St Andrews, Scotland: David Rickman has been appointed an MBE in His Majesty the King’s New Year Honour’s List for services to golf.

Rickman retired from The R&A in 2024 after a 37-year career in golf administration at the governing body based in his home town of St Andrews.

He said: “It’s a great honour to receive an MBE and I am delighted at this unexpected recognition. I have been extremely fortunate to enjoy a career in a sport I love and to work for both The Royal and Ancient Golf Club and The R&A.

“I couldn’t be more grateful to the many people who helped and mentored me along the way and to all my colleagues over the years. I am hugely appreciative of everything that golf has given me on a personal and professional level.”

As an expert Rules official, he refereed at more than 130 prestigious events in golf around the world. In serving as Chief Referee at The 152nd Open at Royal Troon, Rickman marked his 34th Open Championship as a Rules official and 28th as Chief Referee. His final R&A championship was the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews last August.

Rickman was a consistent presence at other Major championships and prestigious professional and amateur events, including working as part of the Rules teams at 17 Masters Tournaments, 16 US Opens, eight AIG Women’s Opens, 21 BMW PGA Championships and 15 Walker Cups.

In his time at The R&A, Rickman worked closely with the United States Golf Association and was involved in some of the most significant governance initiatives in the history of the game, including the modernisation of the Rules of Golf in 2019 and subsequently the Rules of Amateur Status, in Equipment Standards the Joint Statement of Principles in 2004 and the Distance Insights project as well as the introduction of the World Handicap System in 2020.

He has also overseen the production of eight editions of the Rules of Golf which are usually published quadrennially.

Born in St Andrews and educated at Madras College, Rickman graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a degree in Business Studies and Accountancy.  

He returned to St Andrews and joined The R&A in 1987 before taking over as head of the Rules department at the end of 1995.

Rickman served as The R&A’s Executive Director – Governance from 1996 to the end of 2022 and led its governance functions – the Rules of Golf, Amateur Status, Equipment Standards and Handicapping. From 2016, he served as The R&A’s Chief of Staff, with responsibility for the HR and Facilities departments. 

In January 2023, he was also appointed to lead on the development of the new R&A staff building at St Andrews West which is due to open in 2026.