A new era will dawn at Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club this autumn when Andrews Reynolds, the Kent venue’s longstanding Head PGA Professional, hands over the reins after almost five decades in the job.
Filling Reynolds’ big shoes is 31-year-old Sam Smitherman, who is moving from Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey to take up the role, which will see him become only the club’s ninth Head Professional in its 131-year history.
Reynolds joined Cinque Ports in 1978, aged just 24, just seven years after he turned professional.
He had previously worked at various clubs in the south of England, including Ruxley Park in Kent and a three-year spell The Berkshire, where he worked under Keith Macdonald.
FAMOUS FACES
Asked about what he has most enjoyed about his almost five decades at the club, Reynolds said: I never thought I was going to be a club pro at a club as good as this for 45 years.
Like every young pro, I thought I was going on tour to win the Open and become a Ryder Cup player but as we know there are very few people who are that successful.
However, what has been fantastic is that at a club like this has given me a very varied lifestyle. The Club Professional does everything.
If I just played or just taught or just managed the shop, I think I might get a little bit bored, but because I do a little bit of everything it keeps my brain ticking over.
Andrew Reynolds tin his ‘back office’ amongst his collection of golf memorabilia at Royal Cinque Ports (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
“There have been a lot of highlights. Having very good players pop in is one. Tom Watson came to the club to deliver a clinic during one of the Opens at St George’s, while Jack Nicklaus came into the shop one year when his son was playing an Open qualifier here and asked whether he could use the range.”
As host of numerous top-flight amateur events down the year, Reynolds has also seen more than his fair share of young talent emerge at Cinque Ports. “The Amateur Championship in 1982 was the first big event that I was involved in.
As a club, we have grown since then and had Amateur Championships, Ladies’ Amateur, the Brabazon Trophy and Open Qualifying. Watching Charles Schwartzel win the Brabazon in 2002 was probably the best golf I have seen around here.
There was a 30mph wind on a bouncy course with long rough. Every round, the wind was in a different quarter, it went right around 360 degrees. He was masterful.”
CLUB CAPTAIN
Despite having spent so many years at the club, Reynolds’ connection with Cinque Ports looks set to continue after he steps down as Head Professional this autumn, with the club having invited him to be captain for the 2026 season.
“When I first started here as club professional I was only allowed into the clubhouse if I was invited by a member. So, 45 years on, I must have done some things right if they have asked me to be club captain!”
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