COURSE MANAGEMENT WITH... 3

Some would feel history weighing heavily on their

shoulders carrying out any kind of work on the Old Lady,

but for Gordon it was not a burden to bear, instead

simply a case of history repeating itself.

Like the sands on which it stands the Old Course has

never stood still, it is a living, breathing, dynamic

landscape whose proud custodians such as Old Tom

Morris and Allan Robertson have never feared change,

instead choosing to embrace and look on as their work

has been replicated or become a flag-bearer for golf the

world over.

The period of change, which really defined the Old

Course as we know it today, dates back to 1764 when

the then Links was 22 holes, having been reduced from

its original 26. On the 4th of October 1764 the minutes

of the Society of St Andrews Golfers, now more

commonly known as the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of

St Andrews, reveals the first four holes were deemed too

short and inadequate. The course was cut down to 18

holes, setting a much-copied precedent for future golf

courses in the 1760s around the world.

As well as the undoubted hands of “Keepers of the

Greens” there is another, lesser known individual who

perhaps did more than any other to shape the town of

St Andrews, and whose influence reached the Links.

Sir Hugh Lyon Playfair transformed the town from his

arrival in the 1830s and as Provost of St Andrews from 1842

to his death in 1861. He brought in beautiful architecture

similar to the new town development of Edinburgh and

literally cleaned the town with laws that limited the amount

of dung that could be kept on a premises!

Playfair’s first noticeable change

related to the Swilcan Burn, which would

all too frequently meander or flood. On

17th of December 1834 a Mr Bowrey

was paid £4.10 by the town council for

dumping rubbish and fill at the Swilcan

Burn. In the same year, Mr Robert

Goodfellow started to work with this

Greenkeepingtechnology has comea long way over theyears, in 1960 apetrol mowerdominated the vastlandscape of the18th green on the OldCourse during aroutine cut and roll

Course Manager Gordon McKie watches the dawn skystretch out across the world’s most famous links.

COURSE MANAGEMENT WITH...

A group of golfers teeoff on the first tee in1885, caddies in towand towns folkwatching in a scenerepeated to this day

The Old Course is nostranger to

improvements withthis group ofgreenkeepers

working on ShellBunker at the 7th

hile many clock in for the Monday toFriday, 9 to 5 shift behind a desk,Gordon and his team are responsiblefor making sure the hopes, dreamsand expectations of golfers fromacross the world are met when theytee it up at the Old Course.

It is a 365 days of the year job, filled with early

starts, variable weather and the time constraints

associated with golfers teeing off from dawn till dusk, all

carried out while aspiring to the standards of those that

have gone before.

In the winter of 2012 Gordon and the Links team,

working with renowned architect Martin Hawtree,

undertook a programme of course improvements as part

of the annual off-season work carried out across the Links.

The programme, which included work on the 2nd,

7th, 11th and 17th, was designed to continue the rich

history of the Home of Golf and ensure its legacy of

playability and accessibility to golfers of all ages and

abilities continues.

5

refuse to build up the bank and then added a brick

retaining wall to the burn. He set out 181 feet and 3

inches of stones, laid at six stones per foot. Goodfellow

was paid on the 4th of April 1835 for completing “the

retaining walls, built on the banks of the burn” and for

also cleaning the burn too. His bill was £9.66 but

Goodfellow agreed to settle for £8.66. This work set the

course of the burn for the first time.

Playfair’s impact continued when the town council

carried out the very first reclamation of land in 1844

along the 1st and 18th holes to protect the fairways

from the sea. According to Jarrett and Mason in their

book ‘St Andrews, the First 600 Years’, in Playfair’s day

the 1st and 18th fairways were only 80 yards wide and

great crashing storms would leave debris and seaweed

strewn across the 1st fairway. There was a real danger

that the fairways could be washed away so the town

council employed David Steele from around 1844 to

1849 to widen the area by building a brick wall on the

boundary alongside the 1st hole and filling in the gap

with rubbish, remnants from building constructions, soil

and then seeding the area. The wall was known as ‘Mr

Steele’s barricade’ or the ‘sea walls’; it no longer stands

as it disappeared as the Links grew.

In the so called “Road Wars”, when the town debated

the need for a road down the side of the Links in front

of Old Tom’s shop, local surveyor James Gillespie stated

that the 1st and 18th fairways went from 320 feet in

1836 to 429 feet by 1879. Over time it would grow even

larger. This land reclamation also explains why the 1st

hole is flat like a billiard table and the 18th undulating

links. Also around this time a large bunker known as

Halket’s bunker, located where the 1st and 18th fairways

are today was filled in.

