Old Tom Morris at the age of 39 in 1860, the year the first British Open was played.  Tom was a patriarch figure in his later years who all good golfers looked up to.  He was a kind old fellow who also offered sage advice to those who asked.  One funny tale involves the great Scottish player Freddie Tait, who won the British Amateur in 1896 and 1898 before being tragically killed in the Boer War in 1899.  The story goes that while playing a match at St. Andrews in 1888, Tait hit an errant shot that collided with a man’s hat, ruining it.  Tait had to pay five shillings to replace the hat, but before handing over the money he pleaded his case to Tom, hoping that a word from him might convince the man to forgive and forget.  Morris replied to Tait by saying: "Ah master Freddy, ye may be verra thankfu' that it's only a hat and no' an oak coffin ye hae to pay for."  (Taken from W.W. Tulloch's The Life Of Tom Morris).