Richard was the youngest, but tallest, of three boys and with his brothers, Tom and John, used to watch members playing past their farm which was just above the clubhouse.

In 1934, Burton won the Northern Professional Championship, the first of many titles, the following year he collected the Dunlop-Northern Tournament and made his first appearance in the Ryder Cup for Great Britain.

1937 saw Burton win the Dunlop-Southport Tournament and he also appeared in the Coronation Match for King George VI.

The following years brought more success, winning Manchester and District Professional Championship, being selected for the England team to play Ireland & Wales and finishing joint 4th in the 1938 Open Championship, held at Royal St George's in Kent, eight shots behind Reg Whitcombe.

Burton was the sixth British winner in a row since Denny Shute had won the last Open at St Andrews in 1933.

He won the News Chronicle Tournament, at Hollingbury Park Golf Club, in 1949 with a record aggregate for 72 holes, at the time, with 266 strokes.

When asked, later in life, if he regretted not being able to capitalise on the Open Championship win he replied "I was lucky enough…a lot of those who watched me at St Andrews also went off to war and they never came back.

Burton also helped the war effort by raising money for the Red Cross by playing charity matches with Henry Cotton, who was also serving in the RAF.

In the spring of 1946, he wrote to the Royal and Ancient, "Dear Sirs, Please find enclosed my fee of five guineas for this year's Open.