The great great granddaughter of St Andrews golf legend Old Tom Morris visited the town’s Lawhead Primary School to help inspire young people to chase their dreams and learn from the legacy of her ancestors.
Sheila Walker visited the school with a representative from the World Golf Museum.
From humble St Andrews beginnings, Old Tom and his son Young Tommy Morris, who won multiple Open championships between them, re-wrote the game of golf in the late 1800s.
Old Tom Morris relative ‘delighted’ to visit
Amongst the items taken to the school by the World Golf Museum’s learning and access curator Hannah Fleming was Young Tommy Morris’ Challenge Belt, which preceded the famous Open Championship Claret Jug.
After his third victory in the 1870 Open championship, he was able to keep the belt in perpetuity.
The original trophy is in the collections of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club.
Mrs Walker said: “I was delighted to accompany Hannah from the golf museum to Lawhead primary school where on arrival we received a very warm and enthusiastic welcome from all the children.
“I am very proud to be Old Tom’s great, great granddaughter and it was very satisfying to see children being presented with the opportunity to learn from his legacy”.
Lawhead Primary head teacher Mrs Bain said: “We were delighted to be presented with this unique opportunity to participate in the innovative project given how relatable Old Tom and Young Tommy’s legacy is in St Andrews.
“Our P6/7 pupils had two wonderful days.”
How did the visit come about?
Last year, Aberdeen based golf company Bonnie Wee Golf in partnership with VisitScotland launched the innovative “Old Tom Morris Trail” which allows golfers to retrace the steps of the game of golf’s most iconic figure.
The educational school programme for schools on the trail focuses on problem solving tasks, personal development, critical thinking, mental health and physical wellbeing, as well as being fun.
It builds on the pioneering spirit, life skills and golfing heritage that defined the legacy of Old Tom and Young Tommy Morris.
West Lothian steel worker William Lumsden, who was inspired by the 2017 film Tommy’s Honour to set up an educational trust a few years ago, has gone on to create a programme for pupils based on the Morris legacy.
In 2021, to celebrate Old Tom’s bicentenary, William walked from Prestwick to St Andrews to generate funds.
He utilised his holidays to deliver the Grand Old Man of Golf Life Skills Experience in several local primary schools.
Last year he received a call from managing director David Harris of Bonnie Wee Golf who wished to support him through donations made by the participating golfers in the Aberdeen Golf Links Pro-am.
The best way to ensure this fantastic gesture made a positive impact was to provide children growing up in locations across the Old Tom Morris Trail with the platform to learn from the pioneering spirit, life skills and golfing heritage that defined the legacy of Old Tom and Young Tommy Morris.
Learning from the legacy
William said: “It was an honour and privilege for me to provide over 70 pupils from St Andrews with the opportunity to learn from the inspiring legacy of Old Tom and Young Tommy Morris.
“Given the impact these incredible men had in their birthplace, the Home of Golf, it is fitting that children not only grow up knowing what they achieved but also that they can learn from their legacy and go forward with aspirations to follow their own path in life like father and son”.
What other schools have been involved?
As well as Lawhead, other primary schools involved in the project are Askernish – Daliburgh PS; Tain – Knockbreck PS; Nairn – Rosebank PS; Montrose – Lochside PS; Crail – Crail PS; Carnoustie – Burnside PS; Luffness – Aberlady PS; Dunbar – Dunbar PS; North Berwick – Law PS; Prestwick – Monkton PS.
The Courier marked the 200th anniversary of Old Tom’s birth with a feature in 2021, and also covered the St Andrews premiere of Tommy’s Honour, which was directed by Jason Connery, in 2017.
