RICHARD PALMER ACCEPTS EGU PRESIDENCY FOR 2007
Richard Palmer, currently Chairman of the Championship Committee,
has accepted the nomination to become President Elect of the
English Golf Union for the year 2006 with a view to becoming
its President in 2007.
Sussex-born (at Crowborough in 1943 but Kent by adoption)
Richard has lived on the Royal St George’s course in
Sandwich Bay for 12 years. He spent his business life in banking
but, since retirement in 1995, has played a major role within
championship golf with the EGU and the R&A.
The son of an army officer, Richard spent much of his childhood
years at various locations because of his father’s postings.
However, after preparatory school in Crowborough, he went
to college at Radley where he was an avid sportsman, playing
cricket, tennis, hockey and particularly fives. He became
a member of the MCC at the age of 19.
Deciding not to follow his father into the Services, he joined
Lloyds Bank in 1962 in Bristol and spent 33 years with the
company. During that time, his business career took him to
many postings in the South of England such as Guildford, Sevenoaks,
the Isle of Wight and London before his final destination
at Folkestone as senior manager of a group of branches, which
was when he moved to Sandwich Bay.
His pre-occupation with other team sports meant that golf
took a back seat in his early years. Although he took up the
game at the age of seven at Crowborough, he admits to retiring
at eight and rarely played again for ten years.
After leaving school and going into banking he took up golf
again and joined Bristol and Clifton for four years. But it
was when he joined Royal Ashdown Forest in 1968 that the golfing
bug really bit him and the other sports were discarded. It
was also the start of his life in golf administration as he
was elected to the club’s committee almost immediately
and became their youngest captain in 1977-78.
Still a member after almost 40 years, Richard got down to
one handicap, despite admitting to never having a lesson,
and played county golf for Sussex for six years. He also saw
action in the Brabazon Trophy and the English Amateur Championship
- tournaments he has overseen for the past five years.
He was elected to the Sussex County Committee in the mid-1970s
and, a few years later, became their representative on the
EGU, a post he still holds as a Council member. He was Sussex
county captain in 1987-89 and president for three years from
1997-99, which included their centenary year.
When business took him to Sevenoaks he joined Knole Park
and enjoyed some success on the Kent scene, twice finishing
runner-up in the Kent Cob being beaten by such as ex-Walker
Cup man Peter Hedges and, on the other occasion, by Michael
McLean.
As a member of the Lloyds Bank Golfing Society, he won their
national championship three times, co-incidentally at EGU
headquarters at Woodhall Spa.
His eight years on the Isle of Wight saw Richard join the
Shanklin and Sandown club while he has been a member of Royal
St George’s for the past 25 years, during which time
he has served on its committee.
He became a member of the R&A in 1982, served on its
Championship Committee from 1992-95 and on its Rules Committee
from 1999 -2002. He has been a member of the Tournament Panel
since 1992 and has refereed in eight Open Championships and
a number of European Tour events.
Richard has been a member of the EGU’s Executive and
Championship Committees for almost 25 years and the chairman
of the latter for the last five years, a post he will relinquish
at the end of this year.
He is also now involved with the European Golf Association,
being a member of its Championship Committee for the past
two years and ran the European Men‘s Team Championship
at Hillside last month for the EGA.
After being asked to become President Elect then President,
Richard said: "I’m delighted and very honoured
to be chosen. I like being involved at the sharp end. In everything
I’m a team man who likes to lead. I also tend to have
strongly held views!"
These days, his seasonal commitments mean his own golf is
generally confined to the winter months while his handicap
has risen to five. However, he has played for Radley in the
Halford Hewitt for 30 years and was its playing captain when
the school won the title for its only time in 1996.
In his spare time he has run the Moles Golfing Society for
the past 23 years as its Honorary Secretary and is this year’s
captain. He has also run his Old Radleians GS for 30 years.
Richard travels around 25,000 miles each year fulfilling
his golfing duties and, outside of the game, he involves himself
with charity work. He is a practising churchman, being the
treasurer of his local church, St Clements, for the last ten
years.
He is the first president-elect from Sussex since Frank Pennink
in 1967, who was his proposer for membership of the R&A.
A bachelor, Richard was one of four children. His elder sister
is deceased but he has two younger sisters, the youngest of
which he gave away in marriage three weeks ago - the wedding
date had to fit in with his tournament diary!
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