Willie Dunn Sr
Name:
William "Willie" Dunn SrCountry:
ScotlandLived:
[1821-1878]. Born on Aug 19, 1821 in Musselburgh, East lothian. Died on Feb 14, 1878 at Millhill, Inveresk, nr Musselburgh (aged 56).Original/Home Club:
Musselburgh Links (Old course)Occupation:
Professional golfer, greenkeeper, club & ball maker, golf instructor.Turned Pro:
c.1840Website:
https://www.northberwick.org.uk/dunn.htmlPlayed in many challenge matches between 1840 and 1865. Came seventh in the second Open Championship in 1861.
Willie Dunn (Sr) is best remembered as a leading golf professional, greenkeeper, club and ball maker, and most notably, head of a famous golfing family. After serving an apprenticeship to John Gourlay, ball maker of Musselburgh in East Lothian, Willie Dunn and his twin brother James ("Jamie") played in many challenge matches between 1840 and 1860. The Dunns (and Parks) from Musselburgh, frequently pitted their skills against the might of St Andrews, most notably the Morris's and Allan Robertson. In 1843, Willie Dunn and Allan Robertson played a 20-round Grand Challenge match over 10 days, to establish who was the top golfer of that time; Robertson came out the winner.
Willie Dunn became the greenkeeper, club maker and professional at Royal Blackheath GC in London from 1851 until 1864 when he returned to the Thistle GC at Leith Links, nr Edinburgh. His club and ball-making business was located in his house, Primrose Cottage, Lochend, Leith. Willie Dunn Snr remained at Leith Links for ten years before returning to North Berwick.
The Dunn golfing dynasty continued on with Willie Dunn's two sons: Tom learned his trade as a club maker as an apprentice to his father, while Willie Jr trained under his brother Tom (who was 15 years older than Willie Jr). Tom's children included Seymour Dunn, John Duncan Dunn and Isabella May Gourlay Dunn ("Queenie"), all of whom had distinguished careers in golf course design, club making and golf instruction. Willie Jr's son, Norman, was also an accomplished golfer.
Sony Open in Hawaii: played at Waialae Country Club near Honolulu, the Sony Open takes over the spotlight from The Sentry as the PGA Tour’s calendar-year opening event (Jan 15-18). The Sentry (not being played in 2026) was formerly known as the Tournament of Champions, with a field typically restricted to golfers who won a PGA Tour event in the previous calendar year.
Dubai Desert Classic: the DP World Tour’s first Rolex Series event of 2026, is contested for the 37th time (Jan 22-25). First won by Englishman Mark James in 1989, it now boasts a four-time winner, Rory McIlroy. Played on the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis course, this once desert-surrounded course is the long-time flagship for Golf in Dubai.
Our visit last month included two rounds at Golf de Chantilly, one of France’s most prestigious clubs.
It offers two superb layouts: Le Vineuil, a five-star championship course with a rich history, and Longères, an excellent four-star course that provides a strong and enjoyable test.
The wider Paris region offers plenty more. Courses such as Fontainebleau, Golf de Saint-Germain, and several other top-rated layouts make this area one of Europe’s most rewarding golf destinations, offering a mix of woodland, heathland, and parkland designs.
The Dutch: "It's no' just a game", as they say in Scotland, and that's certainly true at The Dutch. With 5-star services throughout, a lavishly comfortable Loch Lomond-inspired clubhouse, and a superbly designed and presented golf course, one could not ask for more from this top-end private club.
Join us at The Dutch from August 21–24 for the Festival of Golf, featuring the HotelPlanner Tour. Experience four days of top-tier sport, live music, incredible food, and unexpected surprises. Explore the grounds, connect with others, embrace new challenges, and dive into an unforgettable celebration. Click here to buy tickets.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
You can subscribe to the Where2Golf channel on YT if you like to see more video content. You'll find a "Subscribe" button on any of our YouTube videos. Or if you want a quick and direct access subscribe here. Once done, any new published videos will show up in your Subscriptions feed.
