The Challenger

The Grand Matches

Willie Park Snr, like all the best artisan golfers of his era, worked as a caddie for the gentlemen golfers. Although he later set up his own ball and club making business, he made his best money from challenge matches.

Having beat everyone locally including the great Willie Dunn, Park sent countless challenges to Allan Robertson in St Andrews in the 1850s. Robertson was the perceived "Champion of Golfing" in Scotland (and thereby the world), but Robertson was not interested in playing him. He had all to lose and nothing to gain.

Willie’s skills were not ignored though.

The wealthy men of Edinburgh and Musselburgh realised that they had a thoroughbred in their midst – a player that could, once and for all, challenge the dominancy of the St Andrews golfers.

We are told that Park, tired of having his challenged rejected, brazenly turned up at the autumn meeting of 1854 in St Andrews and challenged face to face the greatest golfers of the day, Robertson and "Old" Tom Morris.

In all likelihood, it would have been his financial backers pushing him to do this.

As much as Park wanted to beat Robertson and gain the Champion Golfer moniker, he could not realistically have done so on a scale that would be recognised publically, had he not have had wealthy gamblers behind him.

The timing of Park’s arrival and confrontational challenge in St Andrews at the R&A’s autumn meeting, when Morris and Robertson’s backers were also in town, was no mere coincidence.

Nevertheless, his arrival was a surprise.

Neither Morris nor Robertson were minded to play against the upstart. However as a token gesture, a match was set up with George Morris, Tom’s elder brother.

It was not comfortable viewing for the Morris clan.

After losing the first eight holes in a row, George Morris is said to have cried, “For the love o’ Gode gi’e me a hauf!’.

Tom had to step in to save the family honour.

On the 19th October 1854, Willie and Tom squared up against each other for £50 a side over two rounds. Although the morning round was halved, Willie won the second round convincingly, by five holes with four to play.

If Park thought that beating Tom Morris would mean that the press would herald him as the new heir to Robertson’s throne, he was sadly mistaken.

The papers and the public were very comfortable with their St Andrews heroes and were not quick to warm to anyone upsetting the applecart.

Park and his backers however knew where the good money matches were. Partnering gentlemen, Park played against Morris several times in doubles. He also played with him as a partner but legend is that they never won a match as a pairing.

They also played together just for the fun of it with no money exchanging hands, with each sharing victories.