List of golf clubs granted Royal status
This is a list of golf clubs that have been granted permission to bear the appellation of "Royal", having been bestowed by a reigning monarch, such as from British, Spanish, Belgian, Nepalese, Dutch, or Swedish monarchs. To receive the honour of "Royal", the golf club would normally invite a member of the Royal family to be a patron or an honorary member, or they apply for the title,[1] which is granted from the reigning monarch. In Britain, according to Scott Macpherson in his book Golf's Royal Clubs Honoured by the British Royal Family 1833–2013, the title of "Royal" officially was restricted to ”institutions of eminence, long standing and secure financial position, and devoted to national, charitable and scientific objects” by the British monarchy.[2]
Not all golf clubs that have "Royal" in their title have Royal status, for instance, the Royal Tara Golf Club in Ireland gave itself the title because the golf club is near the Hill of Tara where the ancient Kings of Ireland once resided.[3] The Royal Spring Golf Course in India is called Royal Springs because there are four natural water springs that were used back by Mughal emperors, hence it is said to be "Royal".[4] The now-defunct Royal Links Golf Club in Las Vegas, USA, had no royal connections at all, it was built to acknowledge the traditions of the game. It featured holes inspired by 11 different Open Championship courses, including the Old Course at St Andrews, Royal Liverpool, Hoylake, Royal Lytham & St Annes and Royal Birkdale.[5] The Royal Automobile Club is a Royal club but not a Royal Golf Club, because the Royal Club just happens to have a golf course.[6] King Edward VII granted the Royal status to the Automobile Club.[6]
In Denmark, the Royal Golf Club in Copenhagen, also appears to have given itself the title of Royal when there is no evidence of any royal connections. Likewise the similarly named Royal Copenhagen Golf Club's (Danish: Københavns Golf Klub) only connection with royalty is that the national park, which today includes the golf club, was established by the Danish King Christian V in the late 17th century, and King Frederik III's castle sits near the 16th hole.[7] The course is also located in Kongens Lyngby, Danish for "the King's Heather Town". There is no evidence to show that the golf course has been granted a charter or similar document.
Not all Royal golf clubs own their own golf course, the Royal Perth Golfing Society -the world's earliest 'royal' club - play on the North Inch Golf Course, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews play on St Andrews Links, the Royal Montrose Mercantile Golf Club play on Montrose Links, and the Royal Epping Forest Golf Club play on Chingford Golf Course, which are all public golf courses.[8]
Golf clubs granted Royal status by the British Monarchy
[edit]- Denotes that the course is on the current Open Championship rota
- Denotes that the course has previously hosted The Open Championship, but is not on the current rota
-
Royal Colwood Golf Club clubhouse, Canada -
Royal Birkdale Golf Club clubhouse, England -
Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club clubhouse, England -
Royal Cromer Golf Club clubhouse, England -
Royal Liverpool Golf Club clubhouse, England -
Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club clubhouse, England -
Royal West Norfolk Golf Club clubhouse, England -
Royal Homburger Golf Club clubhouse, Germany -
The Royal Dublin Golf Club clubhouse, Republic of Ireland -
Royal Selangor Golf Club clubhouse, Malaysia -
Royal Musselburgh Golf Club clubhouse, Scotland -
The Royal Perth Golfing Society & County and City Club clubhouse, Scotland -
Royal Troon Golf Club clubhouse, Scotland -
Royal Colombo Golf Club clubhouse, Sri Lanka
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Golf clubs granted Royal status by the Spanish Monarchy
[edit]- Denotes that the course has previously hosted the Open de España
| Monarch | Golf Club[e] | Location | Year established |
Year Royal status granted |
Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real Sociedad Hípica Española Club de Campo[f] | San Sebastián de los Reyes | 1901 | 1909 | [33][34] | |
| Real Club de la Puerta de Hierro[f] | Madrid | 1895 | 1912 | [35][36][34] | |
| Real Golf De Pedreña[f] | Pedreña | 1928 | 1928 | [37][38][34] | |
| Real Club de Golf Cerdaña[f] | Puigcerdà | 1929 | Not known | [39][36][34] | |
| Real Golf Club de Zarauz | Zarautz | 1916 | [40] | ||
| Club Jarama R.A.C.E. (Real Automóvil Club de España)[f] | Madrid | 1929 | [41][34] | ||
| Real Club de Golf El Prat (formerly Golf Club de Pedrables)[f] | Terrassa | 1954 | [42][38][34] | ||
| Real Club de Golf de Las Palmas | Las Palmas | 1891 | 1986 | [43] | |
| Real Club de Golf de Tenerife[f] | Tacoronte | 1896 | 1989 | [44][45][34] | |
