Nigel Evans, the President elect of England Golf, has been awarded an OBE for services to amateur golf in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Nigel, who will become President in 2015, says he feels humble to be granted this honour for something he has enjoyed doing for so long.
“To some extent this is an award for something that has been a labour of love for the past 35 years,” he says. “I have worked with Cheshire, the English Golf Union and now England Golf. It hasn’t been without its up-and-downs but I wouldn’t have missed the experience for the world.
“Getting this award is the icing on the cake and I feel very honoured. But amateur golf is largely a volunteer sport. I’ve been rewarded but a lot of people put in a lot of work for England Golf and I accept this on behalf of all the volunteers who don’t get recognised.”
Cheshire born and bred, Nigel began his working life with the National Westminster Bank as a 16 year old and retired in 1998 after 37 years with the bank, most of the time spent in Liverpool and Manchester. His final post was as a Business Director in the Chester area.
The 69 year old, who has been a member of Sandiway Golf Club for more than 50 years, has held the posts of Captain and Chairman, been club champion, and has represented Cheshire at junior, colts, first team and senior levels.
Nigel has been involved in national golf administration since 1980. He was a member of the Cheshire Executive from 1980–2005, is a past Chairman of Finance as well as Junior and Selection committees. He was Cheshire President in 1995. He was also a member of the English Golf Union’s Northern Group Committee from 1998–2005 and Northern Boys Secretary from 2001–2004.
Further involvement with the EGU saw Nigel on the Executive Committee and Finance Committee from 2002–05, serving as Chairman of the latter in 2004–05 and was a member of the Management Committee in 2005.
He was an EGU Board member from 2005–2011 and its Chairman from 2009 until January 2012 when he became Chairman of England Golf, a position held until February this year. Nigel played a major role in the merger with the English Women’s Golf Association, being Chairman of the EGU steering group from 2009–2011.
Prior to the merger, he was the Board member responsible for National Coaching and Elite Performance from 2005–2011. He is also a past captain of the Hittite Golfing Society.
Nigel is married to Judith and they have a son Robert and a daughter Elizabeth.
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