List_of_golf_clubs_granted_Royal_status

List of golf clubs granted Royal status

List of golf clubs granted Royal status

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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]

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews is possibly the most known "Royal" golf club in the world, although not the earliest: that honour belongs to the Royal Perth Golfing Society.

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

  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
More information Monarch, Golf Club ...
  • Royal Colwood Golf Club clubhouse, Canada
    Royal Colwood Golf Club clubhouse, Canada
  • Royal Birkdale Golf Club clubhouse, England
    Royal Birkdale Golf Club clubhouse, England
  • Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club clubhouse, England
    Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club clubhouse, England
  • Royal Cromer Golf Club clubhouse, England
    Royal Cromer Golf Club clubhouse, England
  • Royal Liverpool Golf Club clubhouse, England
    Royal Liverpool Golf Club clubhouse, England
  • Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club clubhouse, England
    Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club clubhouse, England
  • Royal West Norfolk Golf Club clubhouse, England
    Royal West Norfolk Golf Club clubhouse, England
  • Royal Homburger Golf Club clubhouse, Germany
    Royal Homburger Golf Club clubhouse, Germany
  • The Royal Dublin Golf Club clubhouse, Republic of Ireland
    The Royal Dublin Golf Club clubhouse, Republic of Ireland
  • Royal Selangor Golf Club clubhouse, Malaysia
    Royal Selangor Golf Club clubhouse, Malaysia
  • Royal Musselburgh Golf Club clubhouse, Scotland
    Royal Musselburgh Golf Club clubhouse, Scotland
  • The Royal Perth Golfing Society & County and City Club clubhouse, Scotland
    The Royal Perth Golfing Society & County and City Club clubhouse, Scotland
  • Royal Troon Golf Club clubhouse, Scotland
    Royal Troon Golf Club clubhouse, Scotland
  • Royal Colombo Golf Club clubhouse, Sri Lanka
    Royal Colombo Golf Club clubhouse, Sri Lanka

Golf clubs granted Royal status by the Spanish Monarchy

  Denotes that the course has previously hosted the Open de España
More information Monarch, Golf Club ...

Golf clubs granted Royal status by the Belgian Monarchy

With some exceptions, Belgian golf clubs automatically adopt the title of Royal after they have been in operation for 50 years.[58][59]

  Denotes that the course has previously hosted the Belgian Open
More information Monarch, Golf Club ...
  • Royal Golf Club of Belgium clubhouse
  • Royal Waterloo Golf Club clubhouse
  • Royal Zoute Golf Club clubhouse
  • Royal Golf Club Oudenaarde clubhouse

Golf clubs granted Royal status by other monarchies

  Denotes that the course has previously hosted the BTC Slovenian Open
  Denotes that the course has previously hosted the Volvo Open and the Scandinavian Enterprise Open
  Denotes that the course has previously hosted the KLM Dutch Open
  Denotes that the course has previously hosted the Royal Swazi Sun Open
More information Monarch, Golf Club ...
  • The Royal Hague Golf & Country Club clubhouse, Netherlands
  • Royal Bled Golf Club clubhouse, Slovenia

See also

  • The R&A
  • List of yacht clubs granted Royal status

Notes

  1. 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
  2. Course is on the current Open Championship rota.
  3. Course was formerly on the Open Championship rota
  4. Course has hosted the Ryder Cup.
  5. Real in Spanish translates to royal in English.[32]
  6. Course has previously hosted the Open de España.
  7. Course has previously hosted the Belgian Open
  8. Course has previously hosted the Volvo Open and the Scandinavian Enterprise Open.
  9. Course has previously hosted the Dutch/KLM Open.
  10. Course has previously hosted the Royal Swazi Open.
  11. Golf club granted Grand Ducal status. The Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg authorised the golf club to display her colors, Orange and Blue.[79] Grand-Ducal in Luxembourgish translates as relating to, or befitting a grand duke or grand duchess in English.[80]

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