A successful move for Royal Ascot Golf Club

Royal Ascot Golf Club has an unusual story. Founded in 1887 and the oldest Royal club in Berkshire, its 18-hole course has only been on its current Winkfield Road site for 20 years.

Bunker improvements are shown clearly on the ninth, offering more of a visual hazard and increasing the golfing challenge. 

Originally on Ascot Heath in the centre of Ascot Racecourse, the club was given Royal status by Queen Victoria and remained on that site for 120 years.

The R&A Boys Championship was inaugurated at the club by member Sir Henry Cotton in 1921, and its first two stagings were held there.

Following the redevelopment of the racecourse in 2004, a new home was found across the road at Ascot Farm, on the edge of Windsor Great Park. Built on former farmland, the 18-hole course was designed by STRI’s Jonathan Tucker and constructed by J & E Ely, and has been gradually developed and upgraded since.

Golf Club Manager Stephen Nicholson (below) explains: “The budget for developing the course was such that while its construction was to a high standard – the greens were built to USGA spec, and irrigation pipework was installed throughout – irrigation heads were only positioned on tees, greens and some approaches. But over the years since, we’ve added to that system by putting sprinklers on various approaches and fairways that have needed it.”

Another early measure was to plant trees to give the land more definition and some of those trees are now starting to mature.

“The backdrop of Windsor Great Park and the historic woodland have helped on a number of holes, especially around the outer perimeter of the site,” comments Stephen. “And we continue to build on that, planting some 3,000 trees in the last two or three years alone.”

Some of the trees are in a plantation created as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Woods.

Stephen comments that on the racecourse the club had a Heathland course, but on the new site the terrain is Parkland in style. “Some might find that disappointing, but actually against a lot of the other golf courses in the area it’s more of a unique feature than a Heathland course.”

“It’s a 6,288yd, par 70 course which is nice to play – it presents a bit of opportunity if you’re playing well, but also can be quite a tough test if you’re not putting it where you need to.

“We have youngsters playing from four years old, while some of our most senior members that are still playing are over 90. The course isn’t too undulating, so it means that people can get around easily.”

While the course development was funded by Ascot Racecourse, the clubhouse build was funded by the club itself. Planning conditions included maintaining the agricultural appearance of the buildings, so all are single storey with full-height windows designed to resemble stable or barn doors.

Sustainability now features prominently in the club’s development plans, and in 2024, 124 silicon solar panels were installed.

“They help to generate power for the whole site, and it’s a system that we could add to in the future if required. We get a good return on investment and it was especially timely with energy price rises. There were certain restrictions on what we chose and where they went, but it helped that the Crown Estate has solar on several other sites.

“We’re also looking to install EV chargers at some point, but we are restricted on space and it’s a matter of defining the correct amount and system.”

The move to Winkfield Road was more than just a change of venue, Stephen explains. “When we came over here, it presented the opportunity to set up as a completely separate entity, with its own team.

“The club became a limited company: it’s a private members’ club owned by the members, limited by guarantee. So it’s owned and run for the benefit of the members, and all the profits that are made are ploughed back in.”

Management changes followed, including to the greenkeeping team. Previously, the racecourse grounds team also maintained the golf course.

Significant investment has been made in recent years, notably since COVID. “There had been a number of years of low investment into the club and its infrastructure and we wanted to make a few changes.”

Greenkeeping was at the heart of this, with the team growing from five to eight and substantial investment made in equipment and turf products.

“The greenkeeping budget before COVID was around £250,000; since then this has been increased to £560,000 to cover new equipment, materials and additional wages. I expect that investment to continue next year.”

The change, Stephen explains, was driven by the need to improve the course and remain competitive locally.

“We looked at our competitors and they all had eight or more greenkeepers, some of them as many as twelve with seasonal staff. Clubs all have their own intricacies, but we thought we might be missing a trick.

“Ultimately, you’ve got to make that money to spend it. So we’re keen to really capture and continue to engage the membership as our main source of revenue, alongside additional revenue streams where we can, and then invest that back into the golf course.”

Competition is a key consideration in the home counties, where golfers have a wide choice of clubs

“We’re aiming for ‘best value’. Subscription fees for a seven-day member this year are £2,380, and out of the five clubs that we rank ourselves against, we’re fourth in the list.

“We’re not expensive compared to the others, but not the cheapest either. We also have a £1,000 joining fee – some clubs don’t have one, others are at £2,500 – so again, we’re right in the middle.”

Working closely with members is key to maintaining this value offering

“Some members say they would like a topflight practice ground with all the ball-tracking technology, but a recent survey showed that the majority don’t want that. It’s more a ‘nice to have’ than a ‘must have’.

“We’ve got to go with what the majority want, and that’s more investment in the golf course at the moment.”

In 2025, this included a new machinery fleet lease with John Deere, renewing two-thirds of the existing fleet, largely on a like-for-like basis, alongside a small number of additional machines to increase versatility.

“So we will go from spending £3,000 to £9,000 a month on machinery by next year.”

The new fleet includes hybrid greens mowers, a fairway mower, a utility vehicle with sprayer, and supporting equipment for surface refinement and topdressing.

“The new mowers have GPS and are linked to John Deere’s Operations Centre portal,” comments Course Manager Ian Hockley. “This provides alerts when service and parts are needed and allows us to record performance data such as hours and fuel consumption. It also has a geofencing function so we can see exactly where each machine is on the course.”

The quality and adjustability of the cutting units were another key attraction.

Additional investment included a multi-purpose tractor with interchangeable attachments, while the remaining third of the fleet is due for renewal in 2027.

Fast-evolving technology is firmly on the club’s radar

“We trialled robotic mowers last year and it’s certainly something we will continue to consider,” says Ian. “We’re particularly interested in solar-powered docking stations, which would cut electrical installation costs as well as reducing energy use.”

An ongoing programme of course improvements aims to add contrast to the relatively level terrain.

“There’s been a focus on bunkers, moving them closer to greens to create more of a hazard and a visual deterrent. We’ve added or reinstalled drainage and renovated surfaces using china white clay and rubber crumb bases. The most striking example is at the 18th hole, where we’ve also added a fountain to the pond.”

Drainage improvements on the 15th and 16th have reduced winter closures, while drier summers have prompted a review of irrigation provision.

“We’ll look at adding new irrigation lines with the goal of improving soil moisture and maintaining grass growth. Presentation is always important, but we also have to keep improving turf quality.”

Infrastructure upgrades continue, including replacing rotting boardwalks with earth bund and drainage solutions.

“We’re building a sleeper wall on the access to the first tee, installing steps on slippery slopes, and reviewing pathway materials for greater durability.”

A new patio to the side of the clubhouse catches the sun, and storage provision for aggregates has also been improved.

“It’s all about continual development where we can, to provide a better offering for our members,” Stephen says.

Community engagement

Royal Ascot Golf Club was named Golf Club of the Year at the Club Mirror Awards, recognising its role in the local community. With a waiting list for 2025, the club has 160 junior members and an academy membership that is 80% female.

“The academy membership is a complete split-reverse of a general golf club demographic profile and something that we’re quite proud of,” says Stephen. “Three to five ladies usually graduate from the academy into full membership annually.”

Community activity includes an onsite fitness studio and gym in a converted barn, open to non-members and supported by a personal trainer.

Recent events have included a summer fete with 100 stallholders and 2,500 visitors, a dog show, children’s entertainment and a Christmas fair.

With the club on Crown Estate land and Ascot Racecourse as landlord, it has also partnered with local organisations including Ascot United Football Club, Royal Ascot Cricket Club and The Berystede Hotel for an inter-sports competition.