David Scott has described his appointment because the eighty fifth Captain of The PGA as a “tear-jerking” second.
The 61-year-old from St Andrews succeeded Peter Laugher on the Affiliation’s AGM on April 3, becoming a member of a celebrated and embellished checklist of Captains, together with Sir Henry Cotton, Harry Vardon, JH Taylor, James Braid, Max Faulkner, Percy and Peter Alliss, and Bernard Gallacher.
That illustrious roll of honour additionally consists of ‘Mr Golf’ Jim Farmer, the treasured PGA grandee who sadly handed away in November final yr on the age of 76. As a fellow St Andrean, Scott commonly sought Farmer’s sage counsel all through his personal PGA profession and is set to construct on his mentor’s revered legacy.
“Jim would have been exceptionally proud,” stated Scott, who earned PGA Grasp Skilled standing in 2018. “After my spouse, Jim was the primary individual I advised about being invited to turn out to be the Captain again in 2023.
“I spoke at Jim’s memorial service earlier this yr and mirrored on the nice influence he had on each The PGA and myself personally. Rising up as a younger lad in St Andrews, he was simply Mr Golf.
LADDER TO CAPTAIN
By his personal admission, Scott was by no means a stand-out pupil within the classroom, however The PGA offered him with an eye-opening training when he started his apprenticeship at Blairgowrie in 1982. Greater than 40 years later, his drive, dedication and diligence have been rewarded with a satisfying profession and the crowning glory of The PGA captaincy.
“To characterize 8,000 PGA members is sort of tear-jerking. Once I delivered my acceptance speech, I had a tissue in my pocket simply in case.”
“From a younger lad turning skilled at 19, with a insecurity and never a fantastic educational background, to now being The PGA Captain is an enormous honour,” stated the previous Captain of The PGA in Scotland, who represented GB&I within the 1990 PGA Cup.
“I discovered my area of interest as an adolescent, jumped in with each toes and I’ve been studying ever since. I can’t truly say changing into PGA Captain is a dream come true as a result of, beginning out, I by no means would’ve imagined that I’d be proposed by The PGA board for such a lofty place.
“However I’ve a variety of expertise behind me now, and my profession has constructed me as much as this. I’m following a unbelievable Captain in Peter (Laugher), who has been of nice assist to me.
“There have been some nice Captains, and I’m very excited to be following of their footsteps. If I do half pretty much as good a job as they did, then I’ll have finished properly.”
Having been the Director of Golf at Kingsbarns, earlier than holding important posts on the Duke’s Course and the Previous Course Lodge, Scott moved to his present place at Dumbarnie Hyperlinks in 2020, serving to to quickly set up it as one of many jewels within the residence of golf’s crown.
DAYTIME DUTIES
As Common Supervisor on the bustling Fife course, Scott has loads of day-to-day duties, however he’s relishing the prospect of including his PGA Captaincy commitments to an already packed schedule.
“There might be some juggling,” he added. “Dumbarnie Hyperlinks reopens for the season the day after I take up the Captaincy, so I’m again up from The Belfry on a late flight for a couple of hours’ sleep earlier than being on the primary tee within the morning to welcome the primary golfers of the brand new season.
“The great factor for me is that I’ve a superb group at Dumbarnie Hyperlinks who will ship in all areas. Once I’m away, it gained’t crumble.
“Once I was invited to be Captain, I ran it previous Clive Clark, founder and course designer of Dumbarnie. However he, as a proud PGA Member, didn’t assume twice earlier than telling me, ‘That is one thing you need to take; it’s a fantastic honour and a unbelievable alternative.’”
PGA Chief Govt Robert Maxfield expressed his enthusiasm for Scott’s appointment, highlighting the distinctive qualities he has demonstrated all through a distinguished profession.
“To be The PGA Captain, you will need to characterize the very essence of the Affiliation. David Scott exemplifies precisely what it means to be a PGA Skilled.”
