An American crooner’s sweet sounds are returning to Courier Country more than 40 years after he last wowed crowds at the home of golf.
Bing Crosby spent as much time on the links as in the studio and visited St Andrews many times over 30 years to play in competitions with one still bearing his name.
And the legacy of one Scot’s friendship with the White Christmas singer is to go under the hammer in Angus next year.
The late Frank Grant began collecting all things Bing as a 16-year-old in 1936 and met him a number of times during golf trips.
He went on to amass Europe’s largest collection of Crosby memorabilia and recordings, which Bing would dutifully sign when the pair met before play on the Old Course.
Mr Grant’s collection includes vinyl, reel to reel tapes, sheet music, photo albums and posters, and will be sold at Taylor’s Auction Rooms in Montrose on January 9.
His family in Nairn had to build an extension to accommodate the collection, which will take up a newly-added level at the Brent Avenue saleroom.
Auctioneer Robert Guthrie said: “We are delighted to receive this very impressive collection.
“It has been a long, long time since we received such a large, interesting selection of records and artefacts.
“This is a one-off collection which is set to attract lots of interest among Bing enthusiasts.”
Crosby played in the British Amateur Golf Tournament in May 1950 under his real name, Harry.
Thousands lined up on the Old Course to watch local builder Jim Wilson, described in the press as an “amateur crooner” who “frequently vocalises at amateur theatricals”, beat Bing in the first round in heavy rain.
Mr Wilson won three and two, though they continued to play to the 18th for the crowd’s sake. Being returned in 1971 to play with his now long-time friend Mr Wilson, with whom he discussed setting up a senior tournament.
He personally presented the Bing Crosby Trophy the next year.
The September tournament is still played and was won by Sean Connery in 1995.
Along with comedian Bob Hope, the singer was a patron of the Ochtertyre Theatre in Crieff, and his wife Katheryn Crosby and daughter Mary played prominent parts there in the 1976 play The Heiress.
Bing’s son Harry played in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship for the first time in 2010 and spoke fondly of his memories of Scotland in the 1970s.
Full catalogues and images will be available at www.taylors-auctions.com from December 21.