Page 32 - 54th UM-NUS INTER-UNIVERSITY TUNKU CHANCELLOR GOLF TOURNAMENT PHOTO BOOK

The Royal Perak Golf Club: A Legacy of Prestige

and Excellence

The Royal Perak Golf Club (RPGC), fondly known as Kelab Golf DiRaja Perak (KGDP), carries with it a legacy that has stood the
test of time. From its earliest beginnings to its present stature, it has undergone a remarkable transformation to become one
of Malaysia’s most prestigious golfing institutions. What began as a gathering place for golf enthusiasts has flourished into
a landmark of sporting heritage, embodying nearly a century of tradition and distinction. With its lush fairways, challenging
greens, and timeless charm, RPGC is recognised not only as a premier destination for golfers but also as a cultural and social
hub for visitors from far and near.

Origins and Early Beginnings Challenges of War and Post-War Revival
The club’s story traces back to the Ipoh Golf Club, which The outbreak of war nearly erased the club from existence.
emerged before the turn of the twentieth century. Its During the Japanese Occupation, the fairways were
earliest members pursued their love for golf on a modest converted into tapioca fields, while Dutch troops later used
nine-hole course laid out within the Ipoh racecourse. By the the land as a transport depot. By 1946, the grounds lay in ruin,
1930s, the club’s stature had grown, and the need for a more yet the resilience of the members prevailed.
sophisticated course became clear.
With the generous support of the Perak Turf Club, under
In 1932, the State Government granted 180 acres of secondary the leadership of Mr. Bunny Byers, a grant of $100,000 was
jungle stretching from Tiger Lane to Gunung Rapat. This land secured for rehabilitation. Against all odds, the course was
was transformed into an 18-hole championship course, its revived and triumphantly reopened in 1947. The creation of
design reportedly refined in Scotland after aerial photographs the Ipoh Sports Club further broadened its role, introducing
taken by the Perak Flying Club provided the foundation. The tennis alongside golf and reestablishing the grounds as a
resulting layout was of such enduring quality that decades centre of Ipoh’s sporting and social life.
later, experts found little reason to alter its character, even
during renovations. Rediscovered Trophies and Early

Just before the Second World War, the original wooden Traditions
clubhouse — first erected at the racecourse in 1900 — was
dismantled and meticulously rebuilt at Tiger Lane, marking a RPGC’s history is also enriched by stories of its treasured
new chapter for the club. trophies. In 1976, news reached the Committee that a silver
cup engraved “Ipoh Golf Club 1910” had surfaced in Vietnam,
discovered by U.S. Army Colonel Lewis H. Goad. After
travelling across continents for nine years, the trophy was
returned and today rests proudly in the National Museum as a
symbol of the club’s enduring heritage.

Soon after, two more trophies reappeared — the Ipoh Golf
Club Monthly Medal of 1909 and the Armistice Medal, both
won by Mr. P.G. Short, a past President of the Club. These
artefacts, once thought lost, now serve as tangible reminders
of a sporting legacy more than a century old.

30 54th UM-NUS Inter-University Tunku Chancellor Golf Tournament