The St Andrews home of “The Godfather of Golf” has been Category-A listed to mark his 200th anniversary.
Historic Environment Scotland has reassessed the original C-listing on the Old Tom Morris shop – the world’s oldest golf shop, which overlooks the iconic Old Course.
The decision was prompted by this week’s bicentenary of Morris’s birth and his importance in St Andrews and across the world.
Born on June 16 1821, Old Tom Morris is considered golf’s greatest figure.
Often referred to as The Grand Old Man of Golf, he shaped the modern game.
And he was involved in just about every aspect as a caddie, a player and a golf course designer.
He bought a little shop in St Andrews after spending 16 years as an apprentice and playing partner to the world’s first professional golfer, Allan Robertson.
The shop – called T Morris – was on the ground floor at 7 The Links, St Andrews, while Old Tom lived upstairs.
He ran the business from 1866 until his death in 1908 but the building still operates as a shop more than a century on.
Why does the shop deserve an A- listing?
A spokesman for Historic Environment Scotland said: “It is the oldest golf shop in the world still operating commercially.
“The building is listed as Category A in recognition of its special golfing history.”
Its architectural character and associations with important people in Scotland’s sporting heritage were also taken into account.
“Its continuous golf-related heritage dates back nearly 200 years,” the spokesman added.
Morris’s time running his shop coincided with his 39 years as keeper and custodian of the greens of St Andrews.
He could often be seen looking out of his upstairs window over his beloved Old Course.
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club is opposite the shop and is also Category A listed.
What is a listed building?
To be listed, a building must be of special or architectural interest.
It must help to create Scotland’s distinctive character and be highly visible and accessible.
It can also be an example of Scotland’s social or economic past.
Listing falls into three categories – A, B and C -with category A reserved for outstanding examples of a particular period, style or building type.
Old Tom Morris blog
Historic Environment Scotland has also just issued a blog on the life of Old Tom Morris as it marks the 200th anniversary.
Entitled Old Tom Morris: Father of Modern Golf, it tells the story of Morris and his role in popularising the modern game.
The son of a St Andrews weaver, he was a pupil at Madras College before he began work with Allan Robertson when he was 18.
After a spell in Prestwick, Tom returned to the Fife town in 1864 to become the Royal and Ancient Golf Club’s keeper of the green and professional.
He changed the direction of play on the famous course to anti-clockwise and created new first and 18th greens.
In all, he remodelled more than 70 golf courses during his career.
But he wasn’t the only talent his his family.
His son, Young Tom, was also a renowned professional and won The Open in four consecutive years.
Although he died at the tragically young age of 24, he contributed significantly to the popularisation of golf.
And his name was the first on the prestigious Claret Jug awarded to Open winners.
Old Tom died just before his 87th birthday. He is buried in the churchyard of St Andrews Cathedral.
