The remarkable story of Freddie Tait

Home of the Barney Barnato Amateur Golf Tournament (25 -29 October)

Most aspiring South African amateur golfers would savour the singular honour of being presented with the Freddie Tait Cup, an honour bestowed on the leading amateur in the South African open Championships.

Few South African players today, however, are fully aware of Freddie Tait – the GOLFER, the SOLDIER or the MAN.

At seven years old he was allowed to play at St Andrews, the home of golf

Freddie Tait was born on 11th January 1870 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He began to play golf at the age of five. At seven years old he was allowed to play at St Andrews, the home of golf, and indeed, his home course for the remainder of his brief life. He rapidly developed into an outstanding player.

In 1894 he set his first St Andrews record, a gross 72. Another 72 followed five months later at Carnoustie. That year he was low amateur in the (British) Open, finishing ninth overall. In 1896 he won his first (British) Amateur Championship.

He was again leading amateur in the Open, finishing third overall. He also established course records at Muirfield, North Berwick and Morton Hall. 1897 saw further course records at Ganton and Blairgowrie. In 1898 he took his second Amateur Championship. At Sandwich and Woking he set two more course records.

In 1899, aged just 29, Tait entered his last competitive year. In February he established a course record at New Luffness. In May he lost the Amateur Championship in a play-off to the great English player John Ball.

He was first and foremost a soldier having joined the army as a twenty-year-old in 1890

A month later he was leading amateur in the Open for the third occasion. In July he set his last record, a remarkable 63 at Archfield. On 2nd October he played his final golf match. Fittingly it was against his keenest rival – John Ball. Tait won the contest one-up after 36 holes.

21 days later Tait boarded the SS Orient as one of the 29 officers and 950 men of the 2nd Battalion Royal Highland Brigade, the famed “Black Watch”, for he was first and foremost a soldier having joined the army as a twenty-year-old in 1890.

Their destination was South Africa and the Boer War. After disembarking at the Cape his battalion moved north to Modder River, some 30 kilometers south of Kimberley.

At the battle of Koedoesberg Drift, Tait, while leading his platoon in a forward rush, took a fatal shot through the chest

In the early hours of the 10th of December British forces on night manoeuvres came under devastating Boer fire. The battle of Magersfontein had begun. The Black Watch at the forefront of the March was decimated, 355 men killed or wounded.

Tait survived the onslaught with a thigh wound. After a period of convalescence, he returned to the front in January 1900. On the 7th of February at the battle of Koedoesberg Drift, Tait, while leading his platoon in a forward rush, took a fatal shot through the chest.

However remarkable his attributes as golfer and soldier were, probably neither matched that of his extraordinary charisma. He had a magnetic hold over all who met him. So, when Freddie sailed away on that first and final voyage, he left behind him scores of friends and thousands of admirers.

The Freddie Tait Cup was purchased from the surplus funds of the British Amateur Tour to South Africa in 1928 to be presented to the leading amateur in the S.A. Open

The news of his death stunned the Scottish public. Among the many letters of condolence sent to his father a paragraph in that from honorary secretary of St Andrews Golf Club well reflects the overall admiration and respect that so many people had for Tait:

“Dear Mr Tait, …………..We are but humble working men of dear old St Andrews to whom Freddie Tait was something apart from all other men. Not alone by his golfing attributes was he so, for of no other golfer of his generation could it ever be said that they possessed the love and hero-worship which was so readily given to your soldier son”

In 1936 Tait’s putter was presented to the Kimberley Golf Club

He, along with his fallen comrades, was buried in a simple ceremony on the bank of the Riet River at Koesdoesberg Drift. A small cross marked the spot – the left hand one of a group of three. In 1963 he was re-interred in the West End Cemetery, Kimberley, by the War Graves Board. A plain marble cross modestly records his name, dates of birth and death.

The Freddie Tait Cup was purchased from the surplus funds of the British Amateur Tour to South Africa in 1928 to be presented to the leading amateur in the S.A. Open. The cup bears the R&A Club die and crest and the medal die of the Army Golfing Society.

In 1936 Tait’s putter was presented to the Kimberley Golf Club, the club closest to the point of his death, in accordance with his will.

The Freddie Tait Museum was opened at the Kimberley Golf Club in 1990, his putter forming the centre piece.

Kimberley Golf Club

The Kimberley Golf Club hosted representatives from the Army Golf Club (UK), new Luffiness Golf Club, St Andrews, the Highland Brigade, the Black Watch and the Scots Guards in the Freddie Tait Golf Week in February 2000 staged to mark the 100th anniversary of Tait’s death.

The Kimberley Golf Club annually holds the Freddie Tait Putter Competition.

Kimberley Golf Club