England Golf are delighted to announce that Debbie Richards has formally accepted the invitation to become England Golf President Elect in 2025 and President in 2026.
The 64-year-old will take up the role of President Elect in April 2025, following the annual general meeting.
Debbie started golf as a teenager and was an international at the age of just 16 when she played for Wales in the Junior Home Internationals. She moved to London at the age of 19 and joined Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club where she remained until 2000, when she joined Burhill. She has also been a member of Rye for over 20 years – and has been a club champion at all three clubs.
Debbie has played County golf for Surrey at various levels, including both 1st and 2nd teams, and is currently still playing in the senior team. On turning 50, she became a frequent participator in senior events both home and abroad, and was selected for the England Senior Team in 2014, a year in which the team won a gold medal at the European Team Championships.
In 2017, Debbie was appointed Captain of the England Senior Team and held the position for three years, winning gold at the 2019 European Team Championships, which resulted in her winning the 2019 England Golf Volunteer of the Year.
In 2021, Debbie was Captain of the Southern Vets Golfing Association, with which she regularly continues to play, while she also still represents Burhill in various competitions.
In her professional life, after leaving school, Debbie worked in sales for nine years at British Airways before joining a sports hospitality company which specialised in running golf days and also rugby and tennis events.
Speaking of her appointment, she said: “I am over the moon to have been asked to be England Golf President Elect – it’s such an amazing honour to have been considered. Looking at the calibre of my predecessors as Lady Presidents, I feel deeply honoured to be following in their footsteps.
“It’s exciting. I am looking forward to building on all the great work the organisation has been doing in making golf more inclusive and accessible, and showcasing that golf is not off limits to anyone. It is crucial that we get that message across and it’s a passion of mine to get more people into the game.
“As a junior golfer growing up, there were some barriers in terms of things like not being able to play till after 4pm at the weekend, and having to let members through, but these barriers have been removed over the years. We have come a long way since then but there is still work to be done to introduce golf to women, youngsters and people from various backgrounds who mightn’t have given the sport a go before.
