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Hamish Ritchie performed the traditional 'driving in' ceremony at 8 o'clock this morning to mark the beginning of his year as Captain of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. Ritchie's first tee shot as Captain was accompanied by the boom of a cannon, which is traditionally fired as the shot is hit.
Hamish Ritchie joined the Royal and Ancient Golf Club in 1974 and served as a member of the General Committee from 1994 - 1998.
Hamish Ritchie
The Captaincy was orginally a title of victory for winning the Royal & Ancient club's Silver Club Challenge, but soon evolved to an elected role and in modern times has expanded to that of ambassador for the game and a figurehead for the Club’s world-wide membership.
The cannon fired as the new captain hits his tee shot was salvaged from the sailing ship Sutleg, which foundered in St Andrews Bay in April 1858. It was acquired for the Club in 1859 through the offices of Provost Sir Hugh Lyon Playfair, Captain in 1859.
As the Captain prepares to drive in, the caddies of St Andrews line the first fairway, and once the ball is in flight they race to see who can be first to retrieve the ball. The winner is awarded a gold sovereign.
Six members of the royal family have served as Captain, the most recent being HRH The Duke of York, who drove into office exactly five years ago, on 18th September 2003. Watched by a large crowd of R&A members and St Andreans, Prince Andrew hit a suitably regal drive of some 260 yards straight down the fairway, before describing becoming Captain as "an enormous privilege, an honour and a dream come true."
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Born in Milngavie, near Glasgow, he was educated at Loretto, East Lothian, and Christ Church, Oxford. He was an Oxford Blue, and held the captaincy of Oxford University Golf Club from 1964-1965. A member of the Oxford & Cambridge Golfing Society, he was captain from 1994-1996. He became captain of his home club, Denham Golf Club, in 1993 and was chairman from 2000 - 2004.
An insurance broker, Hamish Ritchie began his career with Hogg Robinson where he worked for 16 years. He moved to Marsh Limited in 1981 and became chairman of Marsh & McLennan Companies (UK) in 2000, a role he undertook until 2004.
Now retired and living in Buckinghamshire, Hamish is married to Carol. They have two adult children. He is a member of Rye Golf Club, Chechessee Creek Club and the Duke’s Golf Club and plays to a handicap of 11. He is also a member of the MCC. |
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