Golf Exhibits
The Golf Photography Collection Pioneers Residents and Visitors 'Open for All' - The Public Links of St Andrews The 1978 Open The 1984 Open The 1990 Open
The majority of the University of St Andrews Golf Photography Collection is
held in the collections of two prolific photographers: George Cowie and Lawrence Levy.
Courtesy of the University of St Andrews Library, ref =380708.
George Middlemass Cowie (1902-1982) worked as a freelance press photographer from the 1930s until 1982. His work covers all aspects of life in and around St Andrews and includes an outstanding collection of golfing photographs. In his early years in St Andrews Cowie was photographer in the area to most of the national dailies working closely with the local syndicate of reporters, particularly Alexander Brown Paterson. After the war the national papers built up their own staff of itinerant press photographers and this outlet for George's work became less important, although at the same time the local press began to make greater use of his talents.
Copyright Lawrence Levy. Courtesy of the University of St Andrews Library, ref =362989.
Lawrence Levy (1947 -1995) started out in the field of landscape architecture and worked for a short while with Desmond Muirhead in California. After founding ‘Yours in Sport’, a management and promotion company, Lawrence became a freelance photographer and was recognised as Golf World’s lead ‘lensman’. As official photographer for the European Ryder Cup team, Lawrence had access to some of the most iconic moments during the reniassance of this event in the 1980s. Lawrence died of cancer yet his work lives on in his photographs – some 250,000 of them – held by the Special Collections Division of the University of St Andrews.
St Andrews is not only blessed with an ancient University and tradition of golf; it also boasts some of the earliest photographers in the world. David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson began their experimentation with photography and soon thereafter Thomas Rodger opened the first photographic studio in St Andrews in 1849 (aged just 17).
Some of the earliest golf photography within the Special Collections Division is attributed to him. Thus, St Andrews is lucky to have had some of the greatest early golfers captured on camera, as displayed here. In this section, you will find images identifying to some of these players and their own special memories of St Andrews. Many of them are household names, others less so. Their difference is that they created memories for many thousands of others at the same time.
Courtesy of the University of St Andrews Library, ref =13969, 119573, 89781, 54191, 87149, 89059, 87859.
Since the mass pilgrimages to St Andrews in the thirteenth century, visitors have played a vital role in the development of the town. With the foundation of the University in 1410, a further group of people came to call the town 'home', even if only for a short while.
Visitors have arrived by foot, sea, air, rail and motor vehicles; from all echelons of society, St Andrews has welcomed millions of visitors. From spiritual to sporting, academia to industry, the reasons to visit St Andrews have been myriad.
In this section, you will see a selection of images which cover residents and visitors over the past century and more; all of whom have been drawn to this far corner of Fife for one reason or another.
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Golf in St Andrews has always been 'open for all'. Some of the earliest players of the game were students and local trades-people - the St Andrews Club once being called the St Andrews Mechanics Club, for example. The inclusivity of golf in St Andrews is beyond reproach. The links is, and remains, public ground and St Andrews Links Trust have been maintaining and improving the public golf on offer since 1974.
Similarly, the University of St Andrews is founded upon inclusivity: it was the first university in Scotland; it had the first women students in Scotland and the first female professor - not to mention the first female principal at an ancient Scottish University. Innovative and inclusive indeed.
With so much in common, it is no surprise to learn that the custodian of the Links - the St Andrews Link Trust - and the University of St Andrews have teamed up in order to promote a first class golf program for students, providing a leading example of co-operation and partnership.
Inclusivity - 'Open for All' - is at the forefront of this initiative and in this section you will see the work of the custodian of the Links over the years, along with historic examples of the local and international community being involved in the evolution of St Andrews. With the honorary degrees bestowed upon premier golfing figures who have contributed so much to growing the game, the University is determined that St Andrews remains synonymous with both first class education and first class golf.
St Andrews, Home of Golf and Home of Scotland's Oldest University: 'Ever to Excel'. Equally important: both are 'Open for All'.
Courtesy of the University of St Andrews Library, ref =501398, 14063, 2777, 117501, 9728, 51025, 0643, 117479, 63783.
Copyright Lawrence Levy. Courtesy of the University of St Andrews Library, ref = 363514, 386630, 0349.
Honorary Degrees
The University of St Andrews has a long and proud history of bestowing honorary degrees on deserving and notable figures from around the world. In recognition of the ties between The Open, The Links and The University, a number of recipients of these honorary degrees have come from the world of golf.
Jack Nicklaus - 1984
Gary Player - 1995
Courtesy of the University of St Andrews Library, ref =012.