| Real Club de Golf Sotogrande[f] | Sotogrande | 1964 | 1994 | [46][36][34] | |
| Real Club de Golf Las Brisas[f] | Marbella | 1968 | 1995 | [47][36][34] | |
| Real Club de Golf de Sevilla[f] | Alcalá de Guadaíra | 1991 | 2002 | [48][49][34] | |
| Real Club de Golf de La Coruña | La Coruña | 1962 | 2007 | [50] | |
| Real Club de Golf Guadalmina | San Pedro de Alcántara | 1959 | 2008 | [51] | |
| Real Club Valderrama[f][d] | Sotogrande | 1974 | 2014 | [52][34] | |
| Real Club Pineda de Sevilla | Seville | 1939 | Not known | [53] | |
| Real Novo Sancti Petri Golf Club | Cádiz | 1990 | 2016 | [54][55] | |
| Real Golf La Manga Club[f] | Cartagena | 1972 | 2017 | [56][36][34] | |
| Real Guadalhorce Club de Golf | Málaga | 1987 | 2017 | [57] | |
| Real Club La Moraleja[f] | Alcobendas | 1973 | 2018 | [58][36][45][34] | |
| Not known | Real Sociedad de Golf de Neguri[f] | Getxo | 1911 | Not known | [38][45][34] |
| Real Club de Campo de Málaga | Málaga | 1926 | [45] | ||
| Real Club de Golf Madrid La Herrería | San Lorenzo de El Escorial | 1966 | [45] | ||
| Real Golf de Bendinat | Bendinat | 1986 | [45] | ||
| Real Nuevo Club Golf De San Sebastián Basozabal | Gipuzkoa | 1994 | [45] | ||
Golf clubs granted Royal status by the Belgian Monarchy
[edit]With some exceptions, Belgian golf clubs automatically adopt the title of Royal after they have been in operation for 50 years.[59][60]
- Denotes that the course has previously hosted the Belgian Open
| Monarch | Golf Club | Location | Year established |
Year Royal status granted |
Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Ostend Golf Club (Dutch: Koninklijke Golf Club Oostende) |
De Haan | 1903 | 1903 | [60][61] | |
| Royal Golf Club of Belgium[g] (Dutch: Koninklijke Golf Club van België French: Royal Golf Club de Belgique) |
Tervuren | 1906 | 1906 | [62] | |
| Royal Zoute Golf Club[g] | Knokke-Heist | 1898 | 1925 | [63] | |
| Royal Antwerp Golf Club[g] | Kapellen | 1888 | 1938 | [64] | |
| Royal Golf Club du Château Royal d'Ardenne (English: Royal Golf Club at the Royal Castle of Ardenne) |
Ardennes | 1895 | 1945 | [60] | |
| Royal Latem Golf Club[g] | Sint-Martens-Latem | 1909 | 1959 | [65] | |
| Royal Waterloo Golf Club[g] | Lasne | 1923 | 1973 | [60][66] | |
| Royal Golf Club des Fagnes[g] | Spa | 1930 | 1980 | [60] | |
| Royal Golf Club du Hainaut | Jurbise | 1933 | 1983 | [60][67][68] | |
| Royal Golf Club du Sart Tilman | Angleur | 1939 | 1989 | [60][69] | |
| Royal Limburg Golf Club (Dutch: Koninklijke Limburg Golfclub) |
Houthalen-Helchteren | 1966 | 2016 | [60] | |
| Royal Bercuit Golf Club[g] | Grez-Doiceau | 1967 | 2017 | [60] | |
| Royal Keerbergen Golf Club | Keerbergen | 1968 | 2018 | [60][70] | |
| Royal Golf Club Oudenaarde | Wortegem-Petegem | 1971 | 2021 | [60][71] | |
-
Royal Golf Club of Belgium clubhouse -
Royal Waterloo Golf Club clubhouse -
Royal Zoute Golf Club clubhouse -
Royal Golf Club Oudenaarde clubhouse
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Golf clubs granted Royal status by other monarchies
[edit]- Denotes that the course has previously hosted the BTC Slovenian Open
- Denotes that the course has previously hosted the KLM Dutch Open
- Denotes that the course has previously hosted the Royal Swazi Sun Open
| Monarch | Golf Club | Location | Country | Year established |
Year Royal status granted |
Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.svg){kind=small} Not known |
Royal Baghdad Golf Club (1920s-1958) (Arabic: نادي بغداد الملكي للجولف) |
Baghdad |  Kingdom of Iraq
|
1920s | Not known | [8][29] |
| Royal Bangkok Sports Club (golf section) (Thai: ราชกรีฑาสโมสร) |
Bangkok |  Thailand
|
1906 | 1906 | [72][73] | |
| Royal Dusit Golf Club (Thai: สนามกอล์ฟรอยัลดุสิต) |
1916 | 1916 | [74] | |||
| Royal Bled Golf Club (Slovene: Kraljevski Bled Golf Klub) |
Lesce |  Slovenia
|
1937 | 2017 | [75] | |
| Royal Drottningholm Golf Club[h] (Swedish: Kungliga Drottningholms Golfklubb) |
Drottningholm |  Sweden
|
1959 | 1959 | [76] | |
| Royal Hague Golf & Country Club[i] (Dutch: Koninklijke Haagsche Golf & Country Club) |
Wassenaar |  Netherlands
|
1893 | 1993 | [77] | |
| Royal Nepal Golf Club (Nepali: रोयल नेपाल गोल्फ क्लब) |
Kathmandu |  Nepal
|
1917 | 1965 | [78] | |
| Royal Swazi Spa Country Club[j] | Mbabane |  Swaziland
|
1966 | 1966 | [29][79] | |
| Grand-Ducal Golf-Club[k] | Senningerberg |  Luxembourg
|
1936 | 1936 | [80] | |
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-
The Royal Hague Golf & Country Club clubhouse, Netherlands -
Royal Bled Golf Club clubhouse, Slovenia
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ The country and flag is from the year that the golf club gained Royal status, plus the name of the country and flag now, if it has changed
- ^ a b c d e f g Course is on the current Open Championship rota.
- ^ Course was formerly on the Open Championship rota
- ^ a b c Course has hosted the Ryder Cup.
