David Anderson may not be a widely-known name in Western Australian golfing circles, but his impact on the sport is notable. Coming from hugely impressive golfing stock, his grandfather of the same name-nicknamed 'Old Da'-was an early figure in the entire sport's history.
David was initially a ball maker and caddy at 'the home of golf,' St Andrews. He went on to be greenkeeper of another old Scottish course, Prestwick, from 1851 to 1855.
With this pedigree, a young David Anderson was unsurprisingly a talented young golfer. However, persistent health issues derailed a promising career. He would go on to make his own clubs, mostly early versions of the gap wedge.
After enlisting in the Royal Flying Corps and fighting in the First World War, he moved to the United States for two years before returning to the UK. There, he started a golfing school in London. However, a holiday to Western Australia in 1926 paved for Anderson's golfing legacy. While enjoying a recreational round, he received a strong offer from
Cottesloe Golf Club to become their in-house professional. He drew designs for the course that would be fully realized five years later.
In 1928, despite ill health, he switched to Royal Perth. In 1930, he and prominent local greenkeeper and designer James Tinlin collaborated on the course at Mount Lawley. Anderson passed away in Perth in 1939
Image: Cottesloe Golf Club
