Real Club de la Puerta de Hierro

Real Club de la Puerta de Hierro
RCPH
NicknamesPuerta de Hierro
SportGolf
Polo
Horse Riding
Tennis
Padel
Croquet
Founded1895[1][2][3][4][5]
Based inAvenida de Miraflores, s/n
28035
Madrid
Spain
Colors
OwnerMembers
PresidentFernando d’Ornellas y de Silva
Honorary PresidentFelipe VI
Websitehttp://www.rcphierro.com

Real Club de la Puerta de Hierro (Spanish pronunciation: [reˈal ˈkluβ ðe la ˈpweɾta ðe ˈʝero]), commonly known as Puerta de Hierro, is a private country club based in Madrid, Spain. It owes its name to the nearby iron memorial arch.[6] Notorious for being associated with the royal families of Europe and the long-established elite, American President Gerald Ford called it "the club of kings and the king of clubs".[7]

It was established in 1895 as a polo club by a group of prominent noblemen led by the 16th Duke of Alba, with avid support from the then young king of Spain, Alfonso XIII. Along with the Ritz Hotel, it was founded in an effort to overtake the most luxurious venues of London and Paris.[8] In 1904, Harry Colt and Tom Simpson designed in the club what was to become mainland Spain's first golf course, "el de arriba" (the upper).[9] In 1966, Robert Trent Jones Jr. and John Harris designed the second course, "el de abajo" (the lower), while Kyle Phillips was the architect of a third short nine-hole links.[10] The golf courses at Puerta de Hierro have hosted the Spain Open, Madrid Open, the 1970 Eisenhower Trophy and the 1981 Vagliano Trophy, and are considered "one of the finest and most classic courses in continental Europe".[11][12][13] Besides golf, the club has a long-recorded history and sections in the fields of equestrianism, polo, tennis, padel and croquet.

Puerta de Hierro is well known for its strict membership policy. For almost half a century, admission remains closed; only sons, daughters and spouses of existing members are allowed to join (the latter lose their status as members if they divorce). The club has been subsequently referred to as "the most exclusive and segregated club not only in Spain, but possibly in the world, where one can fraternize with the restrictive high society of Madrid".[14][15][16][17][18] Groucho Marx's phrase, "I don't care to belong to any club that will have me as a member" has been used to describe the club's highly sought-after membership.[19][20]

  1. ^ "ABC MADRID 04-07-2014 página 96 - Archivo ABC". abc. September 6, 2019.
  2. ^ Riordan & Krüger 2003, p. 125.
  3. ^ "El marido de Esperanza Aguirre: Ahora, el presidente es él". ELMUNDO. March 19, 2016.
  4. ^ Laffaye 2012, p. 234.
  5. ^ "Los secretos del Club Puerta de Hierro: el lugar donde se casan los Entrecanales o los Borbón". Vanitatis (El Confidencial). September 2, 2013.
  6. ^ "Mazo, Violeta: Sólo apto para socios - 25 June 2004". 25 June 2004. CincoDías EL PAÍS
  7. ^ Gómez Laínez 2010, p. 117.
  8. ^ "Castelló, Elena: Así es por dentro el club más exclusivo de España, y donde la nieta de Suárez celebra hoy su boda - 21 April 2018". 21 April 2018. Vanity Fair
  9. ^ [1] Ten Golf: El club de golf más antiguo de España cumple 125 años (Puerta de Hierro is the second oldest in Spain, after Real Club de Golf of Las Palmas, founded 1891, but is the oldest in mainland Spain)
  10. ^ "Real Club Puerta de Hierro under way with Colt restoration work". Golf Course Architect.
  11. ^ "Real Club de la Puerta de Hierro (Arriba) - Top 100 Golf Courses of Spain". www.top100golfcourses.com.
  12. ^ "Real Club de la Puerta de Hierro (Abajo) - Top 100 Golf Courses of Europe". www.top100golfcourses.com.
  13. ^ "Real Club de la Puerta de Hierro - LUXOViS | The World of the Luxury! Find the luxury Hotels, Villas, Restaurants, Shops, Events, News, Golf, Beauty and Health - Find and book the Luxury in the world, make a luxury reservations". luxovis.com.
  14. ^ "Los clubes privados de lujo más exclusivos para pasar el verano". El Economista. July 15, 2017.
  15. ^ "Extraterrestres en Puerta de Hierro". El País. July 17, 1982.
  16. ^ "Real Club Puerta de Hierro: el feudo de la derecha". El Confidencial. April 1, 2015.
  17. ^ García Mateache 2020, pp. 42–43.
  18. ^ Romero 2018, p. 90.
  19. ^ "Aristocracia". El País. January 16, 2022.
  20. ^ Hello! No. 1030 - 22 July 2008 p. 11