- ^ Real in Spanish translates to royal in English.[32]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Course has previously hosted the Open de España.
- ^ a b c d e f g Course has previously hosted the Belgian Open
- ^ Course has previously hosted the Volvo Open and the Scandinavian Enterprise Open.
- ^ Course has previously hosted the Dutch/KLM Open.
- ^ Course has previously hosted the Royal Swazi Open.
- ^ Golf club granted Grand Ducal status. The Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg authorised the golf club to display her colors, Orange and Blue.[80] Grand-Ducal in Luxembourgish translates as relating to, or befitting a grand duke or grand duchess in English.[81]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl "Royal Golf Clubs". Golfalot. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ "British Open 2017: How does a golf club get to call itself "Royal"?". Golf World. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
- ^ "Royal Tara (Blue & Red) - Meath - Ireland". Top 100 Golf Courses. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
- ^ "About Royal Springs Golf Course". TRoyal Springs Golf Course. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
- ^ "Royal Links Golf Club in Las Vegas pays tribute to 18 of the British Open's most famous holes". Golf Advisor. 15 August 2007. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
- ^ a b "Royal Automobile Club". Evalu18 Ltd. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
- ^ "A unique and historic golf experience close to the King's old hunting castle". Royal Copenhagen Golf Club. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
- ^ a b "Feature Interview With Scott Macpherson". Golf Club Atlas. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
- ^ "1824 Royal Perth Golf Society County & City Club". Scottish Golf History. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk "Best Royal Golf Clubs". Your Golf Travel. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ "Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 18 October 2010.
- ^ "Welcome to Royal Montrose Mercantile Golf Club". Royal Montrose Mercantile Golf Club. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
- ^ "The Royal Isle of Wight Golf Club, St Helens Duver". National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ "Royal Cornwall Golf Club. Bodmin. (1889 - 1950s)". Golf's Missing Links. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
- ^ "About: The Royal Eastbourne Golf Club". Eastbourne UnLtd Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
- ^ "Royal Eastbourne Ladies' Golf Club, Sussex. (1888-1937)". Golf's Missing Links. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
- ^ "Friends in high places: How the Hong Kong Golf Club gained royal favour with a governor's help". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
- ^ "Forgotten Golfing Greens Of Scotland". forgottengreens.com. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ "Golf Course Review… Harare". Future Publishing. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ "A Brief History and background to Royal Harare Golf Club". Royal Harare Golf Club. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ "Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club - West Course". GolfNow. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
- ^ a b c "Royal Golf Course / Club de Golf Royale". logoball.ca. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
- ^ "Our History". Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
- ^ a b "Singapore Island (Island) - Singapore". Top 100 Golf Courses. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
- ^ a b "Royal Island Club at MacRitchie, 1961". Government of Singapore. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
- ^ "Auckland Golf Club memorial". New Zealand Government. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
- ^ "'Royal' Golf Clubs". Mediadrive. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
- ^ "Royal touch". The National. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
- ^ a b c "our 30th year" (PDF). Gary Galyean’s Golf Letter. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
- ^ a b "The Golfing Annual Vol. V (1891-92)" (PDF). Innovative Document Imaging. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
- ^ "Riverside at Nasik – An Example of Sustainability". GolfPlus Monthly. 10 January 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
- ^ "Royal". Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
- ^ "Real Sociedad Hipica Española Club de Campo". leadingcourses.com. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Tournament Results: Spanish Open". where2golf.com. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
- ^ Gómez Laínez, Mariola (2010). El Real Club de la Puerta de Hierro. Ediciones El Viso. p. 37. ISBN 978-84-95241-75-7.
