Gerald Hugh Micklem (14 August 1911 – 21 May 1988) was an English amateur golfer and administrator. He played in four

Walker Cup The Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested in odd-numbered years by leading male amateur golfers in two teams: United States, and Great Britain and Ireland featuring players from the United Kingdom and Ireland. The official name is the Walker Cup ...

matches between 1947 and 1955 and was non-playing captain in 1957 and 1959. Micklem had limited success as a golfer before World War II, but gained an

Oxford blue A blue is an award of sporting colours earned by athletes at some universities and schools for competition at the highest level. The awarding of blues began at University of Oxford, Oxford and University of Cambridge, Cambridge universities in Eng ...

for golf and reached the final of the 1936 Addington Foursomes. He gained national attention when he reached the semi-final of the 1946

Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship (sometimes referred to as the British Amateur or British Amateur Championship outside the UK) is a golf tournament which has been held annually in the United Kingdom since 1885 except during the two World Wars, and in 19 ...

and won the English Amateur. He played in the

four times and won the English Amateur for a second time in 1953. Micklem later acted as a golf administrator and chaired various committees at

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews is one of the oldest golf clubs in the world. It is a private members-only club based in St Andrews in Scotland. It was previously known colloquially as "The R&A", but in 2004, a new organisation kn ...

(R&A). He was captain of the R&A in 1968 and received the Bob Jones Award in 1969 and the Walter Hagen Award in 1970. He was awarded a CBE in the 1969 New Year Honours.

Golf career

Micklem made little impact as a golfer before

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, although he gained an

for golf and, playing with Arthur Lacey, reached the final of the 1936 Addington Foursomes. Micklem first came to national prominence when he reached the semi-final of the 1946

before losing to Robert Sweeny Jr. The following year he won the English Amateur and was selected for the 1947 Walker Cup team. In 1948, partnered with

Charlie Ward Charlie Ward Jr. (born October 12, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and current head coach for the Florida A&M Rattlers. Ward was an exceptional college football player as w ...

, he won the Daily Telegraph Foursomes Tournament. He played in the

three more times, in 1949, 1953 and 1955, although he only won one of his Walker Cup matches, the foursomes in 1953. He won the English Amateur for a second time in 1953.

Golf administrator

Micklem was later actively involved as a golf administrator. He captained many England and Great Britain teams in international matches, including the Walker Cup team in 1957 and 1959. He chaired various committees of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A), including the rules of golf committee, selection committee, and championship committee, and served as captain of the R&A in 1968. He was also president of the English Golf Union in 1965–1966 and the

European Golf Association The European Golf Association (EGA) is a non-profit organisation based in Epalinges, Switzerland, which was founded in 1937 in Luxembourg. The EGA's main activity consists of coordinating and co-organizing European amateur golf championships. It ...

in 1967 and 1969.

Awards

Micklem received the

Bob Jones Award The Bob Jones Award is the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. It is named in honor of Bobby Jones (golfer), Bobby Jones. Winners *1955 Francis Ouimet *1956 William C. C ...

in 1969 and the Walter Hagen Award in 1970. He was awarded a CBE in the 1969 New Year Honours.

Tournament wins

*1947 English Amateur *1948 Daily Telegraph Foursomes Tournament (with

), Silver Cross (R&A Spring Meeting) *1949 Royal Medal (R&A Autumn Meeting) *1950 Royal Medal (R&A Autumn Meeting) *1952 Royal St George's Grand Challenge Cup *1953 President's Putter, English Amateur *1955 Berkshire Trophy (tie with Kim Hall) *1958 R&A Silver Cross (R&A Spring Meeting) Source:

Team appearances

(representing Great Britain & Ireland):

1947 It was the first year of the Cold War, which would last until 1991, ending with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Events January * January–February – Winter of 1946–47 in the United Kingdom: The worst snowfall in the country i ...

1949 Events January * January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2025 * January 2 – Luis ...

1953 Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a Estonian government-in-exile, government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito ...

1955 Events January * January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama. * January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut. * January 18– 20 – Battle of Yijian ...

1957 Events January * January 1 – The Saarland joins West Germany. * January 3 – Hamilton Watch Company introduces the first electric watch. * January 5 – South African player Russell Endean becomes the first batsman to be Dismissal (cricke ...

(non-playing captain),

1959 Events January * January 1 – Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when the forces of Fidel Castro advance. * January 2 – Soviet lunar probe Luna 1 is the first human-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reaches the ...

(non-playing captain) *

Commonwealth Tournament The Commonwealth Tournament was a men's team golf tournament between teams of amateurs golfers from Great Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. It was played roughly every four years, in 1954, 1959, 1963, 1967, 1971 and 1975. I ...

(representing Great Britain): 1954

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Micklem, Gerald English male golfers Amateur golfers People from Banstead Commanders of the Order of the British Empire 1911 births 1988 deaths 20th-century English sportsmen