The Royal Cape Golf Club in Cape Town, South Africa was established in 1885 and is the oldest golf club in Africa.
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. 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.
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.
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).
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.
Professional YearTournamentTourWinner2002 Vodacom Players Championship 2002–03 Sunshine Tour Mark McNulty2001 2001–02 Sunshine Tour Ernie Els2000 2000–01 Sunshine Tour Trevor Immelman1999 1999–2000 Southern Africa Tour Nic Henning1996 South African Open Championship 1996–97 Southern Africa Tour Ernie Els1990 1990–91 Southern Africa Tour Trevor Dodds1983 1983–84 Southern Africa Tour Charlie Bolling1965 Gary Player1953 Jimmy Boyd1936 Clarence Olander (a)1929 Archie Tosh1923 Jock Brews1914 George Fotheringham 1910 George Fotheringham
Amateur YearTournamentWinner1994 South African Amateur Championship Bradford Vaughan1985 N. Clarke 1953 R. Brews1936 Clarence Olander 1929 C. Hunter1923 W.C.E. Stent 1914 S.M. MacPherson
See also List of golf clubs granted Royal status Timeline of golf history (1851–1945)
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