Willie Dunn

1865 - 1952

Willie (William) Dunn Jr. was born in the borough of Blackheath, London, where his father, also Willie, was the green keeper and club maker. The family moved back to Scotland the year of Willie' birth. When 12 Willie went to Wimbledon with his older brother Tom to learn club making from him. In 1880 they both went to North Berwick to continue club making and Tom was to be the green keeper. 1886 saw Willie leave North Berwick to become the green keeper at Westward Ho! (Royal North Devon Golf Club). 1888 saw Willie on the move again, this time to Royal Epping Forrest in Chingford as the superintendent of the club and greens, once the course was laid out. On the advice of the doctors he moved to Biarritz in the south of France, and worked there for approximately 5 years.
In the early 1890's Willie left for America and took a professionals job at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in New York and laid out a number of courses in neighboring areas. Willie Dunn Jnr. was the first unofficial champion of America in 1894 and runner-up in the first official USGA Open Championship in1895. By 1896 Willie Dunn settled at the links of Ardsley Park Country Club in New York, a course designed by Dunn. In 1896, he established the first Indoor Golf Centre, inside what is now termed the Old Madison Square Gardens, giving lessons in a room 76 ft long, 30 ft wide and 28 ft high.
During

Willie (William) Dunn Jr. was born in the borough of Blackheath, London, where his father, also Willie, was the green keeper and club maker. The family moved back to Scotland the year of Willie' birth. When 12 Willie went to Wimbledon with his older brother Tom to learn club making from him. In 1880 they both went to North Berwick to continue club making and Tom was to be the green keeper. 1886 saw Willie leave North Berwick to become the green keeper at Westward Ho! (Royal North Devon Golf Club). 1888 saw Willie on the move again, this time to Royal Epping Forrest in Chingford as the superintendent of the club and greens, once the course was laid out. On the advice of the doctors he moved to Biarritz in the south of France, and worked there for approximately 5 years.
In the early 1890's Willie left for America and took a professionals job at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in New York and laid out a number of courses in neighboring areas. Willie Dunn Jnr. was the first unofficial champion of America in 1894 and runner-up in the first official USGA Open Championship in1895. By 1896 Willie Dunn settled at the links of Ardsley Park Country Club in New York, a course designed by Dunn. In 1896, he established the first Indoor Golf Centre, inside what is now termed the Old Madison Square Gardens, giving lessons in a room 76 ft long, 30 ft wide and 28 ft high.
During

his life Willie created some wonderful and imaginative clubs and most historians agree that Dunn's influence on the development of the sport in the USA during the early part of the twentieth century was considerable.

1 ITEM