Tributes have been paid to successful amateur player and Deeside Golf Club member Dick Willox, who has passed away at the age of 68.
Dick, a two-time winner of the Evening Express Champion of Champions in the 1980s, was a prolific amateur for the Bieldside club.
Former club captain Simon Cruickshank said: “Dick was six years older than me and my hero. I learned so much from him, and he will be a massive loss especially to his family and all his friends.
“Dick was a scratch golfer for many years and won just about everything there is to win in the game in the north-east.
“He was Deeside club champion eight times – and lost in seven other finals.
“He also won the strokeplay title six times, and his other victories included the Douglas Philip, Jaffrey Cup, Journal Cup, Maitland Shield, Moray five-day, the Phillips Trophy and the Dalswinton team event, a record nine times.
“He played in the last Deeside team to win the Northern Counties in 1980 and also won the Trades Foursomes twice playing for the printers – as he was managing director of the Waverley Press.
“Dick also won the Aberdeen Pennant League at least twice and was in the North-east District team who won the Scottish Area Team Championship in the 1980s.
“There are many more titles he would have won that are too numerous to mention, but I do recall him winning the Queen Elizabeth Schools Championship when he played for Gordon’s College as a former pupil.”
Dick Willox was ‘a fearless match player’
Former Deeside director of golf Frank Coutts said: “I was lucky to partner Dick as an amateur from about 1978 until I turned professional.
“Dick had a great attitude and was a fearless match player – but if he played poorly, he never got down. Tomorrow was another day for him and he would play better!
“He had a very individual swing which he made work for himself, and with his putting ability, he won virtually all he could in the north-east and was rarely beaten when representing the district team.
“Dick also played in an Open qualifier, plus the British and Scottish Amateur Championships.
“Together with Gordon Patterson and Simon Cruickshank he just about won all there was to win.
“He was a loyal Deeside member and very proud of it.”
Dick first won the Champion of Champions in 1987 after beating Neil Walker (Inverurie) by 4&3 in the final at Cruden Bay.
A 4&2 success over Graham Wisniewski (Buckpool) in the final at Royal Aberdeen three years later secured Dick’s place in the record books as the first player to lift the trophy twice.
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