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Antique Golf Clubs from Scotland
Clubmakers
Willie Kidd
St Louis/Edina
Willie Kidd Willie Kidd was the eldest of three brothers to ply their trade as golf professionals in America. Born in Monifieth in 1885, he was the dominant player in the Monifieth club, links champion and winner of just about every trophy on offer. Work as a millwright, repairing mill machinery, took him to England in 1908 leaving his younger brother Colin to dominate the local golfing scene.

Colin went to the United States as a golf professional first and Willie was tempted by the stories he heard of money to be made. He arrived in the United States on 26 March 1911 aboard the Caledonia from Glasgow to New York planning to take up a job in a Brooklyn shipyard. Instead he began as an assistant professional in Charlevois, Michigan, instructing during the day and repairing clubs at night. He soon became professional at the Algonquin Club in St Louis and must have been a fine tournament player also as he was runner-up to Jim Barnes in the Western Open of 1914 missing a four foot birdie putt on the last for a tie.

He left Missouri for Minnesota in 1920 and became professional to the famous Interlachen club in Edina. In 1925 he was Minnesota State champion. He served Interlachen as professional until 1958 whereupon his son took on the role until 1993. Willie re-designed parts of the course and was pro when Bobby Jones won at Interlachen in 1930 on his way to the Grand Slam. He designed many other courses in Minnesota including Faribault, Princeton, Richmond and Albany, often giving his time for free.

Willie Kidd died on 3 July 1967 in Abbott Hospital, Minneapolis, after a long illness. He was posthumously inducted into the Minnesota PGA Hall of Fame in 1989.

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