Tom Jarrett was born and brought up in St Andrews and he spent time caddying on the Links before becoming a freelance journalist. He reported on the life of the town for 43 years, until his retirement in 1980.
A former trustee of St Andrews Links, Mr Jarrett took up the task of writing the history of the most famous golfing terrain in the world. Now in its third edition, his book was first published in 1995 and it contains a foreword by five-times Open Champion Tom Watson, who wrote that the history would be 'enjoyed by connoisseurs of the game everywhere.'
Tom Jarrett was a member of the St Andrews Golf Club, the Thistle Golf Club and the New Golf Club. He was appointed captain of the New Club in 1971 and he was nominated a life member in 1984.