The next real change to the course we recognise today

arose when Old Da Anderson was in charge. Da was the

ragamuffin looking seller of ginger beer (and perhaps

something stronger) on the 4th hole, but he was a far

more influential figure than that. He had his own shop

from 1873-1882 next door to the right of Old Tom’s

where he sold golf clubs with his son and three times

Open champion Jamie. It was only when this business

ceased to trade that Da took a cart out to the 4th,

where he would operate selling ginger beer, cakes and

balls for the last twenty years of his life.

Many people also do not know that Da looked after

the Links from 1851-55. Unlike Tom, who was a

consummate and gifted diplomat, Da could not take the

constant complaints about the state of the course.

Everyone had an opinion and Da did not want to hear it

day in and day out. Before he left in 1855, Da put a

second pin on the 7th green, as per the Green

Committee’s directive in May that year. Not the 5th as

commonly reported. Thus one of the course’s first

double greens was formed.

In 1856 and 57, Playfair’s influence reappeared

when as captain of the R&A he instructed Allan

Robertson to increase the greens sizes for more double

pins. Given that there was limited ground with the Eden

estuary at the foremost boundary, the greens were

largely expanded at the sides to give them a lozenge

shape. In the Spring Meeting that year they played to

white flags going out and red flags coming home,

another St Andrews benchmark much replicated around

the golfing world.

The Links were constantly evolving, expanding, moving

and growing. As characters such as Da moved on the

game of golf began to change, its popularity soaring.

One of its biggest rising stars was St Andrews own Tom

Morris, who returned in 1864, having built Prestwick to

much acclaim.

Old Tom was employed by the R&A as a full time

Keeper of the Green. Whereas previous incumbents in

the role were paid £6 a year, Tom was given an

unprecedented £50 a year. He had created a fine

reputation for himself and St Andrews Links needed an

expert, who better than the man who had been lauded

and applauded for creating and tending the superb

Prestwick course over some twelve years. Old Tom was

also the reigning Open champion. His terms of

employment with the R&A were that he was to have full

charge of the Links.

The impact of Old Tom on the Links was seismic. By

1866, he was filling in divots with sand and top dressing

the Links. Initially the locals complained about the sand

on the surfaces, but when the course started to improve,

they quickly supported his efforts.

Immediately outside Tom’s shop was the location for

what was known as the ‘short holes’. These are the

putting holes as we would know them. Caddies had

made these outside Tom’s shop as a means to while away

their time waiting for a gentleman’s bag. They were

unfortunately victims of their own success, as the ladies

started to play the holes too. Playfair increased the size to

create a proper short holes green. This created a lot of

tension, mostly with the caddies as they would be very

reluctant to sound off against the wife of a could-be

1 Greenkeepers,local residents and

volunteers carryout work on thefamous Links –

spreading sand in1934

2 Old Tom Morrissits proudly

outside his shop,overlooking the

18th green whereit still stands

today3 The Old Course

has seen a numberof activitiesbeyond golf,

including artillerypractice in 1900

4 Workers atForgan golf clubmanufacturerstake a break towatch a tense

match on the 18thgreen in 1890

5 Andrew Kirkaldyand Willie Park

Junior take part inan exhibition

match typical ofthe era on the

Links in 1895. Thehigh stakes gamesattracted the best

players fromacross the country

and sizeablecrowds.

6 With its coastallocation the OldCourse is exposed toScotland’s oftenharsh climate withrunning repairs allpart of the day-to-day activities, in1934 the Linksgreenkeeping staffcleared the SwilcanBurn of debris after aheavy storm6

2

This early black and white map dates back to 1821.Its notes detail where the proposed trainline would run in1847 and 1851. There is no New, Jubilee or Eden Coursesand the maps limited course details hark back to an era

when the Links would have been played in reverse

1

4

3

5

COURSE MANAGEMENT WITH...

employer on the Links, so would be forced to bite their

own wind chapped lips.

In 1866, it was decided that the ladies should have

their own putting green. The land to the right of today’s

first green was decided as the best place for it. After

clearing of the whin by Tom and preparing the ground,

the green was duly opened. In time it would be known as

the Himalayas.

