Formally known as the Fremantle Golf Club, Royal Fremantle (RFGC) was established 1905 and its original course open for play in June 1906. It is the second oldest metropolitan club in Western Australia, and was the first to own a full 18 hole golf course. Still occupying its original site, Royal Fremantle was the host venue for the first men's WA Amateur in 1911 (John Learmonth), the first WA Open in 1913 (Clyde Pearce) and the first WA PGA Championship in 1933 (Ernie Bissett). The club remains on the WA Open rota and has hosted the Championship a record 22 times, most recently in 2022.

Fremantle Golf Club was awarded the “Royal” appellation in 1930 making it Australia’s sixth club so honoured. In Governor Sir William Campion’s recommendation for awarding the Royal appellation he noted “the Club has a fine record of service during the War period”.

Royal Fremantle is one of the foundation clubs of the Western Australian Golf Association, now known as Golf WA, and many of its alumni have progressed to successful national and international careers as amateurs and professionals. Among recent membership success stories are star siblings Minjee and Min-Woo Lee.

Royal Fremantle is a kikuyu course with bent greens that have undergone a number of small upgrades in recent years. 10 greens have been replaced in a program that began in 2017.

One of the surprises of Perth golf, is just how good some of the land at Royal Fremantle is for golf. Unlike Cottesloe, which is unable to maximize its undulation because of space issues, here the roomy nature of the property further highlights the undeniable potential of this golf course.

As it has been several years since our last visit to Royal Fremantle, we look forward to returning soon to review the changes made over the last decade or so. On previous inspection, there were quite a few holes that bent so sharply around trees that they forced golfers to play to the outside of doglegs for a clear view of the green. Not only did trees interrupt play a little too frequently, there were also some poorly positioned bunkers that appear to have been located purely to make certain holes harder.

Were the club able to improve the bunkering and routing, plus remove the odd intruding tree, there is no doubt the course has the potential to be one of the best few in Perth. We liked parts of the 1st, 2nd, 13th, 15th, 16th and 18th holes.