Royal Queensland Golf Club

The Royal Queensland Golf Club is a golf club and course at the end of Curtin West Avenue, Eagle Farm, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is a 10 minute drive from the Brisbane CBD. It has hosted the Australian Open three times: in 1947, 1966, and 1973.

History

The Royal Queensland Golf Club was founded in 1920, initially as the Queensland Golf Club. The original course was designed by Carnegie Clark, the Australian Open Champion, and was opened by the Governor-General Lord Forster in 1921. Construction of the new Championship course was completed in December 2007. The new Royal Queensland layout was designed by Michael Clayton, following the State Government’s decision in 2005 to build a twin Gateway Bridge over the famous course.[1]

Overview

Royal Queensland Golf Club is the premier Golf Club in Queensland and one of the finest in the Country, boasting the number one golf course in the State and a proud reputation of providing its Members and their guests with an outstanding level of service. This acclaimed golf course, expansive practice facilities, and five star food and beverage offerings provides our Members with the ideal environment to satisfy the joys of the great game of golf, whilst establishing new friendships through a wonderful camaraderie.

The famous Scots golf course architect Dr Alister MacKenzie was persuaded to visit Brisbane while on a trip to Australia in 1926, and contributed his renowned design wisdom to a number of holes, and to the greens and bunkering of the course generally. At a farewell function for the great man prior to his departure overseas, he said: “Royal Queensland already compares favourably with some of the British Championship courses. It should have a very great future, and will be an excellent test of golf.”

A distinctive feature of Royal Queensland is the striking profile of the Gateway Bridge which soars high over the course and the adjacent Brisbane River. In 2005, twenty years after its construction, the Queensland Government decided to erect a second identical structure to cope with increased traffic flow on the Gateway Arterial, with a completion date of 2011. The scope of this huge project meant that the Club would lose seven holes, and it therefore had no alternative but to undertake a reconfiguration of the historic layout. Accordingly, new designs were considered from a number of high profile Australian and overseas golf course architects before a unanimous Board decision to accept Victorian Michael Clayton’s outstanding concept. Interestingly, Michael was himself the winner of the Australian Amateur Championship when it was held at Royal Queensland in 1978.

Royal Charter

The (Royal) Queensland Golf Club was established in 1920 at Hamilton and was granted its Royal Charter in 1921 by King George V, with the King’s official letter of notification to the Governor of Queensland signed by the very famous Winston Churchill, then Secretary of State for the British Government, and later Prime Minister during World War II.

Geography

The course is on the northern bank of the Brisbane River. The Gateway Motorway passes alongside the eastern boundary.

Reciprocal CLubs

Royal Queensland has an extensive list of clubs both domestically and abroad.

Australian Open

The winners of these three Australian Open's are:

References

  1. ↑ "Royal Queensland Golf Club". Retrieved 21 October 2014.

Further reading

External links

Coordinates: 27°26′29″S 153°05′33″E / 27.44130°S 153.09246°E