TEXAS DIRECTOR OF GOLF
BRUCE DAVIDSON BECOMES ADVANCED FELLOW
OF THE PGA

FROM THE PGA E-BULLETIN
Aberdeen-born but US-based PGA professional Bruce Davidson has further enhanced his rags to riches golfing career by attaining Advanced Fellow of the PGA status.
Having teed off his career as a caddy at Houston’s exclusive River Oaks Country Club, the 46-year-old has spent the last six years overseeing its entire golfing operations as its director of golf.
It’s been an amazing journey for Davidson, who collected his award from PGA chief executive and fellow Scot Sandy Jones at the US PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando (Picture courtesy of the PGA).
Davidson took up caddying when he was studying at university in Houston, Texas and returned in 2001 after a highly successful spell back in Aberdeen, where he built up the Kings Links Golf Centre in Aberdeen.
“It’s like something from the 1930s,” he said. “It’s not often nowadays you get someone starting off as a caddy and then working their way through to be director of golf.”
Davidson’s golfing journey started as a 12-year-old when he first laid his hands on an old set of hickoryclubs and would spend hours in his back garden at Banchory, perfectinghis swing.
His progress was quick and he was selected alongwith other promising youngsters to jet across to the States and compete.
“I was very lucky in that I was selected for a North-east District boys’ team to head out to Texas and I managed to win a tournament out there,” he said.
“Jackie Burke saw me play and suggested I gave college a go. He helped me to get a scholarship in Houston and I came over in 1979.”
Having made it into college, Davidson supplemented his education by working for Dick Harmon at River Oaks.
“I did general jobs for Dick, I was a caddy but I also collected the balls at the driving range and did the bag room. I worked my way through college doing those jobs,” added Davidson.
Having completed his college course, Davidson became an assistant in 1984 and headed back to his native Aberdeen to try his hand as a Tour player.
Unfortunately it wasn’t to be. Having failed to get his European Tour card and while battling away on the Challenge and African Tours, the perfect opportunity arose in his home town.
“Some other guys and myself put some money forward to build a golf shop at the muncipally-owned Kings Links and we ran it,” he said.
“At that time there was no driving range at all in Aberdeen and I figured the 15-acre pitch and putt course next door would be ideal. Thankfully the Aberdeen Town Council trusted us and gave us permissionto build the range, and we transformed Kings Links into one of the best golf centres around.”
Davidson is extremely proud of his work with Kings Links, but it was his return to River Oaks to take over the reigns from Harmon, who passed away two yearsago, that really stands out for him.
“I’m so proud to have worked my way from caddy to director of golf,” he said. “It was a sad time when Dick passed away. I don’t think any of us are over his death yet, he had such a big influence on my life and to take over from him is great, but I still wish he was about.”