A LEADING place in the world has literally opened up for Pocklington’s international golfer Martin Anderson.

At the tender age of 25, the Allerthorpe Park Golf Club course record-holder has been voted as the captain of the English Deaf Golf Association.

And his tenure of office from this year through to 2013 will encompass this summer’s Four Nations Cup and then the World Deaf Golf Championships in Tsu, Japan, next year.

Said Anderson: “Initially I was quite daunted by the prospect of being captain because as a player for the team, I have seen how hard it is on the captain to organise and manage a team.

“However, I strongly believe in myself and the players I have been fortunate to call my friends, and with determination I know I can be a good captain for the EDGA.”

Anderson also added that his relative youth – previous captains have customarily been almost twice his age – would help to bring “a fresh young mind” to the team.

The choice of Anderson as EDGA captain was overwhelming at the association’s annual meeting held in Tamworth.

After being one of two nominations, Anderson polled 74 per cent of the vote with his rival collecting just 17 per cent.

His first major event, the Four Nations Trophy, has only just been devised.

Previously England played Scotland bi-annually, but now Ireland and Wales come into the competition, which will be played in a Ryder Cup format.

Anderson said he will be selecting a team of six for the event in Dublin on August 2 to 6 based on the results of the 2010 national deaf championships held in Kent.

Next year’s world championships in Japan, however, represent his biggest challenge.

It will be his fourth World Deaf Golf Championships with the three previous ones being in Sweden, where England finished 13th, Canada, where the team was fifth, and Scotland, where they came 16th.

Selection for the Japan jamboree will hinge on this year’s nationals championships, which will be played at the George Washington GC in Gateshead.

There the top five will land automatic qualification with Anderson and his vice-captain selecting three wild cards to complete the eight-member team. Anderson will be hoping that he will secure qualification to extend his playing career to four world events.

One of his key drives this year will be to secure better sponsorship deals for the respective Four-Nations and World Championships squads.

Anderson, who first started playing golf at the age of ten and last year set a new course record of a gross five-under 65 at Allerthorpe Park, said: “My aim is to try to eliminate the need for players to have to pay to represent the deaf for their country.”