Former International and EGU President Geoff Marks awarded OBE

Geoff Marks, former international, England Captain and EGU President, has been awarded an OBE in Her Majesty the Queen s Birthday Honours List for services to golf.

Obviously I m delighted but my first thought was that someone had got the name wrong, he said.

Many years ago I was playing David Marsh in the quarter finals of the English Championship at Hollinwell when my club telephoned to ask: How is Marks doing? to be told: He s ahead and should reach the semi-finals. That prompted club members to hire a bus and head off to Hollinwell only to find that I d lost comfortably. Someone had mistaken Marsh for Marks so I was relieved this time when I saw my name in print.

But I feel this is an award as much for my long-suffering wife Joanne and my children as for me. It is also good for golf in general, for my county Staffordshire and my club Trentham.

Geoff, 69, has enjoyed a highly successful career on and off the golf course. He was an England international from 1963 - 75, making 65 appearances and winning 45 times. He was also England Captain from 1980 - 83.

He also played in two Walker Cups, at Milwaukee in 1969 where he won both his singles, one against Lanny Wadkins, and at St Andrews in 1971 where he lost to Tom Kite. He was also twice Captain, in 1987 at Sunningdale and two years later at Peachtree when GB&I recorded their first victory on US soil.

The EGU Presidency came in 1995 while he is still active with the R&A, serving on the General Committee and being chairman of the Golf Development Committee. He will leave both posts in September.

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