As golf shots go, few can be more keenly anticipated and cherished than that which must be struck by every incoming Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, as they compete for The Silver Club, on “Medal Day”, over The Old Course at St Andrews. The daunting prospect, which the Captain-elect will have endured eight full months dwelling upon since being nominated by the Past Captains, is helped by the knowledge that only one shot need be executed to win the fabled trophy, and accompanying Queen Adelaide Medal; for no other Royal and Ancient member will have been bold enough to enter the competition.
However, an ominous looking ship’s cannon sitting sentinel in front of the tee, indicates that this is to be no ordinary drive. The shot must be undertaken in the third week of September at precisely eight o’clock in the morning. Some two minutes beforehand, the outgoing and incoming Captains are led by the R&A Honorary Professional from the tranquillity of the Club Trophy Room where a fortifying imbibement will have been offered, down the old stone steps in front of the R&A Clubhouse, to the verdant expanse of the 1st Tee. The packed gallery of onlookers, numbering in their hundreds, will applaud the trio into this ceremonial amphitheatre and then fall deathly silent, as if witnessing a procession to the gallows. Teeing the ball up, the Honorary Professional akin to the executioner, will whisper a last blessing before stepping aside and leaving the condemned man to his fate.
It is at this moment that the cannon firer, standing down the white fence line of the 1st Tee, prays for no practice swing lest he allow the cannon to erupt prematurely, for it must be fired as close as possible to the moment following clubhead impact upon ball. And then, in a cacophony of sound and excitement, the ball is struck and the cannon blasts, seagulls shriek and swirl, the crowd gasps and applauds, and the moment is forged in the memories of all gathered to bear witness.
However, at this point the theatre is still not over, for the St Andrews’ Caddies who have staked their ground across the 1st and 18th Fairways, scramble to retrieve the bounding ball. A victor emerges, carrying his small white prey back to the 1st Tee where, now palpably relieved, the new Captain buys his ball back with a gold sovereign. A replica of the ball is then cast in silver, to be immortalised and hung on The Silver Club, thus joining the multitude of previous silver balls that have gone before it.
So why, may you the Reader ask, is The Silver Club so significant and memorable to me? The reason lies in the fact that for many years, the duty of firing that cannon fell to my office. What a moment this always was.
The Silver Club, contributed to by twenty-two “Noblemen and Gentlemen” in 1754 to be played for annually over the Links of St Andrews, marked the birth of what was to become The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. A fourth Silver Club will shortly take its place alongside the previous three, each proudly festooned with the engraved silver balls of their eras. The eagle-eyed visitor to the R&A Trophy Room where these are displayed, may also be able to spy six gold balls given by the Club’s Royal Captains.
To have had the privilege to serve this great institution and its traditions is something I will always treasure. It is why The Silver Club sits precious in my memory.
Aubyn Stewart-Wilson served as the Members’ Secretary of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews from 2001-2019. He is currently the Secretary of New Zealand Golf Club.
Thank you so much for including this small masterpiece by the beloved Aubyn, and for your masterful words about links golf. As was said long ago by a townsman of Bobby Jones, I now say to you-my but you’re a wonder!