The Golf Courses of Old Tom Morris
by Robert Kroeger

"Golfers of the world should feel indebted to Robert Kroeger for this fine production." Alice and Pete Dye, golf course architects

Tom Morris. The home of golf. When connected, these words paint the historic picture of one of the most significant individuals in the game of golf. For those purists who treasure the lore of the game, Old Tom Morris is a fascinating figure to examine. Author Robert Kroeger has played nearly every course that Old Tom designed in Scotland, Ireland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. 47 black and white photos depict his courses and numerous maps show the layouts. Morris was an influential force in golf and the development of golf courses in the 19th century. Many courses varied in length until Morris established 18 holes as the final arrangement of the Old Course at St. Andrews. This book is the first in-depth study of golf course architecture of the 1800s.

Old Tom's work established the classic alternate route strategy employed by many early golf course architects who studied the Old Course at the turn of the century. These men, notably Harry Colt, Donald Ross, and Alister MacKenzie, spread Old Tom's influence throughout the world. A chapter reviews Tom's life and chronicles his achievements (helping to establish the British Open and winning four early Opens) and his tragedies (his famous son's untimely death at age 25, his wife becoming an invalid, and his entire family dying before him). The book explains how he survived these awful blows and lived and long and robust life.

Nearly 60 courses designed or altered by Old Tom are described, many of which are still playable today and some still have original Morris holes remaining. A quaint 9 hole Morris course, tucked away in Stirlingshire, remains virtually as he designed it in 1895. A limited edition book, each copy is numbered and signed by the author. Hardbound in handsome karakul green buggywhip, the cover is stamped with gold foil. It contains 352 pages, an index, and an extensive bibliography.

• "Old Tom was thoroughly steeped in the traditions and spirit of the game ... No professional since his time has ever grasped the real sporting spirit of golf architecture like he did." - Alister MacKenzie, designer of Augusta National and Cypress Point.
• "A most compleat examination of Old Tom as golf architect. A welcome addition to the literature of golf course design." - Ron Whitten, architectural editor, Golf Digest.
• "Old Tom was one of the first to realise that the design and building of golf courses could not be entirely left to nature and, if he died before he could take full advantage of new blessings, he set the trend. His influence certainly lingers." From the foreword by Donald Steel, noted English golf writer and golf course architect.
• "Kroeger has come back and back to study Scottish golf and, having understood what he has found, has written humbly about the Scottish game and its origins." From the preface by David Hamilton, Scottish golf historian and member of the R&A.

About the Author: Robert Kroeger makes an annual pilgrimage to the golf courses of the British Isles. He has played over 200 courses in Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. He belongs to Royal North Devon Golf Club in England, a course originally designed by Tom Morris. He is a former member of Royal Dornoch in Scotland, another Morris course. A member of the Golf Collectors Society and the British Golf Collectors' Society, Kroeger enjoys researching early golf course architecture. Playing off a four handicap, his favorite matches are against members of the lesser known clubs in the Kingdom.

Excerpt from the book: "If golf architects are remembered for their most dramatic course, and if Old Tom Morris can be considered a golf course architect, then he should be remembered for his work on the Old Course which has been an inspiration to many including the architects of courses such as Muirfield, Pine Valley, and Augusta National."

About the Author: Robert Kroeger makes an annual pilgrimage to the golf courses of the British Isles. He has played over 200 courses in Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. He belongs to Royal North Devon Golf Club in England, a course originally designed by Tom Morris. He is a former member of Royal Dornoch in Scotland, another Morris course. A member of the Golf Collectors Society and the British Golf Collectors' Society, Kroeger enjoys researching early golf course architecture. Playing off a four handicap, his favorite matches are against members of the lesser known clubs in the Kingdom.

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To the 14th Tee
by Robert Kroeger

"A wonderful book for golfing fathers …" - Pete Dye,
golf course architect and father of two sons.

Dear Golf Enthusiast,

I'm a lucky man. I've been blessed with a wonderful wife, five children, and a great son-in-law … and I've been fortunate enough to play on over 200 courses in the British Isles. With my passion for golf in Scotland, I've always dreamed of taking my sons with me to let them see the unique and disarming beauty of this fascinating land.

So, in the summers of 1999 and 2000, two of my sons accompanied me on such a Scottish pilgrimage. I wanted to see them discover the soul of Scottish golf, to smell the crispness of a Scottish morning on a seaside links, to hit that ever-intriguing blind shot over a sand dune. Jon, Rob, and I played matches on 37 courses - some against each other and some against Scottish golf club members. I can honestly say that, although I've played on all of the British Open courses in Scotland, my most treasured memories are those matches I've played against my hosts. John Low, in a book he wrote in 1903, Concerning Golf, described the merits of match play: "Golf is, from the nature of the game, a friendly affair … eighteen little games, eighteen new starts, eighteen opportunities … and each teeing ground may be a trysting place for fresh avowals of friendship."

We played Turnberry, Royal Dornoch, North Berwick and Cruden Bay, courses that most would recognize. But the hidden gems were where my sons learned the essence of Scottish golf: simple elegance and stark beauty. Well-kept secrets, many of these courses had breathtaking scenery: We could see for miles down the glens at Pitlochry and we marveled at the cliff holes of Royal Tarlair and Eyemouth. The snow-capped mountains of the Boat of Garten were magnificent and we enjoyed following the 'whiskey trail' to Huntly and Keith. From southernmost Portpatrick, we could see the coast of Northern Ireland. Old Musselburgh, a nine-hole gem that hosted several early British Opens, provided some historic flavor and my sons were impressed by the massive stone castles at Dunrobin and Culzean.

