Laidlaw Purves

Laidlaw Purves
MD, MRCS, LRCP
Purves in 1896. Detail from original colour portrait by John Collier.
Born
William Laidlaw Purves

(1842-04-16)16 April 1842
Edinburgh, Scotland
Died30 December 1917(1917-12-30) (aged 75)
Wimbledon, England
NationalityBritish
EducationUniversity of Edinburgh
OccupationSurgeon
Known forContributions to golf handicapping
Support for women's golf
Medical career
FieldOphthalmology, Aural surgery
InstitutionsGuy's Hospital, London

William Laidlaw Purves MRCS, LRCP (16 April 1842 – 30 December 1917) was a Scottish-born surgeon who worked in London as an aural and ophthalmic surgeon. He contributed specialist articles to the medical literature but is mainly remembered for his contributions to golf. He planned and designed the course that became Royal St Georges in Kent and was an important figure in the establishment of the Ladies Golf Union in the United Kingdom. He was a prime mover in introducing the rules of handicapping into British golf.