South African family history, genealogy, heritage and interesting places, past and present. All articles researched and written by Anne Lehmkuhl. COPYRIGHT ANNE LEHMKUHL, no article can be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission. EMAIL ME
A Kruger at St Andrews
The British Open at St. Andrews in Scotland has a touch of South Africa. Between the 9th and 10th hole, there are 3 small sand bunkers. The biggest one is named Kruger, the next one is Mrs Kruger and the smallest one is Kruger's mistress. This dates back to the start of the Anglo-Boer War when the darling of St. Andrews was Lt. Frederick Guthrie TAIT. He could smack a golf ball further than anyone else - he was the British amateur golf champion in 1896 and 1898. Freddie was also an officer in the Black Watch, one of Scotland's most famous regiments. In 1899 he was given a send-off reception before leaving for the war in South Africa. In December 1899 he was wounded during the Battle of Magersfontein. In February 1900, he died on the battlefield near Kimberley. The day the Scots back home heard of his death, they built an effigy of Kruger and burnt it in a sand bunker at St Andrews. And that is how the bunker got its name.