Castle Royle celebrates its silver anniversary

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On the night of June 24, 1994 a huge thunderstorm descended on Knowl Hill, Berkshire.

It could have been seen as something of an omen and one which might have caused anxiety to many businesses. Especially the night before the opening of a brand new Golf Club.

But the following morning, June 25th 1994, Mother Nature smiled kindly and players took to the greens and enjoyed a round of golf, unspoilt by the rain and winds of the night before, and there the legacy began.

Since that day 25 years ago, Castle Royle has grown to become one of the county’s finest golf clubs – whatever the weather.

From grass roots golf to coaching some of England’s top players, and building a first class Health & Fitness Club five years after opening, Castle Royle Golf & Country Club, has something for everyone.

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“What makes us stand out from other clubs is our members and the fact that we are a members only club,” explained general manager Patrick Ferguson.

“That means our members have plenty of time and space to enjoy their golf or their family leisure time.”

As well as enjoying a first class golfing experience, our members have full access to the spa, gym and pool. That makes for an all round exceptional experience.

“We have some of the best golf facilities in England, set within 180 acres of parkland. The course was designed by Neil Coles who has designed courses around the world.”

Castle Royle is one of fourteen sites owned by The Club Company which over the years has won a number of prestigious industry awards for high levels of service within the Golf and health and fitness industry.

That standard is reflected at Castle Royle and means a constant striving for excellence on and off the greens.

The club has always been one where members can enjoy a stress free game with friends or help improve their game with advice and tips from the head coach, England Boys Head Coach, Rob Watts.

However, there has also been a desire to strive for excellence with Castle Royle winning numerous competitions and encouraging talent.

For example, Cara Gainer is a member of the England women’s squad while David Langley represented England in home internationals and is a Member of the England Men’s A Team.

“Both Cara & David joined the club as a juniors and have worked their way up,” added Patrick.

“They are a credit to the club and we know they will enjoy even more success in the future. In addition to these individual achievements, we also won the England Champion Club title at Huddersfield GC.

“We then had the honour of representing England in the European Men’s Club Trophy in Bordeaux, finishing foruth out of 27 countries.”

It’s little wonder that over 200 members had plenty to celebrate at the Club’s 25th anniversary dinner on Saturday.

It was a perfect opportunity to reflect on how Castle Royle, with its magnificent club house, built on a site that was once just another green Berkshire field, has progressed, matured and carved its reputation in a hugely competitive market.

Today, it is the place where amateurs can mingle with top professionals, where families can enjoy a fun day out or gym enthusiasts pump some iron.

It is a place where exclusivity is encouraged and Members can enjoy a drink and a meal in the Terrace Bar while watching passing thunderstorms.