Scotties By The Sea
Meet Nails, Freddie Tait's dog.
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The Trail
Scotties by the Sea is a fun, family-friendly art trail brought to you by BID St Andrews and Wild in Art. Northeast Fife will come alive with more than 30 giant Scottie sculptures, each one uniquely decorated by talented artists and community members.
This 10-week art trail promises to delight and inspire visitors of all ages, showcasing Fife's vibrant culture, creativity, and communities. More than just a celebration of art and local identity, "Scotties by the Sea" is also a fundraiser for Maggie's Everyone's Home of Cancer Care. This wonderful organization provides free cancer support and information through centers across the UK.
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The Design
Our artist Sandra Russell is an accomplished painter, illustrator, and storyboard artist. She adds her skills to a variety of creative projects, ranging from oil landscapes and portraits to illustrations for books and magazines. Sandra's work has been featured in top publications like DC Thomson, golf magazines, and golf books. In fact, she once created a beautiful watercolor painting with the legendary golfer Freddie Tait.
Inspired by Stephen Proctor's book "The Long Golden Afternoon," which featured a famous Amateur Championship match between Freddie Tait and John Ball Jr. in Prestwick, she has created "Nails, Freddie Tait's Dog." This enchanting creation features Nails decked out in Tait's distinctive clothes, complete with Black Watch tie and socks. Nails also carries has owner's golf clubs and bagpipes that feature the Tait family tartan.
Reproduced by kind permission of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.
Freddie Tait
Freddie Tait, also known as Lieutenant Frederick Guthrie Tait, was a Scottish amateur golf champion and Black Watch soldier. Born in Edinburgh in 1870, he spent time in St Andrews playing golf on the Old Course. He won The Amateur Championship twice (1896 and 1898) and finished third in The Open Championship twice (1896 and 1897), accumulating at least 28 tournament victories.
Freddie was known for celebrating his victories by playing the bagpipes and his friendly but mischievous nature endeared him to the Scottish people. He had a beloved scruffy terrier named Nails who would occassionally accompany him on the golf course and he often asked after Nails in his letters to his family while serving in the Second Boer War in South Africa. Tragically, Freddie was killed in action at the age of 30, leading to an outpouring of grief from Scotland and beyond.
John Henry Lorrimer painted a posthumous oil on canvas portrait of Freddie Tait, featuring his young blind caddie and his terrier Nails, which now hangs at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. Even today, a street in St Andrews bears Freddie’s name in honor of his memory.