St Andrews plaque unveiled for golf's 'forgotten hero'

A plaque has been unveiled in St Andrews to commemorate golf’s “forgotten hero” as part of a bid to highlight to visitors that it wasn’t just Old Tom Morris who put the town on the map.

The plaque for 19th century golfer Allan Robertson was unveiled on Tuesday by Dita Stanis-Traken and Roger McStravick of the St Andrews Pilgrim Foundation.

Robertson came from a golfing family who made featherie balls from the 1500s in St Andrews. His father Davie became the Champion Golfer in 1830 and held that title for five years.

Dita Stanis-Traken and Roger McStravick of the St Andrews Pilgrim Foundation pictured at the unveiling of the plaque for Allan Robertson | Contributed

In 1835, Davie was beaten by Tom Alexander of Musselburgh, but, in 1840, Allan stepped up and defeated Alexander and then held the title successfully for the next 19 years.

Largely written off as a caddie and little more, Robertson was, in fact, a businessman, employer, featherie ballmaker, inventor, keeper of the green and designer of golf courses.

“It is imperative that these golfing legends are not forgotten and I am pleased that the Foundation has honoured them in this way some 165 years after Allan Robertson’s demise, aged 43,” said Stanis-Traken.

“We are also installing plaques for three-time Open champion Jamie Anderson and four-time Open champion Tommy Morris in due course.”

The Robertsons were a ‘quite remarkable family’

Golf historian McStravick recently published a book that covers Robertson’s life, Allan Robertson of St Andrews, the King of Clubs, 1815-1859.

“Allan was the Champion Golfer for 19 years,” he said. “His father also held the title for five years. Over a 29-year period from 1830-1859, they held it between them for 24 years.

“When Allan died, The Open was created to find the new Champion Golfer. The Robertsons were a quite remarkable family, both in golf and in business, and it is apt that Allan is remembered at his former home, originally named Sandyhill but re-named "Allan Villa" in his honour.’

Allan Robertson’s life has been covered in a new book written by St Andrews-based golf historian Roger McStravick | Conributed

The plaques, designed by Chic Harper, a past captain of the New Golf Club of St Andrews, are oval and deliberately not too text heavy, akin to those displayed in London for notable persons such as Charles Dickens or Oscar Wilde.

“As the golfers come off the 18th green, they now know that it wasn’t just Tom Morris who lived yards away but also Allan Robertson, who was heralded in his day as 'The King of Clubs', and Jamie Anderson, who was the first to win The Open on three different courses - it truly is one of the most historic sites in golf,” added McStravick.