Paul Dimmer and Nick Earl must have strong necks. Perched in the clubhouse at Sherwood Forest, theirs seem in continual motion – nodding to some players, breaking out into chat with others.
There’s a train of people stopping by, talking about shots gone begging and unlikely birdies made. I guess in the half an hour I’m munching through a post round meal with the pair there isn’t a single person in the room they don’t know.
Which is rather the point, they tell me, of England Captains. “It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done,” says Maxstoke Park’s Earl. “It’s like a club within a club. I’ve made extra friends for life.”
The programme, which is run by England Golf, is simple. To join, you just need to have been a club or county captain or vice-captain.
It’s been running since 1973 and now boasts more than 5,000 active members. There are 11 qualifying events, increasing to 15 next year, and culminating in a final at Woodhall Spa.
Competitors also accrue order of merit points which can bag them a spot in a two-day Ryder Cup Style England Captains versus England Senior Series match.
England Captains visit some very attractive courses – with Mansfield’s Sherwood Forest on a 2024 calendar that also included Ganton, Fulford, Broadstone, Old Fold Manor, Beau Desert and St Annes Old Links.
England Captains: ‘The people are so welcoming’
“It’s a case of selling out in minutes for the popular events,” reveals England Golf membership officer Sam Corten-Miller.
“It’s very popular but it’s still accessible. People are coming from all around the country because they know they are playing on top courses.”
But if the course is the spark, it’s much more than merely the golf that lights the flame for a strong core of this group. They think nothing of shelling out and touring up and down the country. Everyday life is arranged around it.
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Take Haste Hill’s Dimmer. “The people are so welcoming, and you bring your own character into that to make sure you can make people welcome you as well,” he says.
“If you’re chatty and nosy like we are, and you want to learn about everybody else’s life, you find that when you’re going around playing golf.
“Golf is a great social event. You’re ‘trapped’ for four and a bit hours and you can utilise that to your advantage to find out more about people.”
Players are connected through the events themselves, but also through a regular newsletter and Facebook group. They can even buy their own branded England Captains apparel.
England Captains: What you need to know
Active vice-captains or captains receive a year’s membership for free and it’s £27.50 annually from then on. It doesn’t matter if captains are serving their term of office or if it was 25 years ago, they are still eligible to join. And the scheme is open to men and women.
“We have a nucleus of really good ambassadors,” adds Corten-Miller. “They spread the word. It’s captains. They all know what they’ve been though in that special year. They’re all ardent golfers – you need to be if you’re going to do that kind of role.
“Over time, they begin to support each other – even outside of golf. It’s really nice and really inclusive.”
Earl is a case in point. He’s accompanied to all the events by his wife Jen, who has become just as important a part of the community as he has.
“It’s the camaraderie that gets everyone together,” he says. “I love golf. It’s what I do. I’ve got a passion for it – always have done – and I love playing these fantastic golf courses.
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“But meeting up with these guys and having the camaraderie we’ve got is just an extra bonus for me.
“Would I play in as many events if I didn’t have that? Probably not, and that is the truth. It costs upwards of £1,500 playing all these events every year. It’s not insignificant. It’s a lot of money. I just love it.
“It’s part of my life now. We plan our summer around the golf. That’s what we do.”
“The community is far bigger than people actually realise,” concludes Dimmer. “If you were to ask anybody in this room how many people they know from these events, I’ll bet you they say 20 or 30 at least.
“Then there’s a familiarity and association with people you recognise – that you know, wave to, and say hello.
“It’s almost like a school in some respects. We’ve been together for the season, and those engagements, that relationship, understanding, camaraderie and community is ingrained through the whole set up of the England Captains and the senior series as well.”
To find out more about England Captains, visit the website.
Now have your say
Have you played any England Captains events? What did you think? Are you inclined to join? Let me know your thoughts by leaving me a comment on X.
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