There are two ways that a golf club gets to have Royal in its name. The first way is that a monarch confers this title on a club.
The first golf club to be granted royal status in this way was the Perth Golfing Society and County and City Club Society. It was formed in 1824, and in 1833 King William IV awarded it royal status, after the club captain, Lord Kinnaird, had invited the king, who had recently taken up the game, to become the club's patron. A year later William IV honoured in the same fashion another club of which he was patron, hence why we have The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.