- ^ a b c d e f "Open de España". top100golfcourses.com. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
- ^ "Spain's Royal Pedrena, Born into royalty and adopted by Seve". PGA Tour. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ a b c "Open de España". top100golfcourses.com. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
- ^ "History". Real Club de Golf Cerdaña. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ "Real Zarauz, Northern Spain, Spain". Top 10 Golf Course. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ "El RACE, De La Mano De La Casa Real". Real Automóvil Club de España. 6 November 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
- ^ "Welcome to Real Club de Golf El Prat - Barcelona". Real Club de Golf El Prat. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ "Real Club de Golf de Las Palmas 1891 - Soy lo que entreno". 18 October 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
- ^ "Real Club de Golf de Tenerife". OurTenerife.com. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Real (Royal) Club La Moraleja". where2golf.com. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
- ^ "Real Club de Golf Sotogrande turns 50". Andalucía Golf. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ "Our History". Real Club de Golf Las Brisas. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ "Real (Royal) Club de Golf de Sevilla". where2golf.com. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
- ^ "Real Sevilla - Southern Spain - Spain". Top 100 Golf Courses. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ "Historia - Real Club de Golf de La Coruña". clubgolfcoruna.com. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
- ^ "Our Club - Real Club de Golf Guadalmina". Real Club de Golf Guadalmina. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ "Real Valderrama - Southern Spain - Spain". Top 10 Golf Course. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ "Real Sevilla - Southern Spain - Spain". Top 10 Golf Course. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ "Novo Sancti Petri obtains the title of Real". Andalucía Golf. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ "Real Novo Sancti Petri Golf Club". European Golf Association. 12 November 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ "La Manga Club Sold to Leading Spanish Hotel Group". Spain Today Online. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ "Real Club Guadalhorce Golf - Club history". Retrieved 2024-10-01.
- ^ "History". Spain Today Online. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ "Belgium". Top 100 Golf Courses. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Royal Treatment for golfers". Wallonia Belgium Tourism. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
- ^ "Royal Ostend Golf Club". Golf In Flanders. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
- ^ "Royal Golf Club of Belgium". International Juniors of Belgium. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
- ^ "Royal Zoute (Championship) - Belgium". Top 10 Golf Course. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
- ^ "Royal Antwerp (Tom Simpson) - Belgium". Top 10 Golf Course. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
- ^ "Royal Latem Golf Club". leadingcourses.com. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
- ^ "Royal Waterloo Golfclub". leadingcourses.com. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
- ^ "Our History". Royal Golf Club du Hainaut. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
- ^ "Royal Golf Club du Hainaut". leadingcourses.com. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
- ^ "Royal Golf Club Sart Tilman". leadingcourses.com. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
- ^ "Geschiedenis". Royal Keerbergen Golf Club. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
- ^ "Golf & friendship in a beautiful natural and historical setting". Royal Golf & Country Club Oudenaarde. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
- ^ "1901: King Chulalongkorn grants the Royal Charter establishing The Royal Bangkok Sports Club on 6 September". Royal Bangkok Sports Club. Archived from the original on 25 Oct 2020.
- ^ "Golf". Royal Bangkok Sports Club. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
- ^ "Finish Line for Century-Old Bangkok Horse Track/Duncan McCargo". University of Leeds. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
- ^ "Slovenia: Royal Bled". Bauer Media Group. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ "Royal Drottningholm Golf Club". planetgolf.com. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
- ^ "Koninklijke Haagsche Golf & Country Club". Top 10 Golf Course. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
- ^ "A Golf Trip to the Himalayas". Links Magazine. 27 April 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ "Royal Swazi Spa - Swaziland". Top 10 Golf Course. Retrieved 27 October 2010.
- ^ a b "Grand-Ducal Golf-Club History". gcgd.lu. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
- ^ "Grand-ducal". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
Further reading
[edit]- Macpherson, Scott (2014). Golf's Royal Clubs Honoured by the British Royal Family 1833-2013. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. ISBN 978-0-99262-402-6.
- Allen, Peter (1989). The Sunley Book of Royal Golf: The Story of Royal Golfers, Royal Clubs and Royal Courses. AbeBooks. ISBN 978-0-09173-805-1.
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Golf clubs granted Royal status.