Sir Michael Bonallack OBE has become the 16th Honorary Member of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.
A former Captain and Secretary of the Club, Sir Michael is Britain’s most decorated amateur golfer.
Sir Michael received the Honorary Membership during the Club’s Autumn Meeting and his portrait is now displayed in the Big Room of The Royal and Ancient Clubhouse.
“I am extremely proud to receive Honorary Membership of the Club,” he said. “I feel privileged to have been so closely involved with the Club for so much of my life and both it and the town of St Andrews are incredibly dear to me. I would like to thank the past Captains and Members for their friendship and support over the years. It has been an honour to serve the Club.”
Sir Michael was born in 1934. He enjoyed a hugely successful career as an amateur golfer, winning The Amateur Championship five times between 1951 and 1970. He won the English Amateur Championship five times and captured the English Amateur Stroke Play title on four occasions. He appeared in nine Walker Cups, including two as playing Captain in 1969 and 1971, and was twice the leading amateur in The Open Championship in 1968 and 1971.
He joined The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews in 1960 and served on a number of Committees, including as Chairman of the Amateur Status Committee and of the Selection Committee as well as a Member of the Rules of Golf Committee and the General Committee.
He was appointed Secretary of the Club in 1983, in succession to the late Keith Mackenzie. In 1998, Sir Michael was knighted in the Queen’s birthday honours list. He retired as Secretary in 1999 and was succeeded by Peter Dawson. Sir Michael was nominated as Captain of the Club from 1999 to 2000.
Before becoming Secretary in 1983, Sir Michael was Chairman of the Professional Golfers’ Association and the Golf Foundation and President of the English Golf Union.
The Honorary Members of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews are: His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, His Royal Highness The Duke of York, His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent, The Honourable G.H.W. Bush, Peter Alliss, Tony Jacklin CBE, John Jacobs OBE, Kel Nagle, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Peter Thomson CBE, Lee Trevino, Roberto De Vicenzo, Tom Watson.
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