Smith emerged as a promising young professional in
Melbourne during the early 1930s. In 1931, he competed in assistant professionals' tournaments at Albert Park, where newspaper coverage described his play as steady and accurate, emphasising straight hitting and consistency rather than reliance on exceptional putting. By 1933, Smith was being mentioned regularly in golf columns as a rising Victorian professional, establishing himself among the younger group of tournament players. During the mid-to-late 1930s, Smith recorded a series of low rounds that brought him wider recognition. He set a course record of 64 at Croydon, a performance reported nationally and cited as evidence of his exceptional long-iron play. In March 1939, Smith was appointed club professional at
Northern, a position he held for approximately eleven years. In 1939, Smith produced one of the most notable rounds of Australian professional golf, shooting a course-record 67 at Royal Melbourne West to lead a strong open field. Later that year, he set a new record on the
Commonwealth course, reinforcing his reputation as a powerful ball-striker. Smith won the
Victorian PGA Championship for the first time in 1939. He led the qualifying rounds of the championship with a total score of 155, entering the match-play stages as the leading qualifier. He defeated Charlie Conner by 5 up and 4 in the final at Commonwealth Golf Club. In addition to tournament play, Smith regularly appeared in exhibition matches and instructional tours across Victoria and interstate, and was frequently described as one of the State's leading professional golfers in contemporary press coverage. During the Second World War, Smith participated in patriotic exhibitions and challenge matches. In September 1941, he contested a 72-hole match against
Norman Von Nida, played across
Royal Melbourne and Northern. Mid-match reports recorded Smith holding a two-up lead over
Von Nida after the opening stages of the contest.
Von Nida ultimately won the match at the 71st hole, with newspapers noting large crowds and substantial funds raised for wartime causes. In pre-match commentary,
Von Nida publicly described Smith as "the best Victoria has,". After the war, Smith returned quickly to high-level competition. In 1946, he achieved interstate success, including a professional purse victory at Manly, finishing ahead of
Ossie Pickworth and
Kel Nagle. In 1947, Smith broke the course record at
Torquay and defeated Pickworth. The following day, he tied with
Pickworth at Northern, with reports noting that Smith had "regained the form which put him in the top flight of Australian golfers," despite playing with a persistent back injury that required the use of a steel corset. Later that year, Smith partnered
Bill Clifford to win the Victorian Foursomes Championship at
Woodlands, securing the title by a single stroke. Smith won his second
Victorian PGA Championship in 1951, defeating Jack Boorer by 7 and 5 over 36 holes at Southern Golf Club (New Brighton). Smith represented Victoria in the
Vicars Shield, the interstate professional team competition of the period. He played 9 times between 1935 and 1951. He was twice on the winning team, in 1939 and 1951, with Victoria beating New South Wales 3–2 in the final on both occasions. Smith beat
Billy Bolger by 1 hole in the 1939 final and beat
Sid Cowling in the 1951 final. Smith was 3 down to Cowling after 7 holes but fought back to win at the 19th hole. == Course records ==