A right Royal tale

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews has commissioned a new book titled ‘Golf’s Royal Clubs: Honoured by the British Royal Family 1833-2013’ which celebrates 65 golf clubs throughout the world that have been conferred the royal title by the British Royal Family. The book was commissioned to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and has been written by golf course architect Scott Macpherson.

Profiles of each royal golf club and their journeys towards acquiring the royal title are detailed together with their relationship with the Royal Family. The foreword for the book is written by Prince Andrew, The Duke of York, Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews 2003/04.

Prince Andrew commented, “Sport and the Royal Family have close historical ties. The connection with golf is evidenced by the royal title being granted to a wide ranging international group of golf clubs, a practice which dates back almost 200 years and which continues to the present day. The right to adopt the prefix ‘royal’ can only be granted to a golf club with the approval of the current sovereign.  Of course there are other golf clubs designated ‘royal’ by other monarchs and the international relationship between these and our royal golf clubs is indicative of the esteem in which golf is held around the world.”

The first royal club was created by King William IV in 1833 when he conferred the royal title on the Perth Golfing Society in Scotland. ‘Golf’s Royal Clubs: Honoured by the British Royal Family 1833-2013’, is priced £60 and can be ordered from Catherine McGirk on 01334 460153 or catherinemcgirk@randa.org