The Sprit of St. Andrews

by Dirk Burlingame
(Coppell, TX, USA)

The Sprit of St. Andrews
The Links of St. Andrews, so broken and forlorn was delivered by Tom, its Savior in 1864.
Tom, lured to come home, from Prestwick afore, to the links of his birth, to live and work evermore.
Tom, and Tommy, Father and son, the Belt they held was no less than eight, a family record, no other has won, a feat greater than great.
Poor Tommy, so young but mature, passed early of a broken heart, his St. Andrews memory will certainly endure. With the last prize won, Old Tom mourned, but found the strength to move on.
Tom’s men, sodden and brave, attached the whins, heather and grass with incredible skill. Tom of the Links, weary and scarred, saved the greens by his indomitable will.
He split the greens, made mountains of sand, and on the last, where you could lose, or win, he created for all to see, The Valley of Sin.
The Keeper of the Greens, employed by the men in Red, performed a miracle, his faith never faltered, not till he was dead.
The sprit of St. Andrews Links, now sound and still, Old Tom rests, as his work is done and greatly fulfilled.
Dirk Burlingame - 2011