About Johnny Dawson
Lived 1902 – 1986 (aged 83). Johnny Dawson was an American golfer.
John W. Dawson (December 20, 1902
Career Dawson was born in Chicago, Illinois. Although he was a lifelong amateur golfer, his amateur status was rescinded by the United States Golf Association (USGA) for a time due to his employment with the Spalding sporting goods company. Dawson played on the winning 1949 Walker Cup team. He was also runner-up in 1958 U.S. Senior Amateur.
As a golf course architect, he designed and built Marrakesh Country Club, the Seven Lakes, Thunderbird, El Dorado, and La Quinta Country Clubs.
Dawson also won the Southern California Golf Association (SCGA) amateur championship four times between 1942 and 1952.
Personal life Dawson lived in Palm Springs. He was married to the puppetteer Velma Wayne Dawson.
Awards and honors In 2007, Dawson was inducted into the SCGA Hall of Fame.
Amateur wins
1936 Trans-Mississippi Amateur 1942 California State Amateur, Southern California Amateur 1944 Southern California Amateur 1945 Southern California Amateur 1952 Southern California Amateur
Professional wins (3) Note: all wins were as an amateur
PGA Tour wins (1) 1942 Bing Crosby Pro-Am Source:
Other wins (2)
1935 Iowa Open 1942 California State Open
U.S. national team appearances Amateur Walker Cup: 1949 (winners)
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Johnny Dawson's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Johnny Dawson's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Johnny Dawson?
Amateur golfer
When was Johnny Dawson born?
Johnny Dawson was born on 20 December 1902 in Chicago.
When did Johnny Dawson die?
Johnny Dawson died on 6 January 1986 in Palm Springs.
What was Johnny Dawson's occupation?
Johnny Dawson was a golfer.
What nationality was Johnny Dawson?
Johnny Dawson was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Johnny Dawson. https://biography.guide/johnny-dawson/
MLA: "Johnny Dawson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/johnny-dawson/.
Chicago: "Johnny Dawson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/johnny-dawson/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:02 UTC