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Allan Robertson is widely regarded as the father of modern golf. He pioneered the use of iron golf clubs, shaped the career of Tom Morris, and helped lay the foundations for what became The Open Championship. An innovator, master craftsman, and unbeaten match player, he is golf’s forgotten legend.
SEPTEMBER 1815, SCOTLAND
The Birth of the Champion Golfer
SEPTEMBER 1815, SCOTLAND
The Birth of the Champion Golfer
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Allan Robertson was raised on a fairway, with a putting green as his playground. His house overlooked the 18th hole of the St Andrews Old Course, and for over a century his family had been senior caddies, leading golf-ball makers, and competitors in the game’s most prized matches. It was a time when Scotland was at peace, St Andrews was developing, and golf was entering a new era.
ALLAN ROBERTSON
"The greatest golfer that ever lived"
ALLAN ROBERTSON
"The greatest golfer that ever lived"
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Golf’s heritage is more than techniques and craftsmanship; it is also an honourable etiquette passed down through the centuries. One man gracefully stitched together the greatest players and the titled gentry, and it is often said that his greatest gift to the sport was his humour and charm. His name was Allan Robertson.
MASTER OF THE LINKS
"Born wi’ Gawf club in hand”
MASTER OF THE LINKS
"Born wi’ Gawf club in hand”
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In the 19th century, craftsmen and caddies were often the finest golfers, and Allan was the greatest of them all. He was a gentleman who preferred not to wound his opponents’ pride with his exceptional abilities, sometimes allowing them to get ahead before decisively winning on the final holes. He passed his skills and knowledge to his apprentice, Tom Morris, and together they never lost a single match as partners.
THE HOME OF GOLF
“In the little world of the links, men of title will be heard speaking of Allan as a king amongst them”
THE HOME OF GOLF
“In the little world of the links, men of title will be heard speaking of Allan as a king amongst them”
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On the 17th hole of the St Andrews Old Course, Allan played an approach shot that astonished his opponent, using one of the earliest recorded iron clubs for such a stroke. This was only one of his innovations. He was granted permission to redesign the Old Course, establishing the first double green and attracting an unprecedented number of golfers to the town.
THE king of clubs
Internationally acclaimed golf craftsman.
THE king of clubs
Internationally acclaimed golf craftsman.
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Allan took over the family trade of crafting and selling featherie golf balls at a time when making them was laborious and competition was fierce. His balls became renowned as the best in the business, sold internationally, with more than 2,500 produced in his most productive year. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, a featherie ball could cost as much as a golf club, and today a signed Allan Robertson ball can be worth over 35,000 dollars.
THE original champion golfer
Allan's legacy 210 years later
THE original champion golfer
Allan's legacy 210 years later
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Allan Robertson secured his place as The Champion Golfer when he recorded the first score of under 80 at the Old Course. When he died, an obvious question remained: who would take his place as The Champion Golfer? To answer it, the leading golfers of the time created what became The Open Championship. Today, a greater question remains: how will Allan Robertson’s craftsmanship and skill be recognised and upheld in the 21st century?