Over a twenty-five year period, Vancouver golfer Doug Roxburgh won countless local matches, eleven BC Golf Association Amateur championships, and four Canadian amateur championships. He was a member of a record-setting nineteen Willingdon Cup teams and represented Canada on two winning Commonwealth teams and seven world amateur teams. All this and he was never tempted to play professionally!

Roxburgh began playing golf in 1965 at the age of thirteen, under the tutelage of Jack Westover, the pro at Marine Drive Golf Club. The young golfer began his string of victories in 1969, capturing the BCGA junior and amateur championships in the same year. He retained the BC junior crown in 1970 and went on to win the Canadian junior championships. Throughout his career, he won four Vancouver City match play and six Vancouver City amateur titles.

The consistency, durability and competitiveness of Roxburgh is reflected in the records he holds. He won more BC Amateur titles–eleven–than any other golfer and his stroke average was 71.2! In twenty-five appearances at the Canadian Amateur, he reached the top-five twelve times, winning the tournament in 1972, 1974, 1982, and 1988. A methodical, focussed player, Roxburgh competed on more Willingdon Cup teams than any other golfer. He led BC to victory nine times in nineteen inter-provincial championships.

Roxburgh was internationally recognized as a leading amateur golfer. He competed in the British Amateur three times in 1978-79 and 1981, and represented Canada on the 1971 and 1975 winning Commonwealth teams. In 1979, he was a member of the team that won the Simon Bolivar Cup matches in Venezuela. In 1992, he played on his seventh world amateur team in his hometown of Vancouver.

In 1990, Roxburgh was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. The Marine Drive golfer cited the importance of family life as one of the reasons he hadn’t joined the pro tour. His parents, May and Mac, his brother Bob, sister Margo, wife Lorna and sons James and Geordie, were incredibly supportive of his golfing career.

Roxburgh was greatly admired by his fellow golfers. They recognized the effortless swing, pure ball-striking ability, and dedication to the game that made him Canada’s pre-eminent amateur golfer.