The Golf Guy Podcast — David Bonsall of the R&A

David Bonsall has served in many roles at the R&A, including on the Rules Committee (which he chaired from 2015-2019), the Championship Committee and the General Committee. Notably, David led the R&A team on the Rules Modernization Project from 2012-2019, and has refereed 25 major championships, several Walker Cups and amateur championships and numerous pro tour events. He has also had a wide-ranging commercial career, leading the Capital Markets practice at the international law firm of Freshfields before becoming an investment banker. We talk with David about his start in the game, his playing career in college, how he got involved with the R&A, the process of modernizing the rules of golf, and his views on equipment regulation.  We also discuss his remarkable experience of being the chief referee for the final group of Jordan Spieth and Matt Kuchar at The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in 2017 when David had to grapple with the remarkable complexity of rulings triggered by Jordan’s wayward drive on the 13th hole.