Before there were the great contemporary champions like Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, or even Bobby Jones, There was Young Tommy Morris.
Arguably the greatest Professional Golfer of his era, Young Tommy was flamboyant, colorful, flashy, a born showman, and unbeatable as a professional. He won four Open Championships in a row by the time he twenty-one and won his first Open Championship in 1868 at age 17, making him the youngest major championship winner in professional golf history a record that still stands today.
Tommy and his father, Old Tom Morris, were the pioneers of Professional Golf, and Young Tommy is also responsible for the creation of the Claret Jug, the iconic trophy awarded, to the Open winner and Champion Golfer of the year.
Monarch of The Greens-Young Tom Morris is the story of the short and tragic life of Tommy Morris and the tremendous influence this incredible athlete had on the sport of golf and the development of the modern game.
Monarch of the Greens is the work of golf historian Stephan Proctor, an accomplished journalist, and author, who previously worked as the managing editor of the Houston Chronicle and the San Francisco Chronicle. He also served as the Deputy Managing Editor of the Baltimore Sun.
Stephan has just finished his second historical novel, The Long Golden Afternoon: Golf’s Age of Glory, 1864-1914, unavailable in hardback August 16, 2022.
The narrative chronicles how golf grew in popularity and spread from its birthplace in Scotland and became a sport played around the world eventually reaching all the way into Utah where my first Golf Professional was a Scottish import, Alex McCafferty who served as the Head Professional at Nibley Park. Utah’s first public golf course which celebrates its 100th anniversary in the May of this year and was instrumental in my journey to becoming a PGA Golf Professional.
Please listen to my conversation with Stephan here.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