The removal of the short holes from this area by Old

Tom’s shop, opened the way for a new and much larger

18th green, which Tom started work on in 1869. During

construction the workmen found a burial pit of human

bones in the far right hand corner of the green. Given

that at the time the fear of witchcraft was rife, the local

labourers were a superstitious lot but Tom insisted that if

they wanted to be paid, they would have to continue to

dig. They duly finished the job.

The green was Tom’s pride and Joy. He often said that

it was the best thing that he had ever done and certainly

many of those giving statements in the road war

precognitions say how much the green had improved

thanks to Old Tom. From early images it appears that Old

Tom’s 18th green is largely where it is today, only much

smaller and concentrating on the left hand side of today’s

green. According to Malcolm and Crabtree, the infamous

Valley of Sin was a gully that ran from Old Tom’s shop

right across to the R&A clubhouse. During the land

reclamation, this was probably filled in, leaving what we

have today by the green.

Next Old Tom built a new first green and opened the

course to a new routing including a massive plan of

clearing away whin and widening fairways and greens

further, including the 7th / 11th green. When he re-

turfed the 7th green, the hole kept increasing in size due

to the soft sandy soil, so he got a local blacksmith to

create an iron rim. This kept the hole in good shape and

it is said this is how tin cups in holes today originated.

Tom’s reputation as a bold, brave, innovator was at its

zenith and before long he was rotating the direction of

play of the course to spread the wear and tear on the

Links. During this period he also moved the teeing area

further away from the greens, a staple project on almost

every course the world over in the low season these days.

As he cleared whins from the Links it was said that Tom

placed new bunkers in their place but all maps from that

time show only two bunkers on the front nine on the 2nd

and 6th holes between 1879 and 1898. However in

1899, according to historian Peter Lewis, a committee

was rected the set up by the R&A consisting of some of

the great names of the era including Freddie Tait and HSC

Everard along with a representative of the St Andrews

Golf Club. Together they designated the position for

seventeen new bunkers from the 2nd to the 5th. In 1905,

after Tom had retired a further sixteen bunkers were

added between the 2nd and 6th holes alone.

After Tom passed away, the course continued to

evolve and change. Over the next 100 years, greens

would change shape, bunkers filled in or added and

golfers would invariably praise and criticise the changes.

Tom Morris considered himself a Custodian of the

Links. No one could be said to be more proud or

protective of the course than Tom Morris. However, he

did not stop reflecting on the Links and looking for places

where it could be improved. He certainly did not think

that it should not be added to whenever there was an

opportunity to challenge the golfers a little more.

Tom and the many who went before them were brave

and innovative, their legacy lives on with talented and

passionate custodians like Gordon ensuring improvements

continue, for at the Old, this is nothing new.

This map of the Linksdates back to 1898and shows the OldCourse in its nowfamed 18 hole layoutwith Hell Bunkerclear for all to see.The old railway lineand station servicingSt Andrews are alsopresent.

Top Right: ToroProCore® 648 highcapacity greensaerator providesconsistent holedepth, ensuring a topquality puttingsurface

Right: ToroGreensmaster®Flex21 greens mowerdelivers a consistenthigh quality of cut onevery green for trueball roll

7COURSE MANAGEMENT WITH...

In the 21st Century the modern day Links comes tolife in the wee small hours of every morning, withthe hum and buzz of greenkeeping equipment – asign of the golfing day to come.

But before a ball is struck in

earnest, the Old Course and

every one of St Andrews Links'

seven courses undergoe a rapid

round of intense, expert work from the Links experienced

and talented team of greenkeepers.

Aided by the fleet of cutting-edge machinery from Toro

the Home of Golf is presented in perhaps the best

condition it has ever been.

Gone are the days of animals grazing on the fairways or

manual labour with rudimentary shears, even the earliest

forms of petrol-fuelled mowers, large, cumbersome and

awkward to manoeuvre. Instead today’s greenkeepers at

the Links rely on precision and science in the latest

mowers, sprayers, utility vehicles and irrigation systems –

all at their disposal thanks to Toro.

A common value shared by the Links and

Toro is a rich history of innovation and quality.

Toro dates back to 1914 when it was first

established, subsequently entering its core

business of golf in 1919. Back then their first

golf client was Minikahda Club in Minneapolis

when five reel mowers were attached to a Toro

tractor to cut the fairways.

