The Perth Golfing Society was formed by a small number of Perth gentlemen at a meeting on 5th April 1824 in the Salutation Inn, Scotland’s oldest hotel.   Sir David Moncreiffe became the first  Club Captain.   No time was lost in organising golf when scarlet golfing jackets with crested buttons were worn for matches played on the South Inch and North Inch links.

 

The sixth captain of the Club was Lord Kinnaird, and it was through his good connections in high places that royal patronage for the Club was graciously granted by King William IV in 1833. Royal Perth was the first golfing society in the world to receive this honour.  

 

In 1878, the Club name was changed to The Royal Perth Golfing Society & County and City Club.  This reflected the fact that members were (and still are) largely drawn not only from the City of Perth itself but also from its environs in Perthshire.

 

Much of the Club’s history is represented by the several golfing artefacts and memorabilia still proudly held by the Club.  Some of these golf trophies and medals date back to the very earliest days of the Club’s existence - 

 

• A silver club dated 1824, from which hang 47 silver balls each inscribed with the name of the then captain, is now on loan to the British Golf Museum in St. Andrews for display to the public;

• The Macduff Jug was commissioned by the Club to mark its centenary in 1924. This is still played for today in the Spring Foursomes Meeting;

• Another silver club was commissioned to celebrate the Millennium 2000 and is a replica of an 18th century putter formerly owned by the Club, but which was sold in 1998 for a then world record price.

 

Two full histories of the Club have been written, one by the Rev. T.D. Miller in 1924 and the other by Dr. John S.G. Blair in 2007.