By this time, Willie’s had been designing clubs for Worthington Manufacturing, the first “signature” line ever and was endorsing the 'near indestructible' Champion ball. He even notably appeared in a “flick book” of his swing, A Perfect Swing by Willie Anderson, published by the C.C. Chattell Golf Club Company in 1909. Measuring just 1¾’’ x 2¾’’, this little gem is one of the rarest golf books in the world.
The Anderson swing was a thing of beauty; slow and unhurried and seemingly effortless. It’s clear he was the Ernie Els or Freddie Couples of his day. However, more relevant to his success was his incredible ability to focus and never get flustered. His putting form in particular was much imitated and he was seen as the ultimate closer.
In 1908 and 1909 he narrowly missed out on adding to his US Open tally, coming fourth both years. However, he continued to accumulate Western Open titles, winning in both years to make it four in total.
By 1910, his form was not as dominant as it had been, and some subsequent historians have said he was drinking too much at this time, but there is no evidence of this. Whatever was happening, his health had deteriorated and he wasn’t the force he had been. Tellingly, in 1910 he wasn’t well enough to defend his Western Open title and on October 25, just four days after his thirty-firstt birthday, he collapsed and died in Chestnut Hill near Philadelphia. The official cause of death was epilepsy. Sadly, Willie had not only inherited his mother Jessie’s slender legs, but also her weak chest as she constantly struggled with chest infections and had died when Willie was still in his teens.
