When Old Is New Again
Tom Morris (or Old Tom as he was commonly known) is widely regarded as the father of our modern game. He was many things to the game of golf; A world class player, club maker, golf course designer, and superintendent. When asked, he proclaimed his greatest feet was fathering his son who shared his name and was the first real prodigy in golf. More simply put, Tom Morris was one of the greatest innovators of the 19th century and a pretty cool dad. .
In the early 1880’s Old Tom and his son Young Tom Morris were instrumental in the unlikely formation of a new brand of golf society. The Morris family involvement in this matter was so instrumental in fact, that charter members proposed the club be named “The Tom Morris Golf Club” which the modest duo strongly insisted against. As contrast to The Royal and Ancient Golf Club, this new brand of golf society would bring together the town's people, from all walks of life, anyone with the means and passion to play their cherished game. So just as it was common practice of the time to refer to the R&A as “The Old Club” it was inevitable that this New Golf Club would be referred to as “The New Club” thus The New Golf Club of St Andrews was born.
Our name, and the 21st century version of NewClub is meant to pay homage to the ancestors, innovators, and curators of our modern game. Anyone whose life has been enriched by picking up a club owes Tom Morris, his son and many others a sense of gratitude and appreciation.
Our 21st century challenges are far different than those of the 19th, but it was our founder's intention that the game would always be affordable, accessible, sustainable, above all else, memorable. A sport to be enjoyed by the everyman. Somewhere along the way, our courses became more about their prestige and less about their playability. Our Clubs become more about their exclusivity and less about their enjoyment, and being a member became more about net worth and less about a love and respect for the game.
At NewClub we are focusing all our efforts on getting back to the purist enjoyment of golf. By working exclusively with golf clubs whose course are compelling and pairing them with players who possess both character and passion for the game, We believe we have a recipe for compelling golf. It's not a new recipe. In fact it's modeled after the golf societies like The New Golf Club of St. Andrews and others throughtout Great Britain during the turn of the 19th Century. Just like them, we are refocusing the game on memorable experiences that our players can feel good about. Something that leaves them looking forward to the next round when it's all done. It's a mission that focuses on values of golf which we also believe transcends sport and impacts the way we interact with those around us, whether at work, at play, in the community or at home with our families.
One of my favorite Old Tom stories reflects his commitment to character, and not just the game of golf that he loved. Tom worked for Allan Robertson who was regarded as the very first golf professional. Robertson made his living making featherie golf balls, and Morris became his apprentice. The featherie production was a time-staking ordeal, because many didn't have the skills or materials to produce, Robertson's shop had nearly a monopoly on the market and business was good. When the gutta percha ball arrived however, Robertson condemned the ball and demanded Morris do the same, thus protecting their featherie business.
Morris recognized the ball could do wonders for the game of golf. It would allow for more timely production, and increase access and affordability, getting more people to play the game. Tom lost his position, and Robertson and Morris fully parted ways in 1849. Tom left for the Western coast of Scotland where he became "Keeper of the Greens" at Prestwick Golf club which hosted the first ever Open Championship and where Tom went on to win four open championships before the end of the decade.
Tom returned to his home of St. Andrews in 1865, as the greens keeper and head professional at a little parcel of dunesland called The Old Course. The rest as we know it, is history.
"The meaning of life is creative love. Not love as an inner feeling, as a private sentimental emotion, but love as a dynamic power moving out in the world and doing something original."
- Old Tom Morris