Scotland v The World

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Features iconic Scottish Sporting achievements that listeners may not have heard of.

Features iconic Scottish Sporting moments on the world stage. A deep dive into when Scottish sport quietly set the bar and embodied everything that we love about sporting success.

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Scotland v The World: Young Tommy Morris, The First Golf Superstar

Young Tommy Morris, The First Golf Superstar

BBC Radio Scotland - Scotland v The World, Young Tommy Morris, The First Golf Superstar

Andrew Cotter looks at the astonishing career of Scottish golf pro Young Tommy Morris.

Andrew Cotter presents the story of Tommy Morris who revolutionised the game of Golf in the late 1800s & helped shape the game we know & love today. A true Scots sporting pioneer!

We’re all familiar with the story of Old Tom Morris and his much-heralded influence on the game of golf during its early St Andrews origins in the 1800s, but the real trailblazer when it came to popularising the game as a spectator sport was undoubtedly his maverick golfer son, Young Tommy Morris. 

Born in 1851 Young Tom was a tremendous golf innovator who raised the playing standard significantly.  His 1868 Championship win, at the age of just 17, made him the youngest major champion in golf history a record which still stands. The following year, his father finished second to him, another unique family occurrence in the Championship. Also in 1869, Young Tom achieved the tournament's first ever hole-in-one by holing out at the 166-yard 8th hole, another unique first.  His name also became the first ever to be engraved on the famous Claret Jug, which was purchased for the tournament in 1873 which he won.

Young Tom introduced a range of shots and swing styles that are still adopted.  He played the first lofted sand wedge style golf shot, was one of the the first to play backspin on the ball, and helped established the open stance putting style. Morris was ranked the 14th best golfer of all time in a survey published in Golf Magazine, September 2009. He was the top player whose career was entirely in the 19th century. (His father, Old Tom, was ranked 19th.)

He died tragically young at the age of just 24, but in his short golf life he helped shape the game we know & love today. A true Scottish sporting pioneer!

Contributors: Roger McStravick, Hannah Fleming & Mrs Sheila Walker. 
Presented by Andrew Cotter
The producer was Gus Beattie.
A Gusman Production for BBC Radio Scotland.

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