New R&A captain drives in

The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews has a new captain after the official driving-in ceremony took place on the 1st tee of the Old Course last week

The R&A captain's drive in What Is It Like Being A Golf Club Captain?
George Macgregor is the new captain of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews

The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews has a new captain after the official driving-in ceremony took place on the 1st tee of the Old Course last week

The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews has a new captain after the official driving-in ceremony took place on the 1st tee of the Old Course last week.

George Macgreggor OBE dispatched a long drive down the middle of the 1st fairway at precisely 8am on Friday September 21 as a cannon sounded alongside the tee.

As part of his role, Macgreggor will represent the R&A, attend R&A Championships, support its work in developing golf around the world and assume an ambassadorial role for the club.

"It's a pretty unique tradition in the world of golf. To be captain is a fantastic honour and I am very much looking forward to it," said Macgregor.

"The R&A is making great strides within that with a range of initiatives in different parts of the world.

"I think my role is to build on the world that previous captains have done.

"Sandy Dawson, whom I am following, has travelled thousands of miles around the world and has made a great efforts to go out there and meet with golfers and organisations all over the world.

"That's an important part of this role."

Born in Midlothian, Scotland, in 1944, Macgregor is one of Scotland's most successful amateur golfer.

He played five Walker Cups, served as captain in 1991 and 1993, represented Scotland for 18 years, won the Scottish Stroke Play Championship in 1982 and reached the final of the Scottish Amateur Championship that year.

Macgregor - awarded an OBE in 1996 - has served on three R&A committees and been the Director of Championships at the Scottish Golf Union since 2010.

Nick Bonfield
Features Editor

Nick Bonfield joined Golf Monthly in 2012 after graduating from Exeter University and earning an NCTJ-accredited journalism diploma from News Associates in Wimbledon. He is responsible for managing production of the magazine, sub-editing, writing, commissioning and coordinating all features across print and online. Most of his online work is opinion-based and typically centres around the Majors and significant events in the global golfing calendar. Nick has been an avid golf fan since the age of ten and became obsessed with the professional game after watching Mike Weir and Shaun Micheel win The Masters and PGA Championship respectively in 2003. In his time with Golf Monthly, he's interviewed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Billy Horschel and has ghost-written columns for Westwood, Wayne Riley, Matthew Southgate, Chris Wood and Eddie Pepperell. Nick is a 12-handicap golfer and his favourite courses include Old Head, Sunningdale New, Penha Longha, Valderrama and Bearwood Lakes. If you have a feature pitch for Nick, please email nick.bonfield@futurenet.com with 'Pitch' in the subject line. Nick is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade M1 Fairway wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Hybrid: Ping Crossover Irons (4-9): Nike Vapor Speed Wedges: Cleveland CBX Full Face, 56˚, Titleist Vokey SM4, 60˚ Putter: testing in progress! Ball: TaylorMade TP5x