2002 was the centenary year for The New Golf Club of St Andrews. I was privileged to be on its committee from 1998 and present when preparations for 2002 were first muted. As well as all the additional celebration matches and events that would take place, the committee wished to introduce a new crest and merchandising. It was also proposed that we produce a centenary book to record the club’s first century. By 2001, I had designed and had produced a whole range of new merchandising, new tie, centenary tartan, new medals, our first website and new signage.
Later that year, work started in earnest on producing the book. Club member and professional writer, Keith Mackie and myself collaborated to put this together. I proposed, and it was agreed, that we publish the book in 2003, so that all the centenary events could be photographed and included within the book. In keeping with the club’s motto ‘Semper Nova’ – Always New – I also decided that ‘One Hundred Years New’ was a more relevant and fun title than One Hundred Years Old!
And so, 2002 was one fun year of golf and social events that I photographed, month-by-month, whilst progressing the book’s artwork. It all came together after our last events of 2002, the artwork went to the printers, Scotprint of Haddington, in March 2003, and all our members got their 222-page book by June that year. We produced both linen and leather bound editions.
Arnold Palmer, our Honorary Member, signed books during a visit to St Andrews in 2004, when he received a new club tie and jersey.
My efforts were rewarded in 2004 by being nominated as Vice-Captain of this great club, then appointed Captain in 2005. And what a great Open year that turned out to be!