Born in Grantown-on-Spey in rural northern Scotland, Cruickshank learned his golf as a boy playing over the town’s course. As a teenager he also worked there as a caddie. In that era country houses around Grantown-on-Spey were often rented to rich Edinburgh families for the summer. The wealthy widow Mrs Isabella Usher whose family fortune came from brewing made an offer to Bobby’s parents to provide an education for their two sons in Edinburgh. In the Autumn of 1909 Bobby and his younger brother John moved south. Mrs Usher became their legal guardian and they lived at her house in the city’s Murrayfield district. They were educated at the nearby Daniel Stewart’s College. Although Bobby was not tall, he was a fine athlete, and in 1912 the year that he left school, he ran the 100 yards in a time of 10.4 seconds. This time wasn’t beaten until 1960 by the future Scotland international rugby player Sandy Hinshelwood. He was also becoming an outstanding golfer and met and became firm friends with another rising local golfer Tommy Armour. Armour and Cruikshank played together regularly over the Braid Hills course. Armour would later become a three time major winner. Bobby also became a member of Turnhouse Golf Club on the west of the city. Cruickshank served in the British Army in World War I. Captured in action by the Germans, he was a prisoner of war and later successfully escaped. < On returning from the war Bobby won what was then Edinburgh’s top amateur competition in both 1919 and 1920. The tournament was played over the famous Braid Hills course which is still the city’s premier municipal course. Representing his old school’s former pupils Bobby was part of a team which won the famous Evening Dispatch Trophy. He also reached the final rounds of the British Amateur Championship played at Muirfieldin the summer of 1920. These successes encouraged Bobby to consider turning professional and moving to the USA with his wife Helen.
Career
Cruickshank turned professional in 1921 and moved to the United States, as suggested by his mentor and friend, Tommy Armour. He rose to prominence in the U.S. after reaching the last four of the USPGA in both 1922 and 1923. He lost both times to eventual champion Gene Sarazen. Cruickshank was also twice runner-up in the US Open. In 1923 he finished second to Bobby Jones down by two shots after an 18 hole play off at Inwood Country Club, New York. In 1932 he was beaten by Gene Sarazen at Fresh Meadow Country Club, New York. Bobby came home to Scotland to play at Muirfield in the 1929 Open Championship. Despite only bringing two clubs with him and borrowing the rest from the Gullane professional he finished sixth. In a nod to his old school Bobby wore his Stewart’s College tie while playing in the second round of the championship. Bobby won £10 for sixth place while that years “Champion Golfer” Walter Hagen won £75. Cruickshank won 17 tour events in his career and his greatest year was 1927, when he won the Los Angeles and Texas Opens and finished as the leading money winner for the year. His last victory on tour was in 1936 and he had 16 top-ten finishes in major championships.
After golf
Cruickshank was a club pro in Richmond, Virginia, in 1930s and 1940s, and later in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was also a winter pro in Florida. Cruickshank died after a brief illness at age 80 in Delray Beach, Florida. His wife Nellie had died ten years earlier in Pittsburgh.
NYF = tournament not yet founded NT = no tournament WD = withdrew CUT = missed the half-way cut R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play
