A native of Salt Lake City, Utah, Von Elm won the SCGA Amateur Championship three times, as well as the 1926 U.S. Amateur title (beating Bobby Jones in the championship match). In 1925, he became the only player to ever win the SCGA Amateur, California Amateur and Northern California Golf Association Amateur titles in the same year. Von Elm served as head professional at Hacienda Golf Club from 1950–1953 before returning to Utah to retire.