I t was a different era. They played in their Sun- day suits, with gutta-percha balls and club shafts made of hickory, the trendiest new wood imported from America. Yet even today, serious golfers recognize the names of Old and Young Tom Morris, the Scottish father and son who helped to revolutionize modern golf. Only a small percentage, however, may have known their personal story and struggles. That has changed with the opening, in April, of “Tommy’s Honour,” a touching film directed by Jason Con- nery, son of famed actor Sean Connery. Before the film opened, the producers staged three separate benefits in support of The First Tee, and the golf community has rallied around the movie, shot in Scotland, which elegantly intertwines golf, class struggles, romance and tragedy. The PGA Tour, PGA of America, The Golf Channel and others have been instrumental in lending various types of support toward its success. ASTORYWRITTEN FROMTHE HEART Producer and Executive Producer Keith Bank, founder of a Chicago-based venture capital firm, GOLF2COLLEGE Our program mentors talented junior golfers and their parents toward well-informed, sound decisions that will enhance their overall junior golf development, and guide them through the college placement process. What we do: • Provide professional guidance to junior golfers who aspire to play collegiate golf. • Navigate golfers and their families throughout the process and develop strategic plans that will ultimately lead to reaching their goals • Provide honest and realistic assessment of the student-athlete’s current academic and golf abilities • Assist with understanding the NCAA & NAIA eligibility centers • Provide a calendar of major timelines for recruiting, financial aid, academic testing and admissions FULL TIME ACADEMY Our individualized junior golf program helps to achieve academic excellence, strength of character, and peak golf performance. • All Students are coached by Director Don Law • Golf specific conditioning program • Mental performance training • Daily goal & performance evaluation • Customized program for each junior • Swing technique improvement • Individual attention, specific practices, work load, repetition & variation • Daily emphasis on competitive play, short game & putting • Annual tournament planning • Winter, spring and summer break training available 12551 Glades Rd Boca Raton, FL 33498 (561) 451-1128 www.donlawgolfacademy.com BY JUNIOR GOLF STAFF “Tommy’sHonour”BringsGolf’sRootstotheBigScreen had not produced a film since his initial effort in 1990 and did not plan on doing another. But when “Tommy’s Honour” developer Jim Kreutzer approached Bank, he read the Kevin Cook-au- thored book on which the movie is based and was quickly recruited to help assemble the key elements of the film. “It’s more than just a story about golf,” says Bank. “It’s about life and courage, and it pulls at your heartstrings.” Bank, Kreutzer and their team spent three- and-a-half years on the project, from raising the money to shooting the film, supervising post-production and getting the movie into theaters. “We wanted the film to be authentic,” notes Bank. “Everything from the golf swings of that period, to the clothing, the equipment and the course itself – it had to be realistic. In those days, the greens were not that different from the first-cut roughs of today, so the mod- ern-day courses were too manicured for what we needed. We eventually built several holes on a Scottish cow pasture to simulate the condi- tions in the 1870’s, and we constructed two wall façades of the Royal & Ancient clubhouse as it looked when it was newer, without the layer of gray that it has today.” One can hardly utter the name Tom Morris with- out thinking immediately of St Andrews. Both the father and the son were four-time winners of the British Open Championship there. If not for his untimely death at the age of 24, Young Tom might have won many more. “Young Tom refused to be less than a profes- sional golfer,” Bank says admiringly. “He was the first touring pro who made a living out of golf, basically telling people, ‘Pay me what I’m worth.” FINDINGAPASSIONATEAUDIENCE The film, which debuted on approximately 160 screens in 40 cities across America, chronicles all of this with a solid sense of honesty, includ- ing the culture of that period that relegated var- ious classes of people to certain types of jobs. It has registered a highly respectable 78% on Rotten Tomatoes, and there are plans to open the film worldwide this summer. Whatever the final outcome, Bank is sure that he has made the right move. “This is a great family film that has struck a chord with golfers and non-golfers alike,” he says. “My intent in getting involved was to grow the game and to leave ‘Tommy’s Honour’ as a legacy for others to watch over the next 50 years. I really believe the film is timeless.”