From that early beginning Toro built its name

and following by providing innovative solutions to

customers’ agricultural and turf care needs. Today, this

rich legacy continues as Toro strives every day to develop

exciting new products and services that deliver the

ultimate in performance, productivity and convenience –

such as customers have come to expect from Toro.

St Andrews Links is no different, high-quality products

and a legacy of trusted relationships make Toro a trusted

Helping St AndrewsLinks to build on600 years of history

9

been at the forefront of those

changes," he says.

“There is so much technology

utilised these days, from ride-on

mowers to GPS devices mapping out

the areas we cut, to in-ground

sensors measuring the amount of

moisture we have in the soil.

“We are very fortunate to have developed a fantastic

working relationship with Toro which benefits us in so

many different ways, from our day-to-day work tending

to the courses, and looking to the future and the Toro

design engineers working with us here on the ground at

St Andrews.

“Our relationship with Toro enables us to road test the

latest equipment to see how it works. It’s not just about

aesthetics – it has to have a practical purpose and having

the opportunity to give feedback to Toro at this stage is a

great part of our relationship and ensures we can

continue to deliver memorable experiences for every

golfer at St Andrews.”

Left: ToroReelmaster® 3100-Dmachines helpmaintain the teesand bunkersurrounds whilegreens are cut by theprecision mowing ofthe Greensmaster®3250-D (Right)

The first tee on theOld Course beingcut and manicuredwith a ToroGreensmaster 1000

partner at the Home of Golf. The world’s most famous

Links fairways are adorned with ride-on Reelmasters,

giant double greens are cut and rolled with precision

engineered Greenmasters while Workman and Utility

Vehicles ferry greenkeepers across the sprawling Links, all

playing their part in keeping the Home of Golf in the best

possible condition.

All this is delivered with the help, assistance and

expertise of Toro. Old Course Manager Gordon McKie

knows that, in Toro, the Links has found the perfect

partner, one which believes in innovation, feedback,

communicating, and above all else, quality.

“The whole ethos and ideology of greenkeeping has

changed dramatically over the last 20 years and Toro has

THE TEAM of expert greenkeeperstending to St Andrews Links todayutilise technology, science and skill topresent the world’s most famous Linksin the best possible condition.

Computerised irrigation systems,greens rollers and fairway mowerscapable of cutting to exactingspecifications and all armed withanalytical data are key components inthe 21st Century Links.

It is a far cry from theirpredecessors centuries before, whoshared their passion and love for theland but faced differing demands andutilised a different set of tools.

Prior to the18th Centuryhistory suggeststhe Links wouldnot have beenmaintained by agreenkeeper assuch, instead grazinganimals tended to the grassfor a sport seldom played inthe summer because grass grewtoo quickly!

The first major advances ingreenkeeping in St Andrews came withthe return of Tom Morris fromPrestwick to become Keeper of theGreen in 1865, a post he held until1903. Back then the equipmentavailable to him was minimal –a barrow, a spade, a shovel, a rake, ascythe and a heuk were his most likelytools of the trade.

Aided by some additional labour notonly did Tom maintain the Old Coursebut cleared whin bushes covering theright-hand side of the Links, locatedand designed many of the bunkersfound today, created the first and lastgreens and used large amounts of sandto create smooth greens and teeinggrounds, a practice which continuesmore than 100 years after his passing.But as time wore on golfers began toexpect more of the greens andfairways, especially with the inventionof lawn mowers. Their arrival allowedthe Links greens to be cut shorter andmore often, thereby beginning the

quest for theperfect puttingsurface whichcontinues withgolfers of allabilities today.In the 21st

Century deliveringmemorable experiences

for every golfer at St Andrews is adaily commitment, especially withsome 230,000 rounds of golf takingplace across all seven of the Linkscourses in a calendar year.

In order to help achieve thatambition and deliver the legacy of theirforefathers the Links greenkeepingteams have maintained thatcommitment to excellence andinnovation, utilising cutting edgetechnology, science and experience topreserve and protect the Links.

The Links equipment sheds housethe latest technology, provided byLinks partners Toro, which help thegreenkeepers not just cut and treatgrass but move greenkeepers, sandand soil across almost 300 hectares ofland 365 days of the year.

Times have changed on the Linkswith today’s greenkeepers employingmore science, cutting-edge technologyand manpower than ever before. Butwhile modern day techniques and newattitudes to greenkeeping haveemerged what remains constant is theknowledge, commitment and love forthe world’s most famous Links.

managed by man and beast –sheep and machines at work tokeep the course open