Royal Links GC
Las Vegas, NV
1998, Dye Designs Int'l
Royal 7029, 73.7, 135, 72
Gold 6602, 71.2, 131, 72
Ruby 5864, 72
Fees: ~$100-$225
Tee times 90 days in adv
Fat Guy Note: Between David Feherrity's commercials and the pix on my golf calendar, this place is a dead ringer for some big name British Open rota courses, set in the NV desert.
Be sure to reserve a Par Mate caddy… model-gorgeous caddy/concierges who give you yardages, fix your divot marks, and take care of you all day. A steal at ~$225 plus tip. Click here for Royal Links' Par Mate Of The Month.
Royal Links Par Mate Kara
Plan of attack: How to play Royal Links Golf Club
By Bill Bowman, Contributor
LAS VEGAS -- Face it, most of us won't get the chance to play the holes associated with the British Open golf courses.
But at Royal Links Golf Club in Las Vegas, you can tee it up on holes that resemble those tests that have thrilled the best golfers in the world. The Dye Designs layout stretches to just more than 7,000 yards, and these holes are designed to look, feel and play like the originals in Scotland.
That means they come complete with challenging hazards. Grab your clubs and a caddie, head for the golf course and get ready to tee it up for a memorable round.
A word to the wise
Listen to your caddie at Royal Links. That's a must. If he says the best shot is to lay up, do it. Check your ego at the door and realize these caddies know the best targets, the places to miss and the places from which you just can't afford to play --- like the many deep and perfectly-placed bunkers.
"On the tee box, because of the British Open style, it can be tough to figure out the best place to hit it," General Manager Brendon Bain said, "and that's why the caddies are so important."
It's time to be aggressive
Players get the chance to score on the first hole. The opener is a par-4 that plays just 334 yards. But put that driver away. Those pesky bunkers creep into play in the landing area, so a hybrid or long iron off the tee will set up an easy approach shot to a receptive green.
A birdie here will put a smile on your face and a circle on your scorecard. Then there's the finale, the par-5 18th that reaches just 520 yards. But heed the warning.
"It's the largest fairway on the course," Bain said, "and it's got a very large green, so there's definitely a chance for players to get home in two. But if players don't make it, there's a good chance they will wind up in the 'Hell Bunker,' and that's definitely not a good place to be."
While the first and last holes present chances to attack, other holes offer opportunities for aggressive play, depending on the positioning of the drive.
"Finding the fairways here is real important," Bain said. "Miss the fairway, and players will find very difficult shots out of the heather."
Risk/reward at Royal Links Golf Club
In a classic risk-reward design, the 11th hole at Royal Links G.C., a 335-yard par-4, offers options: Lay up off the tee and get a wedge into the green, or give it a go with the driver.
While there are no bunkers here, avoid the gorse if you're looking for put up a birdie or par.
Be careful here
Your caddie will alert you to trouble spots, and, like at the British Open golf courses, missing the fairway proves problematic.
Two of the tougher holes look easier than they play -- the long, par-5 fourth, measuring 621 yards from the tips, and the short, 126-yard, par-3 eighth.
"The fourth is definitely a three-shot hole, so players need to set themselves up for a good approach shot," Bain said. "And No. 8, the 'Postage Stamp' hole, renders more triple-bogeys than any other hole on the course, so despite it being so short, it's still very tough."
Scenic beauty, with a challenge
Then there's the hole about which players have heard and dreamed -- the par-4 10th, a replica of the famous Road Hole from St. Andrews. It plays long at 467 yards and doglegs to the right, coming complete with the huge scoreboard and the famous wall that runs the entire right side.
Whether players hit it over the scoreboard or play a fade off the tee, the second shot here is crucial. Don't be short or you'll land in the Road Hole bunker, which is easy to find but devilish to escape.
"You really have to be accurate off the tee and from the fairway," Bain said. "It's a difficult approach shot with that Road Hole bunker guarding the small green. It's a tough hole."
But it's a hole that -- if players can make that birdie or par putt -- will provide plenty of the satisfaction.
Play Royal Links G.C. smart and with caution -- just as if you're actually across the pond.
December 1, 2010
Best Bar Nearby: The castle-like clubhouse adds to the atmosphere, but don't spend more than a beer there when Vegas awaits.
Where To Booze & Grub, Vegas: See Fat Guy's Vegas Golf Weekend