Dale Douglass was an American professional golfer who found significant success on the Senior PGA Tour (now PGA Tour Champions) after a solid career on the PGA Tour. He was known for his consistent play, longevity in the sport, and a career-defining victory at the U.S. Senior Open.
Listen to an introduction about Dale Douglass
![]()
Name: Dale Dwight Douglass
Date of Birth: March 5, 1936 (Died: July 6, 2022)
Height: 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Place of Birth: Wewoka, Oklahoma, U.S.
Family:
- Spouse: Joyce Douglass
- Children: Laura (daughter), Tom (son)
Profession: Professional Golfer, Golf Course Designer
Nationality: American
Religion: Information not publicly available.
College or University Attended: University of Colorado (graduated 1959)
Biography and What Famous For:
Born in Oklahoma and raised in Colorado, Dale Douglass was a standout collegiate golfer at the University of Colorado, where he won the Big Seven Conference Championship in 1957. After graduating, he turned professional in 1960 and joined the PGA Tour in 1963.
Douglass achieved steady success on the PGA Tour, capturing three victories between 1969 and 1970. His best year was 1969, when he won both the Azalea Open Invitational and the Kemper Open and finished 9th on the money list. While he remained a consistent performer for many years, his greatest accomplishments came after he turned 50.
He joined the Senior PGA Tour in 1986 and made an immediate impact, winning three times in his rookie season. The highlight of his career came that year when he won the U.S. Senior Open, a senior major championship, defeating the legendary Gary Player by a single stroke. This victory cemented his reputation as one of the top senior golfers of his era. He would go on to win 11 total events on the senior circuit.
Dale Douglass is famous for being one of the pioneers of the Senior PGA Tour, demonstrating that a golfer’s career could have a highly successful second act. His victory in a senior major and his consistent presence on leaderboards for over a decade made him a respected figure in the golf community. He was also involved in golf course design later in his career.
Professional Wins:
PGA Tour (Selected):
- Azalea Open Invitational (1969)
- Kemper Open (1969)
- Phoenix Open Invitational (1970)
PGA Tour Champions (Selected):
- U.S. Senior Open (1986) – Senior Major Championship
- Vintage Invitational (1986)
- Johnny Mathis Seniors Classic (1986)
- GTE Suncoast Classic (1988)
- Bell Atlantic/St. Christopher’s Classic (1990)
- Ralphs Senior Classic (1991)
- PGA Seniors’ Championship (1992 – unofficial money event at the time)
- Ameritech Senior Open (1992)
- Bell Atlantic Classic (1993)
- Ralphs Senior Classic (1994)
- BellSouth Senior Classic at Opryland (1996)
Awards (Selected):
- Inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame (1989)
- Inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame (1977)


























