Golf club members can be an opinionated bunch and keeping everyone sweet is no easy task.

There are the belligerent traditionalists who like things just the way they are and see themselves as the reincarnation of the founding members, viewing modern ideas as something to fear and oppose.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are those passionate progressives who want to rip up the history of what made their club, embrace those fleeting trends with open arms – until that particular wind blows in a different direction.

And there are those who frankly couldn’t give two hoots about the history or indeed the future of their club.

Perhaps harder to find are those members who put forward a host of opinions on how things should be done and – instead of running a mile when the opportunity arrives – they step up to run the place.

When housing developer Persimmon Homes offered the club nearly £18 million for its land in 2014, it looked as though Royal Norwich – given royal approval by the Duke of York back in 1893 – would cease to exist.

But in keeping with their royal vision, the members simply marched to the top of a new hill as a grand old plan was hatched: relocate a few miles down the road and rise to build a new future from the rubble of the bulldozers.

In October 2019, the new Royal Norwich was effectively reincarnated on the site of the Weston Estate but rebuilt from scratch under the direction of Ross McMurray, who also designed Woburn’s Marquess Course.

History and the future can often collide uncomfortably, so it can sometimes take some fresh energy to pursue a vision formed by those who came before.

But who better to carry the torch than a loyal member with a hugely successful business background?

John Kerr – a six-handicapper – was invited to become chief executive at Royal Norwich in early 2022 after being voted on to the board by fellow members just six weeks prior. Kerr, 40, said: “We all realistically want the same thing – a great golf club and a great place to come.

“My background is in entrepreneurialism and running businesses – I’ve owned my own group of companies since I was 18 across multiple sectors: IT, accountancy, insurance, facility management and various others.

“I’d also been involved in private equity for quite a long time. I was voted on to the board by the members and was then asked to step up as chief executive. It was a fantastic opportunity, but I think I had a rare advantage in having been a member – absolutely.

“I had a real desire to see the members well-represented and was one of the reasons I was put forward to be on the board. I had a good overview of the feelings and views of the other members.

“I still try to get out and play golf with different members. You find different and interesting points of view, although I must admit, there might have been just the odd occasion where I might avoid a certain tee time if I know I’m going to get my ear chewed off about something,” he smiles.

“There is always a balance between what the members want and what the right thing is for the club. If I sit on my own with a decision to make, that is the question I ask myself: Is it in the interests of the majority of the members?

“You can’t always make decisions like that, but it helps. If the answer is “no”, then I have to weigh up very strongly why I am doing it.

“There will always be decisions which you know full well will be unpopular with members but will support the club far better in the long run. But I also think it helps if you communicate those decisions effectively.

“I will sit with members and try to do clinics once every quarter – I did four or five in a very short period when I first came in. It just meant I could explain the thinking behind some of the decisions.”

After coming through COVID which hit just a few months after opening, it’s a thriving venue with plenty of reasons to visit. Stuffy dress codes are a thing of the past and The Stables (which would previously have been referred to as the clubhouse) attracts public diners as much as the members.

The six-hole academy course is an excellent place to either learn the game or enjoy a fun hour or so and the maintenance standards are as high as the fabulous par-73 Championship course, which stretches 7,209 yards.

Kerr said: “The vision was all about disrupting the golf market. That was to remove some of the factors which may put people off and to engage with younger people. It’s all about creating a social atmosphere.

“We don’t have a dress code – jeans are fine if that’s what you want to wear on the course. Although it’s funny because it self-regulates itself – not too many choose to wear jeans, even though they wouldn’t get kicked off if they did.

“Ladies’ golf is a big part of that engagement too. We are investing heavily in that and ensuring that grows – and not just from a senior standpoint, although a lot of people who play golf are retired.

“We have around 1,000 members in total. But every weekend we are seeing around 100 juniors turning up. It is a real mix of people coming along.

“The six-hole academy course is a very different way of golf and works for some people. You won’t need a driver but it definitely works for kids or anyone else learning the game, have a bit of fun and to then go and have something to eat or drink afterwards.

“It also really sharpens your short-game skills and is maintained to the same standards as the main course.

“No blade of grass was left untouched when it was rebuilt but it just looks fantastic now. With our own reservoir and the dry summer, we were probably the only green course left in Norfolk in July and August.”

As for the future, there are further grand plans in place – but they may yet take some time to come to fruition. Kerr said: “We have some big plans going forward.

“We’re in the process of putting together a gym and we’re expanding out towards leisure facilities, which was always the vision. It’s about choosing which parts of the club you want to engage with. It’s not just about the golf.

“We’re looking to build some kind of learning establishment, where we can show people some pathways to get into the golf world – not just playing, but greenkeeping, management, hospitality etc.

“We’ve hosted the Clutch Pro Tour and had fantastic feedback from the pros and we’re in discussion about hosting a ladies event in 2024/25, so there is definitely scope to host some big events.

“We also own 350 acres here so the longer-term plan is to put a hotel on the site. Realistically, I think it will take us ten years to get to that point. But the quality of this facility in this location will never be repeated.

“The windfall which came from the sale of the land was once in a lifetime. That’s why we are so fortunate to be able to shape our own future. I really do believe this place deserves the dream that was created. I want to help deliver it.”

That initial vision was to create something new and fresh with a real vibrancy, respecting tradition but with eyes firmly focused on the bigger picture. Remarkable strides have already been made. At Royal Norwich, you sense that there are plenty more to come.