Royal Park Golf Club 1961

Est. 1903

Situated in picturesque Royal Park, the course is both attractive and challenging, only 3 kms from the city, with the honour of being possibly the only golf course with a tram and train line running through it. The Club has been the nursery for many golfers who went on to make a mark in the golfing world, including Peter Thomson (club champion at the age of 16, in 1945) who won the British Open 5 times, Gus Jackson and Mick Ryan. Peter and Mick were both included in the VGA's Victorian Team of the Century in 2002.

Club Patron ~ Peter Thomson

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History of the Royal Park Golf Club 1961 - 1970
Membership numbers in 1963 totalled 440 including: 221 Full members (including 2 life members) 167 Associate members 9 Practice members (7 men, 2 women) 28 Junior Male and Female members 8 Honorary Male members 5 Honorary Female members 2 Country member	Fees during that year were: Members-Entrance £10/10/-, Subscription £8/8/- Practice members- Entrance £5/5/-, Subscription £6/6/- Associates-Entrance £5/5/-, Subscription £6/6/- Juniors-Entrance £5/5/-, Subscription £5/5/
In 1963 a team of women from Royal Park (names unknown) won the Latrobe Bowl. A bowl was usually an annual event hosted by a club and open to teams from any club interested or invited. Latrobe's bowl was contested by teams of four. At around 7.30am on 9 February 1970, the weatherboard clubhouse was partially destroyed by fire. Club records, trophies and member's property were lost. Fire brigade officials believed that the fire might have been started from smouldering ashes from the briquette dust heap at the back of the building, which set alight the grass next to the clubhouse. One of the few things to survive the fire was a 3 wood donated to the Club by Peter Thomson, which was used when Thomson won the 1948 Victorian Amateur title. Click here to view the article from The Herald and Weekly Times, February 9th, 1970 Click here to view the article from The Age, February 10th, 1970. During the year, the committee investigated funding for rebuilding the clubhouse, either in its present position or elsewhere on the course. It was during these negotiations that the Melbourne City Council offered the Club new conditions of occupancy, which were not agreeable to Club members.
A meeting of members was held in November and it was decided that the Club would not remain at Royal Park under the new conditions offered, but to merge with the Keilor Golf Club and form the Tullamarine Country Club. A major concern was that to remain at Royal Park would mean having to resign as a member club of the VGA after 66 years, as a club using a public golf course could not be an affiliated member of the Association.