Andrew Noyce
By Andrew Noyce

There are certain Royal Golf Clubs in the UK and around the world that have been granted Royal status by the British monarchy. To receive the honour the club typically invites a member of the Royal family to be a patron or honorary member, or they apply for the title. Ultimately, the approval must be granted from the reigning monarch.

The list below displays all the course owning clubs around the world that currently hold a Royal designation together with the first royal patron or member and the monarch who granted the Royal title.

Not included in this list is probably the most famous Royal club, The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (founded 1754, granted royal status 1836 by King William IV) as it is not a course owning club.

Other Royal golf societies include the Royal Perth Golfing Society and County & City Club (founded 1824, granted 1833 by King William IV), and Royal Montrose Golf Club (founded 1810, granted 1845 by Prince Albert).

The Curragh Golf Club in Ireland was granted a Royal title in 1910, but does not use it. Royal Tara in Ireland (founded 1906) is not a Royal chartered course, but simply gave itself the title due to its location near the Hill of Tara where the ancient Kings of Ireland used to reside. Unfortunately for the 9-hole Royal Isle of Wight, it closed in 1962.

Course / Patron Founded Granted Royal Title
England
Royal North Devon
Prince of Wales (Edward VII)
1864 1867 by Queen Victoria
Royal Liverpool
Duke of Connaught
1869 1871 by Queen Victoria
Royal Jersey 1878 1879 by Queen Victoria
Royal Wimbledon
Prince of Wales (Edward VII)
1882 1882 by Queen Victoria
Royal Isle of Wight
Prince of Wales (Edward VII)
1882 1882 by Queen Victoria
Royal Belfast
Prince of Wales (Edward VII)
1881 1885 by Queen Victoria
Royal Ascot 1887 1887 by Queen Victoria
Royal Eastbourne
Duke of Clarence
1877 1887 by Queen Victoria
Royal Cromer
Prince of Wales (Edward VII)
1888 1888 by Queen Victoria
Royal Epping Forest 1888 1888 by Queen Victoria
Royal Guernsey 1890 1891 by Queen Victoria
Royal West Norfolk
Prince of Wales (Edward VII)
1892 1892 by Queen Victoria
Royal Portrush
Duke of York (George V)
1888 1892 by Queen Victoria
Royal Ashdown 1888 1893 by Queen Victoria
Royal Norwich
Duke of York (George V)
1893 1893 by Queen Victoria
Royal Worlington & Newmarket 1893 1895 by Queen Victoria
Royal Blackheath 1766 1901 by King Edward VII
Royal Household
Owned by Royal Family
1901 1901 by King Edward VII
Royal St George's
Prince of Wales (Edward VII)
1887 1902 by King Edward VII
Royal Winchester
Duke of Connaught
1888 1913 by King George V
Royal Cinque Ports 1892 1910 by King Edward VII
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1886 1926 by King George V
Royal Mid-Surrey 1892 1926 by King George V
Royal Birkdale 1889 1951 by King George VI
Ireland
Royal County Down 1889 1908 by King Edward VII
Royal Dublin 1885 1891 by Queen Victoria
Curragh 1883 1910 by King Edward VII
Scotland
Royal Musselburgh
Duke of Connaught
1774 1876 by Queen Victoria
Royal Aberdeen
Prince Leopold
1780 1903 by King Edward VII
Royal Dornoch
Duchess of Sutherland
1877 1906 by King Edward VII
Duff House Royal
Duchess of Fife
1871 1925 by King George V
Royal Tarlair
Princess of York
1926 1926 by King George V
Royal Burgess
Duke of York (George VI)
1773 1929 by King George V
Royal Troon 1878 1978 by Queen Elizabeth II
Wales
Royal St Davids 1894 1908 by King Edward VII
Royal Porthcawl 1891 1909 by King Edward VII
Australia
Royal Adelaide 1892 1923 by King George V
Royal Canberra 1926 1933 by King George V
Royal Freemantle 1905 1930 by King George V
Royal Hobart 1901 1925 by King George V
Royal Melbourne 1891 1895 by Queen Victoria
Royal Perth 1895 1937 by King George VI
Royal Queensland 1920 1921 by King George V
Royal Sydney 1893 1897 by Queen Victoria
Canada
Royal Colwood 1913 1931 by King George V
Royal Mayfair Golf & Country Club 1922 2005 by Queen Elizabeth II
Royal Montreal 1873 1884 by Queen Victoria
Royal Ottawa 1891 1912 by King George V
Royal Quebec 1874 1934 by King George V
Royal Regina 1899 1999 by Queen Elizabeth II
Czech Republic
Royal Marianske Lazne 1905 2003 by Queen Elizabeth II
Germany
Royal Homburger 1899 2013 by Queen Elizabeth II
India
Royal Calcutta 1829 1911 by King George V
Kenya
Royal Nairobi 1906 1935 by King George V
Malaysia
Royal Selangor 1893 1953 by Queen Elizabeth II
Malta
Royal Malta 1888 1888 by Prince Alfred
New Zealand
Royal Wellington 1895 2004 by Prince Andrew
South Africa
Royal Cape 1885 1910 by King George V
Royal Durban 1892 1932 by King George V
Royal Johannesberg 1890 1931 by King George V
Royal Port Alfred 1924 1924 by King George V
Sri Lanka
Royal Colombo 1879 1928 by King George V
Zimbabwe
Royal Cape 1898 1929 by King George V