Robert W. White (golfer)

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox golfer

| name = Robert White

| image = Robert W. White, first PGA of America president.PNG

| imagesize = 270

| caption = White, {{circa|1920}}

| fullname = Robert W. White

| nickname =

| birth_date = June 2, 1876

| birth_place = St Andrews, Scotland

| death_date = July 15, 1959, aged 83

| death_place = Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, U.S.

| height =

| weight =

| nationality = {{SCO}}
{{USA}}

| spouse =

| partner =

| children = 3

| college = University of Wisconsin-Madison

| yearpro = {{circa|1892}}

| retired =

| extour = PGA Tour

| prowins =

| pgawins =

| otherwins =

| majorwins =

| masters = DNP

| usopen = 28th: 1897

| open = DNP

| pga = DNP

| wghofid =

| wghofyear =

| award1 = PGA Hall of Fame

| year1 = 1994

| awardssection =

}}

Robert W. White (June 2, 1876 – July 15, 1959){{Cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/37245825|title = Robert White (1876-1959) - Find a Grave Memorial|website = Find a Grave}}{{Cite web|url=https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99D3-YQC8-K|title=FamilySearch: Sign In|website=FamilySearch |accessdate=July 14, 2023}} was born in St Andrews, Scotland, and was a school teacher there before emigrating in 1894 to the United States to study agronomy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He worked as a professional and greenkeeper at several clubs and was an excellent clubmaker. He first took up a post as professional at the Myopia Hunt Club in 1895 and served at a number of other clubs, including Shawnee Country Club in 1914. White helped many young men from the British Isles find work in the United States as golf professionals and greenkeepers. White, who was best known as a golf course architect and golf administrator, was an accomplished golfer but didn't post many notable results. He entered and played in a few U.S. Open tournaments around the turn of the century, in 1897 and again in 1901.{{cite web |title=Robert W. White: Myopia/Cincinnati/Chicago |url=http://www.dmcsoft.com/antiquegolf/maker.php3?makerid=689 |website=DMCSoft.com |accessdate=September 20, 2016}} In the 1897 U.S. Open, White carded rounds of 89-97=186 and finished well back in the field.{{cite web |title=1897 U.S. Open Golf Tournament Scores |url=http://golf.about.com/od/majorchampionships/fl/1897-US-Open.htm |website=Golf.About.com |accessdate=September 20, 2016}}

White served as president of the Western Professional Golfers' Association in 1908 and became the first president of the Professional Golfers' Association of America in 1916.{{cite magazine |url=http://archive.lib.msu.edu/tic/golfd/article/1959aug30.pdf |magazine=Golfdom |date=August 30, 1959 |page=30 |title=Robert White, Pro Pioneer, Dies in Myrtle Beach, S.C. |first=Herb |last=Graffis |authorlink=Herb Graffis}} He held the office through 1919. During his career he also designed a number of golf courses, many located in eastern Pennsylvania. White also was one of the founders of the American Society of Golf Course Architects.{{Cite web|url=http://philadelphia.pga.com/gui/philly9/filedownload/1895%20to%201915%20Leaders%20&%20Legends.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303193648/http://philadelphia.pga.com/gui/philly9/filedownload/1895%20to%201915%20Leaders%20%26%20Legends.pdf|url-status=dead|title="A Chronicle of the Philadelphia Section PGA and its Members: The Leaders and The Legends, 1895 to 1915," By Peter C. Trenham|archive-date=March 3, 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.hickorygolfers.com/articletemplate.php?art=scottishexiles_footsoldiers.htm|title=The Society of Hickory Golfers; Results and Recent accounts Golf with Hickory Golf Clubs|accessdate=July 14, 2023}} He was inducted into the PGA Hall of Fame in 1994.{{cite web |title=PGA Hall of Fame: Robert White |url=https://pga.org/articles/pga-america-hall-fame |publisher=PGA of America |access-date=September 20, 2016}} White is also credited with the initial design and construction of the first putting green for Dwight Eisenhower at The White House in Washington D.C. in 1954.{{cite web|title=Robert White, GCA|url=https://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php?topic=15669.0|website=Golf Club Atlas|access-date=5 April 2023}}