R&A announces new captain for 2010-2011

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews has announced Air Chief Marshal Sir Patrick Hine GCB GBE as Captain for the year 2010-2011.  

Past Captains met on May 5 at the Club's May Business Meeting to confirm the announcement, which will see the new captain start on September 23 after the official driving-in ceremony.  

Patrick Hine - an England Boy International golfer of 1948 and 1949 - joined The Royal and Ancient Golf Club in 1995 and has enjoyed an illustrious career in the Royal Air Force.

Patrick was a member of the RAF's No 111 Squadron's Black Arrows formation aerobatic team, which most notably celebrated a loop and barrel roll of 22 Hunter aircraft during the 1958 Farnborough Display.

Sir Patrick has also acted as Director of Public Relations in 1975 and then Assistant Chief of Air Staff for Policy, Plans and Budget from 1979-83. He became Commander of Second Tactical Air Force and Commander-in-Chief of RAF Germany in 1983 before being appointed Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Strike Command.

He retired from the RAF in 1991, but since then has served as Military Adviser to British Aerospace from 1992-99 and defence and aerospace consultant from 1999-2005.

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