Royal American Links (Galena, OH)

Royal American is ten minutes down the road from Bent Tree. It’s one of five courses on the New Era Golf Pass in Columbus. 

(The 352/324 yard second tests the golfer right away with a challenging second shot over the creek.) 

Michael Hurdzan designed Royal American in 1991. The holes wrap around seven lakes with a creek cutting through the property. The course exhibits many of Hurdzan’s traits, such as wide fairways, greens fronted by bunkers, and putting surfaces that slope away in the rear. 

(The 552/501 yard par five ninth plays along one of the seven lakes at Royal American.) 

(The 336/323 yard third forces golfers to carry the water off the tee. It’s a good chance for birdie if one hits a confident drive.)

The water holes are easily the best holes on the course, and Hurdzan does a nice job challenging different shots with it. Two of the par threes in particular stand out. 

(The 183/163 yard fourth allows a bailout to the front right...

...and the 191/161 yard twelfth does the same. Both holes require a controlled draw to attack most pin positions.) 

It’s the meadow holes that lack imagination and Hurdzan’s reliance on fronting bunkers tends to get stale. Birdies are still hard to come by, but the players who leave front pin positions alone will have plenty of birdie chances. 

(The 364/333 yard fifteenth has hidden water behind the green. Attacking rear pin positions is a gamble.)

(The 449/410 yard eighteenth is backdropped by the beautiful clubhouse. A hazard thirty yards short of the green places a large premium on hitting a good drive.) 

Hurdzan is based in Columbus, so many of the  Ohio courses built in the 90’s were designed by him. It’s a popular course in the area but unknown to outsiders. The fact I wasn’t aware how close it was to Bent Tree reinforces that! I give it a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour). 

(The first and tenth holes are very similar par fives separated by a creek. Both are excellent opportunities to make a birdie.) 

I must comment on the clubhouse! The inside is bout relaxing as any private course you’ll come across. Not only a great bar and fireplace, but spacious enough to have a pool table! Skins game, a little Texas Hold Em, and then pool! There’s many options to gamble your money away at Royal American! My kinda place.