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George Douglas, golfer
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George Douglas, born 18th March 1871 at 4, Viewforth,
North Berwick, son of James Douglas, general labourer and his wife
Catherine Merrilees. In 1885 the family(1) lived at 32, Harbour Terrace and
in May 1891 George was granted a professional license on the West Links,
North Berwick. In July that year he was appointed greenkeeper and pro at
Panmure Golf Club playing over the Monifieth course from where he
entered the Open at St Andrews. In 1892 George was appointed the first
pro at the newly opened Pollok Golf Club in Glasgow and in September he
entered the Open Championship list at Muirfield and received 10/- in
prize money.
George Douglas was the regular caddie for John H. Outhwaite in his big
matches. In 1893 Douglas enlisted in the Argyll and Sutherland
Highlanders and trained at Barry Buddon army camp in Angus. Outhwaite
was also at Barry camp serving with the Black Watch and George caddied
for him when the twenty year old won the Regimental Cup at Carnoustie in
1893. George's cousin Peter Merrilees (listed below) from North Berwick
was golf pro at Manly Golf Club, Sydney in Australia.
Outhwaite, originally from Earlsferry won the tournament at the opening
of the extended course at North Berwick in 1895, with George Douglas on
his bag. George played in the professional tournament the following day
representing Hessle Tennis and Golf Club in East Yorkshire. A photo of
Douglas and Outhwaite can be seen in the Golf Book of East Lothian.
George served almost two years with the Argyll and Sutherland
Highlanders before he was discharged on payment of £18.
George Douglas was 5' 6 inches tall, blue eyes, brown hair and weighed
145 lbs. According to his army record, his distinguishing marks were the
bust of a woman tatooed on his right-forearm with the letters M.K.
Several of his teeth were defective, he had a scare above his left ankle
and another on his right-forearm.
In 1894, prior to the well publicised challenge match between Andrew
Kirkaldy and Ben Sayers. Kirkaldy had two days of practice at North
Berwick which included a round with George Douglas. After spending the
winter of 1895 working in France, Douglas sailed to America from
Liverpool on S.S Gallia, and arrived in Boston on 18th April 1896.
George Herbert Windeler, a member of Brookline Country Club and chairman
of the Green Committee appointed George Douglas golf professional in
1896. Windeler was originally from Ditton Hill, Surrey and his local
golf club was Thames Ditton & Esher Golf Club whose wealthy members
would have been familiar with the courses in Scotland. Windeler
transferred his Insurance Brokers business to America and opened offices
at 65 Bay State Road, Boston. It may have been during a visit to North
Berwick that Windeler met George Douglas, a licensed golf professional
on the West Links. Following an exchange of letters inviting George
Douglas to the Country Club and an offer from G. Herbert Windeler to
sponsor his travel arrangements and accommodation.
George Douglas was appointed head pro at the prestigious Country Club of
Brookline in April 1896. The original nine-hole course was designed by
George Douglas and the Greens Committee and developed by George T. Fowle.
This included the 7th hole, 197 yard, par three named 'Redan' inspired
by the 15th on George Douglas's home course at North Berwick.
During the previous November the publication American Golfer reported
that the Country Club had not renewed Willie Campbell's contract. George
Douglas knew Willie Campbell from his days playing in the Musselburgh
Professional tournament and working the links at North Berwick. In July
1896, George Douglas representing the Country Club, played in the US
Open at Shinnecock Hills, and finished fourth. He scored rounds of 79
and 79 for a total of 158 and received $25 prize money. In December
1896, 25 year-old George Douglas returned to Scotland and worked as a
licensed professional on the West Links, North Berwick.
The course at the Country Club of Brookline was extended to eighteen
holes in 1899. When the US Open was played at Brookline in 1913 the 7th
hole was the only hole remaining from the original nine-hole course. The
name 'Redan' continues to be part of the Brookline vocabulary at the
12th hole while the membership have decided to airbrushed out George
Douglas's contribution to the club history.
In September 1896 George Douglas won the professional tournament at
Knollwood Country Club, Westchester County NY. The report in the New
York Times stated there were fourteen Scottish pros and one negro taking
part, he was John Shippen from Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. The others
included Willie Dunn, and Tom Warrender from North Berwick who was pro
at Knollwood. George Douglas representing the Country Club of Brookline
covered the 36 holes in 154 strokes and lifted the first prize of $150.
The other scores were Willie Campbell, (Myopia Hunt) 155; Horace
Rawlins, (Utica) 159; Bertie Way (Meadowbrook) 160; Willie Dunn
(Ardsley) 161; Willie Davis (Newport) 162; Willie Tucker (St Andrews at
Yonkers) 164; Tom Gourley (Baltusrol) 167; Sam Tucker (St Andrews at
Yonkers) 168; John Shippen (Shinnecock) 169; Alfred Ricketts (Albany)
170; Willie Norton (Lakewood green keeper) 174; Willie Kirk (Bar
Harbour) 177; John Young (Staten Island) 171; Tom Warrender (Knollwood)
190.
According to the Milwaukee Journal in March 1897, Ben Sayers and Robert
Thomson defeated Davie Grant and George Douglas in a foursome match at
North Berwick. The following month eighteen year-old Robert Thomson
(below) sailed for America and was appointed professional at Merion
Cricket Club, Ardmore, Philadelphia. On 1st August 1897 he enlisted in
the 11th Battalion Kings Own Scottish Borderers at the army recruitment
office in Edinburgh, and was stationed in Berwick-Upon-Tweed. Private
George Douglas (No.6200) fought in South Africa before being posted to
the 2nd Battalion KOSB at the British Infantry Barracks in Dinapore,
Bengal, India where he died in 1903. His military record states. 'George
Douglas died at Dinapore of gunshot wounds self inflicted while
temporarily insane - 25th August 1903'. He was taken to the Station
Hospital where he was pronounced dead by Billet Adjutant G.B.Stoney.
Rudyard Kipling wrote in the Civil and Military Gazette about the
soldiers on Fort duty or confined to barracks had a hard time during the
Indian summer with the heat and disease. Kipling wrote about soldiers
cracking up with the boredom and isolation of Indian barrack life.
George Douglas died at the age of 32 years and is listed among the first
forty golf professionals in the United States and is recognised today as
a true pioneer, and one of the earliest names of golf and clubmaking in
America. His mother Catherine died at the Harbour Terrace in November
1904 and his father James Douglas followed her to the grave six months
later.
Notes:
1. Brothers, James and
Hugh
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Source
Sources for this article include:
North Berwick Golf Club
Any contributions will be
gratefully accepted
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