Golf: Kiwi judged worthy of club's top honour

A Ping G2 driver, bought from the pro shop at Auckland Golf Club, will create a little bit of golfing history at the home of the game on September 22.

Wielding the club will be Tom Gault, patron of New Zealand Golf, who will drive himself in as captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews in Scotland.

The Right Honourable Justice Thomas Gault DCNZM, to give him his full title in his other job as a judge of the Supreme Court, is the first New Zealander in the 252 years of the R & A to be honoured with the captaincy.

Only four captains have come from outside Britain and the only other golfer from this part of the world to be honoured was Viscount Bruce of Melbourne, a former Prime Minister of Australia, who was captain in 1954. Six members of the Royal Family have been captains, the latest being Prince Andrew in 2003.

The captain's inauguration comes with a drive down the first fairway of the Old Course at St Andrews. At 8am on September 22 he will be escorted to the tee by the outgoing captain, Richard Cole-Hamilton.

The ball will be teed up by the club's honorary professional and the local caddies will spread out to recover the drive. The caddie who collects the ball is traditionally rewarded with a gold sovereign.

As if the first drive in these surroundings is not daunting enough, a cannon will be fired as the shot is made.

Gault, who plays off a 13 handicap, admits to being nervous about the ceremonial start to his year of office.

"I've been doing some practice," he said before leaving for Scotland. "But I seem to be getting worse rather than improving. I certainly won't be pressing for distance."

Gault has been a lifelong devotee of the game. He learned to play as a youngster at Paraparaumu, got down to a one handicap while a student in Wellington and earned Victoria University and New Zealand University golfing blues. He has been a member of the Paraparaumu, Miramar, Karori, Royal Wellington and Auckland golf clubs.

He was on the council of New Zealand Golf for 15 years, becoming president and later patron. He was president when the Eisenhower and Espirito Santo world amateur tournaments were staged in Christchurch in 1990.

Gault's connection with the R & A spans several years and he was a member of the rules of golf committee from 1978-1995.

As captain he will represent the club around the world, much as the Lord Mayor of London represents the City of London.

The private club, recognised for many years as the ultimate authority on the game except in the United States, has 2400 members, of whom a maximum of 750 can be from overseas. In the past couple of years it has devolved its rule-making and running of the Open to a separate body called the R & A.

"It's a remarkable honour for a remarkable New Zealander," said Fred Henderson, president of New Zealand Golf.

"Tom has enjoyed a very strong career in golf in New Zealand as a prominent player and a leading administrator. It is an honour that is richly deserved."

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Two of New Zealand's form players, Kevin Chun and Travis O'Connell, are in the 16-man field contesting the Auckland matchplay championship at the Auckland Golf Club this weekend.

Chun (Titirangi) and O'Connell (The Grange) performed with credit in the Auckland and Waikato strokeplay tournaments over the past two weekends. Neither has won the matchplay title, though O'Connell was runner-up to Chris Johns a couple of years ago.

Auckland will be keen to see a local player win after a string of North Harbour successes. Last year's winner, Josh Carmichael, has turned professional but Steven Han (North Shore) was second qualifier this year.