Cock of the green-1800
Well documented in golfing history, captured by an established artist of the time, and resulted in one of the most famous golf etchings ever printed.
The man
The most enthusiastic player in Edinburgh in 1800. Alexander Mckellar took the game up late in life and according to accounts was not a very good player. Undaunted by his poor results he just worked unceasingly on his poor swing, trying to find the secret. He was known to practice in the dark by candlelight, come rain, wind, or even snow (one story says he painted his feathery balls red in the winter).
The film portrays an interpretation of the type of swing McKellar would have made. Assuming the setup John Kay etched, the type of equipment he was using, and a couple of comments from the past records and the movement almost evolves by itself.
The Artist
John Kay 1742-1826
A Scottish caricaturist and engraver Kay started his working life as a barber who was apprenticed for six years. Kay then found work in Edinburgh where he was given the freedom of the city after the qualifying acceptance by the corporation of barber-surgeons.
As an artist, he published his first works around 1780 becoming famous for his miniatures and caricature etchings. From there he continued to flourish and would publish many of his sketches in books. He focused on local celebrities and oddities of which much material abounded in that period of Edinburgh society.
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