Bobby Cruickshank
A resilient Scottish golfer who came agonizingly close to U.S. Open glory, twice finishing as runner-up in the championship's early years.
1894–1975 (age 81)·Scottish professional golfer·Birthday: November 16·The Lost Generation
Biography
Bobby Cruickshank took the grit of his native Scotland to the fairways of America, becoming a stalwart of the nascent professional golf circuit between the World Wars. Compact and powerful, his game was built on precision and tenacity. His career is perhaps defined by near-misses at the highest level, most notably his second-place finishes at the U.S. Open in 1923 and 1932, where he lost in a playoff to Bobby Jones. Despite these heartbreaks, Cruickshank was a consistent winner and a popular figure, known for his sportsmanship and a memorable, beaming smile. He competed fiercely against the era's giants, including Walter Hagen and Gene Sarazen, cementing his place as a foundational figure in the development of professional tournament golf in the United States.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Bobby was born in 1894, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bobby Was Born
The biggest hits of 1894
Bobby's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1894Born
President: Grover Cleveland
1899Started school
President: William McKinley
1907Became a teenager
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1910Could drive
Halley's Comet makes its closest approach
President: William Howard Taft
1912Could vote
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1915Turned 21
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1924Turned 30
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1934Turned 40
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1944Turned 50
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1954Turned 60
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1964Turned 70
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1974Turned 80
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1975Died at 81
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Key Achievements
- Finished as runner-up at the U.S. Open twice, in 1923 and 1932.
- Won multiple tournaments on the early PGA circuit, including the 1927 North and South Open.
- Represented the United States in the inaugural Ryder Cup matches in 1927.
- Maintained a highly competitive presence in major championships throughout the 1920s and early 1930s.
Did You Know?
He famously holed out a miraculous shot for a double-eagle (albatross) during the 1932 U.S. Open, a moment often cited in golf lore.
After his playing career, he worked as a club professional at several courses, including at Pinehurst.
He was inducted into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame in 1989.
“A straight drive and a steady putt will always beat a flashy recovery.”
