A native of England, Wilfrid “Wilfie” Reid distinguished himself in golf as a player, golf professional, golf course designer and administrator internationally, nationally and in Michigan.
He emigrated to the United States in 1915 to work as a golf professional in New Jersey, and later relocated to Michigan where he worked at Indianwood Golf & Country Club as well as the Country Club of Detroit.
As a player he represented England on nine international teams and won the French Open and Swiss Open and came by ship from England in 1913 with Harry Vardon and Ted Ray to play in the famous 1913 U.S. Open won by Francis Ouimet. He tied for 16th ,and in the 1916 U.S. Open tied for fourth, his top finish in a major championship. He won the Michigan Open in 1926 while working in Michigan and served as the Michigan Section’s president from 1928-’30. Prior to that he was vice-president of the PGA of America in 1920 and ’21 and helped found the Philadelphia PGA Section.
He had design roles in almost 60 golf courses and remodeled over 40 others. His two most famous course are the Olympic Club in San Francisco, and the Old Course at Indianwood in Lake Orion, but he designed at least nine holes of over 20 Michigan golf courses while living in the state and working with William Connellan.
He studied club and ball making early in life and retired to Florida in 1950. He died at the age of 89 in West Palm Beach, Fla., still shooting better than his age each year on his birthday.
Year inducted: 1985
| Last Name | Reid |