But, of all the courses we played, the links were my favorite. To taste the salt in the breeze, blowing in off the North Sea or the Firth of Clyde, always invigorates me. We played Gullane, Luffness New, Panmure, Spey Bay, and Moray, all respectable tests of golf. We delighted in the artfully crafted greens of the Alister MacKenzie gem at Duff House Royal and we took a trip back in time in dodging the cows and sheep at Brora and Skelmorlie. Two of my most treasured moments always come at the ever-magical humps and hollows of Murcar and Old Tom Morris' nine-holer at The Bridge of Allan. An appendix lists the courses, addresses, and phone numbers.

In the nearly 200 pages, you might find a few tips on raising teenagers, which, as those of you who are parents know, is always an interesting challenge. Read about how Rob and Jon dealt with playing junior golf and eventually high school golf. I have also chronicled a little bit about the relationship with my own father, one that hasn't been as ideal as it could have been.

Most of the courses we played are unknown to the average person. And, that's good, because generally they're not crowded and a three-hour round is the norm, not the exception. So, sit down in your easy chair, open these pages, and join us on the shores of Scotland as we walk down the fairways, over the burns, and around the dunes. Feel the excitement as we battle in our matches. Revel in our birdies, cringe at our triple bogeys. Applaud our victories, mourn our losses, share our laughter. I hope that someday you and yours can take such a trip. Indeed I am a lucky man.

To The 14th Tee is published in a limited edition of 750 copies. Both editions are Smyth sewn and printed on elegant 70-pound Fortune Matte, a distinctive acid-free paper. Each book is numbered and signed by the author.

The Collector's Edition is limited to the first 195 copies. This handsome volume is bound in deep forest green Bison-embossed leather with cloth boards stamped with gold foil on spine and cover. Aspen green endsheets are imprinted with photos from British Golf Links and each book is enclosed in an attractive hand-made, matching linen slipcase. Green and white headbands add another fine touch to this handsome edition that will fit nicely into any bibliophile's library.

The Hardbound Limited Edition features a two-color glossy dust jacket, imprinted with a photograph of vintage golf at the Old Course of St. Andrews. Mist gray endsheets display 24 photographs, depicting both trips. Other features include classic colored headbands and slate gray linen boards stamped in platinum foil.

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The Links of Wales
by Robert Kroeger

Two Golfing Pilgrims
Explore the Coasts
And Courses of Wales

The Links of Wales features golf courses found along the spectacular coastline of Wales. The author and a friend played matches, many with members of the local Welsh clubs, which often became spirited: they shared laughter, anguished over missed putts, and rejoiced over birdies. While most of these courses will never host a British Open, they offer good golf, a round under three hours, and a chance to play with Welshmen. These hidden gems reveal the essence of British golf: simple elegance and thrifty maintenance. Like a well-kept secret, many of these links have some of the most breathtaking scenery in Wales. From the clifftops of Pennard to the delightful seaside greens of Newport Golf Club, it's easy to become enchanted with the five-star scenery of Wales. It's a chance for the golf course architect in all of us to examine the uniqueness of golf in Wales, host of the 2010 Ryder Cup. For golfers dreaming of a trip to this fascinating land, this book is a must. It's also a book for any Welshman who longs to make a pilgrimage to return to the homeland of his ancestors. Anyone will enjoy reading about this intriguing land of stone circle and Celtic crosses.

Bob Labbance, editor of Turf Magazine and 
author of The Old Man.               

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Golf: Scotland's Game
by David Hamilton

David Hamilton, one of Scotland's premier golf historians, traces the sport from its early origins on the links, through the Reformation and the early golfing societies, to golf in Scotland in the 20th century. A beautifully produced book, Golf: Scotland's Game, is printed on thick, glossy paper that gives a special luster to the numerous color illustrations and photographs. Hamilton reveals many new insights into how golf evolved, including how the land became available for golf:

"By the 1700s, the links of the coastal towns usually belonged to the town, rather than to local landowners. The mediaeval Scottish kings had made gifts of land to the towns, in return for the town's political support and a promise of a supply of soldiers to the King when necessary. The King supported his 'Royal Burghs' to neutralise the power of the neighbouring land-owning barons. The towns received their land to be held in common for the citizens, space for agriculture, pasturing of animals, and many other activities, including sport and golf."

Hamilton guides us through the development of the ancient sport, the summer and winter play, the silver club tradition, the first rules, early women's golf, the evolution of caddies, the effect of railroads, golf in Scottish spas, the spreading of golf to England and then to Europe and America, the effect of the World Wars on British golf, Sunday golf, and finally the modernization of the British Open. For book lovers, this is an epicurean treat and, for golf historians, Hamilton has provided 14 pages of references to document his research. The book contains 267 pages and is softbound. THIS BOOK IS CURRENTLY OUT OF STOCK.

About the author: Dr. David Hamilton is a surgeon who lives outside of Glasgow, Scotland. He has written six books on the history of golf, all prized by golf collectors for their originality and attention to detail. He is a member of the R&A and has won awards for his scholarly research on the history of golf.

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