Nickie Clarke has been made an Honorary Member at this years AGM for her dedication and services to golf over the past forty years.

Nickie first came to Norfolk temporarily in 1975 as her parents were then living in Dereham. Joined Dereham Golf Club, but shortly afterwards she got married and moved out to Kuwait for seven years, playing golf in the desert on sand with mats!

Inspired to take up golf after attending a talk from the legendary John Jacobs back in 1972 Nickie would go to the local municipal course in Leicester with two lads from work who were both single figure golfers. So quickly learned that you had to hit the ball hard to keep up with them.

On returning to Norwich in 1982 she joined Royal Norwich Golf Club and went straight into the County 1st team, playing for them until 1995, with her lowest handicap of 3.

Became County Champion in 1986 at Eaton, the following year became Lady captain at Royal Norwich and then County Captain 1988 – 1990 and again in 2009 – 2010.

During this time Nickie became involved with the old Midlands Division which put her name forward for a seat on the English Ladies’ Golf Association (ELGA) executive, by 1998 she had become their chairman and also sat on the Golf Foundation Council from 1996-98.

Whilst involved with ELGA, as her background is in IT, Nickie helped design their championship software, then ran this at championships and events from 1997-1982, this went on to be the predecessor for systems of today like Club 2000, Intelligent Golf, etc.

Nickie also jointly set up (with Joy Hunter from Yorkshire) and organised the implementation of the USGA Course Rating system for ELGA in 2002 and was responsible for the training and running of the system until 2013 when the merger of the English Golf Union (EGU) and English Women’s Golf Association (EWGA) took place.

Today Nickie is Chair of the England Golf Course Rating Workgroup which maintains accurate course ratings for all clubs in England and represents England on the CONGU Course Rating committee and on the Worldwide Course Rating Committee.

Not only involved in the operational side of golf, Nickie has captained our national teams. In 2000 & 2001 the English Ladies’ Home International team, 2002 the English Ladies’ European Team in Frankfurt and the first combined men and women’s team at the World Spirit Championship in Texas in 2001 which included the young Ross Fisher and Gary Wolstenholme.

During all of this time Nickie has continued to contribute to golf in Norfolk through being a member of the Norfolk Ladies’ County Golf Association (NLCGA) executive from 1988 – 2017, County President 2012-2013 and a member of the junior committee since its formation.

In 2013 England Golf recognised Nickie contribution to golf by presenting with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Nickie has now retired and after forty years in Norfolk is moving on to pastures new to be near her sister in Gloucestershire. This is a sad loss to the county but after being made an honorary member of her golf club and the NLCGA we hope she will as Norfolk has been her home for over forty years.

Finally, Nickie’s advice to anyone reading this would be, “get involved, you never know where it may take you and the friends you will make along the way”.