RETIRED civil engineer Richard Pickles will be the new club captain at Marlborough, writes ERNIE NEWELL.

He was elected at this week's annual meeting and will drive himself into office as successor to Frank Nicholls on Sunday, March 30.

Pickles, 62, had been a member of the 120-year-old club since 1999 and has a handicap of 16. He is married with two grown-up children and lives in Marlborough.

He is currently the club's chairman of house committee and was seniors' skipper in 2006.

"It's a great privilege to be club captain and I'm looking forward to it. But it's an honour I wasn't expecting," admitted Pickles.

"Having been seniors' captain, I thought I'd slip quietly into obscurity. I wouldn't think there are many members who have been seniors' skipper first."

Pickles will have as his vice-captain David Jackson, from Swindon.

Former club captain Sean Swords, from Bushton, succeeds Malcolm Hardstaff as seniors' captain.

New women's skipper, Isabel Henry, from Ramsbury, commenced her year in office in November.

Gordon Kenneth is the new club chairman, taking over from Barry Reardon Smith.

Robert Hill continues as president and Jean Piercey is still treasurer.

n Mick Mason, a 62-year-old from Swindon, will drive himself into office as the new club captain at Ogbourne Downs at 1pm tomorrow.

Mason, who was elected at this week's annual meeting, will be taking over the reins from centenary skipper David Haydon.

He is in his 17th year of membership of the club and has a handicap of 12.

Another Swindon golfer, Stuart Shewry, is vice-captain.

Miriam Tapper, also from Swindon, is the new women's captain at Ogbourne in succession to Sue Haydon. She has been a member for ten years and plays off 24 handicap.

Robert Leighfield, a six-handicapper from Wootton Bassett, is the new junior captain.

Long-serving member Mick Batt has succeeded Alan Sawyer as president, while Kevin Kibble continues as treasurer.