Walmer & Kingsdown Golf Club member Paul Cannons has been confirmed as their new county captain by the Kent Golf Union.

Cannons succeeds Danny Curtis from Knole Park GC who held the position for seven years and decided to step down after leading Kent to the England men’s county title in 2019.

And, although the KGU officially announced last week that Cannons had taken over as the new captain, Paul has in fact known for some time, as he explained: ”The county president Jim Pocknell asked me about six months ago if I would take on the role. I accepted and was due to be officially appointed at the county AGM on March 30. But that had to be postponed because of obvious reasons and so the KGU decided to announce it after their recent (ZOOM) board meeting.”

And his appointment represents another significant golfing “honour” for the 64-year-old former schoolteacher who two years ago was chosen by England Golf as their “Volunteer of the Year” for his efforts to encourage and inspire talented young golfers. That work first began as a junior organiser at Walmer & Kingsdown where he has been a member for 25 years and is a former club captain.

Cannons later became manager of the Kent boys’ team before taking charge of the South East boys’ squad and he will be linking up again with some “familiar faces” in the current Kent men’s squad.  He said: “Many of the squad have previously been members of the junior teams that I have managed, and I am also looking forward to working alongside Benn Barham who is a great coach.

“It certainly is a strange time to be taking up the role (because of coronavirus), and normally by now I would have been involved with all the pre-season coaching, practice matches and at least two full county matches. But we are looking forward and have two big competitions coming up later in the year, the South East Championships at Hayling Island and the National Finals at Seacroft,  where Kent will be the defending champions on both occasions.”

Cannons was part of Curtis’s management team when Kent claimed the national crown at Huddersfield last September and  he added: “That was a rare and proud moment and I was glad of the opportunity not only to support the county but also to support Danny as well, who is going to be a hard act to follow.”

Billy Fisher, the current W&K captain, said: “As a club we are proud and honoured that Paul has been chosen as the new county captain, and it is an honour that he richly deserves because of all the work he has done for junior golf in this county.”