Royal Fremantle

The port of Fremantle, serving the state capital of Perth, lies at the mouth of the Swan River, where it empties into the Indian Ocean. Over a hundred years ago, on a government owned tract of land to the west of the town centre, the golf club managed to obtain an initial 15-year lease for the purpose of operating a golf course.

Designed by Arthur Oliphant, the first Club Captain, and Peter Anderson, the 1893 Amateur Champion at Prestwick, the original 9-hole course was officially opened on 4 June 1907 by Governor Sir Fredrick Bedford. Within two years, another nine holes had been added, making it the first 18-hole layout in Western Australia.

The club made an application for the royal title in 1929, supported by both the State Governor and the Prime Minister. King George V acceded to the request in a letter dated 9 May 1930, granting the royal prefix which meant the club became the first in the state and the fourth in Australia to gain the royal title from the British monarchy.

In more recent times, the club was forced to give up land on its western side to a 9-hole public development at the end of the 1960s, resulting in the loss of both the old 16th and 17th holes. Tommy Howard and Sloan Morpeth were called in to reconfigure the layout and the revamped course reopened to widespread acclaim in 1970.