Royal and Ancient
Preserved but no longer current.
The name by which the game of golf has been known since early days. In 1834 the St. Andrews Golf Club (founded in 1754) took the name of Royal and Ancient Golf Club; except in U.S.A. this club is the recognized authority on golf throughout the world, governing the game, framing rules, and settling questions and disputes.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Royal and Ancient” mean?
The name by which the game of golf has been known since early days. In 1834 the St. Andrews Golf Club (founded in 1754) took the name of Royal and Ancient Golf Club; except in U.S.A. this club is the recognized authority on golf throughout the world, governing the game, framing rules, and settling questions and disputes.
Is “Royal and Ancient” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.