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Antique Golf Clubs from Scotland
Clubmakers
Willie McKay
Carnoustie/Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Press, as late as June 1939 wrote. ’virtually every Pittsburgh district Scotch pro is from Carnoustie’ and there certainly was a strong link between the two places. Much of this seems to have been down to the influence of Fred Brand, an early émigré in 1905. Willie McKay’s progress in Pittsburgh was smoothed by the fact his brother Davie, had been at a club there for several years.

William Ross McKay, though, was undoubtedly a good catch for any American course. It is perhaps nowadays hard, with so many, ‘springboard’ tours to appreciate the importance of club and village golf in Scotland at the start of the 20th century but Willie had won the lot in Carnoustie. Born in 1890, he was Links champion 1912 and 1914, he was also Carnoustie Club champion, Dalhousie Cup winner and at the time of his departure in 1921, holder of the Watson trophy and the Caledonia club championship. Discussing he Links Championship alone, on the eve of the 1954 championship, the Dundee Courier remarked, ‘few trophies carry so many famous names’ and so many of those names went on to find their fame in the United States. It was perhaps a harder decision for Willie to emigrate with a relatively stable and well-paid job as a bank clerk. His brother, Davie, emigrated in 1908. Willie remained and served in the First World War as a Sergeant in the 14th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

David Gould, the US golf journalist wrote, ‘Willie was that Scottish rarity, a bon vivant who dressed with flash and didn’t mind being seen enjoying himself. During his years as head pro at Pittsburgh’s Longvue (sic) Country Club, Willie could be found at the racetrack every Monday on his one day off’. Mr Gould has apparently not been out in Glasgow on a Friday night.

Another brother, A W R McKay, also came to the USA in 1921 and entered the US Amateur championship. I have yet to discover what became of him.

I am uncertain if Willie began his career at the Longvue club on the outskirts of Pittsburgh but he was certainly the professional here by the end of the 1920s and well into the 1930s. He died in 1959.

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