Martin Spencer, the new club captain at Lilley Brook Golf Club, has a claim to fame.

The 63-year-old, an engineer who lives in Cheltenham, played a bit-part role in Daniel Craig’s first James Bond film Casino Royale.

“In the film, Daniel Craig had a fight in an aircraft tug that was going down the runway,” Martin explained. “I built the cab that the driver was sitting in.”

Spencer is a big James Bond fan and a big Daniel Craig fan, but that film which was released in 2006 will always be extra special to him.

Being captain at Lilley Brook is extra special to him too.

The one-time Berkeley Vale School pupil took up golf in 1990 after previously playing a lot of cricket and rugby during his school days.

It was through his dad Vernon that he started playing the game.

“My dad was from Charlton Kings originally,” he explained. “When I was young the family moved to Sharpness but we moved back to Cheltenham in 1981.

“My parents ran the London Inn in Charlton Kings and my dad started playing at Lilley Brook because a lot of his friends were members there.”

He was a good player, too, with Martin adding: “He got his name on the honours board quite a few times, he played off 12 or 13.”

When Martin decided to follow in his dad’s footsteps, he had to wait a while before getting into Lilley Brook.

“The club had such a massive waiting list,” he said.

“Freddie Fawcus, who was captain at the time, advised me to go and play at Cleeve Cloud and get myself a handicap.”

And it was good advice because Martin, who these days runs his own engineering business, took up the challenge and, like his dad, became a very decent golfer.

“I had to work at it,” he said. “The 90s were my best years.”

These days he’s playing off 18 and it’s dropping. At his best his handicap was 15 and like his dad he’s got his name on the club’s honours board.

“I won the Freddie King Cup twice, to win a board competition is a highlight,” he said.

He also won a pro-am at the club in 2003 - “That was another real highlight,” he said - and he is delighted that his 28-year-old son Robert has also got his name on the club’s honours board.

“He’s the best of all us, he’s down to about eight,” says his proud dad.

Robert is obviously just as proud that his dad is now club captain although that is something that very nearly didn’t happen.

“When I was asked I was extremely hesitant because I knew how important the role is,” said dad-of-two Martin, who became captain at the end of March.

“I was asked in April and didn’t accept until late August. 

“It wasn’t something I’d ever coveted nor even considered. It was a bit of a shock when Gareth [Francis] asked me.”

Gareth, who succeeded Darrell Dymond as captain, knew Martin’s late dad and mum, Joan, well and Martin continued: “I accepted because I knew it would have made my dad, and my family, proud, because I love Lilley Brook to bits and I did it for Gareth because he really wanted me as his vice-captain.”

Being captain is a time-consuming role but Martin, who is married to Appollonia, is determined not to let it restrict the amount of golf he plays.

His chosen charities are Sue Ryder and the Injured Jockeys Fund and he said: "I try to play three times a week in the summer - in the summer my wife is a golfing widow!”

He says his short game is his strength. 

“That is my strong point, but I’m not a long hitter,” he said.

The 007 fan may not hit the farthest off the tee but he still had a licence to thrill at the traditional Captain’s Drive-in which marks the start of his year in the role.

“I didn’t hit it too far but the distance is irrelevant, I still hit it 140 yards farther than Darrell Dymond,” he laughed. “He hit a tree and only went 20 yards.”