Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Golf Mourns The Loss of Cotton Dunn
October 26, 2017 | Cowboy Golf
STILLWATER, Okla. – Bill "Cotton" Dunn, a former All-American for the Oklahoma State men's golf team, passed away earlier the month at the age of 79 in Plano, Texas after a long battle with congestive heart failure.
Dunn learned the game of golf during his childhood as a caddy and went on to guide Duncan High School to three state championships. In 1955, he captured both the Oklahoma Junior and the USGA Junior National Championship, where he beat Jack Nicklaus in the quarterfinals. That same year, he competed on the U.S. Junior squad that defeated the British side in a Ryder Cup-format match.
As the first person in his family to go to college, Dunn started his post-high school golf career at the University of Houston before transferring to Oklahoma State, where he earned honorable mention All-America status in 1961 and was a long drive champion. He graduated with an accounting degree in 1961. While serving in the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Sill, Okla., Cotton continued competing and won the Post Golf Championship.
After working two years for Texaco as a junior accountant, he chose professional golf as his true career path. Dunn competed on the PGA Tour, was a teaching and playing professional at The Apawamis Club, in Rye, N.Y., and enjoyed 13 years as the director of golf and head professional at Kernwood Country Club in Salem, Mass., before serving as the head professional at The Hamlet Country Club, in Delray Beach, Fla.
Dunn also served as director of golf and head professional at Prestonwood Country Club in Dallas, Texas for 25 years. During his career, he was honored by his peers with a Distinguished Service Award, the Professional of the Year Award, and induction into the Duncan Athletes Hall of Fame.
Dunn is survived by his wife of 57 years, Jerry Ann, two daughters, Sonya Hodson (Jim) and Marianne Hailey; four grandchildren; Hayley and Jonathan Hodson as well as Holt and Ben Calder, both of whom are currently students at OSU, two sisters, Joanne Gallup and Mary Daggs, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
Dunn learned the game of golf during his childhood as a caddy and went on to guide Duncan High School to three state championships. In 1955, he captured both the Oklahoma Junior and the USGA Junior National Championship, where he beat Jack Nicklaus in the quarterfinals. That same year, he competed on the U.S. Junior squad that defeated the British side in a Ryder Cup-format match.
As the first person in his family to go to college, Dunn started his post-high school golf career at the University of Houston before transferring to Oklahoma State, where he earned honorable mention All-America status in 1961 and was a long drive champion. He graduated with an accounting degree in 1961. While serving in the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Sill, Okla., Cotton continued competing and won the Post Golf Championship.
After working two years for Texaco as a junior accountant, he chose professional golf as his true career path. Dunn competed on the PGA Tour, was a teaching and playing professional at The Apawamis Club, in Rye, N.Y., and enjoyed 13 years as the director of golf and head professional at Kernwood Country Club in Salem, Mass., before serving as the head professional at The Hamlet Country Club, in Delray Beach, Fla.
Dunn also served as director of golf and head professional at Prestonwood Country Club in Dallas, Texas for 25 years. During his career, he was honored by his peers with a Distinguished Service Award, the Professional of the Year Award, and induction into the Duncan Athletes Hall of Fame.
Dunn is survived by his wife of 57 years, Jerry Ann, two daughters, Sonya Hodson (Jim) and Marianne Hailey; four grandchildren; Hayley and Jonathan Hodson as well as Holt and Ben Calder, both of whom are currently students at OSU, two sisters, Joanne Gallup and Mary Daggs, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
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