Royal Cape Golf Club

Royal Cape Golf Club
Club information
Royal Cape Golf Club is located in South Africa
Royal Cape Golf Club
Location in South Africa
Coordinates34°00′54″S 18°29′24″E / 34.015°S 18.49°E / -34.015; 18.49
LocationCape Town,
South Africa
Established1885
TypePublic
Total holes18
Events hostedCape Town Open
Cape Town Ladies Open
Websiteroyalcapegolf.co.za
Designed byCharles Murray
Par72
Length6,121 m
Course rating70

The Royal Cape Golf Club in Cape Town, South Africa was established in 1885 and is the oldest golf club in Africa.[1]

History

Royal Cape is South Africa's oldest and traditionally most prestigious course, set to the backdrop of Cape Town's Table Mountain and Devil's Peak.[2] The club began on the 14th of November 1885, established by Lt Gen Sir Henry D'Oyley Torrens only days after he arrived in the Cape Colony, soon to serve as acting Governor. A rough first 9-hole course was completed on Waterloo Green at the Wynberg Military Camp and presented the first monthly medal contest in 1886, won by the Torrens himself with a gross of 94.[3]

The club was granted Royal status by King George V in 1910 in commemoration of the visit of the Duke of Connaught, who represented the king at the opening of the first Union of South Africa parliament.[3][4]

Course

The 6,121 meter course is a par 72 parklands style course built on relatively flat terrain, exposed to the Cape Doctor, the Cape's famous persistent and dry south-easterly wind that blows on the coast from spring to late summer (September to March).[2]

Tournaments hosted

In addition to the Cape Town Open (since 2012) and the Cape Town Ladies Open (since 2015), the club has hosted a number of high-profile professional and amateur tournaments. In 1910, the club played host to the South African Open Championship for the first time and hosted the tournament ten times between 1910 and 1996. Past winners include Gary Player, Ernie Els, Mark McNulty and Trevor Immelman.[5]

Professional

Year Tournament Tour Winner
2002 Vodacom Players Championship 2002–03 Sunshine Tour Zimbabwe Mark McNulty
2001 2001–02 Sunshine Tour South Africa Ernie Els
2000 2000–01 Sunshine Tour South Africa Trevor Immelman
1999 1999–2000 Southern Africa Tour South Africa Nic Henning
1996 South African Open Championship 1996–97 Southern Africa Tour South Africa Ernie Els
1990 1990–91 Southern Africa Tour Namibia Trevor Dodds
1983 1983–84 Southern Africa Tour United States Charlie Bolling
1965 South Africa Gary Player
1953 South Africa Jimmy Boyd
1936 South Africa Clarence Olander (a)
1929 Scotland Archie Tosh
1923 South Africa Jock Brews
1914 Scotland George Fotheringham
1910 Scotland George Fotheringham

Amateur

Year Tournament Winner
1994 South African Amateur Championship South Africa Bradford Vaughan
1985 South Africa N. Clarke
1953 South Africa R. Brews
1936 South Africa Clarence Olander
1929 South Africa C. Hunter
1923 South Africa W.C.E. Stent
1914 South Africa S.M. MacPherson

See also

References

  1. ^ "Royal Golf Clubs". Golfalot. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  2. ^ a b "About Royal Cape Golf Club". SA Venues. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Royal Cape Golf Course - Cape Town". African Sky. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Royal Golf Courses". Your Golf Travel. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  5. ^ "SA Amateur & Open". South African Golf Association. Retrieved 26 February 2022.