Royal Birkdale - Lee Trevino

Willie Aitchison

Though he was a humble man from humble origins, Aitchison stood no nonsense when those who thought themselves to be his betters talked down to him. The straight talking man from Maryhill would let them know in no uncertain terms what he thought of their rudeness. It was an attitude that stood him in good stead as he fought for many years to have caddies paid and treated properly. It is no exaggeration to say that the modern top-flight caddie – they can earn huge sums and no longer have to eat at burger vans – owes his or her financial and status well-being to Willie Aitchison.

He was a natural caddie, able to judge distances to the yard with his eyes alone – there were no yardage books back then – and just as importantly he was a shrewd judge of humans, too, always able to advise the right club to the golfer who employed him. Not that he was a caddie all his life. Back then there were no tours abroad on which to ply the caddie’s trade, and it was very much a summer pursuit, so Aitchison took to driving lorries and especially oil tankers to sustain his family.

He officially began his caddying career in 1951, and news spread among the professional golfing fraternity that here was a man with rare gifts as a caddie. Yet it was with an amateur that he first tasted serious success, caddying for Michael Bonallack, later Sir Michael, at the 1961 Amateur Championship. He would go on to partner Bonallack to all his five Amateur Championships, and they became lifelong friends.

He caddied for all the great figures of golf at that time, including the legendary Sam Snead, the ill-fated Tony Lema, Gary Player, and Tom Watson. It was in the 1960s that he formed his most enduring professional and personal relationships, “winning” his first Open at the Royal Liverpool Club at Hoylake in 1967. Aitchison was shortly afterwards introduced to Lee Trevino, the swashbuckling, wisecracking Texan who Aitchison thought was “a nutcase” when they first met. But they soon gelled and from 1968 onwards, Aitchison carried Trevino’s bag in every Open in which the American star competed. In 1971, at Royal Birkdale, the pairing took the Open after a memorable battle with the famous Mr Lu Liang-Huan of Taiwan. Aitchison carried many more bags, but off the course he was constantly lobbying for improvements to the caddies’ lot. This was recognised when the European Tour made him Caddie Master after he officially retired, though he did caddy for quite a few golfers after that. In 2000 he was inducted into the Caddie Hall of Fame.

Lee Trevino Display

These items were generously presented to Royal Birkdale by Bill Aitchison. The son of Willie Aitchison. Willie was Lee Trevino's caddy, they won The Open together in 1971 and 1972. Bill has told the club that when Lee flew to the UK to compete in the 1971 Open at Royal Birkdale, the airline lost his clubs. He acquired new clubs in the tented village at the championship, and during the practice times, he customised them with lead tape (still visible), and ground some of them to his liking, changing lofts lies and grips. All of this work was done using the tools in the Pro Shop at Royal Birkdale under the likely supervision of the Head pro at the time - Bobby Halsall. During the championship, Lee's original clubs arrived at Birkdale, but he continued to play with his new set. He won the Open with the new set, and for the next tournament, went back to his 'old' set. Leaving the new set redundant. Willie kept them, and Bill has now presented them to Royal Birkdale.

Willie Aitchison’s Hat

This hat was given by ‘Mr Lu’ to Willie Aitchison (Lee Trevino’s Caddie) to wear on the final day of the open in 1971.

You can see him wearing it in the black and white picture.

Master Mex Ball

This is an un-played ‘Master-Mex’ Ball – Lee Trevino’s own brand

Lee Trevino’s Clubs

Lee played these clubs (2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 irons are here) in the 1971 Open at Royal Birkdale

Caddie Bibs

These are Willie Aitchison’s Caddie Bibs worn in the 1992 Open at Muirfield

9 Iron

Following his Open win in 1971, club manufacturer – John Letters of Scotland – made mould’s of Lee’s winning clubs and cast some prototypes with the intention of selling to the mass market. This was the ‘proof’ sent to Lee for approval.