meaning of 'royal' in course name

[astavrides]

Please excuse my naivete, but does royal patronage of a golf course mean monetary support or what?
thanks, alex

[James Edwards]

Almost certainly   but Id say it also means free membership to HRH and the family and the chance to play in the midweek stableford unannounced - I would also assume that they do not have to submit 3 medal rounds in a calender year to qualify for the club championship!

[Jack_Marr]

No, it doesn't mean monetary support. I think it just means it has been approved by the royal house, but I'm not sure.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

It varies from country to country.  In the UK it means that the Royal family has agreed that the prefix Royal may be conferred by Charter.  We have had (and still do have) Royal golfers (Prince of Wales/Edward VIII and Prince Andrew) and they may have had some personal influence (Royal West Norfolk and Royal Cromer may be cases in point), but generally it has been that a club of considerable standing has had someone in a position of sufficient influence to make the case in the corridors of power.  

I suspect the same has been true throughout the present and former former countries of the Commonwealth.

There are anomalies, such as Royal Dublin, which was presumably a Royal club before Ireland was divided and chose to reetain its title.  The other Irish Royal club, Royal Tara, on the other hand, refers to Tara, the seat of ancient Irish kings.

The former Royal Hong Kong GC changed its name to Hong Kong GC when the UK gave it back to the Chinese in 1999.

There are a good number of Royal clubs in Belgium, fostered by a long-standing interest (and considerable skill in the sport) from the Belgian Royal Family.  

There are other European courses (Royal Mougins and Royal Oak) with Royal titles whose provenance I know not.  Even in Britain there are a couple (Royal Burgh of Lauder and Royal Town of Caernarfon) which are probably not Royal clubs but are located in or near Royal towns.

Isn't there even one in the US?  Royal Kaanapali.

[astavrides]

so basically, it just means that some royal family likes your club or has liked it in the past and lets you use a title.  like sir or lady or dame?  it sounds like it doesnt really mean anything else.

[John_Cullum]

In Florida we have Royal Amelia. Its right across the road from the very famous Fernandina Municipal, a favorite of many of the GCA sophisticate.

[Michael Moore]

Does "National" mean anything in this country today? I have my doubts.

Did it mean anything when the National Golf Links of America was built? Augusta National Golf Club?

What's the story?

[John_Conley]

Sarge:

I have vowed not to play that course on basis of name alone, despite a recommendation from a friend.

It cannot be either Royal or a Links, can it?

[John_Cullum]

JC

I overlooked the fact that RA is a links as well. I have a 20% discount card laying around somewhere if anyone is interested. Perhaps I could get recognition from the BBGE for this gesture.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I always felt National meant the membership was from a nationwide area or at least a larger than statewide base. i think in truth it means very little.

[John_Cullum]

As epitomized by Space Coast National in Titusville FL. SCN also has a frisbee golfcourse that can be used to settle ties and the like.

[michael j fay]

I am not aware of the composition of the membership of National Golf Links but Augusta National is truly national. Augusta NAtional has at least two members in each State in the country.

Probably the best way to get in is to move to a remote State and become its' best known golfer while moonlighting as a high level corporate exec.

[Steve_Lovett]

Royal St. Augustine is clearly less "royal" than even Royal Amelia...

If it's been named with the past twenty years I would guess "Royal", "National", "Links", and even "Club" are pretty much meaningless and not more than names for marketing purposes...

[Brian_Gracely]

Being "Royal" is all well and good, but how does a club go about becoming "Ancient"....or better-yet "Honourable"?  

And how does a group decide between being a club, a society or a company of gentleman?  

[Bob_Huntley]

Brian,

HUBRIS.

Bob

[Lloyd_Cole]

I'm a little sketchy on this but I have first hand info from when my parents ran a well know club in Scotland that really wanted the prefix for it's 200th anniversary (they didn't get it). In the Commonwealth, the Royal prefix is available to to any club where a royal has played, however long ago, said club must them apply to, the Royal family's sports secretary, I guess. If they give the go ahead then you get the 'Royal'. As you can imagine, in the stockbroker belts of the UK, this would be percieved as very valuable indeed. I'd argue that at least half British golfers would rather be a member of a 'Royal' than a decent course.

[TEPaul]

Sarge:

I like that Royal Amelia Links---I've gone over there and played it alone about half a dozen times after beating balls and beating my brains out for half a day at one of those ranges on the Plantation or the Fazio course. There're some holes that're, well, just holes, but there're a very thoughtful, interesting and fun ones and close to a handful of very well conceived greens, in my opinion. That 18th hole at Royal Amelia Links I'm definitely never going to figure out what to think of it though! But the name is definitely presumptuous. I hear the place is in some financial trouble though, and maybe more than just some financial trouble, I'm sorry to say.

[Dale_McCallon]

I guess since Prince William was seen in Nashville last week, maybe their will be a Royal Belle Meade.

What about Royal New Kent?

My favorite courses are anything with Links in the title--I don't know if I have ever played on a real links course, but look at my collection of logo balls and you would swear I've played 2 or 3 dozen!

[A_Clay_Man]

Back in the day, when I was just a blinded Chicagoan, I remember the way the "royal" was defined;

 They were associated courses, all the world over, but improperly conditioned.

Truth.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Perhaps the most misleading name of all is Ontario National Golf Course, which would seem to imply independence and home rule for a particular Canadian state, but is, it seems, a public course in California.  I am told there is a Frisch auf Valley somewhere in the US of A - Wake up Valley!

In the UK we have a club called Links.  It is not a links, being lush parkland, and it's not on the coast, being many miles inland at Newmarket in Suffolk.  

In the wake of 9/11 I'm surprised Medinah has not gone in for a name change.

But my favourite name of all is not a golf course, but a parish church - St Mary the Virgin with St Peter, Upper Holloway (read it out aloud!).

[THuckaby2]

As does my beloved Santa Teresa.  From now on it is Royal Saint Terry's.