In the fall of 1887, a man departed Old Tom Morris’s Golf Shop adjacent to St. Andrews’ Old Course in Fife, Scotland, with his purchase of six golf clubs and two dozen balls neatly packed in a box. This was indeed a very special purchase, as it would trigger a golf explosion in the United States and the man would be heralded by the New York Times as the “Father of American Golf.”
This man leads the forming of a golf club in Yonkers, New York. In honor of the Old Course, it is named St. Andrew’s, distinguished from its namesake by an apostrophe. From the St. Andrew’s in Yonkers and aided by the migration of a number of golf professionals from the original St. Andrews, the game sweeps across the U.S.A.
Americans stamp their own approach on the game both in style of play and ingenuity. In a short period of time they begin to travel across the Atlantic to compete in tournaments at St. Andrews. Sam Snead, Bobby Jones, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, John Daly, Tiger Woods, and Stacy Lewis have all left their indelible marks on the Old Course.
Rich in anecdotes about many of the best American amateurs and pro golfers, The St. Andrews Influence depicts the deeply rooted connections between the Old Course and American golf from the late 1800s through the modern Open Championships, illuminating a sport that continues to flourish in America.