Seve Ballesteros - 2000
Colin Montgomerie - 2000
Peter Alliss - 2005
Peter Thomson - 2005
Nick Faldo - 2005
Charlie Sifford - 2006
Renee Powell - 2008
Arnold Palmer - 2010
Tom Watson - 2010
Padraig Harrington - 2010
Courtesy of the University of St Andrews Library, ref =028.
Courtesy of the University of St Andrews Library, ref =87465, 87467, 87513, 87537, 87543, 87751, 371643, 87625, 87787.
1978 Story
Ben Crenshaw looking accusingly at his putt during the 1978 Open Championship.
Courtesy of the University of St Andrews Library, ref =485565.
The 1978 Open Championship marks a watershed for the University's Golf Photography Collection. It was the last St Andrews Open covered in the Cowie Collection and the first covered (albeit very briefly) in the Levy Collection.
The Championship saw Isao Aoki take an opening 68 to lead on day one, a position that he maintained at the end of day two; alongside Ben Crenshaw and Seve Ballesteros. It was all change on day three with Peter Oosterhuis and Tom Watson atop the leader board, although Jack Nicklaus was beginning to look in ominous form with a third round 69. Nicklaus repeated this score on the final day to close out a two shot victory over Ben Crenshaw, Raymond Floyd, Mario Napoleoni and Simon Owen.
Perhaps the most absorbing story of the 1978 Open Championship occurred on the third day when Tommy Nakajima, in the lead on four under par, putted into the Road Hole bunker on 17 and proceeded to take four shots to escape. He carded a nine and his chance was gone.
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Tom Watson watching his tee closely during the 1984 Open Championship, which many expected him to win.
Copyright Lawrence Levy. Courtesy of the University of St Andrews Library, ref =360105.
1984 Story
A scenic shot of Nick Faldo putting on the 17th green during the 1984 Open Championship.
Copyright Lawrence Levy. Courtesy of the University of St Andrews Library, ref =361112.
The final leaderboard, in front of Hamilton Hall, tells the story of the 1984 Open Championship at St Andrews.
Copyright Lawrence Levy. Courtesy of the University of St Andrews Library, ref =361130.
The 1984 Open Championship seemed destined to be a tale of Tom Watson as he attempted a third consecutive victory which would, in turn, equal Harry Vardon’s overall record of six Open Championship victories.
An opening 71 saw him four shots behind first round leaders Peter Jacobsen, Bill Longmuir and Greg Norman. Round two saw some blistering scoring with Ian Baker-Finch shooting a 66 to follow his opening 68 and establish a three shot lead over Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Lee Trevino. Watson shot a 68 and was just five shots back. This deficit was reduced to zero on day three with a wonderful 66 from Watson saw him share the lead with Baker-Finch after 54 holes. Seve Ballesteros and Bernhard Langer formed the penultimate group on the final day, just two shots behind, with the former predicting his own victory at a packed press conference at the end of the third day. Watson, Langer and Ballesteros were neck and neck all day, but Seve finished ‘par – birdie’ to Watson’s ‘bogey – par’ and managed a victory that he claimed was: “…the happiest moment of my whole sporting life.”
Bill Longmuir with a difficult stance in a bunker during the 1984 Open Championship.
Copyright Lawrence Levy. Courtesy of the University of St Andrews Library, ref =377877.
Ian Baker-Finch is hidden in the Road Hole bunker during the 1984 Open Championship.
Copyright Lawrence Levy. Courtesy of the University of St Andrews Library, ref =365543.
Bernhard Langer showing his emotions during the 1984 Open Championship.
Copyright Lawrence Levy. Courtesy of the University of St Andrews Library, ref =363475.
Arnold Palmer teeing off on the 15th hole during the 1984 Open Championship.
Copyright Lawrence Levy. Courtesy of the University of St Andrews Library, ref =383842.
Copyright Lawrence Levy. Courtesy of the University of St Andrews Library, ref =361204, 361220, 361204, 361230, 361247, 376060.
1990 Story
A victorious Nick Faldo raises his arms in celebration having won the 1990 Open Championship.
Copyright Lawrence Levy. Courtesy of the University of St Andrews Library, ref =372872.
There was an air of inevitability surrounding the 1990 Open Championship: Nick Faldo had defended his Masters title in April and was on a rich run of form. World number one, Greg Norman was seen as his major competitor and over the first two days this prediction bore fruit with Norman shooting 66-66 to Faldo’s 67-65.
However, paired together on Saturday, Faldo asserted a dominance that was to be replayed during their infamous final round at the 1996 Masters. Faldo’s third round over the Old Course was completed in 67 strokes while Norman slumped to a fat 76.
Faldo’s three round total of 199 was a new record and his five shot lead was maintained to the end of the Championship despite the best efforts of Mark McNulty and Payne Stewart who finished in joint second place.
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