Tenterden Golf Club name Mark Williams as their new captain
06:00, 04 March 2021
Mark Williams has been named Tenterden Golf Club’s new captain.
Williams was extremely surprised, but delighted, to be asked to take on the captaincy and plans a steady increase in club activities as Covid-19 restrictions ease.
He took up golf in 2016 after being made redundant and deciding that, following 38 years working in the City, retirement would be a good option.
Initially he went to another Kent club, progressing without formal instruction from the driving range to the course at quiet times. When this club closed, it was suggested he try Tenterden Golf Club and remembers that playing a round at a “proper” golf club at first seemed distinctly intimidating.
He quickly got the better of his nerves, joined the club, and began playing in its largest roll-up group.
“Everyone in the club seemed very friendly and after a couple of months I’d started to get to know about 50 members,” he said.
Two of his objectives as captain are to make the club even better known in the local community and to further emphasise its friendliness.
Ever since he took up golf, Williams has set aside a considerable amount of time for practice and at one point could be seen on the driving range five days a week.
Richard Silman, TGC’s golf professional, helped him improve his game with a series of lessons and continues as required to coach Williams, who currently has a Handicap Index of 21.6.
Williams, who lives at Northiam, is a passionate cook and over the past year has written a cookbook which features a wide range of recipes he has thoroughly tried and tested. He hopes the book will be commercially published.
Apart from golf and cooking, he has time to maintain an interest in a couple of business ventures in which he has invested. Since his teenage years, he has played in rock bands as guitarist and lead vocalist.
Williams’ chosen charity in his year of captaincy is Demelza Hospice Care for Children which helps families cope with the challenges of having a child with a serious or terminal condition.
