CLIV
The Royal & Ancient Golf Club has agreed that Clive Edgington, from St George’s Hill GC, should continue as captain in 2020/21
E Edgington is to continue as captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews in 2020/21.
But because of the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic this year, the club’s past captains have nominated Mr Edginton to continue in the role for another 12 months from September 2020.
The first was Major John Murray Belshes, who held the position in 1835 and 1836.
Mr Edginton said: “It is an honour to be captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club and I feel very privileged to be asked to continue in the role.
“This is a difficult time for all of us in the midst of this pandemic but I am happy I can continue to serve the club as we look positively to the future.”
The new captain’s drive-in is normally held on the first tee at St Andrews Old Course, each September.
The incumbent then attends a number of high profile events around the world as an ambassador of The R&A, including The Open.
Mr Edgington will now be part of the presenation party when the Claret Jug is awarded at Royal St George’s after the R&A was forced to cancel the 149th Open, at Sandwich, in July, because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Captain a ‘Halford Hewitt veteran’
BORN in Walton-on-Thames, Mr Edgington was educated at Malvern College and Oxford University.
He graduated in 1973 with a degree in law and was awarded his Blue for golf.
After a successful business career in the City of London, latterly as chief executive and then chairman of Tindall Riley, a specialist insurance management company, he retired in 2014.
The Weybridge club member has since been a non-executive director and is now a consultant to the Medical Defence Union.
Mr Edgington became a member of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club in 1997.
He served on the Rules of Golf committee from 2000-4 and was its deputy chairman from 2002-4.
Clive was chairman of the amateur status committee from 2007-11 during which time The R&A and the USGA produced the first unified amateur status code.
He was elected to the R&A’s general committee in 2014 and became its chairman – and also of The R&A’s principal companies from September 2015 until September 2018.
Mr Edginton’s became a member at St George’s Hill at the age of eight.
He has served as a committee member, captain, director and trustee.
Clive has been club champion on four occasions and is a nine-time winner of the club’s scratch Gold Medal.
At various times he has also been captain of the South Eastern Junior Golfing Society, the Oxford and Cambridge Golfing Society, the Moles Golfing Society and the Old Malvernian Golfing Society, for whom he played more than 100 matches in the Halford Hewitt at Deal.
Sixty-eight-year-old Mr Edginton currently plays to a handicap of eight.
Clive is married to Debbie, who is a member of both St George’s Hill and The St Rule Club at St Andrews.
