Jim Farmer will go down as one of Scottish golf’s legends - lengthy tributes tell huge story

Every now and again we are reminded about how someone can use golf to make a huge impact on so many people’s lives and big Jim Farmer is certainly a case in point.

Since it emerged towards the end of last week that he had died suddenly just after celebrating his 76th birthday, social media has been flooded with messages expressing sadness.

Jim Farmer, centre, was presented with the St Andrews University Medal in recognition of his lifetime achievements and outstanding contribution to the community of St Andrews in 2010 at a ceremony that also saw Padraig Harrington, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Johann Rupert, CEO of Richemont Group, honoured. | Contributed

They’ve mainly come from people living in Scotland, where Farmer was such a well-kent face, but also from Scots now based abroad who had come across him at some point in their careers.

“Very sad news on the passing of my former coach Jim Farmer,” wrote 1999 Open champion and two-time Ryder Cup player Paul Lawrie in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “I learned so much from him and always enjoyed our chats on golf. RIP Pro.”

On the same platform, comedian and golf fanatic Andy Cameron described Farmer as a “great teacher and gentleman” while Facebook was also awash with comments.

“My first-ever Lothians coach back in 1980,” said Scott Knowles, who is now the manager of the Stephen Gallacher Foundation. “Had two lessons with him then won the Lothians Amateur.”

Lee Rhind was one of Scotland’s up-and-coming young stars at Uphall when he got to work with Farmer in his then role as Scottish national coach. “Seven-irons out of pot bunkers was our drill,” recalled Rhind, the head professional these days at Midland Country Club in Texas.

Stephen Dundas, a Cowglen member when he won the Amateur Championship in 1992, expressed his sadness from Spain, where he is the president of The San Roque Club. “Great coach and even better man,” he said of Farmer.

German-based professional Martin Hastie, meanwhile, was paying a visit to St Andrews, where Farmer was born and was known in his hometown as ‘Mr Golf’, when the sad news came out. “Lovely guy and very knowledgeable,” he said of his first Scottish Golf Union coach.

I honestly can’t recall the first time I came across Farmer, but he was someone I loved bumping into over the years because, a bit like myself I suppose, he was so passionate about golf and the Scottish game in particular.

In 2021, I did a Q&A series for our sister title, Scotland on Sunday, with Farmer being one of the first I spoke to about not just  golf career that included six appearances in The Open but also being a budding star at Hearts before a cruciate knee injury closed that chapter in his life.

“Donald Ford, who is still a pal, was there, as were Jim Brown and David Clunie,” he recalled of some of his team-mates at Tynecastle. “At that time, we were pulling in 25,000 fans at Tynecastle, though Hibs were in the ascendancy as they had the better team. They had Pat Stanton, Jimmy O’Rourke, those sort of guys, and we always had a battle against them.”

In his own words, Farmer “reinvented myself as a golfer” after being forced to call it a day in football and, boy, did he enjoy some memorable moments, both on the course and off it. 

Jim Farmer, who was The PGA Cup captain at the time, presents David J Russell with the trophy after the Englishman’s win in the DeVere Collection PGA Seniors Championship at Slaley Hall in 2010. | Phil Inglis/Getty Images

One of those Open appearances, for example, was giving a great account of himself in the infamous ‘Duel in the Sun’ between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus at Turnberry in 1977. “I was 19th going into the last round and 15th standing on the seventh tee,” he recalled. “These are things a club pro nowadays can’t get near. It just doesn’t happen.”

Farmer was the first golf professional to open a retail outlet on a high street and still be recognised by The PGA. “We had 20 years of running a wonderful business,” he said of his popular shop on Market Street in St Andrews.

It was a huge thrill when Farmer, who grew up close to St Andrews in St Michael’s, succeeded the legendary John Panton as the Honorary Professional at The Royal and Ancient Golf Club on St Andrews. “Well, it is one of the wonderful roles in life because it is one of the easiest roles to fulfil,” he said with a smile before laughing as he added. “Basically, it’s eating, drinking and being merry most of the time.”

An even bigger thrill for him, though, was the day he was honoured by the University of St Andrews alongside Watson, Arnold Palmer, Padraig Harrington and Johann Rupert, the driving force behind the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. “My greatest thing,” said Farmer of that very special occasion. “You just wouldn’t dream about things like that. Unbelievable, really.”

As was the fact he was the director of golf for two films. The first was Stroke of Genius with Jim Caveizel and Claire Forlani and the second, directed by Jason Connery, was Tommy’s Honour with Peter Mullins and Jack Lowden.

Jim Farmer was known as ‘Mr Golf’ as his hometown of St Andrews | Mark Runnacles/Getty Imagesty Images

The latter is the story of Old and Young Tom Morris and Farmer would be truly appalled to have learned that the statue of Old Tom Morris unveiled just a few weeks ago close to the Old Course had been the target of an act of mindless vandalism. The golf club which Old Tom was holding has been snapped off, with the group behind the statue being erected hoping that the perpetrators will have been caught in the act on nearby CCTV cameras. 

Shame has been brought on St Andrews at a time it is in mourning. Farmer was a giant of man in body and a giant as well as a player, coach, businessman and administrator. The word legend is often bandied about a bit too freely these days but, in this instance, it is well and truly merited. RIP, big man.