheelchairs for the needy. The organisation owes its origins to the drive of George Makey, the "Founder Keeper", who has helped raise funds for the handicapped since the mid 1970s. He first visited St Andrews in 1943, when serving in the Royal Navy at nearby Dundee. His commanding officer was a golfing fanatic, promptly ordered George to take up the game and a long association with the Old Course and town thus ensued! After many years the combination of his interest in the game's history and his charitable work inspired the idea of KOTG.

Michael Bonallack - then Secretary to The Royal and Ancient Golf Club - presented the first powered wheelchair to St Andrean Crawford Welch in 1995, outside the world famous R and A clubhouse and under a plaque of Old Tom. Over forty wheelchairs have subsequently been presented in the UK and abroad to recipients aged from 3 to 73! The fellowship now has around 200 active members, with nearly two thirds of these living in the USA, Canada, Australia and Continental Europe. Fund-raising is generated through special golfing events as well as private or corporate donations - large and small. Matches are played with replica hickory shafted clubs, hand-crafted in the Heritage Golf workshop at St Andrews. The registered ownership of a set of these unique clubs - spoon, cleek, mid-iron, niblick and putter - provides an automatic invitation to play in any KOTG event worldwide.

For more information contact Jamie Gardner in St Andrews or go to www.keepersofthegreen.org.