Royal Golf Club

Royal Golf Club opened in 1992 on rolling terrain in Lake Elmo, a community in the eastern Twin Cities metropolitan area. The course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., whose firm brought their characteristic strategic design approach to this Minnesota landscape. The property features significant elevation changes and natural wooded corridors that define the playing corridors, a departure from the flatter parkland layouts common in much of the region. The routing takes advantage of the topography, with several holes playing uphill or downhill and offering views across the surrounding countryside. Water comes into play on multiple holes, and the design incorporates both strategic and penal elements typical of Jones's work from this period. The greens are generally large with internal contours that reward accurate approach shots, and the bunkering style reflects the architectural vocabulary Jones developed across his portfolio. Royal Golf Club operates as a private facility and serves members from the eastern suburbs and greater St. Paul area. The club has hosted various regional amateur competitions and Minnesota Golf Association events over the years. The course layout and conditioning standards reflect the expectations of contemporary private club golf in the Upper Midwest, where the playing season runs from spring through fall and course maintenance practices adapt to the climate's demands.