A former chairman of St Andrews Links Trust, the Hon John Martin Lindesay-Bethune DL, of Kilconquhar, Fife, has died peacefully, aged 83.
Born on November 27 1929, he was the second son of William and Marjorie Lindsay who at that time lived in Sunningdale, Berkshire.
His father subsequently succeeded to the title of the Earl of Lindsay, with their family seat in Kilconquhar.
Mr Lindesay-Bethune was educated at Northaw, then Eton College where he was captain of the golf team.
In 1949 he joined the Guards Training Depot, Caterham, and once commissioned enlisted with the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards for his National Service.
He was posted to Malaysia in 1949 and saw action there. On returning home, he went to Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he continued playing golf and rowed with the second college eight.
In 1950 he joined the Berkley Square office of James Walter Thompson, the leading advertising agency in the UK.
He rose steadily up the organisation to the position of managing director.
As a member of the Westminster Chamber of Commerce, he took part in various trade missions including China.
After retirement in 1981, Mr Lindesay-Bethune returned to his family roots in Kilconquhar where he became closely involved with golf.
In 1989 he was appointed a trustee of the St Andrews Links Trust and its chairman in 1991.
His greatest golfing honour was in 1992 when he was elected captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.
From 1995 to 2007 he was chairman of the St Andrews Golf Club Trust (The Golf Museum). He became a life member of the R&A in 2010.
Mr Lindesay-Bethune also enjoyed walking, photography and catching butterflies.
He first married Queta Koch de Gooreynd in 1953 and they had four children Sally, Nicholas, Jonathan and Simon.
He married Jean in 1977 and they moved to Muircambus by Kilconquhar in 1981.
He is survived by his wife and children and was also a grandfather and great grandfather.
A service of thanksgiving will take place in Kilconquhar Parish Church on Thursday July 4 at 2pm.