WHEN golfers ring the bell on the 16th hole at Catterick Golf Club, they are reminded of a close and well established association with the Gurkha soldiers from the nearby Garrison barracks.

Among the names engraved on the bell is Ram Malla; Catterick’s club champion of six years ago, the winner of the club’s Murray Cup last year and a solid five-handicapper dubbed Mr Consistency by many of those he hits the fairways with.

Ram, originally from Nepal and a proud member of the British Army since 1987, has settled in North Yorkshire and is extremely honoured to be the first Gurkha to take on the role as captain at Catterick. It has been suggested he could be the first in Britain.

He said: “I decided to become a Gurkha soldier in the British Army and I ended up as a captain, as an official. Then I started as a social golfer and I have ended up as a captain. That to me is a real achievement, a privilege. It’s extra special that it is also the 200th year of service of the Gurkhas (to the British Crown).

“Yes, I’m the captain, but it’s not all about me. When we can help around the club, like when there is snow on the greens, we get four or five Gurkhas together and help to clear it. If it wasn’t for the Gurkhas I would not be here today.”

Growing up in Nepal, Ram had never played golf never mind walked a course. After completing his forces training in Hong Kong, he officially became a Gurkha like his father, Jogindra, and two brothers, Ganga and Ran, did too.

As he worked his way up to be a captain of the Royal Gurkha Rifles he served as a peace keeper during the Kosovo conflict in 1998-99 and had six months in Afghanistan.

“I was given a commendation award for my time in Kosovo,” said Ram, who now works as a training captain at the Defence, Technical Undergraduate Scheme in Gateshead after completing his 26 years with the Gurkhas.

“It was scary, we were peace keeping but you could not trust everyone because the people were not sure who was a good guy or bad guy. You had to be prepared for all options.

“Afghanistan was a tough place to be. Six months was like six years in the desert, in contact with the enemy or in no man’s land. I was a commander, leading 28 men in the Gurkhas. Every time we fought together we were tight.”

Ram has settled in the North-East with his wife Gita, their two daughters, Sharmila, aged 23, Sumitra, 18, and a son, Shusil, 14.

He still finds the time to head to the golf club to work on his game, having developed a real love for the sport since first moving to Britain after he was stationed in Brecon, Mid Wales.

“I was posted there as a co-sergeant instructor,” he said. “There was one staff golf day and I was embarrassed not knowing how to play. Being a Nepali Gurkha, I had never played golf, I knew nothing but I realised it was a good game and I had to learn.

“I paid £65 for a complete second hand set of clubs at a car boot sale. I then joined as a driving range golfer. I would spend two hours an evening at Cradoc Golf Club and that’s how it started. I never had a professional lesson. I grew in to it myself.”

And as Catterick’s 2015 captain, he is determined to make sure it is remembered as a good year.

“We have 11-15 golfers in the Gurkha Company in Catterick,” said Ram. “We have created the name the Northern Gurkha Golf Society.

“When I took charge of that, I tried to organise more monthly medals, quarterly medals, match play events as well as Gurkhas versus club members. I have organised a Gurkhas versus the rest of the world.

“There is a Ghurka Golf Society formed in 2007 in Aldershot. I am a member but I can’t get down south every month, so that’s why we formed our own society up here. I want to organise a round of golf between northern Gurkhas against the southern Gurkhas.”

Having achieved what he has already as a member of the British Army and then with his putter, Ram seems guaranteed to succeed.