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Dan King

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North Berwick's David Strath found in Australia
« on: January 27, 2006, 11:12:25 AM »
The Australian is reporting North Berwick's David Strath has been located in Australia.

Click here for the Australian story on David Strath.

The writers gets some facts wrong. He didn't finish second to Tom Morris Junior at the 1876 Open, he finished second to Bob Martin of St. Andrews. And he finished second because he refused to participate in a playoff. Young Tom Morris died in December of 1875.

Always been talk the 1876 ruling was screwed up because the event was in St. Andrews, rules officials were from the R&A, Martin was from St. Andrews and Strath was from North Berwick. It was the second Open played at St. Andrews.

Dan King
Quote
On approaching the Road Hole in the second round Strath got into trouble again, the greatest excitement was manifested when he must play the last two holes in ten. At the Road Hole the distance between Strath and the green was that of a full drive, and innocently enough as it appears to one distinguished abserver, Strath played his ball notwithstanding that there were players on the putting green. The ball was helped by the wind and looked to have carried the road. But the ball had been stopped by rub of the green and he holed out in five.

The player ahead insisted on a disqualification, on the grounds of a breach of the rule providing that no one shall play to a green with players on it. It was also contended that Strath's card had not been accurately kept by the marker. It was announced after a long delay that the tie would be played off under protest. Strath refused to play off because the protest against his alleged infringement of the rule had not been decided.
 --The Scotsman, 1876
« Last Edit: January 28, 2006, 10:40:58 AM by Dan King »

Dan King

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Re: North Berwick's David Strath found in Australia
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2006, 10:40:42 AM »
Mike Clayton gets the story straight on David Strath, who was instrumental in the design of North Berwick.

Click here for Mike Clayton' Australian Age story

Dan King
Quote
[David Strath's] life was brief, and his tenure of office at North Berwick a short one, but his fame will ever shed lustre on the place. If, as we are told, no greater a golfer than Young Tom Morris ever trod the turf, then Davie Strath occupied a position not much inferior, for it was always understood that young Tom had no rival as dangerous as Davie, as he had no friend to whom he was more devoted.
 --John Kerr (The Golf Book of East Lothian)

Tommy_Naccarato

Re:North Berwick's David Strath found in Australia
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2006, 11:52:52 AM »
Dan,
Mike's article was excellent, but somewhat cut short.

What a sad story, but I'm glad they found out what had happened to the Father of the Redan Hole.

Mike_Clayton

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Re:North Berwick's David Strath found in Australia
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2006, 12:05:29 AM »
Tommy/Dan.

The Age cut my story to bits and included a stupid reference to Greg Norman - he was not the Greg Norman of his day because Greg won two Opens!

I am going to sent it to Golf Observer and they will hopefully publish the original.

Sean Walsh

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Re:North Berwick's David Strath found in Australia
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2006, 07:18:39 AM »
Mike,

The edit in the age did have the story ending rather abruptly.  


Dan King

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Re:North Berwick's David Strath found in Australia
« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2006, 04:57:26 PM »
Mike_Clayton writes:
I am going to sent it to Golf Observer and they will hopefully publish the original.

Send it. You can be sure I'm not going to cut it. GolfObserver doesn't make any money, so least we can put up articles I enjoy. I love stuff like this.

According to John Kerr, the old story he died on the vessel on the way to Australia, 127 years ago yesterday.

Dan King
Quote
The last appearance made by Strath  was at a tournament in Glasgow, in March 1878 -- open to all the world, in which all the great players of the day took part, -- when he came in first, and won a handsome trophy. Soon after this, a severe cold developed into the heriditary lung affection to which we have referred. In the autumn, on the advice of his friends, he set out on a voyage to Australia from which he never returned, dying four days before the vessel reached Melbourne, on January 28, 1879.
 --John Kerr (The Golf Book of East Lothian)

Mike_Clayton

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Re:North Berwick's David Strath found in Australia
« Reply #6 on: January 29, 2006, 06:03:52 PM »
Dan,

I have sent you through a copy.
I guess it goes to show just how easily accecpted convention can be altered with some really hard work.
Noel and David Malcolm spent months in librarys and public records offices studying this stuff - in London and Melbourne.
Noel has the passeneger lists from the Eurynome and the cargo list which he seacrched for a record of any golf clubs Strath may have bought here.

He knew he was dying and sent thirty pounds back with the Captain of the boat to give to his wife - which records show she received.

T_MacWood

Re:North Berwick's David Strath found in Australia
« Reply #7 on: January 30, 2006, 06:41:13 AM »
Mike
A fascinating story. Is there any clue to why his grave was unmarked?

Mike_Clayton

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Re:North Berwick's David Strath found in Australia
« Reply #8 on: January 30, 2006, 04:27:41 PM »
Tom,

No. I have no idea except to speculate that it was the cost of a stone.
He had thirteen pounds left after he sent the thirty back to his wife.
The ceremony is at the site this morning - I assume Noel Terry might have a better answer.

Neil_Crafter

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Re:North Berwick's David Strath found in Australia
« Reply #9 on: January 30, 2006, 06:20:04 PM »
Mike
I have been aware of this story for a few months now through John Lovell. Paul Mogford was planning to go to the ceremony at the cemetery and get some photos, hope he remembered - we had in mind to publish a short piece on Davie Strath in the upcoming issue of Golf Architecture. Now it seems like we've found our writer and its already done!! Appreciate it if you could email me your piece when you get the chance and we'll try not to butcher it like The Age did!

Why is one G Norman brought into everything? If I recall, golf did exist prior to his ascension!
Neil

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