Rae, who was born in Scotland, has been a prominent figure in English women's golf for a number of years, taking up the game in her early 30s, and has been a member of Lindrick Golf Club in Yorkshire since 1976.

After graduating from St Andrews University, she moved to South Yorkshire with husband Dougal in the late 1960s and became a prominent figure in public and civic circles including holding the office of High Sheriff during the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002, and is a Deputy Lieutenant for South Yorkshire.

She is also a Sheffield Town Trustee and chaired the Sheffield Cathedral Council for a decade up until 2013.

Her Presidency of England Golf will coincide with the 90th birthday of the Queen, who is a patron of England Golf, while 2016 will also see the staging of the Curtis Cup, in which the best amateur lady golfers from Great Britain and Ireland take on the United States at Dun Laoghaire Golf Club, while it will also be the 125th anniversary of the Lindrick Golf Club.

Rae has been an active member of the Yorkshire Ladies' Golf Association, serving on the executive and as county captain during its centenary year in 2000 before being elected a member of the executive of the English Ladies' Golf Association in 2004, which later became the English Women's Golf Association (EWGA).

She was chairman of the EWGA Championship Committee and continued in the role following its merger with the England Golf Union (EGU) in 2012, which formed England Golf.

Marian Rae will become President of England Golf in 2016 coinciding with the 125th anniversary of Lindrick Golf Club where she has been a member since 1976 ©seamanphotographer.co.uk/England Golf



"I'm honoured to be invited to take on this prestigious role and equally I am humbled by the list of my predecessors, both men and women," said Rae, who served as a walking scorer at nine Open Championships, while husband Dougal has served as a referee at 12 major Championships.

"I very much enjoyed organising our Championships and working at the various host clubs around the country.

"You meet so many good people who put in their time for the sake of the game.

"Being President will give me another opportunity to show appreciation to all the clubs which go to such trouble to host our Championships and to thank all the volunteers."

England Golf has had three Presidents since its foundation in 2012 including Paul Baxter and Sue Johnson, who shared the role after the merger of the EGU and EWGA, followed by Pam Benka in 2013.

Ray Saunders is the current President of the organisation, while Nigel Evans will take over the role next year.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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