The Twilight Years
Park’s final Open win also came at Prestwick. In the first seven years of championship he had won or finished second on six occasions.
He won countless matches and made a decent living from it too.
He opened a golf shop in North Berwick in 1870 before moving the shop back to his hometown Musselburgh in 1875.
Willie played his final Open in 1883 at Musselburgh, the year before his son Willie Park, Jr won his first Open.
His health started to suffer after he turned 50. In his final years Willie became the elder statesman in the Musselburgh club, working in his shop, making clubs and selling golf balls. Whilst Old Tom in his later life played with nobility and Prime Ministers in St Andrews, Park played with whomever he could get a game with.
Where St Andrews thrived and grew, with acres of land to swell into, Musselburgh’s 9-hole links suffered, with no room for expansion.
Park died on the 25th July 1903, aged 70.
Park’s funeral was in contrast to the huge crowds of noblemen, gentlemen, press and public that came to Morris’. Instead, it was a small private family affair. At the time of his death Tom Morris was in Edinburgh having his portrait painted for the R&A club.
Willie Park, Sr wowed the crowds like no one before him. In his prime, he was like an early-day Greg Norman, albeit with hickories and dressed in tweed.
He should never ever be forgotten.
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