Royal Perak Golf Club: A Brief History

Royal Perak Golf Club began as Ipoh Golf Club (IGC), a humble nine-hole course on the Race Course, before the turn of the last Century. In 1932, as a result of the growing membership, 180 acres of land were acquired along the then Tiger Lane to construct an 18-hole golf course, and a new improved clubhouse added.

During the turbulent World War II years the Clubhouse and the Golf Course land were used to serve interests of the Occupying Japanese Forces. Post-War, the scale of destruction of the Club resulted in the IGC Committee seeking and getting the help of the Perak Turf Club (PTC) to resuscitate the Club. By 1947, the golf course was again in play and a new body called the Ipoh Sports Club was formed to run the course.

By 1950, the expense and organization of running the 18 hole golf course and the six tennis courts proved too much for the resources of the Club and once more the PTC was approached – this time to take over the full time management of the Club. And so the Perak Turf Club Sports Club (PTCSC) was born.

On November 10, 1968 the then President of the PTCSC, the late Almarhum DYTM Raja Muda Perak, Raja Musa Ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Aziz, declared open the new $500,000 club house which included facilities for squash, billiards, a six-lane fully air conditioned bowling alley, and a spacious dining hall and kitchen.

Eventually a swimming pool was added to the facilities, and thereafter the PTC leased out the Clubhouse and land around it to PTCSC for a nominal annual fee. With this autonomy the PTC’s financial support was withdrawn and upon approval by the members the Royal Perak Golf Club (RPGC) was born, having been given the Royal status by Royal Charter, with the consent of DYMM Sultan Perak, the Patron of the Club.

The RPGC, or Kelab Golf DiRaja Perak (KGDP), functioned independently but the land on which the golf course lay was never alienated to it; instead it was leased to the Perak Turf Club. The lease expired in 1991.

In 1992 the State Executive Council (EXCO) offered to renew the lease to KGDP, vde PTG letter dated 7 October 1992, with 16 Conditions to be adhered to by the Club (KGDP). The Club accepted all the Conditions, except Clause 16. Despite several attempts at resolution Clause 16 remained a point of contention. Since there was no full acceptance of the Conditions by KGDP, the offer lapsed. In 1996, the matter was brought back to the EXCO for its deliberation and it decided to give the land to SSI.

On 16 February 2006, Royal Perak Golf Club Bhd (RPGC Bhd.) was formed as a wholly own subsidiary of SSI, to operate the new Club, to be known as Royal Perak Golf Club. Eight Directors were appointed to RPGC Bhd, with Dato’ Abdul Habib Mansur, a former Perak State Secretary, as its Chairman, to manage the new club. The RPGC Bhd Board of Directors subsequently held several meetings with the Management Committee of KGDP to iron out issues prior to Bhd taking over completely.

By the end of December 2006 all outstanding issues with KGDP and the PTC were resolved and Bhd took over management of the Golf Course on 1 January 2007. On 1 March 2007, with the Club House and its facilities completely handed over to Bhd, a new era under RPGC Bhd will begin.