Staff WriterIt was just after breakfast in St Andrews, but the air on the Old Course carried the weight of centuries. At precisely 8 a.m., a cannon blast signalled the arrival of His Honour Judge Dennis Watson KC as the new Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.
With the smoke barely cleared, Watson stepped onto the 1st tee and sent his inaugural drive sailing into history, officially beginning his term at the helm of golf’s most storied clubhouse.
The “driving-in” ceremony is one of those rituals that would make even the most jaded modernist stop scrolling on their phone and take note.
Members and former Captains crowded around the tee, the kind of gathering where the ghosts of Old Tom Morris and Bobby Jones wouldn’t look out of place.
“Becoming Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews is both a privilege and a source of immense pride. Standing on the 1st tee of the Old Course surrounded by friends and fellow Members is a wonderful way to start my Captaincy,” Watson said after his drive.
“I look forward to representing the Club and supporting The R&A as it continues its work to develop and promote the sport of golf around the world over the coming year.”
From the courtroom to the clubhouse
Born in Crosby, Watson’s CV reads like a man with more hours in wigs and gowns than golf shoes. Uppingham School, Leeds Polytechnic (now Leeds Beckett University), Inner Temple, and a call to the Bar in 1985. Criminal law on the Northern Circuit, Recorder in 2002, QC in 2009 (now KC), Circuit Judge by 2012, and an invitation to sit in the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division). Elected Master of the Bench at Inner Temple in 2022, he now also trains new judges at the Judicial College.
Yet golf has always been stitched into the fabric. A Royal Birkdale member since 1975, he served as Captain there in 2008 and later as Trustee.
He joined the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews in 2003, rolling up his sleeves for committees ranging from Golf Development to Equipment Standards, which he chaired between 2015 and 2019. Handicap Index? A steady 5.2.
Family and tradition hand in hand
Watson’s wife, Nicki, a retired solicitor, and their two barrister children, Samuel and Hannah, were on hand to witness the ceremonial drive. Golf runs deep in the family veins, and the symbolism of the moment wasn’t lost on them.
Tradition dictates that the Captain’s ball be “bought back” by the caddie who retrieves it. On this morning, that honour fell to 27-year-old New Zealander Taylor Haugh, who returned the ball in exchange for a gold sovereign bearing King Charles III’s head.
“The caddies have been pretty excited for the Drive In. One of the boys caddied for Dennis’ friend yesterday, so we got a little bit of insight on his ball shape and how far he hits it. It worked out well for me,” said Haugh.
He added: “It was a special moment as I walked up onto the tee. Everyone was clapping as I shook Dennis’ hand and he gave me the gold sovereign. It’s surreal to be a part of this history.”
Another layer of history was added when David Scott, the Club’s Honorary Professional, for the first time teed up the ball for the incoming Captain. A small detail, perhaps, but one that ties into the long thread of golf’s ceremonial fabric.
A year as golf’s ambassador-in-chief
As Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, Watson now takes on an ambassadorial role that stretches well beyond the Swilcan Bridge.
He’ll represent both the Club and The R&A at professional and amateur championships around the world, a year-long assignment that marries his love of the game with his long career of service and stewardship.
For a man who has spent decades delivering verdicts from the bench, Watson’s first act as Captain was met with unanimous approval. After all, in St Andrews, the Old Course keeps the best records of all.
