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Northwestern golfer Josh Jamieson has a golf pedigree unlike many others. He was born in St. Andrews, Scotland, the “home of golf,” and worked as a caddy at the famed Old Course.
“It’s something I enjoyed from a really young age,” said Jamieson, a freshman. “You’re absolutely surrounded by golf in Scotland. You really don’t have much of a choice.”
Jamieson’s attraction to golf — and Northwestern — may come from his family heritage. He is a descendant of the Ayton family, which is one of the oldest golfing families in the world and has a unique connection to Evanston.
Laurie Ayton, Jamieson’s great-grandfather, came to the Evanston Golf Club in the 1920s, serving as the club’s head professional. He played in multiple U.S. Opens before returning home to St. Andrews in 1934.
Jamieson’s grandfather, Laurie Ayton Jr., learned to play in Evanston but became one of the top professionals in Britain and was selected for the Ryder Cup team representing Great Britain and Ireland in 1949.
Despite the Evanston connection, Jamieson did not come to the United States until he was recruited by Northwestern assistant coach David Inglis, a fellow Scot.
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