The Canberra Golf Club, later known as the Royal Canberra Golf Club, was formed in 1926. Its original grounds were behind the Hotel Canberra on the river flats on both sides of the Molonglo River.
The club's Club House was on a site near the Albert Hall and included the old brick fireplace and chimney of the nearby Kaye family's slab cottage. The Kaye family took over the lease of Klensendorlffe's stone villa in 1854 and in the early 1890s constructed a new slab home with the brick fireplace and chimney mentioned above. The site of this building, like the greens, is below the waters of Lake Burley Griffin.
Shortly before work commenced on the lake (early 1960s) the Royal Canberra Golf Club moved to its present site.
The history of Royal Canberra Golf Club, or its predecessors, is almost as long as the history of the national capital itself.
The foundation stone for the city was laid in 1913 and in that same year, a few golfing enthusiasts established a nine hole course on a site near to, what is now the city centre. Subsequently, in 1922, those stalwarts domiciled themselves on a new nine hole, sand green layout at Acton, sharing space with the Acton racecourse and leading to problem lies through omni-present hoof marks on the fairways. Things took a turn for the better, however, when in 1926, the Federal Capital Commission constructed a new golf course on an adjacent site at Acton, where the Canberra Golf Club had its first real home. That Acton course was built on the banks of the Molonglo River and, with the river as a constant threat to wayward shots, soon earned a reputation as a superb and challenging test of golf. With minor changes only to the layout, but major changes to the clubhouse, it remained the home of Royal Canberra Golf Club until 1962, the "Royal" status having been granted by King George V in 1933.
The Walter Burley Griffin plan for Canberra called for the damming of the Molonglo River to form a lake and so it was that, in 1962, with its Acton site due to be submerged in that plan, the Club moved to its present site at Westbourne Woods. In the 40 years since that move the Royal Canberra Golf Club has developed into Australia's pre-eminent inland golf course. Venue for a number of major tournaments, both amateur and professional, over the years the Royal Canberra course regularly features in Australia's top 50, relying on its natural beauty, its marvellous variety of trees and challenging design to occupy a rating well above many newer, resort-style courses.
Royal Canberra will host the 2013 Women's Australian Open, the length of the course will be increased from 5891 metres to over 6000 meters.
Famous quotes containing the words royal, golf and/or club:
“Although my royal rank causes me to doubt whether my kingdom is not more sought after than myself, yet I understand that you have found other graces in me.”
—Elizabeth I (1533–1603)
“emerald as heavy
as a golf course, ruby as dark
as an afterbirth,
diamond as white as sun
on the sea ...”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)
“I spoke at a woman’s club in Philadelphia yesterday and a young lady said to me afterwards, “Well, that sounds very nice, but don’t you think it is better to be the power behind the throne?” I answered that I had not had much experience with thrones, but a woman who has been on a throne, and who is now behind it, seems to prefer to be on the throne.”
—Anna Howard Shaw (1847–1919)