In 1835 when
Old Tom Morris was 14, he became
apprentice to
Allan Robertson, who was the
pro at
St Andrews Links, working in his master's St Andrews workshop, producing
golf balls and
clubs. A contract was signed for 9 years, with 4 years as an apprentice, and 5 as a
journeyman. In 1848, having left his job with Robertson, Morris opened his own business making golf equipment, with his first golf shop at 15 The Links, St Andrews which he ran until 1851 when he accepted a position with
Prestwick Golf Club as the first Keeper of the Green. When Morris returned from Prestwick to St Andrews in 1864 as the Keeper of the Green, and he remained in this job until 1903. and at the same time he started his second golf shop, when he took over a small shop and house at 8 Golf Place until 1866. He then moved again, this time into 6 Pilmour Links, Sheila Walker, the great-granddaughter of Old Tom Morris, still owns the property and lives above the shop. The shop was refurbished in 2011 by the St Andrews Links Trust. In 2018
The R&A entered into a partnership with St Andrews Links Trust to manage its retail and merchandise operations. The result of this was that the Tom Morris Shop closed and was replaced by The Open Store. ==References==