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David Scott has described his appointment as the 85th Captain of The PGA as a “tear-jerking” moment.
The 61-year-old from St Andrews succeeded Peter Laugher at the Association’s AGM on April 3, joining a celebrated and decorated list of Captains, including Sir Henry Cotton, Harry Vardon, JH Taylor, James Braid, Max Faulkner, Percy and Peter Alliss, and Bernard Gallacher.
That illustrious roll of honour also includes ‘Mr Golf’ Jim Farmer, the treasured PGA grandee who sadly passed away in November last year at the age of 76. As a fellow St Andrean, Scott regularly sought Farmer’s sage counsel throughout his own PGA career and is determined to build on his mentor’s revered legacy.
“Jim would have been exceptionally proud,” said Scott, who earned PGA Master Professional status in 2018. “After my wife, Jim was the first person I told about being invited to become the Captain back in 2023.
“I spoke at Jim’s memorial service earlier this year and reflected on the great impact he had on both The PGA and myself personally. Growing up as a young lad in St Andrews, he was just Mr Golf.
LADDER TO CAPTAIN
By his own admission, Scott was never a stand-out pupil in the classroom, but The PGA provided him with an eye-opening education when he began his apprenticeship at Blairgowrie in 1982. More than 40 years later, his drive, dedication and diligence have been rewarded with a fulfilling career and the crowning glory of The PGA captaincy.
“To represent 8,000 PGA members is almost tear-jerking. When I delivered my acceptance speech, I had a tissue in my pocket just in case.”
“From a young lad turning professional at 19, with a lack of confidence and not a great academic background, to now being The PGA Captain is a massive honour,” said the former Captain of The PGA in Scotland, who represented GB&I in the 1990 PGA Cup.
“I found my niche as a teenager, jumped in with both feet and I’ve been learning ever since. I can’t actually say becoming PGA Captain is a dream come true because, starting out, I never would’ve imagined that I’d be proposed by The PGA board for such a lofty position.
“But I have a lot of experience behind me now, and my career has built me up to this. I’m following a fantastic Captain in Peter (Laugher), who has been of great support to me.
“There have been some great Captains, and I’m very excited to be following in their footsteps. If I do half as good a job as they did, then I’ll have done well.”
Having been the Director of Golf at Kingsbarns, before holding significant posts at the Duke’s Course and the Old Course Hotel, Scott moved to his current position at Dumbarnie Links in 2020, helping to rapidly establish it as one of the jewels in the home of golf’s crown.
DAYTIME DUTIES
As General Manager at the bustling Fife course, Scott has plenty of day-to-day duties, but he is relishing the prospect of adding his PGA Captaincy commitments to an already packed schedule.
“There will be some juggling,” he added. “Dumbarnie Links reopens for the season the day after I take up the Captaincy, so I’m back up from The Belfry on a late flight for a few hours’ sleep before being on the first tee in the morning to welcome the first golfers of the new season.
“The good thing for me is that I have an excellent team at Dumbarnie Links who will deliver in all areas. When I’m away, it won’t fall apart.
“When I was invited to be Captain, I ran it past Clive Clark, founder and course designer of Dumbarnie. But he, as a proud PGA Member, didn’t think twice before telling me, ‘This is something you have to take; it’s a great honour and a fantastic opportunity.’”
PGA Chief Executive Robert Maxfield expressed his enthusiasm for Scott’s appointment, highlighting the exceptional qualities he has demonstrated throughout a distinguished career.
“To be The PGA Captain, you must represent the very essence of the Association. David Scott exemplifies exactly what it means to be a PGA Professional.”
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