Royal Durban Golf Club is one of South Africa’s most historically significant, uniquely situated, and celebrated golf clubs — a championship course founded in 1892 inside the Greyville Racecourse in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, and the only golf club in South Africa that still occupies the exact land on which it was originally conceived. Granted the prestigious Royal designation on 8 April 1932 by King George V — one of only four golf clubs in southern Africa to hold this honour — Royal Durban Golf Club has been at the heart of KwaZulu-Natal’s sporting, social, and corporate life for more than 130 years.

The present 1930s clubhouse, built to replace the original wood and iron shanty, retains the gracious colonial-era style of its era and has been described as a hidden treasure — housing a magnificent Royal Bar, three function rooms, and an unmatched collection of memorabilia spanning over 132 years of club history. Whether you’re playing a round on one of South Africa’s most demanding championship layouts, hosting a corporate golf day, or celebrating a milestone event in the clubhouse — Royal Durban Golf Club delivers an experience of genuine heritage and distinction.

A History of Royal Distinction

The story of Royal Durban Golf Club begins in 1892, when Mr John Watt — a local bank manager — approached the Durban Town Council about establishing a golf club and was granted permission to lay out a links-style course within the grounds of the Greyville Racecourse. The first course was a testament to pioneering spirit: no actual greens — only hard clay surfaces — and fairways cut by a reaper drawn by oxen.

In 1932, the club was comprehensively rebuilt. A new clubhouse replaced the original shanty, and a new course layout was designed by Bob Grimsdell, who had trained as a course architect at the prestigious firm of Colt & Allison of London, Paris & New York. It was also on 8 April 1932 that the club received its Royal Charter from King George V — a visit from Edward VIII (then Prince of Wales) in 1925 having set the process in motion. The Royal designation remains one of only four held by golf clubs in all of southern Africa.

The Championship Course

Royal Durban Golf Club is the only golf course in South Africa built inside a horse racing track, giving it a completely flat, compact, and ingenious layout that belies an artful design of considerable complexity:

• Par: 72/73
• Length: 6,115 metres (plays like 6,500 metres in Durban’s humid, subtropical conditions)
• Course rating: 72.5 | Slope: 131
• Designed by Bob Grimsdell (1932 layout)
• Own indigenous cynodon grass greens — known as Royal Blue
• Flat, links-style design with out-of-bounds prominently bordering the race track
• A deep sluit runs through the middle of the property — a memorable hazard
• Renowned for its punishing rough and prevailing winds — the two primary defences of the course
• One of the few South African courses where wind fundamentally changes the game

Championship Tournament History

Royal Durban Golf Club has hosted some of the most prestigious golf events in South African history:

• South African Championships — 1911 — one of the earliest prestigious tournaments
• Commonwealth Tournament — 1975 — the first golf event ever televised in South Africa; a young Nick Faldo played here aged just 18, alongside Sandy Lyle (later winners of The Open and The Masters respectively)
• SA Open — hosted multiple times; last in 1985
• SA Amateur — 2008 — won by Jacques Blaauw

Club Champions and Notable Members

Royal Durban Golf Club has produced an extraordinary roll of champions:

• Jackie Mercer — won the women’s club championship an astonishing 28 times between 1947 and 1981; 4-time SA Amateur champion, 12-time Natal champion
• Sally Little — won her only SA Women’s Amateur Championship at Royal Durban in 1971
• Rory Sabbatini — went on to win 7 times on the US PGA Tour
• Nick Faldo and Sandy Lyle — both played the 1975 Commonwealth Tournament at Royal Durban; both went on to become Major champions

The Clubhouse and Function Rooms

Royal Durban Golf Club’s 1930s clubhouse is a genuinely beautiful heritage building — home to three magnificent function rooms that serve as venues for:

• Corporate golf days
• Conferences and meetings
• Wedding receptions
• Anniversary celebrations
• Birthday parties
• Social gatherings and private functions

All catering is provided by the club. Function packages cover 6 hours of venue use (function preparation time excluded); additional hours available at R250–R1,000 per hour depending on venue.

The Royal Bar is one of the clubhouse’s most beloved features — a glorious room in which to enjoy drinks while discussing the day’s round, entertain clients after a corporate golf day, or simply soak in more than a century of club history through the memorabilia that lines its walls.

Golf Facilities and Green Fees

• 18-hole championship course (par 72/73, 6,115m)
• Driving range and putting greens for pre-round warm-up
• Pro shop — stocked with golf equipment and apparel
• Green fees: Sliding scale; weekday from R375, Saturdays/holidays R400, Sunday R330; early bird special (Tuesday–Friday before 08:15) from R220
• Golf cart hire: R380
• Course closed: Monday mornings
• Practice facilities: Driving range, chipping area, putting greens

Location and Accessibility

Royal Durban Golf Club is located at Gate 16, Gladys Manzi Road (inside Greyville Racecourse), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. The club is situated in the heart of Greyville, Durban — accessible from anywhere in the city — inside the historic Greyville Racecourse, a genuinely unique urban setting.

For green fee bookings, corporate golf day enquiries, and function room reservations, visit the official Royal Durban Golf Club website at royaldurban.co.za.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What makes Royal Durban Golf Club historically significant?
A: Royal Durban Golf Club was founded in 1892 and is the only golf club in South Africa that still occupies the exact land on which it was originally conceived. It received its Royal Charter from King George V on 8 April 1932, making it one of only four golf clubs in southern Africa to hold this prestigious designation.

Q: What are the course specifications at Royal Durban?
A: The championship course is par 72/73 and measures 6,115 metres in length. It has a course rating of 72.5 and a slope of 131, and features indigenous Royal Blue cynodon grass greens designed by Bob Grimsdell in 1932.

Q: What are the green fees at Royal Durban Golf Club?
A: Green fees operate on a sliding scale: weekdays from R375, Saturdays and holidays R400, Sundays R330. An early bird special (Tuesday to Friday before 08:15) is available from R220, and golf cart hire costs R380.

Q: Does Royal Durban Golf Club offer function venues?
A: Yes, the 1930s clubhouse houses three function rooms suitable for corporate golf days, conferences, wedding receptions, anniversary celebrations, birthday parties, and social gatherings. All catering is provided by the club, and function packages cover 6 hours of venue use.

Q: What major golf tournaments has Royal Durban hosted?
A: Royal Durban has hosted the South African Championships (1911), the Commonwealth Tournament (1975) which was the first televised golf event in South Africa, the SA Open (last hosted in 1985), and the SA Amateur (2008).

Q: What makes the Royal Durban course unique?
A: Royal Durban is the only golf course in South Africa built inside a horse racing track, specifically within the Greyville Racecourse. The flat, links-style layout features a deep sluit running through the property, punishing rough, and prevailing winds that fundamentally change the game.

Q: When is the course closed and what practice facilities are available?
A: The course is closed on Monday mornings. Practice facilities include a driving range, chipping area, and putting greens for pre-round warm-up, plus a pro shop stocked with golf equipment and apparel.

Q: Which notable golfers have played at Royal Durban?
A: Notable golfers include Nick Faldo (who played aged 18 in the 1975 Commonwealth Tournament) and Sandy Lyle (both later became Major champions), as well as club members Rory Sabbatini (7-time US PGA Tour winner), Sally Little (SA Women’s Amateur champion 1971), and Jackie Mercer (28-time club champion).

Also explore other popular Durban event venues directory and KwaZulu-Natal event venue listings.