Golfing champion and equipment manufacturer. Born into a golfing family in Musselburgh, Dunn became an apprentice to a local golf-ball maker. He was a leading player on the 1840s and 1850s, serving as greenkeeper at Blackheath (London) in 1851. In 1864, he returned to Scotland, first to Leith and then North Berwick. Dunn is said to have been the first to recognise the effects of scratching the outer sheath of the ball, an effect achieved with the claw end of a hammer.
Dunn died in North Berwick. His son, another Willie (1865 - 1952), became highly influential in the development of the sport in the USA and another son, Thomas, was also a notable golfer, professional and club manufacturer.
